Chapter One -

Jocelyn's POV

When I woke up from the hotel bed in the early morning, my body was almost falling apart.

On the floor, white lace lingerie and a black suit were messily intertwined, as if reminding me of last night's intensity and madness.

"One more time?"

The man behind me couldn't wait to get close when he saw I was awake.

His deep voice was particularly pleasant, stimulating a fine current of electricity in my heart.

"No, I have something very important to do today."

I spoke indifferently, raising my hand to brush away the man's somewhat burning palm that had just pressed against me.

Worthy of being the top male model at my best friend's bar, even though he had been entangled with me all night, he still seemed unsatisfied, his stamina terrifyingly strong.

Before I could react, a wave of scorching breath scattered on my earlobe.

"Really don't want to?"

I instinctively trembled all over.

In just one night, this person seemed to know this body better than I knew myself.

However, today really wouldn't work.

I had more important things to do.

"Mm, I need to go find my husband now."

The man's large hand behind me paused, and I took the opportunity to break free.

Walking barefoot into the bathroom, I dressed properly before coming out again.

My slightly curled long hair casually fell to my waist, and that already amorous face, having just experienced intimacy, appeared even more seductive.

The man who had been clinging to me wanting more was now half-reclined at the headboard with an unpleasant expression.

Below his solid chest muscles, his V-line was faintly visible, and dark currents seemed to surge in his ink-black eyes.

"You're married? To whom?"

I was stunned for a moment by this inexplicably possessive tone, but didn't say anything.

Last night was too pleasurable, so it was normal to be unsatisfied after waking up.

"That has nothing to do with you."

I pulled out a checkbook from my bag, scribbled down a string of numbers, and placed it directly on the nightstand.

"This is the payment for last night. Go cash it at the bank before noon today, it might be invalid this afternoon."

After all, I was about to get divorced.

My ex-husband's check would naturally become useless.

After saying this, I glanced at the dense kiss marks on the man's neck and the bloodstain on the bed, and a sense of vengeful pleasure rose in my heart again.

Having been the bland and tasteless Mrs. Rowan for two years, Ashton wouldn't even give me a wedding night.

In that case, I would spend his money to make up for it before the divorce!

That could be considered complete.

I suppressed the corner of my mouth, and without waiting for the man to speak, turned and left.

——

I had just reached the hotel lobby wanting to hail a cab when I found over two hundred people suddenly queued up in front.

I had never encountered this situation when hailing a cab normally.

And on such an important day, I had to encounter it.

Damn it!

I finally managed to get a taxi, but after getting on the road, we were stuck in traffic and could only crawl along.

I looked at the time and anxiously asked, "Sir, is there another route? I'm rushing to get divorced."

The taxi driver glanced at me several times through the rearview mirror, and seeing that pretty face, his road rage miraculously calmed down a bit.

"No way, miss. Several intersections all had accidents at the same time. Isn't that unlucky? It's like someone deliberately doesn't want people to pass."

I frowned slightly. Just as the appointed time was about to arrive, my phone suddenly rang.

It was a call from my husband's assistant, Dean.

"Ma'am, sir has been in a serious car accident! Please come to Morgan Hospital first!"

Car accident?!

My eyelashes trembled lightly, and a strange emotion suddenly surged in my heart.

Ashton and I grew up together, and our marriage was arranged early on by the Richter and Rowan families.

Unexpectedly, on my college graduation day, my parents died in an accidental car crash.

The uncles in the Richter family immediately jumped out, wanting to seize the company my parents left behind, making me, the rightful heir, into a mere figurehead.

When I was most desperate, Ashton appeared.

He became my only support and reliance.

Not only did Ashton fulfill our marriage contract under tremendous pressure, he also helped me handle my parents' funeral arrangements and protected me.

After marriage, Ashton was meticulous and nearly perfect to me, but always made excuses not to be too intimate with me.

I always thought Ashton was being considerate of me, wanting to wait until I regained my parents' property.

With Ashton's support, I smoothly entered the company, and was about to return to the board of directors.

But just then, a young girl suddenly ran crying to my office, begging me to give Ashton to her.

Only then did I realize that the place I had always regarded as a safe harbor had long ago docked other ships.

Not long after getting married, Ashton had an affair.

And his reason for the affair was that I was too busy and couldn't be a good wife.

Those so-called unwillingness to be too intimate with me were actually him staying chaste for another woman.

I couldn't accept it for a moment and hysterically smashed everything in the house, only to receive his even colder gaze and the most cruel words.

Even now, I still clearly remember every word.

"Jocelyn, you can now stand on your own, but Lillian is too delicate, she can't live without me!"

"Isn't everyone in our circle like this? If you're lonely, we can each play our own game too."

"But I won't allow you to hurt Lillian. If I find out, I will completely destroy Richter Group!"

Thinking of this, my eyes reddened for a moment, but I still stubbornly raised my hand to wipe away the faint mist at the corner of my eyes and curved my lips.

"Sir, please turn around and go to Morgan Hospital."

The taxi driver was stunned and subconsciously asked, "Not in a hurry to get divorced anymore?"

I nodded lightly, turned my head, moved my gaze to the car window, and slowly spoke.

"It might be widowhood."

——

In the hospital corridor, I walked through the crowds in high heels, the smell of disinfectant in the air choking my nose.

Assistant Dean, who had been waiting at the ward door, immediately came up to me when he saw me.

"Ma'am, sir has finished his examination and is currently fine. Please don't worry."

Hearing this, most of the heaviness in my heart dissipated.

"Since he's fine, then let's talk about the divorce."

As soon as I finished speaking, Dean's expression suddenly changed. He blocked the doorway, stammering and unable to say a word.

I frowned slightly, my tone somewhat sarcastic.

"What? Ashton wouldn't be looking for an excuse because he doesn't want to divorce, would he?"

I knew it was impossible.

But when I said this, I still carried a hint of hidden expectation.

Actually, at first, I thought about pathetically turning a blind eye.

Since my parents passed away, Ashton was more like my backbone and my only family.

No matter how dirty the family affairs were, with him around, I seemed to be able to endure it.

In reality, only I knew.

The strength I pretended to have on the surface these two years was actually very fragile.

But God just couldn't stand to see me well, not giving me any breathing room at all.

When I still wanted to deceive myself, a piece of news struck my head like a thunderbolt.

Lillian was pregnant.