Chapter 1

Damien and I had been together for nine years, during which we divorced ten times.

The eleventh time, he was helping his mistress pick out an engagement ring.

"The young lady is pregnant, so we're putting on a show. Eight months from now, I'll remarry you."

"In the meantime, move out. I'll have meals delivered to you three times a day."

"Also, go get a postpartum care certification. Serenity is delicate and can't handle the hardships of childcare."

I held the divorce papers, nodding obediently.

As I was about to leave, I overheard his friend mocking him.

"Damien, you're something else. You've practically trained your sister-in-law to be a dog."

Damien boasted proudly, "That's nothing. Melody is such a cheap whore."

"Even if I don't remarry her, she'd still willingly help me raise the kid as my mistress."

I remained silent, quietly sending a message to the man on the other end of my phone.

"Got the divorce papers. When can we get married?"

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1

The other party replied quickly, "Tomorrow."

"I'll take the earliest flight back to the States."

Then, my bank account received a transfer of $5.2 million.

The note said: dowry.

I curved my lips into a smile, tucked my phone back into my pocket, and prepared to leave.

Damien noticed this ill-timed smile, called out to me, and spoke with displeasure.

"Melody, what are you smiling about? Don't tell me you've gone crazy from heartbreak."

By all accounts, I should have been upset.

After all, when Damien first asked me for a divorce because of Serenity.

I was thunderstruck, cried for three days and nights.

Begged him on my knees in front of all our friends and family not to leave.

Finally, in desperation, I slit my wrists, but even that couldn't make him turn back.

But this time, I calmly looked at Damien.

"Congratulations on finally becoming a father."

Damien nodded.

His cold words carried a hint of perfunctoriness.

"Don't worry, we'll remarry after the child is born."

"As long as you behave yourself, I'll make sure the child calls you mom in front of others."

Over nine years, I'd heard similar words too many times.

The first time was when he became infatuated with the new intern, Serenity.The young lady accepted the million-dollar gift, yet still refused to be his mistress.

Damien immediately divorced me.

After taking Serenity's virginity, he smugly showed me photos of them in bed.

"A young lady is just different - so pure and tender!"

From then on, Damien became completely addicted to that feeling.

In a snow-capped mountain cabin, things got heated. He made me trek miles through a blizzard to deliver Plan B.

When Serenity was in a bad mood, she made me get on my knees and bark like a dog.

If I delivered things too slowly...

If my voice wasn't loud enough...

Whenever Serenity was the slightest bit displeased, Damien would divorce me to make her happy.

Afterwards, he'd quietly remarry me to maintain our families' alliance.

This went on for nine years. I'd long since become numb to it all.

I walked towards the door, my face expressionless.

Suddenly I heard Serenity's angry voice.

"I don't like any of these rings. I want the one on Melody's finger!"

"Okay, okay, baby don't be mad. I'll get it for you right away."

Damien's coldness instantly transformed.

He roughly yanked the ring off my finger, then carefully presented it to Serenity.

The shattered diamond cut into my finger.

The ten-carat yellow sapphire was stained with blood.Serenity furrowed her brow, glancing at it before carelessly tossing it away.

"What bad luck," she muttered.

Damien remained unperturbed, patiently coaxing her again and again.

Finally, he promised to give her the Harrington family's heirloom ruby ring, which seemed to satisfy Serenity.

I fought back tears, trembling as I tried to retrieve my mother's keepsake.

Suddenly, Damien raised his foot and stepped on my hand.

"Melody, it's your fault for upsetting Serenity. If you can't make her happy, you'll never be welcome back in the Harrington family!"

Hearing those words, I instinctively shuddered.

It wasn't that I cared for Damien, but I knew all too well what he was capable of.

Once before, I had refused to wash Serenity's worn lingerie.

Serenity had sulked, giving Damien the cold shoulder.

Frustrated and humiliated, Damien had stripped me naked and locked me out on the balcony.

That night, the two of them tangled until dawn, while I nearly passed out from a high fever due to the cold.

Damien wouldn't let anyone take me to the hospital, and even forced me, once I regained consciousness, to clean up the mess they'd left behind.

Recalling this, I helplessly lowered my head.She bent her waist at a ninety-degree angle.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault."