She Was My Wife, Now a Trillionaire

With a practiced smile, Arabella Curtis waved off her friend's story about seeing her husband, Brenton Curtis, acting intimately with a woman at a hotel.

Without missing a beat, she dismissed the possibility that Brenton would ever cheat on her. After all, sharing thirteen years of history and a bond forged in childhood, their connection felt far too deep for betrayal.

She still remembered that on her recent birthday, Brenton had rented the city's largest screen just to broadcast his love for her to all of Ouismont.

Moreover, the two of them were already in the middle of trying for a baby.

Clutching her fresh medical report, Arabella hurried to the company, desperate to tell Brenton she was in good shape for pregnancy.

Stepping out of the private elevator leading straight to the top floor, she found her path to Brenton's office suddenly blocked by a young woman in a yellow dress.

"How did you get up here? If you don't have an appointment, you're not going in."

Studying the young woman before her, Arabella found the woman both charming and strangely familiar.

The young woman raised her hands and locked eyes with Arabella, her face filled with pure arrogance.

Intervening quickly, Cade Reid, Brenton's assistant, rushed over to pull the young woman back. "Sallie, this is Mrs. Curtis. Show her due respect and apologize to her right now."

Recovering from her shock, Sallie Murray bit her lip and tilted her head back defiantly. "Hello, Mrs. Curtis. I'm a student sponsored by Mr. Curtis. I'm grateful he let me intern here. I didn't see your name on his schedule, so I followed protocol just now. I'm sure you'll understand and not hold it against me."

Beneath her gentle expression, her tone carried a subtle edge.

Offering no response, Arabella dropped her gaze to Sallie's fingernails. "That's a very nice shade of polish."

Gazing at the shimmering blue, Arabella realized it was the exact same color she'd seen on Brenton's pinky just yesterday. Last night, while cooking their dinner together, confronted with her curious question, he'd claimed it was just an ink smear. At the time, she hadn't given it a second thought.

Tucking her hands behind her back, Sallie looked away, clearly trying to avoid Arabella's stare.

Spotting a dark bruise behind Sallie's ear, Arabella noted the faint tooth marks of a deep, aggressive kiss.

Knowing Brenton for four years, Arabella was all too familiar with his intimate habits.

Many times, in moments of passion, Brenton would often leave a trail of kisses behind her ear, his voice hoarse from suppressing his desire. "When are you going to be ready for me, honey? I'm reaching my breaking point here..."

Battling fragile health for years, Arabella lived with the grim reality that her past uterine injuries turned any potential pregnancy into a gamble with her life.

Brenton was constrained by his condom allergy and a grueling career; the couple had remarkably never consummated their two-year marriage.

Watching Brenton retreat to a cold shower to kill his desire, Arabella always felt a heavy mix of guilt and deep affection.

That was why, when he suggested they start a family and urged her to quit her job and stay home to focus on the preparation for pregnancy, she complied without protest.

Enduring six months of foul-tasting medication, she had kept her heart full of anticipation for the family they would build together.

Anticipating tonight as their long-overdue milestone, she had even gone as far as buying lingerie that she would've been too embarrassed to even look at normally.

Yet, realizing the sick truth now, Arabella finally saw that Brenton hadn't been restraining his desires at all; he had long strayed. The weight of her friend's warning pressed on her, and the blow of Brenton's long-time betrayal left her standing completely frozen in the hallway.

"Mrs. Curtis, your husband is currently in a meeting with Mr. Rogers. Please go on in," Cade said before ushering a sulking Sallie away.

Walking with leaden feet, Arabella approached the massive doors of the CEO's office.

Pushing the door ajar, she caught the low murmur of voices drifting through the small opening.

"Keeping a girl on the side is one thing, but bringing her to the office is just reckless. You can't afford to let Arabella catch wind of this and turn it into a disaster," Archie Rogers warned.

Standing rooted to the floor, Arabella felt a bone-deep chill that made her teeth chatter uncontrollably. Discovering that even her own brother was helping hide Brenton's affair, the betrayal felt twice as sharp.

"Relax, Archie. Bella is completely wrapped around my finger. She's too sensible to make a scene, and frankly, she's too busy playing house and getting ready for a baby to notice a thing."

Brenton's voice was low and magnetic, full of confidence.

Hearing that familiar tone now felt like a poison seeping through the door, destroying everything she believed in.

"Fair point. Ever since Brinley hired those thugs to stab Arabella-nearly destroying her uterus-everyone in Quismont knew she was damaged goods. If you hadn't taken care of her, proposed to her, and then whisked her abroad, we never would've had the time to cover up Brinley's crime."

"If Brinley actually goes to jail because of what happened with Arabella, her future is over."

"Your feelings for Brinley run deeply. But she is way too proud to tolerate you finding substitutes that resemble her. Brinley is nothing like Arabella, who is basically just a puppet you can control."

"I'm just having some fun with that intern. I'll take care of everything once Brinley finally comes back."

"Fine, as long as you know what you're doing."

Arabella felt her hand shaking violently as she gripped the doorknob, and a cold chill ran up from her feet. It felt as if an iron hand was squeezing her heart so hard that she couldn't breathe or even stand up straight.

Born as a Rogers and having gone missing when she was a kid, she hadn't been found until she was seventeen.

Yet, even after reconnecting with her blood family, regardless of how hard she tried to please, her parents and brothers always chose the daughter without blood ties, Brinley Rogers, over her.

Luckily, she had her grandmother, the only person in the entire family who truly loved and cared for her.

When Arabella turned eighteen, her grandmother gave her a precious family heirloom-a bracelet. Brinley was so jealous of the gift that she cried and made a scene until their parents bought her a villa worth fifty million dollars just to appease her.

Not long after Arabella entered adulthood, a group of thugs attacked her while she was walking home one night.

Those thugs dragged her into a dark alley, where she fought back as hard as she could until she was stabbed twice.

Looking at all the blood, the thugs got scared and ran away, leaving her to crawl out of the alley to find help.

Doctors worked hard to save her, but due to the delayed treatment, she almost lost her ability to ever have children.

Her misfortune didn't stop there. News of the attack made headlines, creating a huge stir, with the gossips maliciously against her.

"Did you hear the news? Arabella was assaulted, and her uterus was damaged beyond repair!"

"Then she can't have babies now. Already inferior to Brinley, she's just a useless burden to her family now."

"I wonder how many guys have ever touched her. Ugh! If that happened to me, I'd have ended my life a long time ago."

Mockery and vicious rumors about her were all over the place during those darkest days of her life.

Throughout that entire painful period, Brenton stayed by her side and took care of her. While everyone else scorned her, he ignored the ridicule directed at her and told her that he truly loved her.

He even organized a massive and beautiful ceremony to ask eighteen-year-old Arabella to be his wife. Later on, taking her on a vacation, he acted like he was slowly healing her broken heart.

Since the day Brenton saved her from drowning when they were kids, Arabella had started developing feelings toward him and followed him everywhere like a shadow.

Excited by Brenton's declaration of his feelings toward her, she ignored the Rodger family's angry warnings and chose to be with him, his lack of money not bothering her in the slightest.

Helping Brenton start his company, she lived with him in a tiny basement and never complained about the hardship. Following their original plan, the two of them officially got married two years later. After their marriage, he remained gentle and considerate, and they were as loving as ever. They even started trying to have a baby together.

Arabella had once felt that Brenton was the lighthouse amid her darkest days and the best thing that had ever happened to her. However, she never guessed that the person Brenton actually loved this whole time was Brinley.

Now, it finally clicked for Arabella that the odd sense of familiarity when she laid eyes on Sallie stemmed from the woman's resemblance to Brinley. Everything-from Brenton's declarations of love and proposal to their wedding-was just an act to buy time and cover Brinley's crimes. Brenton's devotion to Brinley really astonished her.

Letting out a self-ridiculing smirk, Arabella wondered if she was just a tool to be sacrificed for Brinley and Brenton's great love story. And it seemed her blood family treated her just as a pawn in their plan to protect Brinley from any consequence.

Mockery filled her thoughts as she wondered if she should actually thank them for lying so well to her.

"Who's there?" a freezing voice called out inside the room.

Sitting at his desk, Brenton stared at the cracked door and abruptly rose to his feet.

His long legs strode forward, his presence sharp as he yanked open the heavy double doors, his gaze piercing.

However, the hallway was empty.

Frowning in confusion, Brenton watched as Cade came running toward him.

"Tell me exactly who was just standing at this door," Brenton demanded with a scary look in his eyes.

Cade, unsure of what had happened during his absence, answered honestly, "Mr. Curtis, your wife was here a moment ago. She had a run-in with Sallie and seemed a bit upset. Didn't you see her?"

"Wait, Arabella was actually here?" Archie asked as he walked up, his expression shifting.

Tightening his eyebrows, Brenton felt an unfamiliar feeling of panic start to grow in his chest. He glared at Cade and barked, "Go and check the surveillance cameras right this second!"

Just then, a soft, familiar voice drifted toward them. "What are you all standing here for?"

Arabella stepped off the far terrace, her phone still clutched in her hand. Her eyes were wide with a flicker of surprise, though her face remained impossible to read.

Brenton and Archie traded a fast look, both letting out a quiet, synchronized sigh of relief. They were well aware of just how much Arabella's world revolved around her family. If she'd actually heard a word of their conversation, there was no way she'd be this composed; she'd be in tears, falling apart and making a scene.

Brenton offered a small, practiced smile as he reached out to take her bag. "It's nothing, really. Why didn't you just come in?"

He was undeniably striking, his tailored charcoal suit perfectly accentuating his tall, athletic build.

With C&S Technologies exploding to a ten-billion-dollar valuation, Brenton had become the golden boy of the local tech scene before even hitting twenty-seven.

Brenton carried the effortless charm of a winner; a little bit of kindness from him was usually enough to win over anyone.

Arabella's fingers were icy and shaking, but even as Brenton touched her, he didn't seem to notice a thing.

That kind of empty, fake affection was the last thing Arabella wanted. She took a mental breath, forcing herself to stay sharp and see things for what they were.

Arabella forced a thin smile. "I had a call come through and didn't want to interrupt your meeting, so I stepped onto the terrace to take it."

At that, every bit of tension vanished from Brenton's face.

Archie frowned with displeasure. "Since you chose to be a housewife, stay away from the office. If you absolutely have to visit, make an appointment like everyone else. You're wasting Brenton's time. You've always been reckless and immature-your sister would never act like this."

Arabella thought bitterly that if it had been Brinley, the visit would have been celebrated, and every move she made would have been called perfect.

Arabella simply nodded and said, "You're absolutely right."

Archie's brow furrowed. Normally, Arabella would have argued relentlessly or done something desperate to prove she was Brinley's equal. Why was she being so gentle all of a sudden?

Instead of feeling satisfied, her quiet submission made him feel strangely dismissed. He figured it was just her usual, disappointing performance that was getting under his skin.

His frown deepening, Archie said, "You haven't visited in ages. Come back home for dinner tomorrow; Mom and Dad have some things to discuss with us."

"Of course." Brenton spoke up. "I'll make sure Bella is there."

Without so much as a parting look at Arabella, Archie turned and walked away.

Brenton guided Arabella into his office and immediately reached out to pull her into his arms. "What's with the surprise visit? Did you miss me that much?"

The familiar, woody scent of his cologne filled Arabella's senses. She placed a hand against his chest, her eyes locked on the bag in his hand. It contained the results of her fertility tests, but she realized there was absolutely no point in showing him anymore.

She was practically radiating tension, and Brenton's smile faded as he caught onto her odd demeanor. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Arabella looked up at him, and for a fleeting second, she felt a burning urge to slap the fake concern right off his face. But she knew a scene like that wouldn't actually fix anything. She wanted out-she wanted a divorce. She was done with the Rogers family once and for all.

More than that, she needed proof that Brinley was behind the attack that had nearly destroyed her years ago. She was going to get the justice she deserved, no matter how long it took.

"Do you really think I don't measure up to Brinley?" she asked in a low voice.

Brenton blinked, surprised. So, that was what was eating at her. He gave her forehead a playful tap. "You don't need to be comparing yourself to her, Bella."

It was the kind of statement that could be taken in two very different ways. The first way to take it was that she simply fell short of Brinley in every way. The second was that she was her own person, unique in the world.

Before, Arabella would have chosen to believe the second version. But now, she knew better. Brenton had meant the first. She didn't expect him to have a way with words, masking cutting words beneath a gentle tone.

Before she could sit with that thought, the office door swung open with a hard knock, and Sallie walked in carrying two cups of coffee.

Arabella used the interruption to slip away from Brenton's embrace and settled herself on the sofa.

Sallie set one cup down on the table in front of Arabella and carried the other over to Brenton.

"Your coffee, Mr. Curtis," Sallie cooed, bending down slightly.

Brenton reached for the cup, and as he did, Sallie's fingers grazed his palm.

"Sallie, was it?" Arabella abruptly spoke.

Sallie stiffened. Brenton's fingers closed a little tighter around the cup. He looked over to find Arabella watching them both with a gentle smile.

"I just want to change my drink to juice. I'm on medicine for pregnancy, so coffee isn't recommended. Why are you both suddenly so tense?" Arabella's voice was soft.

"Go get it changed," Brenton commanded, his tone icy. His stern gaze wordlessly warned Sallie to obey.

The color left Sallie's face. She pressed her lips together. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Curtis. I'll bring the juice for you right now."

She picked up the cup and got out of the room as quickly as she could.

Arabella watched Sallie go, her expression unreadable, until Brenton stepped into her line of sight and blocked the view entirely. She laughed lightly. "Can't even handle basic tasks properly. Since when did you become so lenient with interns?"

The tension in Brenton's face eased. He had sensed that something was off about her demeanor, but looking at her now, it seemed to be just jealousy-nothing significant.

Leaning over the back of the sofa, he brought his face closer to hers, amusement sitting plainly in his eyes. "Jealous, huh? She's just a college student I'm sponsoring, here for an internship. She is young and innocent, so why are you picking a fight with a little girl?"

Arabella inwardly sneered. Apparently, Brenton had forgotten that she had worked tirelessly by his side since she was eighteen to help build this company.

In the beginning, C&S Technologies was nothing more than a tiny team of fewer than ten employees.

She had started as Brenton's basic assistant and worked through every hardship until she finally earned the position of head of the public relations department.

She could still vividly remember a time when a difficult client had brought her to tears, and she recalled exactly how Brenton had reacted. "If you want to do this job well, you have to deal with setbacks. Nobody is going to tolerate your mistakes or your bad moods."

At that time, she had foolishly thought that Brenton's harsh attitude was a form of discipline meant to push her forward for her own good.

Ultimately, she realized that he was perfectly capable of being compassionate; he simply chose never to show that kindness to her.

......

Stepping out of the building, Arabella felt her strength vanish, and she collapsed onto a nearby roadside bench.

Slowly, she lowered her head and hid her face in her trembling hands.

Every bit of her composed facade disappeared, replaced by a deep sense of sorrow and bitter resentment.

As the sun began to set, the autumn wind brought chilling raindrops that soaked through her clothes.

Watching the withered leaves get crushed into the mud by passing cars, she felt that her love and loyalty had been destroyed in the exact same way.

Eventually, her shaking body grew still as she regained control over her emotions.

Lifting her head with newfound determination, Arabella took out her phone and dialed a familiar number without hesitation.

Although the person on the other end picked up immediately, Arabella found herself unable to utter a word.

"Arabella? What's wrong?" asked a voice that sounded both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar at the same time.

Feeling tears sting her eyes, she whispered, "I'm sorry for bothering you at this hour. I wanted to know if I could still apply to join the lab for the eVTOL project."

She held her breath, her face turning red as a wave of uncertainty washed over her.

At just fifteen, she'd beat out the competition to get into Alverton University, a world-famous academy, where everyone pretty much pegged her as a prodigy in aircraft design.

During her junior year, she actually cracked the code on obstacle avoidance using multi-sensor fusion. Her algorithms basically made drones way more reliable and accurate at dodging things in their path.

She took that tech and built a drone for fire monitoring that was so advanced for its time that it even blew her professor away.

Her professor helped her land a patent, which paved the way for her master's degree and PhD, and her professor even took her on as his last protégé. Back then, it felt like she had the world at her feet.

Arabella donated that patent to the nation. At the time, she was easily the professor's star pupil. She didn't stop there; she teamed up with some college friends to start LightWing Aerial, a promising company focused on lightweight aerial photography.

But four years ago, blinded by what she believed to be love, she walked away from her dreams, her studies, and her bright career, failing her professor's expectations just to work as Brenton's assistant.

Even so, her professor never actually gave up on her; two years back, he flew all the way from Trouport just to ask her to join his lab for the newly established eVTOL project, but she turned him down again.

But now, upon reflection, she regretted her decision and all the sacrifices she'd made for Brenton. Not a little, but deeply and profoundly, in a way that settled right in her bones.

Biting her lip roughly enough that it almost bled, she listened to the warm, excited voice on the other end of the line. "Of course! As I said, as long as you want to come back, the door is always open! When can you get here? I'll book the flight for you right now-is tomorrow too early?"

Arabella felt a rush of warmth. "But is the professor still..."

"Oh, you know how he is! Just show up and surprise him. Trust me, the second he sees you, he won't be mad anymore. And if he is, just cook him a good meal-maybe two if he's really grumpy."

She finally smiled through her tears. "I'll cook for him every day if that's what it takes! I might need about a month to get everything sorted out on my end. Is that okay?"

"Take all the time you need. I'll be here waiting for you."

"Thank you. Really."

Arabella ended the call and sat in quiet for a moment. The heaviness that had been sitting on her chest had loosened, just a little. One month. That was all she needed. Enough time to end the marriage, pack up what was hers, leave this city behind, and finally go after the life she had put on hold.

She lifted her head, and for the first time in a long while, everything had felt clear.

At that precise moment, a black Bentley rolled past. The back window was rolled halfway down, and through it, Arabella could see a young woman perched on a man's lap, the two of them kissing without a care, the cold autumn air moving around them like it wasn't even there.

If Brenton had glanced out the window, he would have seen his wife sitting off to the side of the road, soaked through by the rain, her body cold, and her eyes empty.

But he never turned. All his attention stayed on the excitement the young woman stirred in him, and the thought of his wife no longer crossed his mind.

Arabella watched as the car disappeared into the glow of the neon lights before pushing herself to stand.

From her bag, she pulled out the fertility test report. She ripped it apart piece by piece and then dropped the torn scraps into a nearby trash bin.

Without hesitation, she turned around and headed the other way.

Night had settled in completely, and a thin drizzle kept falling.

Even the usually lively business district had gone quiet and empty.

At a street corner, an elderly woman crouched under a streetlamp. Rain mist clung to her gray hair, and a small pile of flowers rested at her feet.

Arabella felt that life never went easy on people, and love offered no help.

Arabella slid off her wedding ring, placed it into the elderly woman's palm, and then gently folded the woman's fingers over it. "It's raining. You should head home soon."

Before the elderly woman could react, Arabella had already walked away.

Shortly after, a black Rolls-Royce pulled up at the intersection, coming to a stop. The driver's door swung open.

A man stepped out, his polished dress shoes touching the wet pavement as his suit pants lifted slightly, revealing his sharp ankles covered by black socks.

With a straight posture, he stepped out of the car and raised a black umbrella over his head. He moved closer and helped the shaking elderly woman to her feet, his brows drawn together.

The elderly woman quickly spoke up. "Conny, don't get upset with me. I didn't think it would start raining. I'm still in good shape. A little rain won't do anything to me."

Earlier, the elderly woman had gone to watch a concert. On the way back, the driver accidentally knocked down a woman who was selling flowers.

The driver brought the woman to the hospital. Since they were already close to the company, the elderly woman stayed by the roadside and waited for her workaholic grandson to come get her.

Under her grandson's cold gaze, the elderly woman's voice trailed off. Then, something came to her mind, and she quickly took out the ring and handed it over. "A young lady got the wrong idea and pushed this ring into my hand. She left before I could explain anything. Hurry and catch her so you can give it back." She pointed toward a direction.

Connor Brooks followed where his grandmother pointed, though all he saw was a slim figure fading into the neon glow. "You get inside the car first," he said.

Once he settled his grandmother in the seat, he adjusted the temperature, draped a blanket over her, and shut the door. Without wasting another second, he turned and went after the young lady.

His steps carried him forward in long strides, and the distant figure ahead slowly came into focus.

Rain fell in a steady drizzle as she moved at an unhurried pace, her mist-blue trench coat soaked through and clinging to her frame, drawing attention to her narrow waist and making her look even more delicate.

Each step she took carried quiet resolve. Her posture stayed straight, and a distant chill lingered around her, as if the noise of the city could not reach her.

Connor picked up speed, but when he rounded the corner, she had already vanished. Nothing remained on the long stretch of road. Puddles scattered across the pavement caught the broken glow of the lights, leaving him to wonder if he had imagined her at all.

Connor returned to the car, and the elderly woman leaned forward right away, waiting for his answer.

Connor shrugged. "Didn't catch up."

"You're in charge of an airline, and you deal with planes every day. Yet you still lost track of one woman?"

"Grandma, your logic is flawed."

"You really disappointed me this time. That lady was both kind and beautiful. If you had shown up just a little earlier, I might've set you up with her."

With a flat tone, Connor said, "She's married."

He handed the ring to Kristen Brooks and pointed out that it was clearly a wedding ring.

Kristen pulled her hand away at once and pushed the ring back toward him. "Married or not, what does it matter? She took off her wedding ring. Doesn't that say something? You should've taken the chance."

Between his fingers, Connor slowly rotated the ring. The pink diamond caught what little light there was and gave off a sharp glow. He found himself holding onto a wedding ring that belonged to someone he didn't even know, with no idea what he was supposed to do next.

Kristen fixed him with a hard stare.

With a quiet sigh, Connor gave in and flicked the ring onto the center console. A faint smile touched his lips, and there was a careless ease in the way he looked as he said, "You're really that desperate for me to go after her?"

"I'm not joking with you. That ring is worth at least a million. You have to find that woman and return it. Do you understand?"

"Alright, I hear you," Connor replied, his eyes drifting toward the ring resting on the console. This was going to be a hassle.

......

Only after settling into the taxi did Arabella notice the message Brenton had sent two hours ago. "Honey, I've got something to deal with tonight, so I won't be coming home. Go to bed early."

Arabella didn't respond. Instead, she backed out of the chat, unpinned the conversation, and erased the contact name she had saved as "Darling."

When she stepped back home, silence greeted her. The place felt cold and lifeless. Dragging her tired body upstairs, she pushed open the bedroom door and then stopped where she stood.

Flowers covered the entire room. Rose petals stretched from the doorway all the way to the bed.

Even the bedding had been switched out to her favorite yellow silk set.

Petals lay scattered across everything, creating a warm and romantic scene.

Every bit of preparation she had made now felt like nothing more than a cruel joke.

Without hesitation, Arabella hurried forward and yanked at the sheets, sweeping away those pointless petals along with them.

A sharp, nonstop doorbell ringing dragged Arabella out of sleep the next morning, and her head throbbed as she forced herself awake. Still groggy, she made her way downstairs and pulled the door open.

Her best friend, Madisyn Owen, stood outside with anger written all over her face. She didn't give Arabella a chance to react before pulling her into a tight hug, her teeth clenched as she started venting.

"That jerk Brenton! What is he even thinking? His career is finally going somewhere, and this is when he decides to mess things up with an affair? He kept the woman he actually wanted, used you as a cover, and played the role of a perfect husband this whole time. Honestly, he should go into acting with his top-notch skills!"

The more she spoke, the more agitated she seemed.

Guiding Madisyn inside, Arabella brought her over to the sofa and handed her a glass of water.

Madisyn drank it in one go. When she finally looked up, she noticed the exhaustion on Arabella's face and the dark circles under her eyes. Her expression shifted, and she reached into her bag to pull out a stack of photos. "Bella..."

"It's fine. What did you find? Let me take a look," Arabella replied, forcing a small smile as she reached for the photos.

Arabella had already braced herself, but the moment her eyes landed on those close, intimate shots, her breathing faltered. So this was the truth. Brenton had been keeping Sallie at Aroma Villa, a place not far from the company.

The two of them walked around openly, shopping side by side, their fingers intertwined as they headed home together.

Under the dim light of dusk, Sallie clung to Brenton, her legs hooked around his waist as they stumbled together toward their house, their closeness leaving little to the imagination.

Some designer bags Sallie showed off online were even identical to the ones Brenton had gifted Arabella.

In her most recent post, Sallie wore a diamond bracelet draped across her fingers, pressed lightly against a man's chest, with a caption that read, "He gives me diamonds, and his heart is never far from me."

Arabella's fingers tightened until the color drained from her knuckles, and a sharp sting filled her eyes. It wasn't lingering affection, but the raw ache of something that hadn't fully healed, and regret crept in over her misplaced trust. Someone who gave their heart blindly had to accept the cost that came with it.

Madisyn snatched the photos away, her gaze softening with sympathy. "Good thing you never had sex with him. If you had, you'd probably need a full check-up, and even if the report came back just fine, the sickening feelings alone would stick with you forever."

A dry laugh slipped from Arabella as she shook her head. "Then I guess I am somewhat lucky."

Without hesitation, Arabella rose to her feet and headed upstairs. A moment later, she came back down carrying two large bags and dropped them in front of Madisyn. "Sell these items for me and use the money to support those underprivileged students."

Everything inside the bags came from Brenton. Clothes, handbags, perfume, watches, and jewelry-gifts he'd given her over the past few years.

While packing them, Arabella finally saw them for what they were-selected casually without much thought or care.

There was a time when she held onto them as if they were treasures. But now, she didn't even want the person who gave them to her, let alone the things he gave her. She wouldn't want to wear some of them out, only to bump into his mistresses who donned the precise same pieces.

Both Arabella and Madisyn had grown up in the same orphanage, and now Madisyn, along with two friends, had started a studio. They took on any job that paid. Following people, taking photos, exposing affairs, pretending to be someone's partner, buying and selling items for others, chasing after celebrities, and even walking dogs. As long as there was money, they would do it.

Pulling the bags closer, Madisyn didn't hesitate before making up her mind. "I'll just copy Brenton's moves, masking the unfaithfulness with the noble name of sponsoring those in need. Let's see how Brenton likes being on the other side of things."

Madisyn had no intention of letting Brenton off the hook easily.

A wry laugh slipped from Arabella as she shook her head. "That won't be necessary. Just use the money to help those underprivileged students. Not every one in a bad situation turns out like Sallie. And Brenton may be awful, but I'm not going to sink to his level."

Madisyn let out a long breath, silently cursing Brenton over and over again. That jerk had lost Arabella, the rare gem, forever.

Madisyn asked, "What are you going to do next? His business is doing better than ever right now. For someone who built everything from nothing, his reputation matters too much. There's no way he'll let his image as a devoted husband fall apart. I don't think he'll agree to a divorce that easily..."

On top of that, Madisyn had always felt Brenton was somewhat obsessive. It didn't seem like he was completely indifferent to Arabella, and that made things even more complicated.

......

The rest of the day passed with Arabella staying home, sorting through her things and preparing to leave as soon as possible.

Her grandmother had left her a small apartment before her death. Arabella decided that once everything was settled, she would move there.

By the time evening came, Arabella sat in front of the vanity, carefully getting ready when Brenton returned to take her to dine with the Rogers family.

Coming up from behind, Brenton rested his hand on her shoulder and gazed at her through the mirror. "You look stunning."

Her lashes lowered for a moment before she turned to meet his eyes. "Brenton, do you actually love me?"

Brenton leaned down and wrapped his arms around her. "Why would you suddenly ask something like that? Have I been neglecting you lately because of work? Once I get some time off, I'll make it up to you. We can finally have our wedding and go on our honeymoon. Didn't you always say you wanted to travel overseas?"

She shifted back slightly, letting his arms fall away without making it obvious. "There's no need for that. If there's no love between us, then we should just divorce. I don't have to stay as your wife."

They had known each other for thirteen years. Even if love hadn't grown the way it should have, there should've been at least something left between them. What she wanted was simple. She hoped he would be honest for once, so they could part without tearing everything apart.

However, upon hearing her words, Brenton's hand shot up and clamped around her jaw. His expression hardened, and his voice dropped into something cold and sharp. "Divorce? Don't even think about it! The only way this marriage becomes invalid is the death of either of us. I will never accept a divorce!"

Each word struck her like a blow. A chill ran down her spine, and the color drained from her face.