The moment I opened the door, I saw him lounging in his chair.

And there, plastered to his side, was Olivia, giggling sweetly.

She stiffened for a second, then reluctantly sat up.

“Sophia, why don’t you ever knock?”

Ignoring her, I grabbed her hand.

The glaring green shimmer of the ring burned into my eyes.

“Is this yours? You think you can just wear it?”

“Hey, what are you doing? That hurts!” Olivia yanked her hand back, pouting pitifully.

“Sophia Lane, are you crazy?”

Michael immediately shielded her behind him, as if I were some kind of monster.

“Don’t you know that’s mine? How dare you give it to her?”

My voice trembled with fury.

Michael hesitated for a moment, then his expression turned impatient.

“Olivia liked it. I thought it looked nice, so I let her try it on.”

“That’s all it is. And you storm into my office over a worthless ring? Where are your manners?”

I almost laughed out loud.

Manners?

A cheating man lecturing me about manners?

On my birthday, when he claimed to be too busy on a trip, I begged him to spend some time with me.

He told me I was too dependent, asked why I couldn’t buy things myself.

He said he hated “rituals” and told me not to try to change him.

Back then, I comforted myself, thinking it was just his personality.

But now?

He didn’t hate rituals—he just hated giving them to me.

Cheating was already undeniable.

I no longer wanted to argue or cling.

And I couldn’t afford to waste time—the meeting with my cousins was drawing near.

“I don’t want to fight with you, but this is not some worthless trinket.”

Though my body shook, my voice stayed firm:

“This jade ring is my grandfather’s heirloom, bought with lives in a deadly tomb. It means everything to me. Please, make her give it back.”

Olivia peeked out from behind Michael, reluctantly extending her hand with the ring.

Her eyes reddened as she whimpered:

“Sophia, you’re so mean… I didn’t know it mattered so much. I just thought it was pretty… This is all my fault, please don’t fight.”

“If you’d just said you wanted it, I’d have given it back. Why be so angry, so violent…”

She pretended to take it off, but Michael stopped her.

His cold gaze met mine, his voice icy:

“Sophia, enough. It’s just an old thing. Olivia wearing it is its blessing.”

“Why make her suffer for such a trivial item? Heirloom, schmearloom—I’ll buy you ten better ones later.”

“I don’t want ten. I just want this one.”

Lifting my chin, I declared:

“This isn’t about money. It’s a token, a promise among our grandfathers’ descendants.”

I tried to snatch it back, but Michael shoved me hard.

His face twisted with contempt.

“A promise? What bullshit promise?”

“You’ve got some nerve. Look at yourself—living in my mansion, wearing luxury brand clothes I bought, driving a luxury sports car worth millions. Tell me, which of those things didn’t come from me, Michael Reed?”

“One ring? Ten rings? A hundred? They wouldn’t even cover a fraction of what you’ve spent of mine. And you dare scream at me about what’s yours?”

His words stabbed me like knives.

Yes, I’d been a housewife these years, handling his affairs quietly, not working outside.

But I was thrifty, and all those things were what he had insisted on giving me—not what I demanded.

But now wasn’t the time to argue that.

I steadied myself, drawing a deep breath.

“Michael, you cheated first, and I’ll let that go for now. If you think all these material things are debts I owe you, fine. Take them. I don’t want them.”

“But this ring—I must take it back. Make her return it.”

My solemn tone stunned him.

Perhaps in our three years of marriage, I had never spoken to him so seriously before.

But Olivia, sensing an opportunity, piped up sweetly:

“Michael, she says she needs to ‘answer to some descendants’? What descendants?”

“To me, it’s just a little jade ring. How important could it really be? Unless…”

Her brows furrowed.

“Unless it was given to her by some old lover?”

Her words dripped with implication, and when her eyes met mine, they glittered with provocation.

Michael’s face darkened instantly, his glare piercing me.

“Sophia, you’d better explain. Who gave you that ring?”

“And just what have you been doing behind my back?”

I actually laughed.

When he was still just a lowly salesman, I had married him without hesitation.

In three years of marriage, I may not have been perfect—

But I was at least blameless.

Aside from meeting my cousins each Memorial Day, I barely even interacted with other men.

And he had the gall to cheat, yet accuse me?

“I, Sophia Lane, have lived righteously. I’ve never betrayed you. If you don’t believe me, investigate all you want.”

“And let me say this again—the jade ring was brought out of a tomb at the cost of lives. It’s an heirloom that every year—”

“Investigate? Of course I’ll investigate.”

Michael cut me off coldly before I could finish.

He sneered, glancing at Olivia.

I was confused—

Until Olivia, catching on, pulled several photos from her designer handbag.

I took them.

They showed me, over several Memorial Days, dressed plainly, wearing large sunglasses.

Some shots were at the airport, some at a highway entrance, some near the cemetery.

And in each one, I was seen quietly speaking to—or getting into cars with—different men, also in sunglasses, with distinct builds and temperaments.

The photos were shot at tricky angles, making everything seem secretive, even shady.

“What’s the matter? Speechless? Feeling guilty?”

“Every year on that day, you sneak off to meet these men, hiding yourself like that. What shady business are you doing?”

“Tell me! Who are they? Where are they from?”

I had promised my cousins.

Their identities were far too sensitive to be exposed.

Even our yearly gatherings were absolute secrets.

“You can’t ask. I won’t tell you who they are.”

“Michael, just believe me—it’s not what you think. And besides…”

“Knowing who they are won’t do you any good. You can’t afford to offend them.”

I wasn’t trying to boast.

We were husband and wife—I only hoped he’d back off.

But the words “can’t afford” pierced Michael’s fragile pride like nails.

He slammed the table, roaring:

“Bullshit! Who on earth could I not afford to offend?”

“Sophia, get this straight—I’m Michael Reed, Regional Vice President of Horizon Corporation in the Midwest Region!”

“Who in both corporate and underground circles wouldn’t give me respect? Who could I possibly not afford to offend?”

“Go ahead, tell me—if you don’t name these so-called lovers today, I’ll lock you up and see how you sneak off again.”

I staggered back in horror.

“Michael Reed, are you insane? This is illegal confinement.”

“Illegal? Around here, what I say is the law.”

He closed in, eyes fierce.

“Unless you admit to cheating, sign the divorce papers, and walk away with nothing, you’re not leaving.”

I understood then.

The spying, the intimidation—all of it was because he was afraid I’d take half his fortune, since he was the one at fault. After all, we had signed a prenuptial property division agreement.

Such scheming… it stunned me.

Time with my cousins was drawing near.

Weighing the options, I bit down hard and swallowed my pride.

“Fine. I agree to walk away with nothing.”

With trembling hands, I signed my name on the divorce agreement.

“Now? Is that enough?”

But Michael showed no intention of returning the ring. His face twisted with scorn.

“Those clothes on your back? I bought them. Strip them off before you leave.”

How ironic.

After three years of sharing a bed, I never imagined he could be this cruel.

Choking down the humiliation, I removed my clothes one by one under the mocking stares of Michael and Olivia—

Until only my underwear remained.

“Now? Will you give it back?”

Michael toyed with the jade ring and sneered.

“I only said you could leave. I never promised to return the ring.”

At that, Olivia leaned into his arms.

Both wore mocking smiles, looking at me like I was garbage.

Despair and rage devoured me.

I lost control—like a madwoman, I hurled myself at Olivia, clawing at her wrist to snatch the ring.

She screamed in pain, shoving me away.

I slapped her hard across the face, drawing a wail.

Michael reacted swiftly, seizing my hair and slamming me to the ground.

Agonizing pain ripped through my scalp. I struggled, but it was useless. Despair swallowed me whole.

“Michael, you’re rich. You don’t need this ring. Please, I’m begging you—give it back.”

Sobbing, I pleaded.

“Say I betrayed you if you want, call me what you will. But I need it to honor my grandfather. We were husband and wife—please, just this once, show me mercy.”

Perhaps my pitiful state touched the last shred of conscience in him.

Michael’s grip slackened a little, the savagery in his eyes fading.

But Olivia clutched her face, sobbing louder.

“Michael, my wrist—she scratched me. If you let her go, she’ll run to those so-called lovers and claim we abused her.”

“She says she’s going to honor her grandfather—why sneak around? For all we know, she’s using that as a cover for something shameful.”

Her words jolted Michael back.

His brief hesitation vanished. He yanked my hair again.

“Almost let you trick me, you bitch. You want to honor your grandfather? Fine. I’ll take you myself.”

He dragged my nearly naked body toward the garage.

I fought desperately.

Any one of my three cousins could end his life with ease.

It wasn’t pity for him—I just couldn’t let my cousins be dragged into his mess.

“Michael, I’m begging you. Don’t disturb my grandfather’s rest.”