Chapter 1

Claire wondered if all unfaithful men had two phones.

While Liam Coleman was in the shower, his lover sent a selfie.

It was a very young girl, with delicate features, wearing expensive clothes that seemed out of place for her age, making her look somewhat unnatural.

"Mr. Coleman, thank you for the birthday gift."

Claire stared at the photo for a long time until her eyes stung. She had always known Liam had a lover but didn't expect it to be such a young girl. Beyond the heartache, she was surprised by her husband's taste.

She thought, "Sorry for seeing your secret, Liam."

From behind, she heard the bathroom door open.

Moments later, Liam emerged with steam still clinging to him, his white bathrobe wrapped around his defined abs and solid chest, looking handsome and sexy.

"How long are you going to keep looking?"

He took the phone from Claire's hand, glanced at her, and started getting dressed.

There wasn't a hint of embarrassment on his face from being caught by his wife. Claire knew his confidence came from his financial power. She was financially dependent on him. Even though she had been a renowned violinist before marriage, she gave up her career for the family.

Claire didn't argue about the photo. She couldn't afford to.

Seeing he was about to leave, she quickly spoke up, "Liam, I need to talk to you."

He leisurely buckled his belt and looked at her. Perhaps recalling her submissive posture in bed earlier, he chuckled softly, "Want more?"

But this intimacy was just a game for him.

He never truly cared for his wife. He married her only because of an accident.

Liam turned away, picked up a Patek Philippe watch from the nightstand, strapped it onto his wrist, and said with a detached tone, "You have five minutes. The chauffeur is waiting downstairs."

Claire guessed where he was going and her eyes dimmed. "Liam, I want to go back to work."

"Work?"

Liam finished fastening his watch and looked at her sideways for a moment before pulling out a checkbook from his pocket. He wrote down a number and handed it to her. "Isn't being a full-time housewife good enough? Work isn't for you."

With that said, he was ready to leave.

Claire chased after him, trying to negotiate. "I'm not afraid of hard work! I want to go back to playing the violin..."

The man had no patience to listen further.

To him, Claire was like a caged canary used to being pampered and not fit for public exposure or hardship.

Liam checked his watch again. "Time's up!"

He left without hesitation. Claire couldn't stop him. She could only ask as he grasped the doorknob, "It's my father's birthday on Saturday. Will you be available?"

Liam paused briefly before he said, "We'll see."

The door closed softly behind him and soon after, the sound of an engine starting downstairs echoed as it drove away.

A few minutes later, the maids came upstairs.

They knew the couple's relationship was strained and acted as messengers. "Sir will be in Hellington for a few days on important business. Also, some of Sir's laundry arrived from the company just now. Madam, should we send them out or will you wash and iron them yourself?"

Claire knelt on the sofa.

After a long while, she came back to herself and said softly, "I'll wash them by hand."

Liam didn't like his clothes being dry-cleaned. Therefore, almost all of Liam's clothes, including suits and coats, were hand-washed and ironed by Claire.

Besides this, Liam had high standards in other areas too.

He disliked outside food and any clutter in the bedroom. Thus, Claire learned cooking, organizing, and flower arranging, gradually becoming a perfect housewife.

Her life revolved almost entirely around Liam.

But Liam still didn't love her.

Claire lowered her head and stared at the check.

Last year, her brother was accused and detained. Her father fell ill requiring over ten thousand dollars monthly for treatment. Every time she went home, her stepmother, Amelia, would complain that she didn't get enough money from Liam.

"He's the president of the Coleman Group worth billions. Claire, you're his wife. Isn't what's his also yours?"

Claire smiled bitterly.

How could Liam's things be hers?

Liam didn't love her. He was cold towards her most of the time. Their marriage had sex but no love. He even forbade her from having his child. Every time they made love, he reminded her to take birth control pills.

Oh, right, she now needed to take birth control pills.

Claire reached for the bottle and swallowed one mechanically.

After taking the pill, she gently opened a small drawer containing a thick diary filled with eighteen-year-old Claire's love letters to Liam.

She had loved him for six whole years!

Claire closed her eyes abruptly.

...

Claire didn't wait for Liam to return. On Friday night, something major happened in the Smith family.

News broke that Victor Smith, Claire's brother, might be sentenced to ten years due to an economic case involving the Smith Group.

Spending ten years in prison could destroy a person.

That night, Ryan Smith, Claire‘s father, suffered an acute cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized urgently needing surgery.

Claire stood in the hospital corridor repeatedly calling Liam, but no one answered despite several attempts until finally he sent a WhatsApp message.

As always sparing with words, he texted, "I'm still in Hellington. If you need anything, contact Joanne."

When Claire called again, this time, Liam answered. She hurriedly said, "Liam, my father..."

Liam interrupted impatiently, "Do you need money? I've told you many times if it's urgent, contact Joanne... Claire, are you listening?"

Claire looked up at an electronic screen showing news footage.

"The president of the Coleman Group booked all of Disneyland for a fireworks display for his beloved woman."

Underneath dazzling fireworks sat a young girl in a wheelchair, smiling sweetly while behind her stood her husband, holding his phone and talking with Claire.

Claire blinked lightly.

After a long pause, she spoke with brokenness in her voice, "Liam, where are you?"

There was silence on the other end. Seemingly displeased by her question, he replied perfunctorily, "Still busy here. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. Contact Joanne if needed."

He didn't notice how close she was to tears. Instead, he gazed tenderly at someone else nearby.

Tears blurred Claire's vision.

So this was how gentle Liam could be.

Behind her, Amelia's voice called out. "Did you reach Liam? Claire, make sure he helps us..."

Amelia stopped speaking as she too saw what was on screen.

After some time, Amelia spoke up again, "He's gone to Hellington again? Claire, I can't believe that back when Liam was in a coma, that woman called Sophie could wake him up just by playing the violin. Even if that were true, does he really need to repay her like this?"

"He can't even remember your birthday!"

...

Amelia's anger grew as she spoke, and thinking about the Smith family's situation made her tears fall. "But Claire, don't fall out with Liam now."

Claire clenched her fists, her nails digging into the flesh, yet she felt no pain at all.

Fall out with Liam?

She wouldn't, not because, as his nominal wife, she was being reasonable, but because she felt she had no right to.

As an unloved wife, her title was nothing but a hollow formality.

She gazed at the sky filled with fireworks on screen and softly remarked, "With so many fireworks, it must have cost a fortune!"

Amelia didn't understand what she meant. Claire lowered her eyes and began dialing Joanne's number. The late-night call disturbed Joanne Lyman's peaceful dreams, and she couldn't help but feel annoyed. Having worked for Liam for so long, Joanne held a position of superiority, and knowing that Liam was indifferent towards his wife only added to her icy demeanor.

Upon hearing Claire's purpose for calling, Joanne stated, her tone cold and aggressive, "Mrs. Coleman, you'll need to submit a request for Mr. Coleman to sign before you can receive the check."

"Just like the jewelry you’re wearing, it also needs to be registered for use."

"Mrs. Coleman, I trust you understand my meaning?"

Claire hung up the phone.

She kept her head down, silent for a moment, before lifting her gaze to see her reflection in the glass. She gently raised her hand.

On her slender ring finger, she wore her wedding ring.

It was the only thing she possessed that didn’t require Liam’s approval or registration with his secretary. How pathetic it was to be Mrs. Coleman!

Claire blinked in a daze and quietly said, "Find someone to help me sell my wedding ring!"

Amelia was stunned. "Claire, are you out of your mind?"

Claire slowly turned around. In the lonely hall late at night, her footsteps echoed with solitude. After taking a few steps, Claire came to a halt, her voice firm and resolute as she said, "Amelia, I’m completely clear-headed. I’ve never been this clear-headed before."

She was going to divorce Liam.