Chapter 2

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Victoria walked out with her kept boy, leaving me standing there like a fool.

A moment later, a team of Sterling family bodyguards swarmed in. The lead guard carried a nondisclosure agreement and a briefcase of cash.

Standard operating procedure: delete all security footage of Victoria and pay off anyone with a camera.

Once the mess was cleared, the lead bodyguard walked over with a word of advice.

"Mr. Vance, you've known Ms. Sterling for years. Why push her buttons?"

"At the end of the day, you're the one who suffers."

"When you're living under someone else's roof, you swallow your pride. That's just how life works."

I turned my head and looked at him, feeling completely hollow.

My wife had paraded countless side pieces in my face. How was I supposed to just 'swallow' that?

I forced a faint smile. "Go on back. I'll handle my own personal life."

The guard let out a heavy sigh.

"Pride and money—you can't have both. You're a smart man, Mr. Vance. You should know better."

With that, he signaled his men and left.

I ordered a fresh cup of coffee, sat in the very chair Victoria had occupied, and stayed there for the rest of the day.

I didn't head back to the penthouse until the early hours of the morning.

Facing the dark, empty rooms, a wave of numbness washed over me. Victoria hadn't come home last night. She was probably still tangled up in bed with her new favorite.

I walked up to the walk-in closet on the second floor and packed a few casual shirts and jeans into a duffel bag.

Usually, divorce comes with endless complications—asset division, custody battles.

Between Victoria and me, there was only that watch.

Who would have guessed that the lavish, star-studded 'wedding of the century' that took the city by storm didn't even have a valid marriage certificate?

I still remembered every single word she said on our wedding day:

"Julian, I'm only going through with this wedding to fulfill Professor Campbell's dying wish. The only man in my heart will always be Dominic. Don't go dreaming about things you'll never have."

Even knowing that, I had stepped up to that altar. Being with Victoria had been my dream for years.

I loved her. As long as I could stay by her side, I was willing to endure anything.

I used to believe that sincere devotion would eventually move her heart. But reality slapped me hard across the face.

Love isn't something you can earn by begging.

No matter what I did, Victoria would never look at me as an equal.

After walking out of the penthouse, I decided to go somewhere far away.

For the first half of my adult life, I had orbited around Victoria, giving up my own time and identity. In this vast world, I had voluntarily locked myself in a golden cage, acting like a blind fool.

It was time to slow down and see what was out there.

I took off toward the quiet countryside, carrying just a backpack and staying in cheap hostels.

Far from the corporate rat race and high-society games, the quiet peace of the small town gave me an unfamiliar sense of safety.

I rented a little cottage with a yard for just a few hundred dollars a month.

After spending two days cleaning and settling in, someone knocked on the front gate.

I opened it to find a young woman in casual clothes standing outside.

Her face was bright with an infectious smile, radiating youthful energy. She looked to be in her early twenties.

"You don't look like a local," she chirped. "Are you here traveling?"

I nodded.

"I'm here for work! Here, I made these muffins—welcome to the neighborhood! We're next-door neighbors now, so let's look out for each other."

I thanked her. She asked how long I was staying, but truthfully, I hadn't made any plans.

Over the next few weeks, we started hanging out and exploring the area together. Her name was Chloe.

She told me she had been working here as a volunteer teacher for two years, and her assignment would end after this year.

"By the way, our school is having a little party tonight. Want to come?"

"The kids are super sweet. They'll love meeting you!"