Chapter 2

Victoria extended her right hand toward me, treating me like a dog she was trying to amuse. I stepped forward reluctantly, pulling my neck back in subtle defiance.

Her expression darkened immediately. "Ethan, there's a limit to how far you can take this nonsense. You're a grown man. Are you seriously going to hold a grudge against a child?"

A grudge? My fingers brushed against the bandage on my face, and my heart felt hollow. Was I the one holding a grudge? Or was it that, in Victoria's eyes, I was nothing more than a pet, something insignificant?

"Did you call a doctor to deal with it?" she asked sharply.

Noticing my silence, Victoria stood and moved closer. She reached her hand toward my face as if to touch it, but I instinctively stepped back, avoiding her. Her hand froze midair, the tension lingering in the silence between us. After a moment, she pressed forward with deliberate force, her palm cupping my injured cheek. Then she pressed down—hard. Pain surged through me.

Victoria leaned in, her voice low and cold. "Ethan, some performances lose their charm after being repeated too many times. Isn't this the life you begged for?"

Her words struck a nerve, dragging me back to the memory of how this all began. Yes, this marriage had been something I once begged for.

Ten years ago, my half-brother died in a car accident. Victoria couldn't bear the thought of her daughter, Lily, growing up without parents. At the same time, the Langfords needed someone suitable to adopt Lily, and the Hale family needed a man to maintain their alliance with the Langfords. I became the chosen candidate—not the only option, but the most convenient one.

Back then, I admired Victoria but had no desire to become a stepfather. Yet, my father made it clear: he would stop at nothing to force this marriage, even threatening to desecrate my mother's grave. Cornered, I went to the Langford estate, knelt outside for an entire day and night, and signed an agreement to secure the role of Victoria's husband.

Ten years have passed since then. Victoria gave Lily everything she could, including the entirety of the Langford family's wealth. In this grand mansion, no one dared to question Lily's status as the rightful heir. Meanwhile, I, the so-called stepfather, lived more like a nanny.

"Ms. Langford," I said, suppressing the pain radiating from my face. My tone was respectful but distant. "It's been ten years. Lily has grown up. Our agreement has reached its end."

Victoria's expression faltered. The smile that had just begun to form vanished, replaced by an icy chill radiating from her entire being. "Are you upset because Lily tore up your photos?" she asked, her tone laced with condescension. "Technology is pretty advanced these days. I'm sure I can find someone to restore them for you."

The photos did mean something to me—precious fragments of a past that was slipping further away. But my feelings right now weren't about the photos. I was simply exhausted, too drained to even argue.

"Ms. Langford," I said, my voice steady but firm, "our agreement was for ten years. That time is up. Please, let me go."

The Langfords' empire was the pinnacle of power in the city. Years ago, when I was forced into this arrangement, many whispered about how I had struck gold by marrying Victoria. But I never bought into those fantasies. I wasn't looking to secure a second chance at this arrangement—I just wanted to leave.

"If the agreement is over, we can simply renew it," she replied, her tone softening slightly. "Ethan, let's not make this into something bigger than it needs to be."

I frowned, taking a step back instinctively. "Ms. Langford, I think you misunderstand. I'm not asking for anything. I'm just asking for a divorce. I want to leave."

Ten years of my life had been consumed by this arrangement. Those were my best years, years I could never get back. I owed Victoria nothing.

"If you're worried about Lily not adjusting after I leave," I continued, pulling out a folder of documents, "I've prepared this chart. It details her preferences, dislikes, and daily routines. You can hire another nanny to take care of her. There won't be any issues."

I handed over the folder, along with a signed divorce agreement. Victoria's sharp gaze locked onto mine, and an intense silence stretched between us. She must have realized then that I wasn't joking, nor was I trying to negotiate. Her lips tightened, her jaw clenched with barely restrained anger.

"Ethan," she hissed, "you still have time to take all of this back. I can pretend I didn't hear any of it."

I shook my head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Ms. Langford, you're joking, right? Words spoken can't be taken back. You know that as well as I do."