Chapter 3

I walked for a long time, holding my belly, before I finally got out of the gated community and managed to flag down a taxi. Opening the car door, I took one last look back. Perhaps this was the best ending for me. At least I wouldn't lose my life for a man who never loved me, like in my previous life.

I couldn't go back to my parents' house, so I returned to my small apartment, the one I owned before marriage. I threw the bedsheets and duvet covers into the washing machine to be washed and dried, then meticulously cleaned the tables and floors, not missing a single corner or crevice. By the time I finished everything, I realized it was already the middle of the night.

A dull, cramping pain began in my belly. I curled up in bed, hugging a pillow, and suddenly felt utterly exhausted. My face felt cold and wet; I touched it and realized they were tears. Ten years of painful love, ending so abruptly. My heart ached, regardless.

I wrestled with the decision of whether to keep the baby, unable to sleep all night. Meanwhile, Julian was lost in Serena Hayes's gentle embrace, lingering without a care. The A-list actress had been frequently posting subtle displays of happiness on social media: candlelight dinners, jewelry, designer bags... The backgrounds of the photos and videos were all too familiar—my marital home. There was even one photo where the glass window reflected the tall, distinguished silhouette of a man making a late-night snack in the kitchen. That photo had delighted her fans for a long time.

And it had left me lost in thought for a long time. The man who wouldn't even pour me a glass of water when I had a high fever was now willing to cook for another woman.

A week later, on Monday, the day of Thorne Enterprises' board meeting, I took the opportunity to return to the villa. I quickly packed my bags and grabbed my documents, heading downstairs. But I ran right into Julian, who had rushed back.

Seeing the items in my hands, he suddenly sneered, snatched my luggage, and threw it away. I frowned at him. "What are you doing?"

"Avery King, I should be asking *you* what you're doing!"

"Are you so childish that you're still playing the 'running away from home' card?"

"What's next? Are you going to threaten me by acting suicidal again, like before?" Julian's brows furrowed, his face filled with disgust as he reprimanded me.

"Why would I kill myself?" I scoffed, gripping the stair railing tightly. The old me was indeed foolish; I'd threatened my life repeatedly to win him back. But after experiencing my previous life, I understood that living was the most important thing. I never wanted to feel that desperation again. Moreover, a heartless man like Julian Thorne wasn't worth my lingering affection.

Julian sneered, his eyes full of disdain. "What new trick is this? I'm busy. I don't have time for your games."

"Your tactics might work once or twice, but too many times and it's 'the boy who cried wolf'."

I looked directly at Julian and explained, "You're overthinking it. I'm here to pack my things and move out."

"Julian Thorne, let's get a divorce."

Julian was uncharacteristically stunned for a moment, then looked at me with even greater impatience. "Divorce? You're carrying a Thorne family child, and you're asking for a divorce now? Do you think you can use this child as leverage and do whatever you want?"

I didn't respond. I carefully walked downstairs, pulled out the divorce papers I’d prepared in advance from my bag, and handed them to him. "Yes, I want a divorce."

"I don't want anything from the Thorne family. I just want to separate from you."

Julian and I had been married for six years, but throughout those years, apart from the routine maintenance of this villa, he hadn't spent any significant money on me. To outsiders, I was the glamorous Mrs. Thorne, but only I knew that every penny I spent was earned through my part-time online novel writing. Since I hadn't spent Julian Thorne's money during our marriage, I was even less inclined to have financial entanglements with him now that we were divorcing.

Julian quickly scanned the papers, his expression unchanging, and placed them aside. A scoff escaped his throat, the sound like an ice shard piercing my heart.

"Leaving with nothing? Avery King, are you really this naive at thirty?"

He casually tossed the divorce papers onto the coffee table, then suddenly stood up, closing in on me, his shadow completely enveloping me. "Without the Thorne family's backing, do you really think your father and brother can stand on their own in the business world?"

"After the divorce, how will your family sustain this extravagant, reckless lifestyle?"

I leaned back, avoiding his closeness, the emotions swirling beneath my eyelashes freezing into frost as I stubbornly pressed my lips together. "Julian Thorne, even if you use my family as leverage, you can't keep me trapped anymore."

Seemingly shaken by the resolve in my eyes, Julian stepped back, his brows hardening. "Reason?"

He paused, then conceded, "Is it because I brought someone home and made you uncomfortable? I apologize, this time it was my fault. I promise I won't let them appear before you again."

My nails dug into my palms. For the first time, I smiled with such unbridled honesty. "No need, Julian Thorne."

"For six years, I’ve endured your emotional torment and abuse, and I’ve endured the daily grind of waiting for a man whose heart was never truly mine." I suddenly ripped off the only beaded bracelet he had ever given me; the round beads scattered with a clatter across the carpet. "Even if it means my entire family has to wait tables and sweep streets, I will never be your puppet again."