The study was dimly lit by a single low-watt lamp, and Evelyn’s eyes were filled with a rare sorrow and determination.

“Divorce” was a word she uttered with all her hopes spent and a desperate courage behind it.

Jason's gaze was sharp. “Evelyn, are you sure about what you’re saying?”

“Absolutely sure.” She lowered her eyes, a hint of uncertainty creeping in. “I want a divorce.”

A mocking expression spread across Jason’s striking face, and he lit a cigarette, the smoke swirling around him.

His handsome features flickered with a beguiling charm in the dim light, his deep-set eyes unreadable, masking any hint of emotion.

Evelyn fought to suppress the ache in her heart. “Rather than waste away in a loveless marriage, we might as well part ways sooner.”

“I had my assets pre-nup signed before marriage; if we divorce, you won’t get a dime.” Jason took a long drag from his cigarette, flicking away the ash with disdain.

Her voice was dim, “I know.”

In truth, it was a buildup of repeated disappointments that had led to this despair.

Jason’s bottomless indulgence toward Cecilia had snuffed out the fragile love she had just begun to feel.

“Three years ago, I invested over a hundred million in the Stark’s Group's new energy project in Riverton as your dowry, which helped Victor Johnson, your stepfather, rise to the top position.”

Jason’s eyes turned colder. “Now you’re ready to pull the rug out from under me, just because my investment in Lycheeville hasn’t turned a profit yet?”

Evelyn froze momentarily. Victor was her stepfather, who had risen through the ranks due to the Stark Group's massive investment three years ago.

Her decision to divorce was a choice made after painful reflection.

Though she still clung to the sparse kindness Jason occasionally showed, the thought of him beating someone senseless for Cecilia twisted her heart with pain.

She wasn’t going to endure it any longer.

“I won’t hold you back from Miss Brooks anymore.” She forced a smile, suppressing all her reluctance.

“As long as you don’t feel held back, Ceci and I certainly won’t either,” Jason said, lazily blowing smoke rings.

Ceci—a term so affectionate and tender!

To her, Jason only used “Eve” during their most intimate moments; otherwise, it was always by her full name.

She pressed her lips together. “I’ve had enough of this disrespectful life.”

“You seem to have forgotten how you ended up in the position of Mrs. Stark,” Jason said, lighting another cigarette, his eyes filled with scorn. “Tell me honestly, do you really think you have the right to talk about respect?”

In an instant, Evelyn's mind was pulled back to that humiliating rainy night three years ago...

A wave of resentment and shame crashed over her.

“When you schemed to marry me, and then watched Victor rise to power, you should have known the rules of our marriage—so long as I don’t call it off, you have to grit your teeth and endure. Respect is the last thing you need.”

Seeing her silence, Jason twisted the knife deeper.

Evelyn's body trembled, her face drained of color.

So, in Jason’s eyes, their marriage was merely a transaction unworthy of any respect.

At first, she had thought the same, but somehow, two years later, she had developed a hope for their marriage that she had never expected.

She shouldn’t have harbored such thoughts.

Fortunately, her budding feelings had just begun to sprout; now they were being yanked out by the roots.

Jason stubbed the glowing end of his cigarette into the ashtray.

Soon, the sound of running water from the adjacent bathroom filled the room.

At that moment, her heart turned to ice.

In three years of marriage, they had never shared a walk like other couples, never watched a movie together, nor dined out just the two of them.

The only harmony they shared was in bed.

The first two years were spent in a cold war.

It was only in the third year that their relationship showed slight signs of change.

Jason had begun to show her an unexpected patience and tenderness, occasionally sending her greetings during holidays and giving her small gifts.

Unconsciously, she started to see him more favorably, trying to care for him and understand his preferences.

Having never touched a kitchen, she quickly learned to make various breakfasts.

Since their lives rarely intersected outside of sex, she used breakfast as a way to keep Jason around for a few more minutes.

She knew this idea was ridiculous and pathetic, yet she persisted.

The hope she secretly cherished was always crushed by the presence of that woman named “Cecilia.”

If Jason had even a shred of affection for her, how could he still be living a hidden marriage?

After Jason finished his shower, he went to the guest room.

Severe sleep deprivation left Evelyn feeling drained, but before work, she still made Jason his favorite Blue Mountain coffee.

Evelyn was a financial anchor at Riverton City Television Station.

In recent years, the rise of online media had overshadowed the glory of television stations, but she held a highly rated talk show, making her somewhat of a celebrity in Riverton.

Evelyn stepped into the office after clocking in, feeling her heart race and her breath shorten. She rummaged through her drawer for the cookies she had prepared earlier, eating a few pieces to calm herself down.

She was the type who could gain weight easily; a few extra bites and she would see it on her face. To look good on camera, she was careful about her diet. Day in and day out, it was boiled eggs, steamed vegetables, and lean meats like skinless chicken and beef. At five-foot-five, she maintained a weight of around 97 to 98 pounds.

With low blood sugar, she knew she needed something sweet every day to get by.

With Christmas just over twenty days away, her workload had increased two to three times. In addition to her regular finance news broadcasts twice a week, she had pre-recorded interviews and preparations for the Riverton Christmas gala.

While eating lunch in the cafeteria, she overheard a few female colleagues gossiping and discovered that Jason's incident at the bar had made it to Riverton's trending topics.

Her hands trembled as she opened her phone.

Jason and Cecilia were being portrayed by netizens as a dashing single CEO and a pitiful Cinderella, with many clueless onlookers urging Jason to marry Cecilia.

Evelyn’s carefully prepared light lunch lost its appeal; she only managed a few bites before her appetite vanished.

After work, she went to the pharmacy to buy birth control pills, picking out a box with the least side effects.

But at the checkout, she ran into Jason.

Or rather, it was Jason and Cecilia.

Cecilia had a bandage over her forehead and fresh scratches on the back of her right hand. She looked both delicate and vulnerable, instantly igniting the protective instincts of any man who laid eyes on her.

The two entered the pharmacy laughing and chatting, looking like the perfect couple to anyone who glanced their way.

Evelyn had encountered such scenes before, but this time, it felt suffocating.

“Jason.” She struggled to steady her emotions, her voice tight and restrained.

Jason gave her a cursory glance, his gaze landing on the box of birth control pills. “Increase the dosage; you don’t want any accidents.”

His words pierced her heart like a sharp blade, but with Cecilia present, Evelyn knew she had to maintain her composure.

“There won’t be any accidents,” she forced out a smile that felt impossibly fake.

Children were often seen as the “fruit” of love, but in Jason's eyes, they seemed to be nothing more than “accidents.”

Or perhaps, just her children were accidents; it would be a different story for the children Cecilia might have.

“What a coincidence to run into Miss Joy here,” Cecilia remarked, her smile sweet and deceptively innocent. “You know, all medications have side effects, even imported ones. Taking too many of these could lead Miss Joy to menopause sooner than expected.”

Cecilia's persistent use of "Miss Joy" clearly belittled Evelyn, making it evident she didn’t view her as a threat.

She understood that Jason was the one giving Cecilia the confidence to act this way.

If their relationship was so strong, why hadn’t Jason divorced her and married Cecilia?

Three years had passed; whatever leverage Victor had over Jason was long gone.

Evelyn had no desire to engage with Cecilia. She scanned her phone to pay.

“Jason drank too much last night and has been suffering from a stomach ache all day. It’s a shame that Miss Joy, as his wife, isn’t taking better care of him,” Cecilia's light rebuke echoed behind her.

The comment was grating to her ears. She turned to meet Cecilia's challenging gaze. “So, Miss Brooks, you’re aware that I’m Jason’s wife after all?”