After ten long months of pregnancy, my water broke.

On the way to the hospital, the student I had been sponsoring called my husband.

She confessed that she had secretly admired him for a long time but didn't want to destroy our family, so she decided to end it all.

My husband abandoned me on the overpass, made a U-turn against traffic and rushed back to comfort her.

I bore the pain in my abdomen and walked five kilometers on the overpass before finally getting a cab.

By the time I reached the hospital, my blood had already stained half of my body.

The doctor told me I had arrived too late; my baby was already gone.

It felt as if my heart had been ripped from my chest. I called my husband.

But he said, "Let's get a divorce first. We'll remarry once she's emotionally stable."

"Our child is gone. There's no use dwelling on it."

"But we can save another innocent woman."

I remained silent for a long time, then quietly whispered, "Okay, then we're both free."

The poor student successfully rose in status, while I, feeling disheartened, left for a distant place.

But luck found me. I remarried a kind man and found happiness in a new family.

Three years later, I ran into my ex-husband.

He grabbed me by the neck, fury in his eyes and shouted, "You remarried again? Didn't we agree to remarry in the future? Are you that desperate? Can't you live without a man?"

——

"Arthur, you disappeared for three years and now you couldn't resist showing up? You're here for money, aren't you?"

"This occasion is important and I warn you, stay away. Otherwise, you won't get a single cent."

I stood frozen at the entrance of the private terminal, the harsh words of the man approaching me cutting through the air.

I stared in shock, unable to move, until I finally recognized him: my ex-husband, Dominic Moretti.

And walking beside him, like a vision of elegance, was Adriana Bellandi.

Once, Adriana wore patched clothes. She knelt before me, begging for money to attend college.

I, moved by pity, had helped her, caring for her needs.

Little did I know that the girl from nowhere had been plotting to take my place all along.

Now, after years of silence, she stood before me in tailored silk, a far cry from the girl I had once helped. A soldier trailed two steps behind them, hand resting inside his jacket, eyes scanning the terminal floor without settling on anything.

It seemed that after pushing me aside, she had successfully won Dominic's heart.

Dominic cursed me once, twice and it still wasn't enough to ease his anger.

He sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Back then, I was just trying to help someone and you disappeared out of spite."

"I thought you had more dignity. Why show up again today?"

"Arthur, take a good look at yourself. You're nothing but the lowest of the low now."

"Since leaving me, you've had a miserable life, haven't you? Now you see the value of money, huh? Now you know that a connected husband is your support?"

"Too bad, it's too late. From the moment you acted out of spite, you lost any right to be my wife."

"I'll make this clear: even if you stand before me now, I'll never remarry you."

I shook my head quietly, my voice barely a whisper. "You're mistaken. I'm here on business at the terminal."

Dominic looked me up and down, his gaze heavy with disdain. "Business? Can you even afford a charter seat?"

"If you need money, just ask. Stop trying to hide behind these ridiculous excuses to make yourself look better."

The corner of Adriana's mouth twitched before she slipped into a wounded tone, her words sharp underneath it. "Arthur, Dominic and I are about to be married. Your showing up without shame is really putting us in a tough spot."

"Besides, Dominic's outfit is growing bigger every season. You don't care about your reputation, but we need to consider the Family's standing."

Dominic straightened both lapels, then pulled a thick envelope of cash from his breast pocket and threw it in my face.

"This should be enough to get by for a few days. Now, keep quiet."

He grabbed Adriana's hand and turned away, the soldier falling into step behind them, and left me standing in stunned silence. The bills fanned across the polished floor at my feet, and the few associates lingering near the gate glanced over, then looked away, already deciding whose side of the story they'd repeat.

I was so angry I couldn't find the words.

I wanted to run after them, shout a few things, but then I glanced at the time. My husband's flight had just landed at the private terminal.

In the past, I had always been late picking him up, and I could still remember the sorrowful look in his eyes whenever I showed up late. That quiet disappointment from a man who never raised his voice about anything.

Today, I'd been at the gym when it suddenly hit me that I needed to pick him up, so I rushed over, breathless, not even taking the time to change. Maybe it was because I was sweating and my hair was a mess, but Dominic must have thought I was trying to reignite our marriage.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and walked into the terminal.

I had a husband who loved me, so why let two rabid dogs ruin my mood?

But as soon as I entered the members-only lounge above the concourse, my brow furrowed.

The usually calm and quiet lounge was chaotic today. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and men talked loudly and puffed their cigars like they owned the place. Half-empty tumblers of scotch lined the low tables, and the door soldier who should have been managing the room stood against the far wall doing nothing about it.

Dominic was at the center of it all, surrounded by sycophants who lavished him with praise.

"Dominic, your outfit's on fire! That arrangement with the Valente Family? It's bound to be a game-changer. You'll be sitting at the head of every table in no time!"

"Don't forget us when you make it to the top, Dominic. We're counting on you to share the wealth."

Dominic grinned, clearly basking in the attention, his chest puffing up with pride. The kind of man who mistook applause for respect.

Next to him stood Adriana, her posture that of a boss's wife, soaking in the compliments like a sponge.

I choked on the thick smoke, coughing uncontrollably.

A rotund man, balding and gruff, waddled over and sneered. "What are you doing here, sweetheart? This is a members-only lounge, not your personal resting spot. Get out."

I pulled out my house token, but my irritation was barely contained. "I'm not in the wrong place. I have standing here."

The man opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, Dominic approached. He straightened both lapels before settling his gaze on me.

His voice was cold, his gaze cutting. "Arthur, is this what you've come to? Begging me for envelopes? Now you're buying your way into the lounge?"

Before I could speak, he tossed a few bills at me, his fingers moving like he had all the time in the world. Without a second thought, he ripped my house token in half.

"The tribute's refunded. You're no longer welcome here. Can you leave now?"

My blood boiled and the words I wanted to scream barely stayed in my throat.

I waved down Celia Ricci, my voice trembling with anger.

He smoothed the front of his jacket twice before responding, sizing me up with an icy look. "If you don't want the refund, by the rules, you're still allowed to stay."

I pointed to the no-smoking sign on the wall. "Can you ask them to put out their cigarettes?"

Celia's gaze hardened further. "They've already paid their fines. They're allowed to smoke for the next hour."

"If you can't stand it, you're free to leave."

His words sliced through me, dripping with condescension. "Honestly, some places just aren't meant for people like you."

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep calm. "I'll file a complaint against you."

Celia sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Ma'am, the lounge is for recognized guests."

"Your standing alone means that even if you complain, your words won't carry much weight."

"In short, I don't care. Do whatever you want."

At that moment, Dominic glanced at me with disdain, his gaze like a cold blade. "Arthur, after three years, you've truly humiliated yourself."

Adriana, ever the actress, put on a concerned face, her words dripping with insincerity. The corner of her mouth twitched before she slipped into that soft, pitying voice. "Arthur, you should leave. Staying here will only make a fool of you."

A curious associate leaned in, asking Dominic, "Dominic, do you know her?"

Dominic's smile faltered for a heartbeat before he recovered, his voice smooth but tinged with arrogance. "When I was younger, I made a mistake. I ended up with the wrong person."

The men around him nodded knowingly, their laughter landing a beat late, after they'd checked who else was laughing. "It happens. These women are all the same. They know how to target men with standing."

"Who hasn't been taken in by a woman or two in their youth? Once you see through them, it's no problem."

"Now Dominic and his wife are deeply in love, having wandered down the wrong paths to finally find each other."

"You have to truly understand how low those gold-digging women can go to appreciate real love. I suppose there's some lesson in that after all."

The people around me mocked and belittled me without a shred of restraint. Their laughter landed a beat late, each time, after they had checked who else was laughing.

Dominic, who had once been my husband, knew I was being wronged, yet not a single word of defense came from his lips.

Instead, he pointed at me with contempt, his voice dripping with disdain. "I don't know where she heard it, but she came here hoping to meet Don Valente."

"Look at her. Pathetically begging for money."

"Absolutely shameless. It's sickening."

The crowd around me stared, their eyes filled with scorn as they tore into me. "Lady, dignity matters. It's time for you to leave."

"This is a private club, not some charity kitchen. You're making people uncomfortable. You won't get a single envelope."

"You've got arms and legs. Why don't you work for your living instead of always looking for handouts?"

I met their harsh words with cold defiance. "I didn't come here begging for money. I just happened to run into Dominic."

Dominic sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your pitiful act of playing coy and you think I'll fall for it?

"Arthur, I once loved you, but I've long since run out of patience with you."

He pulled Adriana close, a clear show of possession, and shot me a glance. "I have someone else now and we're getting married soon."

"As for you, you're neither my first love nor my obsession. You're just a fleeting shadow."

"Seeing you here today only brings one feeling: disgust. Your methods are dirty beneath me."

He straightened both lapels before he finished, as though the performance needed a frame.

The first clap came from nowhere; then, the whole room joined in.

The associates clapped eagerly, their faces gleaming with admiration.

"Moretti is powerful."

"Moretti really knows how to protect his woman. What dominance."

The sycophantic display turned my stomach.

I couldn't bring myself to engage with these people, so I turned to leave.

But Adriana stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Arthur, are you just going to walk away like this?"

"Don't you think you owe me an apology?"

I blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Adriana pointed to her heels, her voice dripping with pride. "These shoes? Imported tribute leather, bespoke. Worth thirty thousand."

"You stepped on me earlier and now the surface is ruined."

The corner of her mouth twitched, just barely, before her expression settled into wounded softness.

Everyone's gaze shifted to me, their eyes cold and judgmental.

A money man in a silk tie sneered, "How can this woman be so uncivilized?"

"She's not just uncivilized but vengeful, too," another added.

Dominic's eyes locked on me, his expression hardening. "Arthur, you've really sunk to new lows."

I could only offer a helpless shrug. "I didn't step on her."

Adriana's laugh was sharp and dismissive. "So now you're calling me a liar?"

"Soon, I'll be the wife of the Boss of the Moretti Outfit. What's my standing? Would I really waste my time making false accusations against you?"

Dominic's expression turned icy at her words.

He pointed at me, his voice cutting through the tension. "Arthur, did you or didn't you step on her? Stop lying and embarrassing me."

I couldn't hold back a bitter laugh. "You're out of your mind. What does it even have to do with you? Why is this your embarrassment?"

"Dominic, stop flattering yourself. I've already stopped caring about you. I didn't come here for you today."

His face turned pale with rage. "Fine. You really don't know when to stop, do you?"

"Then I won't help you anymore. Pay for the damages, or we'll get the Feds involved."

The crowd around us quickly rallied behind Dominic. "Call someone and teach her a lesson."

I glanced at the time, my heart sinking. I was about to be late picking him up again.