Chapter 5

Lily's POV

Three days after I mailed the divorce papers, Payton didn't respond.

Instead, Sophia posted a photo of herself trying on wedding dresses on social media. The caption: "Seven years of feelings, not as good as one grand wedding. Looking forward to next month's wedding."

Looking at that post, I had no reaction.

Seven years. The length of my marriage to Payton was also exactly seven years.

Today was our seventh wedding anniversary.

In previous years on this day, no matter how busy he was, he would cancel all social engagements to spend time with me.

But today, he was accompanying another woman trying on wedding dresses.

In the evening, someone knocked on the apartment door.

I opened it to find a drunk Payton. His tie was loosened, his eyes reddened, staring hard at me. "Lily, how dare you?" He shoved me aside, stumbled into the room, and threw the crumpled divorce agreement on the table.

"Giving up all marital assets? Do you think that makes you noble?"

I closed the door, coldly watching him lose control. "I've fulfilled my contract obligations. I don't want Payton Corporation's sponsorship anymore either. Payton, I don't owe you anything."

"What did you say?" He whirled around, grabbed my chin in a vice grip, the force almost crushing my bones. "Lily, you owe me a life! I saved your mother's life! You think you can leave me?"

I was forced to look up at this face I'd once been so infatuated with. "Oh? Do you want me to give my life back to you?"

Payton seemed stung by the deathly stillness in my eyes. He suddenly released me, irritably loosening his tie.

"Take back the agreement. I can pretend this never happened." His tone softened somewhat, carrying arrogance.

"Sophia's wedding is just for show. She needs a wedding to solidify her status in the entertainment industry. You're still my wife."

I could hardly believe my ears. "Payton, are you insane? You want me to watch you hold a wedding with another woman, and then I'm still supposed to continue being Mrs. Payton?"

"What do you want? Money? Resources? I can give you anything!" He shouted loudly. "Lily, don't be too greedy! You're flying around in the sky every day. How would you have time to take care of home? Sophia can provide me happiness that you can't!"

"Happiness?" I chewed on this word, feeling utterly desolate.

"When I was getting nerve block injections to skydive for your company, nearly dying on that snowy mountain, you were helping her pick out necklaces. When I was being cyberbullied across the internet because of your coercion, you were helping her try on wedding dresses."

"Payton, you don't want happiness. You just need an obedient pet and a good employee who can make money for you!"

Slap!

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the small apartment. Payton's hand hung in mid-air, trembling slightly.

I turned my head to the side. My cheek hurt badly. I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth. This was the first time he'd hit me.

The air was deathly silent.

"Lily... I..." Payton seemed to realize what he'd done. Panic flashed in his eyes as he tried to reach for me.

I stepped back, avoiding his touch. "Payton, consider this slap the last bit of gratitude I'm repaying you." I pointed at the door, my voice utterly devoid of warmth. "Please leave my home immediately."

Payton stood in place, his chest heaving violently. He looked at me. Ultimately saying nothing, he turned and slammed the door as he left.

The next day, I contacted a lawyer and formally filed for divorce with the court. Since he wasn't willing to divorce by agreement, we'd go through legal procedures.

Just as I was preparing to go to the law firm, I received a call from my coach. "Lily, something's happened! The training facility's property rights were transferred by Payton Corporation. The new owner is demanding we all move out within three days!"

My head buzzed. That facility stood on the last piece of land my mother had left me. Later, to raise training funds, I'd mortgaged this land to Payton Corporation.

Payton had once promised me that as long as I won the World Championship, he'd return the facility's property rights to me. He'd broken his promise.

"Who's the new owner?" I asked, suppressing my fury.

"It's... it's Sebastian."

All the blood in my body instantly froze. Sebastian, Sophia's father.

He was also the man who'd scammed my mother out of all her money years ago, causing her heart attack and ultimately her death! Payton had actually given my mother's memento to my enemy!