I was married to Gideon Strathmore for eight years, but he was unfaithful, bringing home different women.

The 100th, Vesper Quinn, smirked at me and turned to him, saying, "This is your useless wife, huh?"

Gideon leaned back in his chair and lazily nodded.

Emboldened by his attitude, she strutted over and patted my cheek. "Listen closely to what a real woman sounds like."

That night, moans filled the living room. I couldn't escape them.

The next morning, Gideon ordered me to breakfast as usual. I refused, unwilling to be his puppet any longer.

He forgot our marriage was based on a contract, and it was due in three days.

...

Gideon Strathmore was taken aback by my refusal.

It was normal since I had never said no to him for a whole eight years.

He sized me up, scoffing, "What's your problem? Last night messed you up?"

I stayed silent, and he got annoyed. "Fine, whatever. Stop looking at me like that."

He waved for the butler to handle breakfast instead.

The young woman from last night, Vesper Quinn, sauntered over.

"How was it last night? Pretty wild, huh?" She grinned at me.

Gideon yanked her back. "Alright. Go wash up for breakfast."

Vesper shot me a smug look and walked away.

At the table, they flirted openly, while I kept my head down, planning my future.

After a while, someone tapped my arm. I looked up to see Gideon's sullen expression.

"What's up?" I asked, confused.

He studied me. "Something on your mind?"

I paused, answering frankly, "Just thinking about what to do in the future."

"Cleaning and cooking. What else can you do?" he scoffed.

His casual jab didn't rattle me. I was used to it.

For eight years, I had dropped everything for him. My life had been centered around him. I had forgotten the dreamer I once was.

Eight years back, my mom was dying.

When I desperately needed money, Gideon showed up with a contract, offering five million dollars for me to marry him and help him deal with the opponents in his family.

To save my mother, I agreed. But after our marriage, he brought home different women.

One day, he got drunk and stared at me seriously. He slurred, "We're from different worlds. Don't get any ideas."

At first, I thought he didn't know how to love.

Last year, I learned that his first love died from illness, and Vesper looked a bit like her. So, it wasn't surprising that he brought her home and had breakfast with her.

Unbothered, I started planning my exit.

Gideon called out to me, and I snapped back to reality.

"I want to get a job," I said.

Gideon laughed, "Seriously? Maybe come to my company and mop floors. Vesper is fresh out of college, and you're not even on the same level."

Before I could respond, Vesper came out of the bedroom.

"Babe, how do I look? Good?" She was wearing a dress Gideon bought yearly for his first love.

When I once touched it while cleaning, he only slapped me.

Now, he eyed Vesper with satisfaction. "Perfect. Wear anything you like."

Vesper flaunted it, turning to me. "Don't I look amazing?"

"Yes. It suits you." I nodded.

She froze, surprised by my response. I ignored them and went back to my room.

In three days, I'd be gone. It was time to pack up.

...

I had just laid down when Gideon called.

"Vesper needs a ride to campus. Drive her," he said.

I frowned. "Don't we have a driver?"

Rejected by me the second time, he couldn't hold back his anger. "What's with you? Can't do one thing?"

Before he blew up, I agreed, "Okay."

"See? That wasn't hard," he snorted.

I changed and found them in the yard. He urged, "Hurry up! Vesper has got an exam."

Vesper grinned, "Thanks, Selene."

They kissed passionately as they parted.

Once in the car, Vesper started, "Gideon is just so passionate. Is he like that with you too?"

I stayed silent, and she chuckled, "I get it. You're old and boring. No way he'd go for you."

I kept ignoring her, and she shut up eventually.

Near her school, a car swerved into us. I jerked the wheel, but we still got hit.

Pain seared my leg, and Vesper groaned behind me. I looked back and saw a scratch on her hand.

Medics pulled us out. My left leg was broken, while Vesper just had the scratch.

After they bandaged her, Gideon arrived, looking frantic.

He rushed up to ask about her situation. Vesper whined about her hand.

Gideon ordered the driver to take her for a full checkup. He passed me twice but never looked at me.

I gave a bitter smile. The pain in my chest dulled the one in my leg.

At the hospital, I overheard the nurses gossiping.

"Mr. Strathmore is so sweet to his girlfriend. For just a scratch, he is calling in top specialists."

"Marrying a rich, doting guy like that must be a dream."

I smiled bitterly.

Ironically, the married life with Gideon was not happy at all.

Before surgery, I saw them coming up, hand in hand.

"How are you doing?" he asked with a frown. "Can't you even drive right? Good thing Vesper is fine."

She pouted. "I shouldn't have asked her to drive in the first place."

Gideon hugged her, cooing, "It's not your fault. You got hurt too. Let's grab some food."

The doctor came up, saying the operating room was ready.

Gideon glanced at me, surprised, but Vesper's whimper stole his focus.

Luckily, the surgery went fine.

A nurse asked if I had called my family. I paused, replying, "I've got none."

...

I hired a nursing worker to look after me in the hospital.

Gideon had fun with Vesper every day, never visiting me. She sent me pictures of them going to beaches, snorkeling, stargazing, and kissing.

I felt nothing, busy planning a biotech startup with my friend, Maren Holt.

For years, I'd done product research on the side.

At first, when Maren approached me with the proposal, I declined.

She said I'd wasted eight years on a contract. It wasn't worth it, but I didn't regret it. My mother was everything to me back then.

Now the contract was over, and I was free.

"When are you back? The house is a mess," Gideon complained over the phone.

"The maids aren't doing their job?" I sneered.

"You know I hate people touching my stuff. And I need you for company files," he sulked.

I checked the time, about to respond when a nurse came up with the medical bills. Gideon heard it, urging me to go home as soon as possible.

Ignoring him, I paid the bills and left with Maren.

When she asked if I felt free, I smiled, "It's over. Once he signs the divorce agreement, I'm out."

Maren was thrilled. "Let's get it done and hit a chorizo slider truck."

As we discussed the details of the startup, Gideon called again. I glanced at his name on the screen and flipped my phone over.

Maren lifted her chin. "Really done with him?"

She knew how much I had cared for him, but his constant hurt killed that.

I shrugged. "Some people just don't belong in the same world."

Maren nodded, totally agreeing with it.

After finalizing the business plan, we went to our favorite slider spot.

The first bite of spicy chorizo brought tears. Maren teased me if it was that good. I smiled without replying.

Since meeting Gideon, I had avoided bold flavors like this.