The girl's name was Nadia Rivera. She was a student who lived in the college district.

Nadia was still studying, but her family wasn't well-off. Because of this, she worked part-time at the coffee shop near her college every day.

Three months ago, Ray started frequenting the coffee shop for his coffee. Sometimes, he would even sit there the whole day and not go to the office.

"Do you like her that much? So much so that you're willing to choke me to death over her?" I murmured to myself.

I recalled how Ray had once done the same for me but to someone else. He had threatened, "She's my wife now, so stay away from her."

Ray and I had met in college. At the time, he was still a broke college student who had to work three jobs a day just to get by. He used to be a campus errand boy and had spilled the coffee I ordered all over me.

I didn't make a fuss back then. It was just a piece of clothing, after all. I could have someone buy a new one for me within 10 minutes.

Ray had flushed red from embarrassment as he apologized to me. The next day, he returned the dress I had been wearing. It had smelled strongly of laundry detergent.

He carefully avoided my fingers when handing it back to me, and his clumsiness was adorable. I found Ray interesting and asked him to buy me coffee once he got his salary.

Back then, I had pretended to have mature tastes and ordered an iced long black coffee. The drink was so bitter that it made me scrunch up my face. Later, Ray secretly added double shots of milk and sugar.

"Ugh, too sweet," he had commented after. We were young and bashful back then and would blush just from whispering to each other. But now…

I examined myself in the mirror. My hair was disheveled, and the red handprint mark on my neck looked horrifying.

Afterward, I spent hours rummaging around the house for the first aid kit. However, I couldn't find it.

In the past, Ray would frantically carry me to the bed if I had accidentally bumped into the table. Then, he would quickly fetch band-aids and anti-inflammatory cream.

I was curled up on the bathroom floor when my phone vibrated—it was a text from Ray. It read, "Let's get a divorce."

The message included a divorce agreement stating that the house and car would be mine—he was leaving everything behind for Nadia.

Putting on a turtleneck sweater, I hailed a cab to his office. It was the first time I had visited him there.

The receptionist asked if I had an appointment.

"No, just tell Ray Prunier that his wife is downstairs," I stated.

The receptionist sneered at this.

"That's not how you climb the ladder, miss. We've all seen Mr. Prunier's wife. You'd better run along before I call security," she said derisively.

My hands balled into fists as the image of Nadia's bright, smiling face flashed in my mind.

I was about to take my phone out to call Ray when a voice spoke up behind me.

"Good morning!"

It was Nadia. She was wearing an overall skirt, and her hair was tied in a high ponytail. For a moment, it was like I was looking at the college version of myself.

I watched as she greeted everyone while smiling brightly.

"Good morning, Mrs. Prunier," the receptionist greeted Nadia with a slight bow of her head. She emphasized the greeting while looking at me scornfully.

"I've brought coffee—it's my treat. I even made it myself," Nadia announced.

"Thank you, Mrs. Prunier. Our CEO is truly lucky to have you. You're not only beautiful but talented, too—unlike some women these days who are only delusional."

The receptionist complimented her while snidely taking a jab at me.

Nadia lowered her head shyly at this. Then, she skipped onto the elevator.

Meanwhile, I was left standing there awkwardly. I called Ray several times, but the calls were all immediately rejected.

Hence, I texted him, "Come downstairs and invite me up if you want to preserve her reputation."

My hands were shaking uncontrollably. Tears had already started flowing down my face.

All these years, I had tried to pretend that I didn't care about Ray's affairs. I kept thinking to myself that the affairs didn't mean anything. I also told myself that these girls were all passing fancies and that I was the one he loved.

Shortly after I sent the text, Ray's assistant came downstairs and escorted me up.

I spotted Nadia as we neared Ray's office. Her skirt fluttered gently, and she clung to Ray while throwing a tantrum.

When she noticed me coming, Nadia quickly straightened herself up. She said to Ray, "I should let you get back to work."

Then, she made her way to the door.

When I spotted the emerald pendant resting against Nadia's chest, I unconsciously reached out and stopped her. It was the same one I had gotten for Ray when he had fallen seriously ill. I had to climb a mountain and beg for it.

I opened my mouth to speak, but it felt as though there was cotton stuffed down my throat—I couldn't make a sound.

Ray narrowed his eyes at me from behind Nadia.

"Is there a problem?" he silently warned me.

Snapping back to reality, I released her arm.

"Sorry—that's a beautiful pendant," I said to her.

"Thank you," Nadia replied.

"It seems you didn't take yesterday's warning seriously," Ray stated darkly. Now that Nadia had left, his expression had reverted to the cold and unapproachable one I was used to seeing.

He turned, grabbed a document, and tossed it at me.

As I skimmed through it, I realized it was a project my father's company was working on.

"I meant what I said, Claire. Your father could be left with nothing but the clothes on his back if I wanted it so. How long do you think you can continue living like a pampered princess when that happens?" Ray added threateningly.

I licked my dry lips. It turned out he had always resented me all these years.

Years ago, Ray and I confronted my father to tell him about our relationship. The old man was furious.

Dad had refused to allow me to marry Ray because Ray had nothing back then. However, Ray had even gone on his knees at the time. He had also stubbornly refused to let go of my hand and endured it all as Dad humiliated him.

But today, Ray threw a divorce agreement at my face. It reminded me of when Dad had thrown a wad of cash in his.

It seemed karma had made its way to me, and it was now my turn to experience such humiliation—but did it really have to be this way? Ray merely needed to tell me he didn't love me anymore, and I wouldn't have made him stay.

When I picked up the divorce agreement, I couldn't help chuckling mirthlessly when I saw he had already signed it. It seemed he genuinely loved Nadia.

"Can I ask you a question?" I said to him. I looked up from the agreement and back at him.

Taking in his pretentious appearance, I asked, "What do you like about her?"

Ray didn't answer. Our seven years of marriage ended in silence.

…

Ray brought Nadia along to city hall on the day we were to collect our divorce certificate.

"Is this to save the trouble of making a second trip?" I couldn't help asking sardonically.

Ray hid Nadia behind him like a mother hen protecting a chick.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I didn't know you and Ray were married," Nadia apologized. "I definitely wouldn't have come between you two if I had known, but you've seen how unhappy Ray was in your marriage. And now that you've divorced him amicably, I hope you can be happy for us."

The words coming out of her pretty mouth made me want to die.

"I hope you don't mind, but I would like to invite you to our wedding," she added as she handed me an invitation.

I wordlessly looked at Ray, hoping to glimpse a sliver of the old him—the one that used to love me. However, his gaze was focused entirely on the blushing Nadia, so much so that he wouldn't even spare me a glance.

I couldn't believe they were already handing out wedding invitations when our divorce certificate was still hot off the press.