Chapter 1

I never imagined the first time I’d see Anderson’s face consumed by raw desire would be in his research lab.

His assistant was pinned under him, locked in a heated kiss, their frantic movements sending papers flying and making a total mess of his desk.

"You're married. We shouldn't be doing this."

When they finally pulled apart, Katelyn’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears, a wounded look on her face.

Anderson’s throat bobbed, his voice low and throbbing with desire. "Don’t you know perfectly well who my wife is?"

"She’s just a damn prop I married to get the research funding. Stiff, boring—she can’t hold a candle to you, not even a little bit."

A satisfied smile spread across Katelyn's face at his words. Their lips crashed together again, clothes ending up strewn all over the floor.

I remember this one time, my mom was in a horrible car wreck. I’d burst into his lab, completely ignoring the rules, just begging him to donate blood. And Anderson? He slapped me, hard, right across the face, in front of everybody.

"If your mother’s life puts my experimental data at risk, then the hope for every sick kid with a heart problem in this whole damn country is shot to hell!"So, the man who always pontificated about his 'noble' ideals could also stoop to every filthy deed imaginable in that so-called 'sacred' lab of his.

I silently slipped the diamond ring off my ring finger.

This marriage... maybe it was a mistake from the very start.

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1

It had been two hours by the time Anderson finally came downstairs.

He was still dressed impeccably, not a single hint of what they’d been doing.

He took the file from my hand, cold and distant, not even a word of concern even though he knew I'd been waiting in the hallway forever.

"Ava, all I asked was for you to bring a file. You can't even do that right?"

His sudden outburst made me jump. He was jabbing his finger at four clear smudges on the file.

"How am I supposed to use a file like this?"

Those were the marks I’d unconsciously left, my heart aching from seeing them kiss just moments before.

I leaned in to see where he was pointing and whispered, trying to explain,

"The marks are just in the margin, they shouldn't affect the actual content..."

I hadn't even finished speaking when the file in Anderson's hand slammed hard across my face.

The edge of the paper sliced my eyelid. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified, but it still cut me, drawing a thin line of blood.

"I can't stand it when you act like you know it all when you're completely clueless." A sneer played on his lips.

"Lab documents can't have a single crease on them. If this messes up the data interpretation, are you going to take responsibility for that? And don't even get me started on these damn nail imprints you left. If I hadn't had an extra in my bag today..."

"You know what? "He suddenly broke off, "Never mind! I knew I couldn't count on you for anything.""Just gather those files on the floor and go home. I won't be home tonight."

I just hung my head, saying nothing.

I knew what was in Anderson's bag.

A brand-new diamond ring from Tiffany's, this season's latest style.

When we got married, he'd promised he would make it up to me later with a ring that was truly me.

So when he called today and asked me to bring him some documents, I naively thought this was it.

I'd even deliberately worn the lace lingerie I secretly bought a few weeks ago under my trench coat.

But that ring was on Katelyn's finger.

Five years of marriage.

The plain silver wedding band I clutched in my palm dug into my skin, a raw, aching pain.

"Madam, I've picked them all up."

The security guard placed the scattered documents, now neatly gathered, in front of me. "Are you heading home now?"

I nodded, a tear unintentionally splashing onto the floor.

That tight, constricting feeling in my chest felt like it was mocking me for getting my hopes up like that.

The atmosphere in the car was heavy and oppressive, a stark contrast to the ride over.

Suddenly, my phone started buzzing nonstop. When I answered, a man's voice, tinged with the scent of booze, came through:

"Ava, are you really going to spend your whole life with that guy? I know I don't have the right to ask, but..."

A soft chuckle came through the line. "You're about to hang up on me again, aren't you?"

Before, my love for Anderson had been unwavering. His life was pretty much a straight line between the lab and home, and I basically took up all his free time.

Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be? Just... a quiet life together?

But that scene in the lab just now completely shattered the comforting lies I’d been telling myself.

My fingers idly toyed with the lace tie at my waist, and I heard my own voice, dry and cracked:

"Jack, I've decided I want a divorce."