At the very moment Phoebe Stanton miscarries, her husband, Connor Russell, is celebrating the return of his first love.

To him, her three years of devotion and companionship mean nothing more than being a live-in maid and cook.

Phoebe gives up on him and decides to divorce.

Everyone in their circle knows that Phoebe is clingy and impossible to shake off.

"I bet she'll come crawling in a day."

Connor sneers. "A day? That's too long—half a day at most."

But the moment Phoebe signs the divorce papers, she decides never to look back. She throws herself into a new life. She revives her career, which she once abandoned, builds new connections, and meets new people.

As time goes on, Connor no longer sees even a trace of Phoebe at home.

He begins to panic. At an industry summit, he finally spots her, surrounded by admirers.

Desperate, he pushes forward. "Phoebe, haven't you had enough of this tantrum?"

But Gideon Blackwood suddenly steps in front of her, shoving Connor aside, his very demeanor chilling the air. "Don't touch my woman."

Connor has never loved Phoebe. But now that he does, it's already too late. There's no longer a place for him in her world.

Phoebe Stanton had never considered getting a divorce since marrying Connor Russell. After all, she loved him deeply. She loved him so much that she would have died for him.

Then, his first love returned.

…

Phoebe was at the hospital when it happened.

The doctor's voice was detached as she said, "Ms. Stanton, this miscarriage has caused irreparable damage to your body, and your chances of conceiving again are low. You'll have to prepare yourself for that."

Phoebe's mind went blank, and her ears rang. She'd spent the past three years preparing for the conception of this child, and it had only happened two months ago.

That afternoon, when she'd been out and about, a car had suddenly hurtled toward her, making her lose her balance and fall.

The doctor frowned. "Ms. Stanton?"

"I understand. Thanks, doctor." Phoebe didn't like being vulnerable in front of others. She blinked rapidly and forced her tears back before getting up and turning to leave.

Behind her, the nurses whispered among themselves.

"This is such a big deal, and her husband's nowhere to be seen?"

"Don't even get me started. Before the uterine evacuation procedure, she was bawling her eyes out as she called him and begged him to come to the hospital. Yet, there's no sign of him anywhere."

"God. It's clear as day that he doesn't love her, isn't it? Why aren't they getting divorced? What's the point of keeping him around?"

Phoebe walked away, not hearing the words that followed. Connor hadn't just refused to come to the hospital. He'd even said over the phone, "If the baby's gone, it's gone. What's the point of crying? I'm busy now, so stop disturbing me!"

She had called him a few more times after that, but he hadn't answered even once.

For the past three years, Connor had been this cold toward her. In all honesty, she was used to it by now.

Three years ago, Phoebe had saved Connor's grandfather, Philip Russell, by accident. Philip adored her, so he had arranged for her and Connor to get married. Otherwise, with her identity and background, she would never have gotten the chance to marry him.

That was why Connor had objected to the marriage in the first place.

In truth, Phoebe had only insisted on contacting him that day because she thought he would relent for the sake of their unborn child. But she shouldn't have expected anything.

She pulled herself out of her reverie, wanting to get an Uber so she could go home. However, as soon as she looked at her phone, she received a message.

It was from Evan Grant, Connor's friend. He had sent her a video.

She tapped the screen to play it. The video opened with a massive bouquet of roses. There had to be at least a thousand stems. In fact, there were so many that the camera couldn't even fit them all.

The image panned left, revealing Connor with a woman beside him. Her name was Vanessa Somner.

Phoebe's eyes widened, and she clenched a fist around her phone.

Someone in the video said excitedly, "Vanessa, Connor knew that you were returning to Dalea today and started preparing for this welcome-back party ages ago! He poured his heart and soul into this!"

Another said, "Come on, you must give him a hug for his effort. Thank him!"

"A hug? Just kiss him! It's not like they haven't done it before! I still haven't deleted that video of you guys making out for three full minutes!"

Vanessa shook her head. "Things are complicated now…"

Before she could continue speaking, Connor wrapped his arms around her. "Welcome back, Vanessa."

His voice and movements were tender and natural.

Everyone in the video cheered.

"Look! Connor doesn't mind, does he?"

"Kiss him! Kiss him!"

The video abruptly ended there because Evan deleted the message. His following message read, "Sorry. I sent it to the wrong person."

The message had been deleted so quickly that he probably thought that Phoebe hadn't seen anything, so he didn't bother explaining.

Phoebe stared at the chat log for a long time. Then, a bitter smile spread across her face. So, this was what Connor had been busy with.

She had spent three whole years trying to win his heart, but instead of that happening, all she'd gotten was the return of his first love. That meant that it was even less possible for him to fall for her.

It was time for this greedy dream to come to an end.

…

Phoebe packed her things when she got home. Over the years, she'd led a simple life and worked a simple job. She rarely bought things for herself. So aside from essentials like clothes and identification, she had little to take with her. A 26-inch suitcase was enough to hold everything.

It only took her less than half an hour to collect all her things. After that, she took a seat and waited for Connor to come home.

It wasn't until 2:00 am that the front door opened. Connor passed through the living room and locked eyes with Phoebe. He wasn't surprised to see her there. After all, she'd waited for him like this on many late nights after his social engagements.

"You had surgery. Why aren't you resting?" he asked, his tone cold and devoid of emotion.

"I was waiting for you."

Phoebe's gaze landed on Connor's lips the moment he stepped into the house. They had a beautiful curve, but the corners were chapped. The collar of his white shirt was dotted with amorous lipstick marks, which also trailed onto his neck.

He really had kissed Vanessa. Maybe they'd even done more.

A sharp pain stabbed Phoebe's heart. She could count on one hand the number of times Connor had touched her over the past three years. He'd only ever done it reluctantly because his family's elders kept urging them to have children.

He never kissed her willingly. Each time, he would get straight to the point, and he never showed her any tenderness. Phoebe would always have a horrible experience. Afterward, when she longed for a hug, he would turn and head to the bathroom without giving her a second look.

All she ever saw was his cold, distant back.

Connor noticed the suitcase beside her and understood what this was about. "You saw Evan's video?"

"Yeah." Now that he was closer, she could smell the alcohol on him mixed with the nauseating scent of perfume. "Let's get—"

Connor cut her off before she could finish speaking. "Since you know what happened, let's call it quits. You knew from the very beginning that I would never have married you if Vanessa hadn't gone abroad."

Since he'd made his stance clear, Phoebe had nothing to say in objection. "Okay."

"It's late now, so you should rest. You can move out tomorrow…"

"It's fine. I've already signed the divorce agreement." She pointed at the coffee table.

Connor had given her the agreement on their wedding night, but it was only on this night that she'd made up her mind to sign it.

Connor was surprised. He furrowed his brows, seemingly trying to figure out whether she was being serious or putting on an act.

After briefly hesitating, Phoebe said, "I knew you would drink, so I made you a hangover cure. It's in the kitchen."

Perhaps it was just out of habit. To make Connor fall for her, she'd personally handled his meals and daily needs. She'd gone from being unfamiliar in the kitchen to an accomplished cook, and the process had been tormenting.

Every meal she made for him, from purchasing the ingredients to serving it, took several hours. Over the years, her fingers had been left with scars from cuts and burns.

But Connor was picky. No matter how delicious the meal was, he had never complimented her on it despite clearly enjoying the food. He knew very well that a single word of praise from him would be enough to keep her happy for a long time. He just didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

"I'm leaving," Phoebe said. Their three-year marriage was coming to an end, and there was nothing left for her to say.

Connor frowned. "You can stay the night."

"No, it's fine." She then left, dragging her suitcase behind her.

Connor didn't like it when Phoebe defied him. His expression darkened. Just as the door swung shut, Evan called him. "Hey, Connor. Are you home yet? Did you ask Phoebe if she saw the video? Sorry, man. I swear I didn't do it on purpose. But I guess it doesn't matter if she did see it. You two are always fighting anyway…"

Connor said, "She divorced me."

"What? Divorced?" Evan was shocked. "Just because of that video? No way! She'd never leave you! I'll livestream myself doing a stupid dance if she does that!"

Connor added, "I asked for it."

Evan was rendered speechless. Connor suggesting divorce meant nothing. After all, Phoebe was notorious for her clinginess and refusal to let go.

"I think it hasn't even been a month since you last asked for a divorce. You're like a monthly period now," Evan teased. "Last time, we bet that she'd return in half a day, and I won. This time, I bet that it will be one day. If I win again, you're treating me to another meal!"

Connor glanced at the door and listened as a car revved to life outside. He was surprised by how resolute Phoebe had been. However, he didn't even bat an eye as he said uncaringly, "She won't take that long. She'll be back tomorrow morning."

Each time Connor brought up divorce, Phoebe would step out for a bit before obediently coming back and doubling down on pleasing him.

There had never been an exception, and this time would be no different. He figured that she had probably only left so decisively that day because of her miscarriage.

As for the baby… Contempt flickered in Connor's eyes. He didn't believe that Phoebe deserved to have his children. The fact that she had even conceived in the first place was just a fluke.

Connor felt that things couldn't be better now that Phoebe had lost the child.

…

The divorce came with 50 million dollars in compensation. The bank card was placed together with the divorce agreement.

If Phoebe had signed the agreement three years ago, she would've gotten the money with no strings attached. But chasing her delusions over the past three years had left her with a broken heart and impaired ability to have children.

"Oh well," Phoebe thought.

She believed that dwelling on regrets was pointless self-torment and that self-torment would ultimately lead to her losing hope. She needed to be hopeful to move on with her life. Still, at least she had the money.

Phoebe took the bank card with her when she left. She called an Uber, which took her to the entrance of Freeport Residences, an upscale neighborhood where the price per square foot started at three thousand dollars.

The apartments were large and luxurious, and each floor had only two units. One of the units was under Phoebe's name.

The property belonged to her uncle, James Bronson. However, after what had happened to her mother, Melinda Bronson, James had moved abroad and settled there. He'd left the apartment to Phoebe.

She didn't think that she would ever need it, but things changed in the blink of an eye. Now that she was divorced, she would at least still have a place to go and a roof over her head.

Dragging her suitcase behind her, she made her way to Penthouse No.1, Block 7. She'd hired cleaners to tidy the place in the afternoon, so the place was sparkling. The unit was close to three thousand square feet and empty.

In the past, Phoebe would have felt lonely living alone in such a spacious place. But after putting up with Connor's ice-cold treatment for the past three years, she wasn't afraid of anything. In fact, she felt a sense of security that she'd never had in the past.

At that moment, she felt both relaxed and exhausted. After a quick shower, she got into bed and fell asleep.

At 6:00 am, Phoebe was awakened by a familiar alarm named "Time to cook for my darling". Seeing that made her snap out of her drowsiness.

Connor usually had breakfast at 8:00 am, but he was picky and refused to have simple meals. So, Phoebe would need to spend an hour or two preparing breakfast for him.

If he'd been out late socializing the night before, Phoebe would tend to him until 2:00 am or 3:00 am, only to wake up early that morning.

Sometimes, Connor wouldn't even eat the food she'd painstakingly prepared, sending the feast straight into the trash.

Now, however, Phoebe no longer needed to wake up that early. She also didn't need to worry about her efforts going to waste.

She deleted the breakfast alarm, pulled her eye mask back on, and went back to sleep. She thought sleep would evade her, but she soon drifted off.

…

At 8:00 am, Connor woke to a hangover that made his head throb painfully. He usually got pounding headaches the next morning if he didn't take a hangover cure before bed. He'd been too tired the night before and had forgotten to take it.

At that moment, he believed that his hangover would be the death of him.

Noticing a glass of warm water on his bedside table, his lip curled mockingly. Phoebe had left so decisively the night before, yet here she was, back again.

He drank the water, which helped alleviate his headache slightly. He texted Evan, saying, "I won the bet."

Evan was both speechless and impressed. He texted back, "Can't Phoebe have a backbone for once? She's spoiling you so much that it's getting ridiculous! God, I can't believe I lost just like that!

"Damn it. I'm getting angrier the more I think about it. Connor, hurry up and introduce me to a woman who'll be as devoted to me as Phoebe is to you. Let me have a taste of what it's like to be in your shoes!"

Connor smirked. He replied, "Cut the crap."

Then, he flung his phone aside and got out of bed to freshen up. When he arrived downstairs, however, he didn't see a familiar figure bustling around.

"Where are you?" he called out coldly.

His housekeeper, Laura Smith, emerged from the kitchen. "You're awake, Mr. Russell. Breakfast is ready!"

Connor frowned. "You're here?"

"Yeah."

"Did you pour me that glass of water?"

She nodded. "Mrs. Russell told me last night that she wouldn't be in today and that I had to come over earlier."

Connor didn't respond.

Laura grew nervous when she saw the dark look on his face. "Mr. Russell, why don't you have breakfast?"

Connor remained rooted to the spot for a while before finally taking his seat at the dining table, his expression sour. All he saw was a glass of milk, two slices of toast, a sunny-side-up egg, and a small tub of cheese.

Phoebe usually prepared a lavish breakfast spread with seven or eight exquisite-looking dishes, and each one was different every day.

The contrast was stark.

Connor's temper, which had calmed, flared again. He coldly asked, "Is this all you've made for me?"

Laura's hair stood on end at his question. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Russell! Mrs. Russell has always been the one to prepare your breakfast, so I don't know your preferences."

"Call her to ask her if you don't know what to do!"

She said cautiously, "I did, but I couldn't reach her…"

Connor fell silent.

"Well played, Phoebe!" he thought.

Still, he wasn't worried in the slightest. He was confident that she would eventually come back. Maybe she would even try to catch him at his office at noon. That was her usual roundabout tactic.

Regardless, the breakfast fiasco had ruined Connor's appetite. He stormed off, slamming the door shut behind him.

Laura stared after him, feeling confused. She couldn't make sense of what had just happened.

She quickly called Phoebe, but she couldn't get through despite trying multiple times. She had no idea what was going on, but the answer came to her after she gave it some thought. She concluded that Connor had probably asked Phoebe for a divorce again.

In the past, Phoebe would always call Laura to check on how Connor was doing, so she could find the right moment to return home. However, it was definitely a first for her not to answer the phone.

Laura pondered the situation and figured that Phoebe had probably learned how to play hard to get. Connor would only feel her absence if she stayed away longer.

She thought that it was a smart move!

After all, everyone knew that Connor's heart wasn't with Phoebe. With him being so outstanding and surrounded by temptation, how could she keep him around if she didn't step up her game?

…

Phoebe didn't need to work on Saturday, so she slept in until noon. She didn't have time to buy groceries, so she ordered a lavish meal for herself.

After eating, she browsed the tech forum, noticing that some familiar names had now become leaders in the industry. She didn't see any news on her mentor, Jessie Ormond, though.

If Phoebe remembered correctly, Jessie was currently busy with research. What stood out most in her memory was the way Jessie looked at her. It was warm, like the way Melinda used to look at her.

And yet, Phoebe had let Jessie down…

Phoebe's eyes suddenly stung with tears. After some hesitation, she made a call. "Alexandra, let's meet up."

Alexandra Cooper was Phoebe's college mate. In the past, she would've been thrilled to receive a call from Phoebe, but now she was indifferent and cold.

"You've stood me up nine out of ten times. I might be your friend, but no friendship can handle being treated like this," Alexandra said coolly. "Are you sure you want to meet this time?"

Phoebe's focus had shifted to her family after getting married. She hadn't deliberately neglected her friendships, but they had ultimately still faded.

Meanwhile, Alexandra had focused on her career for the past few years. Her tech company was a rising star in the industry and was starting to make waves.

As the gap between her and her old friend grew, Phoebe became insecure. So, she'd gradually stopped reaching out to Alexandra.

She took a deep breath and said, "I got a divorce."

Alexandra was silent for a while. Then, she said briskly, "Time and place."

…

Phoebe headed to the courthouse with the divorce agreement to file for divorce. She was told that it would take 30 days to process the application, after which she would be able to collect her divorce certificate.

She was done by 3:00 pm and arrived at the cafe early for her meetup with Alexandra.

She ordered a cup of coffee and was halfway through it when she suddenly gripped the cup tightly. She froze, her body tense.

She didn't expect to run into Connor so soon after leaving him. It hadn't even been a day yet.

Connor appeared at the cafe's entrance wearing a sharp suit. His distinguished air and tall stature were eye-catching, and many people in the cafe sneaked a look at him, unable to hide their admiration.

A handsome man in his early 30s stood beside Connor, his presence equally captivating.

Phoebe recognized him as Harry Dupont, a professor in Alden College's computer science faculty. When browsing the tech forum, she had learned that he was researching the stability of AI data-driven systems.

Behind Connor and Harry stood Lance Stone, Connor's assistant. He had a stack of documents in his arms.

Russell Group was a leading company in Seavale's tech industry, so Phoebe figured that Connor was probably meeting Harry for business purposes.

Phoebe didn't want to have anything to do with Connor, but getting up and leaving then would only catch his attention. She could only pray that he wouldn't notice her.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as she hoped. Connor's gaze landed on her a second later. Their eyes met, but he acted as though he'd merely seen a stranger. His eyes were devoid of emotion as he looked away.

He didn't care that she was there.

Lance followed Connor's line of sight and also saw Phoebe. Just as Connor had done, he ignored Phoebe and turned to the other two men, saying, "Professor Dupont, Mr. Russell, the private room is this way. After you."

Phoebe was relieved. Then, she saw them stop where they were as Harry suddenly asked, "Mr. Russell, do you know the woman seated by the window? Forgive me if I'm being rude, but I happened to notice you and Mr. Stone glancing at her."

Connor had considered the possibility of Phoebe showing up at his company, but he hadn't expected her to follow him to the cafe. He wasn't too surprised by this, but that didn't mean he wanted to see her.

He said dismissively, "She's just my maid."

Harry was taken aback. He had asked that question not because Connor had noticed someone, but because he remembered seeing Phoebe in the lab at Alden College.

But Alden College was one of the most prestigious institutions in Dalea. Even its least successful graduates wouldn't end up having to work as a maid. So he quickly concluded that he must’ve gotten it wrong.

For some reason, Harry was reminded of another student who had studied at Alden College as well. That student was a genius among geniuses. His research was currently facing a technical bottleneck, and if someone of that student's caliber joined his lab, it could turn the situation around in the shortest time possible.

But for some reason, the student had vanished without a trace a few years back. He had deliberately checked the profiles of all the graduates, but none of them had stood out enough to match the profile of this genius student.

Harry had assessed that student's potential. He sensed that with her talent, she could shake the entire industry just by publishing a few academic papers. Becoming the youngest professor in Alden College's history wouldn't be a problem for her. She might even earn a spot in the computer science faculty's hall of fame.

Her future was limitless.

Harry felt a little regretful that he'd missed out on recruiting that student. Still, since he had mistaken Phoebe for someone else, there was no need for him to pay any more attention to her. So he said, "Let's go, Mr. Russell."

Connor strode into the private room without giving Phoebe a second glance.

Phoebe's nails scraped against her coffee cup, producing a harsh, grating noise.

Evan had once visited her and Connor's home and was so impressed by her cooking that he'd vowed to marry a woman with culinary skills as exceptional as hers.

At the time, Connor had merely said coolly, "All you need to do is marry a female chef."

Perhaps being in love with someone would really turn one into a fool. At the time, Phoebe hadn't thought much of Connor's comment. But now, she realized how outrageous it had been.

She'd devoted herself to him for three years, yet all she'd gotten in return was the label of a chef and maid. She didn't know what that was supposed to mean.

A sudden wave of pain hit Phoebe. It was the kind that came from belated realization. It felt like countless tiny needles piercing her heart—relentless and unending.

Once Connor had disappeared into the private room, Lance approached Phoebe and rapped his knuckles on her table. She snapped to her senses and looked up at him.

He looked displeased as he growled, "What are you doing here? Didn't Mr. Russell already warn you not to keep tabs on his whereabouts anymore?"

When Philip had previously fallen ill, Phoebe had failed to reach Connor. She'd had no choice but to reach out to his secretary before finally finding him at a bar.

He had been dead drunk. When she went over to help him up, he suddenly pinned her to the couch before kissing her passionately.

She had been surprised and overjoyed. After all, Connor had always been cold toward her, yet he'd initiated a kiss for the first time… But a second later, she heard him mumble Vanessa's name.

Phoebe's blood ran cold in that instant, and she struggled with all her might to break free of his hold. When Connor sobered up later, he unleashed his biggest outburst since they'd gotten married.

After that, he didn't return home for a month, and he warned her that if something like that happened again, he would divorce her without hesitation, even if Philip intervened.

That had frightened Phoebe, and she never dared cross him again. No matter what happened, she would never try to find out where he was anymore.

As Connor's assistant, Lance knew very well how Phoebe felt about Connor. After questioning her, he figured that she wouldn't have had the guts to do anything. She wouldn't want to risk further ruining her standing with Connor, after all. He thought that she might have only shown up at the cafe after being provoked by something.

Lance quickly pieced it together. "If you made this mistake only because of Ms. Somner's return to Dalea, you'll need to think hard about how much she means to Mr. Russell. Now, do you realize how pointless your actions are?"

Vanessa had returned to Dalea with a PhD, passing an interview to earn a spot in Harry's lab. Harry was a titan in the industry, and all his researchers were top talents who worked on cutting-edge AI applications. Phoebe couldn't even come close to Vanessa's league.

If Lance had been in Phoebe's place, he would've had the self-awareness to know his limits. Otherwise, meeting Vanessa face-to-face and seeing the gulf between them would only make him look pathetic, adding to his humiliation. But Phoebe clearly lacked that awareness.

Lance and Phoebe had never had a good relationship. The reason was simple—he was Connor's assistant, so he emulated Connor's behavior. Phoebe had endured many cold jabs and insults from him.

In the past, Phoebe's world had revolved around Connor, so she'd always been polite to Lance, brushing off his sharp remarks and cold demeanor like they were nothing.

Now, however, she no longer needed to put up with such behavior. She asked in return, "What's considered meaningful to you, then? By your logic, I could just cling to him from morning to night, secretly trailing him everywhere he goes. Wouldn't that be more direct and more like the jealous, obsessive stalker you're making me out to be?"

Lance looked at her in surprise. Phoebe had always been meek and submissive with him. So, why was she suddenly being so aggressive?

Then, the realization dawned on him. Phoebe had just had a miscarriage the day before, but Connor had been by Vanessa's side the entire time. Even the weakest of women would change for their children—that was why Phoebe was acting this way.

Still, Lance believed that this boldness wouldn't last for long.

Lance looked at Phoebe indifferently. "I don't want to argue with you. Mr. Russell doesn't want to see you, so leave."

If Phoebe wanted to be stubborn, she could stay and insist on being an eyesore. However, that wouldn't benefit her in any way, and she saw no point in being so childish.

She said, "Connor and I are divorced now, so whatever I do from now on is none of your business. Stop meddling in my affairs."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Lance watched her, almost wanting to laugh in exasperation. He thought that Phoebe was ridiculous. Connor had brought up divorce countless times—when had she ever gone through with it?

He didn't see the point of her throwing a tantrum at him. He also thought that if she was going to make bold claims, she should at least have made them convincing. She still had her wedding band on, yet there she was, lying through her teeth.

Didn't she realize that it just made her all the more ridiculous?

…

Phoebe contacted Alexandra after leaving the cafe. "Let's meet somewhere else."

She had planned on going to a jewelry store after meeting Alexandra, but she couldn't wait any longer.

At the jewelry store, a store clerk used pliers to cut the wedding ring off Phoebe's finger.

Because she hadn't been able to conceive over the years, her mother-in-law had forced her to take various tonics, which made her gain some weight. Without even realizing it, it had become impossible for her to remove her wedding ring.

A broken ring was no more than scrap metal, so it was recycled at the market price for platinum.

Phoebe didn't like flashy things, so her wedding ring only had tiny diamonds studded on it. They weren't worth anything, so the recycling price of the ring was less than two thousand dollars.

Alexandra was dumbfounded by the price and burst out laughing. "Man, you're even selling your ring now. You're putting on quite the convincing act this time, aren't you?"

With how Phoebe had acted over the past three years, Alexandra didn't believe for a second that Phoebe would actually make up her mind to divorce Connor.