Ten years of marriage, and my perfect husband, Leandro Rousseau, had given me a seaside villa.

But then, with a young college girl at his side and a three-year-old boy in hand, he looked at me calmly and said, “Alina, let’s get a divorce. You really can’t have children.”

The cruelest part was that I had endured three rounds of IVF, just to give him a child. I had suffered countless injections, endless medications, and my body, tormented by hormones, had grown swollen and sore.

During the last attempt, I had bled so heavily that I almost lost my life.

I saw the impatience in his eyes, his eagerness to be rid of me, and recalled the doctor’s private words, that Leandro’s sperm motility was so low, the chance of conceiving naturally was almost nothing.

I looked at the child, who bore no trace of him, while the girl beside him lowered her head, guilt written all over her face.

I curved my lips in a faint smile and said softly, “Okay.”

The divorce papers were signed without delay.

Through the thirty days that followed, I packed quietly, my eyes cold as I watched the farce unfold. All I waited for was the end of it, so I could finally leave.

Leave behind this absurd marriage.

On a rainy day, I held the divorce papers and walked out of the Family Court with Leandro.

“Leandro, congratulations, you’re finally free!” Azalea Fontaine, dressed in an ivory knit dress and clutching a bouquet of red roses, had been waiting at the entrance. The moment she saw him, she rushed forward, pressing the flowers into his hands with a wide smile.

I saw the silver bracelet on her wrist, and it was mine. Leandro had said it was away for repair, but here it was with her.

I gave a short laugh. A college girl showing off someone else’s love, how fitting.

Leandro brushed a hand over Azalea’s hair and bent to kiss her forehead with tenderness.

That spot had once belonged to me, yet now his lips sealed it, crushing every vow we once shared.

He looked up at me and asked gently, as he always did, "Alina, do you need me to drive you back to the villa to pack your things?"

"No need." I shifted my gaze toward the sports car waiting across the street. "Someone’s here for me."

At that moment, Nikolai Castellanos’s sports car swerved to a stop in front of the steps with a sharp drift.

"Alina, I’m here to pick you up."

Tall and striking in his custom-tailored suit, Nikolai wore the sapphire cufflinks I had given him last year, arriving right on time.

But Leandro’s eyes lingered on those cufflinks far too long, his jaw tightening as Azalea tugged uneasily at his sleeve to break the silence.

"This is…?"

"Castellanos Group’s heir, Nikolai Castellanos, my childhood friend." I smiled, watching Leandro’s expression harden further. "And one more thing, he’s also the largest individual shareholder in your company."

"Let’s go. Goodbye." Without another glance, I slid into the sports car.

Through the rearview mirror, I saw Leandro still frozen in place, the bouquet crushed in his hand.

It brought me back to our wedding day, when his hands trembled so much he crushed the bouquet, and I had to peel open his fingers, laughing softly as I wiped the flower juice from his palm.

I thought of how he once stood outside my family’s villa for a whole day and night, pleading with them to let him marry me. "Alina, I may have nothing now, but my chip design will succeed. I’ll use everything I have to give you happiness."

Back then, his gaze burned with love and conviction. His persistence moved me, moved my family. But now, all of it belonged to Azalea.

Indeed, feelings could change in the blink of an eye.

"Alina, what are you planning to do? Whatever it is, I’ll stand by you." Nikolai’s voice was tender, yet heavy with sorrow he couldn’t conceal.

I pulled myself out of the memories. "I keep feeling there’s something off about that child. I’ve already given the DNA sample to the doctor, and we’ll have the results in seven days. And the Windsor family’s investment should be withdrawn in seven days as well."

"I want him to see how far he can go without the Windsor family’s daughter as his stepping stone."

Nikolai chuckled softly, his hand ruffling my hair in the same familiar way. "Alright, I’ll do whatever Alina says."

As the car turned the corner, I glanced one last time at the Family Court.

Leandro was there, carefully holding an umbrella for Azalea, shielding her as they slipped into the car together.

I turned away quickly, yet my eyes still burned red.

Ten years of marriage, nothing but a cruel joke.

I stood at the villa entrance, sighed softly, and pushed the door open by myself.

Madeline Rousseau’s shrill laughter rang from within.

"My precious golden grandson, eat another bite, grow up strong so you can inherit your daddy’s company."

But the instant her eyes fell on me, the smile faded, curling instead into disdain.

"Well, look who it is, the cause of all this mess. Holding up the divorce, how can a woman without kids still act so high and mighty?"

The little boy, Kieran, grew sulky the moment he spotted me. He flung his half-eaten apple, the sticky pulp splattering my skirt.

"Nice throw! Ten years of marriage and your stomach’s still flatter than a washboard. All you do is waste time on jewelry appraisals, broken rocks, what good are they?"

The rain outside poured harder. Staring at the scene before me, my mind drifted back to the day of my third failed IVF attempt. That day too had been stormy, and Madeline had screamed at me over the phone like a madwoman. “You really are the curse of our family. Can’t give birth, why don’t you die?”

Back then, I endured the physical torment, sobbing out apologies for the sake of love and marriage. Later, I hid in the hospital, weeping alone through the night. But what had all my humility and concessions brought me?

They only gave the entire family the courage to push me further and further. Now, I had truly had enough.

“Madeline.” I bent down to pick up the apple Kieran had thrown at me, my tone light, no longer calling her “Mom.”

“You may not know this, but my father bought this villa before my marriage. It is my personal property.”

“Now, take your precious grandson and get out of my house!”

Madeline’s cursing stopped cold. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“You said what? You want me to leave? This is my home, my son’s home.”

“Someone has trespassed into my villa. Send security immediately.” Without hesitation, I called for security.

Madeline’s face froze. She hadn’t expected I would truly dare summon people to throw her out. In the next instant, she snatched a teacup from the coffee table and hurled it at me.

I dodged immediately, letting the cup shatter into glittering shards across the floor.

“Alina Windsor! Are you insane?!”

Leandro’s voice thundered from the doorway. I lifted my gaze to see him rushing in, drenched, with a frantic Azalea trailing behind.

He strode forward, shielding his mother, and roared at me, “Alina, isn’t it just a divorce? But she’s my mom! Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”

Trouble?

I stared at him, finding it laughably absurd.

He was the one who brought a mistress and a child into my home. His mother was the one smashing things and spitting curses inside my house. And yet, in the end, I was the one accused of causing trouble?

Who exactly had I spent ten years of my life with?

Just then, Azalea inched closer, her face pale, her tone deliberately fragile as she persuaded me.

“Alina, Mom is old, please don’t be like this. Kieran is still young, don’t blame the child.”

I let out a cold laugh. Not even married yet and already calling her Mom? Truly without shame.

Security soon arrived, their stance resolute as they carried Madeline away.

The air resounded with Madeline’s shrieks, the child’s sobs, and Azalea’s pitiful pleas.

Leandro’s teeth clenched as his furious eyes locked on me. “Alina, you are ruthless enough!”

A soft smile touched my lips. “Not as ruthless as you.”

The front door crashed shut, sealing away every trace of noise from beyond.

Surveying the wreckage before me, I let my body slide down to the floor. I held myself tightly, and at last, the sobs I could no longer control tore through me.

Ten years, was this all I had gained in the end?

The night breeze was cool. I stood on the balcony, staring blankly into the distance.

Behind me came Leandro’s familiar footsteps, and a jacket was gently draped over my shoulders.

“Alina, your health has never been good. Don’t catch a chill, I’ll feel distressed.”

I didn’t turn around, only sneered. “Mr. Rousseau, you really are busy. After sending your mistress home, you suddenly remembered to care for your ex-wife?”

Leandro sighed, his chest pressing against my back, the same posture as the countless embraces we had shared over the past ten years.

“My mom really went too far today. I apologize on her behalf.”

“Alina, but you have to understand me. Do you know how hard it is for me?”

“Every time I see others showing off their children, every time I hear my mom crying on the phone, Alina, I just couldn’t help it. If there were even the slightest chance, I would never have…”

“Never what? Never cheat? Never divorce?” I finally turned, meeting his reddened eyes.

“So all the fault for not having a child lies with me? Leandro, can’t you stop making excuses for yourself?”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed his eyes, yet he still struggled to make me believe him.

“Alina, I’m not making excuses. The one I truly love is you. I really can’t let you go.”

My gaze dropped to his left hand, and his wedding ring was already gone. And now he wanted me to believe that a man who cheated had his reasons? The thought was laughable.

“This house,” Leandro suddenly shifted the subject, “has a really good school district. Kieran is about to start elementary school.”

“I want to exchange this house for the seaside villa I bought for you before. I can pay you the difference.”

Of course. The mask had slipped at last; his late-night performance of tenderness was nothing but a ploy for the school district house.

I tore off the jacket and flung it back at him. "So this was your true purpose all along?"

His face stiffened. "I’m thinking of you! That seaside villa will rise in value."

"Leandro." My voice cut through his words, faint and fragile, like a whisper swept away by the night breeze.

"Do you still remember the day we went through the third round of IVF?"

His eyes darkened, pupils shrinking.

"The doctor warned that my body had already suffered too much, that another attempt might cause heavy bleeding."

I slowly lifted my shirt, revealing the scar etched across my stomach.

"Back then, I put my life on the line to try again. Do you remember what you said, kneeling at my hospital bed? You said that just having me in this life was enough."

"And now?"

The color drained from Leandro’s face.

"That’s enough, Leandro. Get out."

I pressed the speed dial on my phone. "Security will be here in three minutes."

"Alina." He suddenly grabbed my wrist, his voice desperate. "We’ve been married ten years. You have to think about my descendants too, I beg you."

"Seven years." I peeled his fingers away, one by one. "The rest of the time, you were in Azalea’s bed."

"Alina!" he gritted his teeth. "Don’t you regret this!"

I sneered and locked the balcony door right in front of him.

He stood outside, his face twisted with rage as he shouted at me, then finally kicked the door hard before storming away.

The next morning, I left for my studio as usual. But just as I reached the entrance, my vision went black.

"Alina?!" The last thing I saw was Nikolai’s anxious figure rushing toward me.