Divorcing the Ruthless CEO

The whip struck the woman's soft, tender skin, and a searing pain spread through her entire body.

Christina Reed lay on the cold tile floor, biting down hard on her lower lip just to barely stay conscious.

"Ethan, why won't you believe me?" Her whole body trembled with pain, yet she stubbornly raised her eyes to look at the man on the sofa.

Unlike her miserable state, Ethan Carter sat on the leather sofa in a custom-tailored suit, legs crossed, his posture noble and cold.

His features were sharp and handsome, his almond-shaped eyes adding a touch of aloof restraint, his good looks almost oppressive.

He looked down at her from above, his voice filled with disgust: "I saw it with my own eyes. You still want to make excuses?"

Christina's whole body shook as she screamed hoarsely: "Emily fell down by herself..."

Before she could finish, a sharp pain shot through her jaw.

She was forced to lift her head, meeting Ethan's cold gaze.

"Christina, you knew Emily was in poor health, yet you deliberately pushed her down those stairs. Why are you so vicious?"

His fingers gripping her jaw kept tightening, the force so strong Christina felt her bones might shatter.

Christina looked at him. She was supposed to be his wife, yet he had never once believed her.

"I really didn't." Christina shook her head desperately. "I was trying to catch her."

"Still making excuses." Ethan forcefully released her jaw and barked coldly at the bodyguard nearby, "Keep going. Beat her until she's willing to tell the truth."

Christina trembled as she grabbed onto Ethan's pant leg: "Ethan, I'm your wife, you can't treat me like this..."

Before she could finish, a powerful force came, and she was kicked away.

Ethan turned around, leaving her only his cold, hard back, spitting out one word: "Continue."

The whip fell on Christina again. The intense pain made her curl up, and that last bit of hope completely vanished.

She braced herself against the floor and screamed with all her strength: "Ethan, if you don't believe me, then let's get divorced!"

Ethan's departing footsteps stopped.

He turned back to look at Christina, battered and bruised on the floor, and smiled coldly: "Divorce? The position of Mrs. Carter that you schemed so hard to get—you're willing to give it up? I'm warning you, don't think you can threaten me with divorce. It won't work!"

Ethan's words hurt more than the whip wounds on her body.

Christina finally understood that, from beginning to end, Ethan had believed she would stop at nothing.

Five years ago, at an art exhibition, she saved Elizabeth Carter's life by performing CPR after Elizabeth choked and vomited. The incident marked the start of a close friendship between them.

At the recognition banquet, some people sneered that she had deliberately staged the rescue just to latch onto the prestigious Carter Family.

She blushed with embarrassment at their words, but Ethan stood up to protect her and drove away those gossipy people.

In that moment, her heart wavered.

She knew he was only protecting the Carter Family's dignity, but it became a rare light in her dark life.

Knowing her place, she hid these feelings away, treating him with respect and distance.

The turning point came three years ago at Elizabeth's birthday banquet. She and Ethan were drugged and ended up sleeping together, and the scandal spread throughout Emerald City overnight.

Elizabeth forced him to marry her, which finally settled the storm.

And Ethan's lover, Emily Cooper, upon hearing the news, left for abroad without a word.

Ethan blamed everything on Christina—hated her for appearing at the Carter Manor, hated her for climbing into his bed, hated her for ruining his love.

From then on, he looked at her only with disgust.

Only Christina herself knew that she had never dared to have such thoughts—how could she possibly have drugged him?

That night three years ago, when she woke up, she was already beneath him, her whole body aching, her mind blank, with no idea what had happened.

Over the past three years, everyone in Emerald City had been mocking her as shameless, willing to do anything to marry up.

The Carter Family members, except for Elizabeth, had never accepted her either, showing her only contempt and disgust.

She restrained all her temper, endured all the grievances, only because she still held onto a bit of hope in her heart.

A year ago, after he got drunk, they had sex for the first time since their marriage.

After that, Ethan's attitude toward her improved considerably, and they became increasingly compatible in bed.

She thought her persistence had finally moved him, letting him see her sincerity.

But now, each lash of pain finally woke her up completely.

It turned out it was all her wishful thinking.

She didn't want to continue living so humbly with such ridiculous fantasies, didn't want to be trapped in this marriage without love or trust anymore.

She wanted to set him free and let herself go, to end this painful marriage.

Seeing her silence, Ethan assumed he had hit a nerve. His expression darkened further as he said coldly, "Today is just a small punishment. If you still don't learn your lesson, I'll show you what happens when you anger me."

With that, he strode away, his retreating figure resolute.

Christina stared blankly in the direction he disappeared, tears finally streaming down uncontrollably.

Just yesterday, in this very villa, they had been making love in bed...

One day earlier, late at night.

The floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom were open, wind pouring in, but it couldn't dispel the thick scent of sex in the room.

On the wide bed, Ethan's force was surprisingly strong, as if he wanted to meld Christina into his own body.

"Gentler..." Christina endured his thrusts, gripping the sheets beneath her tightly.

Hearing her plea, Ethan, on top of her, didn't slow down at all. Instead, his assault became even more fierce.

Christina passively endured it, gazing hazily at the handsome face of the man above her.

Fire burned in his eyes—an obsession with her body.

But between them, there were no kisses, no tenderness, only primal lust and possession, as if she were just a tool for him to vent his desires.

"Focus." Ethan noticed her distraction, his large hand gripping her waist, punishing her with force.

Christina let out a muffled groan, tears forced from the corners of her eyes.

After a long while, everything stopped.

Ethan left and headed straight to the bathroom.

The sound of water started. Christina dragged her sore body up, barely managing to lean against the headboard.

Soon, the bathroom door opened.

Ethan wore a towel wrapped around his waist. Water still dripped from his hair, droplets sliding down his broad shoulders and neck, tracing over his firm chest and abs before disappearing into his V-line.

Christina watched him. He truly had a perfect body. Even after all these years, it could still easily stir her heart.

Ethan dried his hair, and when he looked up, he met Christina's moist eyes.

In those eyes was undisguised adoration.