Stardom's Sweetest Payback: No Room For Regret, Mr. CEO

"Kevan, stop. You're hurting me. Please be gentle," Ashley Ford cried as she pushed against the edge of the dining table, struggling to breathe.

Kevan Ford, her husband, ignored her and drove into her even harder, his grip tightening when she clawed at his wrist and tried to force him back.

Her frantic resistance only sharpened his temper, and he leaned over her with a wild fire in his eyes while he said, "Isn't this what you chased after, Ashley? You fought your way into this marriage with every trick you could think of."

Tears welled up as her dignity shattered beneath his accusation. She shook her head and responded, "I didn't do those things. I swear I didn't."

A cold grin curled on his handsome face, and his thrusts grew harsher when he snapped, "You're still lying. You planned everything from the start. Tell me why you're playing innocent now. You got the life you wanted. What about me? I'm stuck in this marriage."

He had risen to the top of the Ford Group as its youngest CEO. People treated him with fear and respect, yet he had landed in the hands of a woman who trapped him.

Ashley pressed her teeth against her lip and tried to pull away from him. Kevan dragged her back into his arms and held her tighter.

The dining room had fallen into ruin. The candles, dishes, and decorations she spent the entire day preparing for their anniversary dinner now lay scattered across the floor.

This night marked their third year of marriage. It also marked 1, 095 days of Kevan refusing to understand her.

Kevan chose to punish her tonight. Ashley tried to argue, but she could barely stay steady on her feet, and her thoughts spun in all directions. She pushed at his chest and responded, "I don't want this tonight, Kevan. Our anniversary isn't supposed to be like this."

Kevan lifted his hand and pressed his fingers over her trembling lips while he said, "Why would tonight matter? You're my wife. That means you sleep with me, whether you want to or not."

Ashley's chest tightened at his words, and she let out a bitter laugh. "So you do remember that I'm your wife? I could have sworn you'd handed that title to Lisette by now."

Kevan's expression snapped into something cold as he jerked away from her. "Don't ever bring her name up. You're not even close to her."

Her knees gave out, and she dropped onto the couch, feeling hollow. She never meant to speak about Lisette Harvey on the night of their anniversary, but that video Lisette sent a few hours earlier had ruined her resolve.

Lisette's message showed her pressed up against Kevan's shoulder, both of them watching fireworks burst in the night. When the lights faded, they checked into an expensive hotel downtown.

There was no mistaking what happened between a man and a woman alone behind those doors.

"Maybe if you hadn't spent our anniversary with her, I wouldn't have brought her up," Ashley said.

Kevan dragged her back into his arms, his stare cold and sharp. "Did you follow me?"

She managed a dry smile and shook her head. Ever since she married him three years ago, her world had revolved around him. She gave up her career to play the role of a dutiful wife. She had no way, and no will, to chase him around the city.

"I never followed you. But you went running to the woman you love on the night we should have celebrated. What do you expect me to think of myself?"

Kevan's rage snapped loose as he tightened his grip around her neck and yanked her closer. His stare carried a threat that felt sharp enough to cut. "What else would you be except a toy for me to use?"

Ashley trembled while a cold heaviness spread through her chest. This was the same man she had cherished for so long.

She had fallen for him back when he protected her from the thugs who cornered her on the street during their younger years, and her feelings had only grown stronger.

Before she found the courage to confess her love to him, Kevan, fogged by whatever he had been given that night, dragged her into a room and forced himself on her. She tried to fight him, yet everything shifted once she realized who he was, and she let herself give in.

When everything was done, Kevan lashed out and accused her of being a schemer desperate to cling to him.

She had nothing to say in return.

He never paused to look into what happened before throwing those accusations at her.

Memories of that night tangled with the cruelty she faced now, and something inside her broke apart. She no longer wished to carry it all.

Ashley lifted her gaze and cried out, "Kevan, if you don't care about me, and if our marriage means nothing to you, then we should end it. I want a divorce!"

The marriage between Kevan and her had never been based on love. Ashley knew it deep down, which was why ending things quickly felt like the only sensible choice.

She had spent two years secretly loving Kevan, followed by three years of marriage-five years in total chasing a man who never once truly looked her way. She finally realized she couldn't keep wasting her life on a hopeless pursuit.

She wasn't going to let herself fall any deeper.

Kevan reacted as if she had just told him the funniest joke he had heard all year. A mocking grin tugged at his lips. "Ashley, stop playing around. Without me, how would you even afford half the luxury things you flaunt? You think you can buy million-dollar jewelry on your own?"

Ashley lifted her chin, her voice steady. "Kevan, I'm your wife, not some woman you're sponsoring."

Wife?

His expression darkened, a warning hidden in his tone. "Don't push your luck. I'm not in the mood for your drama."

He slammed the door and stormed out.

Watching him leave, Ashley exhaled and murmured to herself, "I'm not being dramatic. I'll draw up the divorce papers, sign them, and send them straight to his office."

Right after she walked out, thunder cracked, and heavy rain followed. She opened her umbrella, grabbed her suitcase, and stepped into the storm without looking back. She hailed a taxi and headed for her best friend's place.

When Rosanna Mills heard the news, she cursed Kevan for several minutes straight before asking, "Why divorce him now? You swore you'd love him till the end."

Few people knew the depth of Ashley's feelings, but Rosanna knew every bit of it.

Ashley let out a weary sigh. "People change, Rosanna. I have too."

Rosanna wasn't satisfied with that. "Don't give me vague answers. Tell me, what really happened?"

Bitterness rose in Ashley's voice. "He cheated on me, on our third anniversary, with the woman he actually cares about."

It wasn't the first time Kevan and Lisette had been spotted together. Dinner here, a studio visit there-innocent enough. But this time, they went straight to a hotel.

Ashley played a video for Rosanna, and the audio alone was enough to reopen every wound.

Watching that, Rosanna nearly exploded. "That man must have dust in his eyes! Lisette looks plain next to you, and she doesn't have an ounce of your charm. By the way, how much did you take from him for cheating? You did get compensation, right?"

Ashley's shoulders drooped. "I won't take a thing."

Rosanna's jaw dropped. She shook Ashley's shoulders frantically. "Are you insane? He betrayed you... He should walk away empty-handed!"

Ashley shook her head. "Dragging out a property dispute will only slow the divorce. And it's not like I'm walking away with nothing. He's thrown plenty of business toward my father over the years."

Even the smallest Ford Group contract meant enormous profit.

Rosanna paused, realizing Ashley had a point. She squeezed her hand gently. "So, what now? What do you want to do after the divorce?"

Ashley already knew her answer. During the drive, she made up her mind to focus on her career again. "My heart might be shattered, but my future won't be. I'm going to chase the dream I gave up three years ago."

Before marriage, Ashley had been a highly sought-after talent manager. Several stars rose to fame under her care.

She once vowed to push her top two clients to win Best Actor and Best Actress. But that plan was derailed the night she got tangled up with Kevan.

One night of mistake turned into a headline storm. Cameras surrounded them, asking how long they had been together.

Kevan, who had just stepped into his role as head of the Ford Group and was still trying to steady himself, had no choice but to go along with it.

So, that very day, they signed the marriage papers, with no ceremony, no flowers, and not even rings.

Seeing Ashley trying to realign her life and throw herself back into work, Rosanna pulled up her phone and scrolled through the latest industry posts. "Hey, look. Preston Lloyd from Galaxy Entertainment is recruiting managers. You used to work with them all the time. Want me to call and get you an appointment?"

Ashley quickly declined, shaking her head. "No. I'm not planning to go back to my old company."

She had left that place on a sour note, the fallout messier than she liked to admit.

Rosanna immediately caught on to what Ashley was thinking. She lightly squeezed her hand and murmured mysteriously, "Get some proper rest first. Once you're up, I'll take you somewhere."

When Ashley woke again, the sun was already high. She wasted no time and contacted her lawyer, had a divorce agreement drafted, signed it, and sent it straight to the CEO's office at Ford Group.

Kevan received the envelope from his assistant. The moment he saw the document inside, the corner of his mouth curled into a cold sneer.

That strong, confident handwriting felt like a direct challenge.

He pinched the edge of the document between his slender fingers and slapped it onto the desk, the sound ringing sharply across the office. "Ashley, you're not getting what you want."

He doubted she intended to quietly walk away. To him, this was just another tactic-Ashley's way of taking a step back only to push forward harder.

The next time their paths crossed was at an industry summit. Ashley looked nothing like the woman he was used to. Her once long hair was now styled into soft, short curls that framed her face perfectly.

She wore a silver, body-hugging gown adorned with elegant tassels that shifted with each movement, the deep V-neck highlighting her delicate collarbones. The spotlight seemed to cling to her, making her appear radiant and almost unreal, like she belonged on the grandest stage.

Kevan had always known she was beautiful, but this version of her-confident, poised, breathtaking-left him momentarily stunned.

His stare burned so intensely that Ashley sensed it. When she turned, she found his deep gaze locked on hers. In his black suit, he looked distant, refined, and every bit the elite leader.

Next to him stood Lisette, hanging onto his arm like she belonged there, her expression practically glowing with self-satisfaction.

Ashley found her ridiculous and shifted her eyes away. While she was chatting with a senior industry figure, a young girl bumped into her and spilled juice all over the delicate tassels on her gown.

Ashley barely had time to react before the damage was done. She simply apologized politely, excused herself, and hurried to the restroom to clean up.

Just as she stepped inside, a sarcastic voice echoed behind her. "Ashley, what are you doing here? Do you honestly think an elite summit is suitable for a little housewife like you?"

The words pierced her sharply. She had once built a thriving career, and she had been respected and admired until she abandoned it all for love.

Well, that chapter was over. It wasn't too late to reclaim what was hers.

Ashley turned toward Lisette, arching a brow with a faint, mocking expression.

Lisette, emboldened by Ashley's silence, raised her voice. "Unbelievable. Have you no shame? You've seen the video, right? Or are you waiting for more evidence before you crawl out of the Ford family? You snatched something that never belonged to you in the first place. It's disgusting."

Ashley's eyes chilled instantly. "Shameless? Miss Harvey, you pursued a married man with full awareness, then strutted around showing it off to his wife. If shamelessness were a competition, you'd win without trying."

Lisette froze, stunned that Ashley had actually talked back. For years, Ashley had tolerated her taunts. This sudden resistance threw her off balance.

Lisette's face twisted in rage. She lifted her hand to slap her. "You forced your way between us! If you hadn't drugged Kevan that night, I would've been his wife already. He can't stand the sight of you!"

But Ashley reacted first, and her palm cracked sharply across Lisette's cheek. "If you spent half the time you waste trying to insult me on actually educating yourself, you wouldn't sound so foolish. And even if he hates me, I'm still his legal wife. That's a fact."

Lisette, wild with anger, lunged at her. "How dare you hit me? I'll ruin you! Kevan won't let this slide!"

Ashley sidestepped her and used the moment to trip her. "He won't let me go? Please. I'd love to see whether you two manage to drag me down first or I expose your little affair to the world. Even the mighty Ford Group can't silence a scandal that big. Keep pushing me, and I'll dedicate every waking moment to dragging this divorce out and splitting every cent of marital property."

"So that's what you've been plotting." Kevan's tone was frigid, and he strode toward them, every step colder than the last.