Victor’s POV

I can’t believe this woman’s being so irrational! What a way to throw a tantrum!

The events of last night replayed in my head like a broken record. Aria's request for a divorce felt like a dagger through my heart. And yet, the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got.

I sat at my office desk, my mind swirling with confusion and frustration. Taking a big gulp from the wine I had in front of me, I decided to get back to the task I was doing. But I could not focus. Aria’s face kept popping up in my head, her voice echoing in my ears.

Last night, when I’d come back from a work-related errand, my mother and brother were already gone. I had slept in the guest room, not wanting to face Aria after our argument.

Today, throughout the day at the office, I tried to lose myself in the piles of documents and hours of meetings, but Aria's words had kept etched in my mind. Her jealousy, her constant need for attention, it all felt so unlike the woman I had married.

I remember she used to be quite independent and competent, having worked a bit at her father’s company. But now, she seems lost all the time, always full of insecurities and doubts.

How did she turn out like that? Is it because we hardly spent time together? Or is it because she stopped working after getting married to me?

As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a knock on my door snapped me back to reality.

“Mr. Thorn? The board’s waiting for you in the conference room.” It was my assistant Phil.

“Oh, right. Thanks. I’ll be right there.” I pushed my confusion aside and focused on the task at hand.

After the meeting, I packed my things and headed out. Mom had called, asking me to come to her house for dinner.

I don’t have time to deal with my wife’s unreasonable whims and unstable emotions, I thought. I’m too busy, especially with this new app that we’re developing. And now my mother wants to see me.

As I drove toward my mother's house, the familiar route triggered memories I thought I had buried deep.

My marriage with Aria was arranged, a strategic move to solidify a partnership with her father's business. I needed the boost for my own company, and her father's condition was clear.

“Marry my daughter,” he’d told me firmly. I remembered being shocked, but I saw no reason to object. Aria was beautiful and seemed intelligent, qualities that could benefit my ambitions.

In those early days, I didn't really like her. Not personally. But I respected her abilities and what she represented for my business goals. I was single-minded in my pursuit of success, my eyes firmly fixed on the billionaire status I now proudly held.

It was all worth it.

Then, there was that night. I got drunk at a party, a rare indulgence, and woke up to find myself naked beside Aria. The realization hit me like a freight train. How could I have let this happen? But the shock didn't end there.

Shortly after, compromising photos flooded my work email. Pictures of Aria and me, clearly taken that night. The message was clear: marry Aria, or these images would go public.

I remembered confronting Aria afterwards. “Are you blackmailing me?!” I was so angry. I didn’t like people manipulating me in any way. “You know perfectly well that I have to marry you for the sake of my company, my business. Why are you still doing this!”

Aria looked bewildered, as if she honestly knew nothing about it. “I didn’t take those pictures!” She was quite defensive. “Besides, if those get out, me and my family will also be ruined.”

But I didn’t believe her. I knew that they could find a way to deal with such, to make it go away, because of their money.

On the other hand, my reputation might go down the drain along with the company I represented. My business, all my hard work, could go to waste! I was terrified.

I recalled grabbing her phone and opening the folders of photos. There they were! It was clear evidence.

“I-I don’t know how those got there, I swear!” Aria claimed then. “Besides, I was drunk and asleep too. I couldn’t have taken those pictures!”

I was furious. Even though I had planned to marry her, she had to stoop to something like this to make sure I had no way out or that I would never back down.

It was a bitter feeling. Betrayed by someone I barely knew and now forced into a marriage I never wanted.

But what choice did I have? I had to protect my business, to salvage my reputation. So, I married Aria.

Well, I give her plenty of money and she doesn’t need to work at all, I thought. She should be happy. And she should consider herself lucky.

Thinking back to the few years we’d spent as husband and wife, I would say I’ve fulfilled my duties as a husband, taking care of her needs and wants.

Why is she never satisfied?

I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white as I navigated the winding road.

"Why does she always have to stir up trouble?" I muttered to myself, thinking about how Aria seemed to always cause trouble for Shane.

Shane never complained, though. She always wore that same understanding smile, brushing off Aria's antics as if they were nothing more than a mild inconvenience. I liked that about her. She was always very classy and refined, completely different from Aria.

As I drove, memories of the accident suddenly flooded my mind. I believe it was Shane who had pulled me from the wreckage. Yes, I saw her wearing that necklace with the heart pendant.

I had been in and out of consciousness, but I remembered the flash of a necklace, its pendant glinting in the firelight. Shane had worn it ever since. I’ll always be grateful for what she did, sacrificing her own safety for me. That accident brought us closer to each other.

When I finally arrived at my mother’s house, I saw my brother Samuel just stepping out.

"I have to leave for work," he said, his voice clipped and efficient. There was no warmth, no hint of the bond we should have shared as brothers.

I forced a polite smile. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Samuel? "

He glanced at his expensive watch. “I'm afraid I can't. There's a conference call with the London office in an hour.”

As I watched my brother’s hurried back retreat to his car, I couldn't shake the thought of Aria. Her radiant smile during dinner with Samuel last night replayed in my mind. It was a stark contrast to the perpetual frown she wore around me lately.

She actually seemed happy, even though they don’t see each other often. The thought made me narrow my eyes. What were they so thrilled about? Why did they act as if they were close?

My eyes narrowed as suspicion crept in. But it doesn’t matter, I told myself silently. She probably just wants my attention again.

I just need to stay quiet and give her some room, and soon enough, she'll come begging to be with me again, like she always does.

Victor’s POV

I wondered what my mother’s agenda was this time. With her, it was never just plain dinner. Something was always up.

I opened the door and was greeted by the warm, familiar smell of home-cooked meals.

“Victor, you're here!” Shane's voice rang out as she came into the hallway, her face lighting up with a welcoming smile. Behind her, I saw Mom and Aunt Felicity waving at me from the dining area.

I wasn’t really surprised that Shane was also there, because she and my mother were quite close.

“Hey, Shane,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Listen, I wanted to apologize for what happened at the party last time. Aria—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shane interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. “It was my own carelessness. I should've been more careful.”

I sighed, relieved by her understanding. Shane was always like this—so forgiving, always speaking well of Aria no matter what happened. It was something I admired about her, but it also made me feel a bit guilty.

“You're too kind, Shane,” I said, patting her shoulder.

“Yes, she definitely is,” Mom seconded as she came up to me and gave me a quick hug. “Not like that wife of yours,” she added sourly.

“You didn’t invite his wife then?” Aunt Felicity asked curiously.

“Of course not. She’s not welcome in my home, especially after what she did to Shane. I think that was really done on purpose.”

“Mom —” I began, not wanting to talk about it any longer.

She simply brushed me off with a wave of her hand and led us all to the dining room. My eyes widened at the spread on the table. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a dozen other dishes I couldn't even name all made my stomach growl.

“Looks delicious!” I exclaimed. “I’m getting hungry.”

We all took our seats. I was more than eager to start digging into the mouthwatering dishes.

But strangely, those dishes didn't really suit my taste. Aria used to cook for me often. I didn't know at first; it was the maid who told me.

But I didn't find it odd. She was my wife, after all. That's what she was supposed to do. Aria's cooking was always delicious; I couldn't find any fault with it. Cooking seemed simple for her, not a hassle at all.

I suddenly remembered one time when we argued, and she told me it took her over an hour to cook dinner! I guess she was just exaggerating.

As we ate, my mother and Aunt Felicity started fussing over Shane.

“You know, Shane, you're such a sweet girl,” my mother said, her eyes twinkling. “It's no wonder Aria was always so jealous of you.”

Aunt Felicity nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Your kindness is such a threat to someone like Aria. She never knew how to handle it, did she?”

Shane smiled, her cheeks flushing. “I don't know about that,” she murmured.

I felt a headache beginning to form at the base of my skull. The last thing I wanted was another conversation about Aria.

“Can we not talk about Aria tonight?” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Let's just enjoy the meal.”

My mother looked at me, her expression softening. “Of course, Victor. We're here to have a nice family dinner.”

I nodded, but I knew that she probably arranged this to get me away from Aria again and to push me toward Shane. She was always at my back, wanting me to pursue Shane instead, pointing out that I didn’t have a partnership with Aria’s parents anymore, anyway.

Aunt Felicity smiled. “We didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Let's focus on the good things.”

To be honest, I really didn’t know how to handle these relationships among women. Their emotions and dynamics were a maze I often found myself lost in.

“So, Shane,” I said, trying to change the subject. “How's your company going?”

She brightened up, launching into a story about her latest project.

But just after a few minutes, I found myself tuning her out. I was lost in thought, staring at the flickering candle on the dinner table, my mind replaying Aria's words from this morning.

Divorce. She had spat it out in one of what I deemed her typical tantrums, but something about her tone felt different this time. A chill ran down my spine.

“Victor, are you listening?” My mother’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Shane's calling your attention.”

“What?” I said, turning toward Shane and trying to focus on her words. “Sorry, what was that?”

“I was just saying,” Shane repeated patiently, “that we’re seeing significant growth in our social media campaigns. But enough about that… When are we going to meet about that new app of yours? I’ve already got a ton of marketing ideas for it!”

“Oh, right.” I shifted in my seat, my mind switching gears. “The app development is on track. We’ll need to have a meeting at the company tomorrow to go over the final integration steps.”

“Great! I’ll see you there!”

Shane and I were engrossed in a conversation about our new project, the excitement bubbling between us.

“This new software could really change the game, Victor,” Shane said, leaning forward, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. “Imagine the possibilities—”

Just then, my phone rang. It was Aria. My wife. To my surprise, I felt a flicker of anticipation.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I said to Shane, standing and stepping away from the table. I answered the call. But the words that came out were not what I tried to say, “Coming to apologize?”

Before I could say anything else, Aria's voice came through, sharp and unwavering. “Victor, I wasn’t joking about the divorce. My lawyer is currently drafting the divorce agreement, and I want to sign it with you tomorrow.”

I was momentarily at a loss. “An agreement?” I echoed, confusion tightening my grip on the phone.

My mother looked up from her plate. “Is that Aria?” she asked in a tone of disapproval. “She should come and apologize. I can't believe someone so ill-mannered! It was so embarrassing how she behaved during such a high-profile, important party.”

“Mom, please,” I said, raising a hand to stave off her inevitable tirade. But I knew Aria had heard her.

There was a brief, heavy silence on the line. Then, without another word, Aria hung up. She actually hung up on me. It was the first time she had ever done that!

And, what did she just say? Divorce agreement? Is she really serious about this divorce? Or is she just trying to get my attention again?

Honestly, I'm really sick of her tricks. What she's doing is so ridiculous.

Aria’s POV

I’ve had enough. Five years… Five years of enduring such humiliation and belittling by Victor and his family, of being treated like a nobody.

And even after five years, he still believed that I was the one who’d taken those stupid naked photos of us to blackmail him into marrying me! God, I would never have stooped so low! But does anyone believe anything I say? No!

I couldn't believe I used to be so persistent. I even damaged my friendships for the sake of this marriage.

I immediately sent a message to my lawyer, telling him to go ahead with the divorce agreement.

That's it. I won't spend any more time arguing with him. Let's just bring this all to an end quickly.

Victor didn't come back that evening. But I didn't ask him urgently as usual either. Luckily, my lawyer was very efficient; he sent me the agreement that same night.

The next day, I began packing my things. There wasn’t much in this house that truly belonged to me. I took off that very simple wedding ring from my hand and threw it on the table. Without looking back, I turned to leave.

It was a beautiful day, but I hardly noticed because of my nerves. The crisp, clear sky seemed to mock the turmoil churning inside me.

Clutching the divorce agreement in my shaking hands, I stepped into the imposing office building of Thorn Enterprises.

It was ironic that the first time I visited my husband's company was to divorce him.

I walked to the reception desk, my heels clicking loudly against the marble floor, each step echoing the finality of my decision. “Excuse me,” I said to the receptionist, trying to keep my voice steady. “I'm Aria Thorn, Victor's wife. Could you inform him that I'm here?”

The receptionist's eyes flickered with surprise, then settled into a look that was somewhere between pity and disdain. “Ms. Aria,” she said slowly, “Mr. Thorn isn't at the company and his wife is already upstairs.”

A knot of confusion and dread tightened in my stomach. “I'm his wife,” I insisted, my voice rising a notch. The receptionist's disdainful gaze did not waver. I felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck.

“Mr. Thorn’s wife,” she repeated, enunciating each word as if I were slow to understand, “is already upstairs.”

“Aria? What brings you here?” I suddenly heard Shane’s voice. She grinned at me as if we’d always been good friends.

The receptionist greeted her and smiled, “Mrs. Thorn, how are you?”

Shane had told the receptionist I was a friend, conveniently leaving out the part where she wasn’t really Victor’s wife. She's playing that little trick again. But I ignored it and played along. Because she could take me up there. I just wanted to finish what I came here to do.

“I need to talk to Victor immediately,” I told Shane as we headed upstairs to the main office. I tried to sound casual. “Where’s him?”

Shane smirked. “He went to another company for a meeting. See, I know more about his movements than you do. Doesn't he tell you anything?”

Her words stung, but I tried to stay calm. Inside, I felt a knot of discomfort tightening.

"Mrs. Thorn," someone called out.

“Yes?”I turned around and saw several men in corporate suits approaching. The man who had spoken looked puzzled. "Who are you?"

Before I could explain, Shane stepped in smoothly. "Mr. Lee, our meeting is in an hour. I'll have the relevant documents ready; Victor has entrusted this matter entirely to me."

Mr. Lee smiled, clearly impressed. "You're really good, as Victor's wife. He always speaks highly of your abilities."

Unable to bear it any longer, I interrupted, "I'm sorry, but I'm Victor's wife, not her."

The man looked at me with disdain, sizing me up. "Is that so? Funny, he's never mentioned you. I've seen too many women like you, trying to cozy up to wealthy men." He then turned to Shane and remarked, "Women like her need to be dealt with quickly, or they'll surely multiply like weeds."

Shane smiled but remained silent. The men left without even glancing at me. I looked at Shane in disbelief and said, "Are you satisfied now? Is this how you want to be acknowledged as Victor's wife?"

Shane feigned surprise, "When did I acknowledge that? When did I ever say I'm Victor's wife?" She then grabbed my hand unexpectedly, "Come on, let me show you where Victor's office is. I know it better than you."

The nerve of this woman! She always keeps rubbing it in my face that she’s more like Victor’s wife than me. I was tired of it all, and I just couldn’t wait to not have to deal with both of them anymore.