"I want a divorce."

Alexander Davis, dressed in navy blue trousers and a matching dark-patterned shirt, tossed a document onto the dining table.

At that moment, the Davis family was gathered for dinner.

"Absurd. You've been married for barely a year, and now you want a divorce? The child is only one! I won't hear of it," declared Ryan Davis, Alexander's father and chairman of the Davis Group, who was also Cordelia Westbrook's father-in-law.

Alexander, his patience wearing thin, loosened his collar and took a seat across from Ryan. With a dismissive glance at Cordelia, he said, "Bridget is back."

Cordelia, kneeling on the floor, was scrubbing stains from the carpet.

At the mention of Bridget, she visibly flinched. The day had come, after all.

Even Ryan and his wife, Victoria Hayes, looked momentarily stunned. "What did you just say? Bridget is back? But, but..."

"Mom, you know exactly what Bridget did for me back then. No need for me to spell it out in front of an outsider. Besides, the Davis Group is thriving. I don't need to cling to my marriage to smooth things over," Alexander said coldly.

The words pierced Cordelia's heart.

Outsider?

I have admitted the mistake for Alexander's reputation and have since raised their child and cared for his parents.

How is it that, in his eyes, I remain an outsider?

She'd been caught in a scandal years ago—one night with Alexander, photographed by reporters, putting the Davis Group in the spotlight. In the end, she had confessed to seducing him to settle the matter. All the hurt and injustice she endured, she had been a victim, too.

Outsiders believe in gossip, but does the Davis family also accept it as truth?

Victoria, her tone sharp and her words harsh, set her utensils down. "Enough with the melodrama. Get up. No one wants to see your pitiful act. It's just bad luck."

Cordelia, wincing from the pain in her knees, barely managed to rise. She nearly collapsed back onto the floor, prompting Victoria to launch into another tirade.

Carefully, Cordelia took her place at the edge of a chair. But as she settled, her hand trembled, and a plate fell with a loud clatter onto the pristine carpet.

Victoria shot up from her seat and slapped Cordelia hard. "That plate was from France! Are you doing this on purpose?"

Cordelia's face instantly swelled from the slap. Terrified, she didn't dare to protest or plead, remaining as still as a statue.

This was the life of Cordelia, the young matriarch of the prominent Davis Group in Los Angeles—outwardly glamorous but subjected to her mother-in-law's unrelenting humiliation.

She had endured this for two long years.

Ryan, rubbing his temples as if he had become accustomed to these scenes, sighed. "Can you stop hitting her at every turn? She's still our daughter-in-law. Could you at least act like a decent mother-in-law?"

Victoria shot him a scathing look before sitting back down. She signaled the maid to clean up and glared at Cordelia. "Fine. Divorce is the best option. We've had enough of this useless daughter-in-law who's nothing but a laughingstock. I agree to the divorce."

Ryan folded his arms, looking down, his posture a mix of resignation and acquiescence.

"What about the child?" Cordelia, her voice trembling with suppressed pain, finally asked her so-called husband.

Alexander continued eating with a nonchalant air as though he'd merely swatted a fly. "The Davis family will take care of the child. I've arranged an apartment and a settlement for you—enough to last you the rest of your life. A driver will take you there shortly."

Ryan's brow furrowed with a tinge of remorse. "Cordelia is the child's mother. It's cruel to separate such a young child from her mother."

"I don't care," Alexander snapped back. "You promised me that if Bridget came back, I'd be allowed to divorce and marry her. She's already on a plane here. I need to clear the way for her, make sure she doesn't see anything she shouldn't, and upset her. Don't forget, she's not in the best of health."

Cordelia wasn't a vain woman. Having grown up in an orphanage, she had always been more than capable of maintaining her dignity. If she hadn't been forced into this situation by deceit and pregnancy, she would never have dreamed of marrying into such wealth.

Yet, despite her dire circumstances, she had done her best to play the role of a devoted wife and daughter-in-law, caring for her husband's parents. She had hoped that, despite Alexander's lack of love, he would at least show some kindness for their child's sake and acknowledge the sacrifices she had made for the Davis family.

But she hadn't anticipated this—two years of humiliation and mistreatment, only to be cast out now.

At this moment, she realized a painful truth: no matter how much she gave, if a man didn't love her, he never would.

Cordelia looked to Ryan, her father-in-law, for help, hoping he might intervene on her behalf. Ryan took a deep breath, "Then, let's send a few more people to thoroughly prepare the apartment over there, and increase the alimony; after all, she's Barry's biological mother."

But Alexander seemed unconcerned.

Cordelia, trying to hold back her tears, asked for something much more than that, "Dad, Barry is still so young, he hasn't even started weaning off his bottle. Can I take him with me? I can bring him back every week..."

"Ridiculous," Cordelia's words were cut off before she could finish; not even Victoria had spoken up before Ryan's demeanor changed drastically, "The Davis family's blood cannot be left wandering outside."

Cordelia was stunned, but Ryan realized his tone was too harsh and quickly corrected himself, "As a woman, it's inconvenient for you to have a child, plus your health isn't the best and you're still taking medicine, how can you take care of Barry? Stay with us, he will receive the best care."

Victoria quickly added, "Not finishing weaning? Who says we can't afford formula milk? Get out now, don't talk nonsense. Remember, after leaving the Davis family, there are some things that must be completely forgotten, and your mouth is sealed. Got it?"

Cordelia lowered her head, her hands gripping the edge of her clothing, tears welling up in her eyes as she felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart.

Alexander continued to eat his expensive meal.

The maids went about their duties, and everyone else was busy with their own tasks.

The house was filled with an oppressive silence, not the usual calm before a storm. Yet, Cordelia felt the strange air of tension in the villa, her chest tight and aching. "I understand, I'll go pack my things."

"No need, everything you need is already there. Leave quickly, lest the child wakes up and sees you and starts crying," Alexander's words were laced with irritation.

Cordelia's eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Alexander, finally whispering, "Take care of yourself; you're a kidney transplant patient, don't overwork yourself, don't stay up late, the medicine I put by your bed, go for your regular check-up tomorrow, and..."

"Can't you ever shut up? I've been told these things a hundred times. Am I going to die without you by my side?"

Alexander hated her, convinced that she had drugged him to get close to the Davis family.

To him, Cordelia was a scheming woman who did everything to get him to marry her, then pretended to be pitiful and caused constant trouble for Victoria.

He couldn't understand how such a despicable woman could exist.

Ryan and Victoria had spoken only a few words without any real warmth. Now they were silent, and after being reprimanded by Alexander, Cordelia suddenly knelt to the ground, kowtowed to Ryan and Victoria, and said, "In the future, since I can no longer stay by your sides, please take care of yourselves. If you need me..."

Cordelia was not born into a noble family or the daughter of officials. Naturally, everyone disliked her, and no one was fond of her.

Ryan, however, liked to portray himself as a fatherly figure in public.

Cordelia shook her head and pushed the maid away, fully aware of the awkward position she occupied within the Davis family.

Victoria was cruel and harsh towards her, and though Ryan might not genuinely like her, he always said a few words to console her. Growing up without parents, Cordelia had found a semblance of "fatherly love" in Ryan.

Alexander delivered a direct kick to her lower back. "That's enough," he snapped.

Ryan slammed his hand down, shattering a plate. "Alexander, you've got some nerve. She's your wife, the mother of your child."

In the Davis Villa, there were plenty of servants, and he had to keep up appearances. But to Cordelia, it all just felt like a bitter reminder of the gratitude she no longer had.

"She's not the only one who can have a child. Bridget's baby is the one I'm acknowledging as my heir," Alexander's voice was cold.

Cordelia was roughly shoved out of the mansion. She didn't get into the chauffeur-driven car, didn't head to the apartment Alexander had arranged for her, and even forgot to take the bank card he'd set aside for her future.

Instead, she returned to her old house, the one that had burned down years ago. After it was rebuilt, she bought it back.

The pain in her body suddenly intensified. She reached into her pocket and realized she'd left her medication at the mansion. It was the only thing that kept her stable, something she had to take daily.

Feeling overwhelmed by grief, she lay in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. The next morning, despite a high fever, she drove to the hospital to retrieve her medication.

To her surprise, she spotted Alexander and Bridget at the hospital.

Bridget, with her impressive family background and striking looks, looked dazzling next to the star-studded Alexander.

Nurses whispered among themselves as Cordelia walked by.

She picked up her medication and glanced at a newspaper on a nearby stand.

The headline blared: [The Davis Group Welcomes New Mrs. Davis.]

In wealthy circles, divorce and remarriage seemed as easy as swapping out a lightbulb.

In the hospital, gossip was buzzing like a hive of angry bees.

The nurses whispered about Bridget, who used to be Alexander's fiancée. If it hadn't been for that scandal, they might have been married much sooner.

A couple of nurses huddled behind the counter, their faces lit up with curiosity.

"Do you know why he got a divorce?"

"I thought it was all about Mr. Davis rekindling his first love. You know how that goes—first love is unforgettable."

"Ugh, that's so not it. Let me tell you a secret—Bridget is the one who donated a kidney to Mr. Davis."

"What?!"

Not just the nurses but Cordelia was taken aback. Her face went pale, and she pulled a nurse aside, her voice trembling. "Why did he marry Bridget?"

"Why else? She gave him a kidney. Of course he's going to marry her."

The nurse's eyes widened as she recognized Cordelia. She pointed her out to her colleagues, who gawked as if seeing a rare animal.

Cordelia bolted, desperate to get answers. She headed straight for the top-floor VIP ward, but Victoria intercepted her, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a side corridor, her face filled with concern. "Cordelia, what are you doing here?"

Cordelia, eyes red, demanded, "Mom, why is everyone saying Alexander's kidney came from Bridget?"

Victoria's face turned pale, her demeanor shifting instantly. "You better not say anything about your donation, or I swear I won't let it slide," she said sharply. Seeing Cordelia's stunned expression, Victoria softened her tone. "Look, Cordelia, even though you're divorced, you're still like a daughter to me. Whatever you need, just come to me. But this—this cannot get out. If people find out that you donated the kidney, how do you think they'll talk about the Davis family? About Alexander? If this news gets out, you know what will happen to the Davis Group's stock? If you don't care about that, then think about your son."

Cordelia's heart sank. Victoria was using her child as leverage.

She had spent two years with the Davis family, calming storms and managing every detail, almost like a servant. Even though Victoria had been harsh, Ryan had been kinder. Cordelia knew that being a wealthy wife was no easy task. If she hadn't donated a kidney to Alexander, saving his life, Victoria would have found a way to push her out long ago.

But no matter what, they couldn't twist the truth.

Alexander's kidney is mine. How has it become Bridget's?

Victoria had once forbidden her from telling Alexander, promising she would handle it. She'd been told to keep quiet for the sake of the family's reputation. But even though Alexander didn't know, and despite everything she had done to earn their respect, it seemed she had only ever moved her own heart.

The in-laws were still just that. Despite Ryan's apparent kindness, when it came to her leaving with the child, his attitude was the same as ever. Their main concern was Alexander's reputation and the Davis Group's stock, which wasn't surprising. After all, Cordelia was now divorced and no longer Mrs. Davis. Naturally, they'd forgotten her sacrifices.

"Does Alexander know?" Cordelia asked, fighting back tears.

Two years ago, Alexander slept with Cordelia after a night of drinking, and she ended up pregnant. Because of the scandal, the Davis family had to marry her off to Alexander. At that time, Bridget was still studying abroad and only learned about the situation a year later when she returned.

The couple got into a fight and broke up, and Alexander was hit by a car while chasing after Bridget, requiring a kidney transplant. Cordelia, who had just given birth, felt it was worth it for the father of her child.

However, she couldn't understand why giving her kidney to Alexander didn't earn his favor.

It turned out that Alexander never knew she was the one who donated the kidney.

"Cordelia, don't blame anyone. Bridget's marriage to Alexander is inevitable. You don't understand business, but this is called a political marriage. Actually, you don't need to be so upset. You should have gotten used to his indifference towards you over the past two years," Victoria said.

"But the kidney in his body is mine. Why does everyone say it's Bridget's?" Cordelia exclaimed as she rushed out.

Victoria sternly warned, "If you dare to say anything, don't expect to see your child again."

Cordelia turned around in shock, her eyes blurred with tears. Her head was throbbing, and she had missed her medication for a night. This medication was crucial, and withdrawal could be fatal.

"Keep your mouth shut, and we can maintain a superficial relationship. If you dare to speak out, don't forget that I have your child," Victoria threatened.

"That's Alexander's flesh and blood, your own grandson. How can you say such things?" Cordelia was stunned. Victoria was never a loving mother, and Cordelia had become accustomed to her harsh words and tone. But how could Victoria use the child to threaten her?

Cordelia thought, Is her heart made of stone? Even a stone should have been warmed by now.

Victoria sneered and put on a familiar expression that Cordelia knew well.

She said in a deep voice, "The Davis family doesn't lack women who can give birth."