Chapter 1

Because of a pet custody battle, my lawyer husband, Ethan Vance, was suing me for the eighth time.

During the trial, Ethan finally compromised and sent me a Snapchat message:

[Name your price. Just give Peaches to Chloe.]

He used to be a man of absolute integrity.

To avoid a conflict of interest, he had watched my dad get framed and sent to prison without lifting a finger.

But now, to help Chloe steal a dog we raised together, he had forged twenty-six pieces of evidence.

He forged Peaches' birth certificate and purchase records.

I had refused to back down, fighting him through seven bitter court battles.

But to everyone's shock, this time, I remained silent.

"Your Honor, I yield. I won't fight anymore."

Then, I sent Ethan a message:

[My only condition is that you appeal and reopen my dad's embezzlement case.]

Across the courtroom, Ethan let out a sigh of relief.

But what he didn't know was that hidden inside the custody transfer papers he just signed was a set of divorce papers.

"Give me the password to the pet's Instagram account. I'm deleting it," Ethan ordered, catching up to me outside the courtroom.

He always thought I ran that account just for clout and views.

But he failed to see that my camera was always pointed at him. It was a record of our happiest moments.

I handed him my phone and watched him tap "Delete" without a second thought.

An account with nearly a million followers vanished in an instant.

"If we kept it, your crazy fans would definitely harass Chloe. It's better to avoid the drama."

Ethan waved the forged evidence in my face before tossing it into the trash can.

A smug, victorious smirk played on his lips.

He looked like a man who had just won a war.

Except I was the casualty.

Chloe cuddled into Ethan's arms, holding Peaches' leash. She looked cute, innocent, and utterly pitiful.

"Ethan, I promise this is the last time I'll be selfish."

Then she blinked her big, watery eyes, looking at me with a pleading expression.

"I just love Peaches so much. Stella, you won't blame me, right? Please forgive me."

She tilted her head, her triumph barely concealed. There wasn't a shred of genuine remorse in her eyes.

Peaches was a Samoyed that Ethan and I had raised since she was a puppy.

She had witnessed our entire journey—from our first date to our wedding, spanning eight long years.

Ethan once told me, "Stella, we're going to raise her forever. You're her mom, and I'm her dad."

I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms.

Yet Ethan just gently ruffled Chloe's hair, his voice dripping with tenderness.

"You get whatever you want, Chloe. It's just a dog."

The sudden deletion of our million-follower account sent shockwaves through our online community.

[Peaches has been Stella's dog since day one! How could she belong to someone else?]

[Is this some cheap publicity stunt?]

[This girl literally stole the dog, and her lawyer husband is helping her do it?]

As the backlash grew, Chloe looked visibly humiliated. Ethan immediately went online to defend her.

He posted on Instagram:

[My wife lost her mother at a young age, and her father is currently in prison. It's natural for her to seek attention, which is why she's been hoarding my adoptive sister's dog.]

My painful past, the shame of my family, was dragged into the spotlight for millions of strangers to see.

My phone blew up with a torrent of hateful messages.

Ethan wrapped his arm around Chloe as they walked ahead, laughing and chatting.

"Peaches is so white and fluffy, just like you."

"Are you calling me a dog? You're the Golden Retriever here!"

Their voices faded into the distance. Ethan didn't notice me pulling out my phone to text the hospital.

"Hi, I'd like to book an appointment for an abortion."