Chapter 1 Her Bitter Birthday.

"...oh yes, harder Reel, please fuck me harder!"

Ivory watching a Cell phone video, that shows her husband having sex with another woman, who shamelessly calls out her husband's name.

The woman's wanton moans further fueled the man's masculine ambition as a man. He thrust into her more forcefully, the entire hall filled with the wet slapping of skin and shameless groans.

Ivory bit her lip, her fingers trembling. She didn't expect this betrayal, at least not for the night of their fifth anniversary and her birthday.

when Gadreel was in a vegetative state, she had fought so hard to take him back from Death, yet this was how he chose to repay her.

Suddenly, a provocative text message popped up, like another slap to her face.

"Do you like the birthday gift I sent you, dear sis?" Ivory didn't need a second to recognize it was from her stepsister, Evangeline Remington. She could almost picture her smug expression.

"See? Just tick my finger and he'll run back to me. Don't think your cheap care could touch him, Gadreel just takes you as a poor nanny."

A Poor Nanny? A mockery smile curled on her lips. Was that how he called what she had done for the past five years? She didn't dare to expect his love, after all, their marriage was sudden. But after all she had done for him, she thought he would give her basic respect at least.

How could they humiliate her like this when she was still his legal wife?

"Wait and see, he'll divorce you soon and put his heir in my belly. If it wasn't for you, we deserve this happiness five years ago."

Her shameless words stoked Ivory's anger. How dare she blame it on her for five years ago?

Five years ago, it was Evangeline who was supposed to marry Gadreel. They were in a sweet relationship but when Gadreel headed to the engagement party, an accident left him in a coma. His condition was so dire that even the doctors had no hope for him. Evangeline was so scared that she left the country overnight.

Evangeline abandoned Gadreel first yet now blames Ivory for stealing him away? How ridiculous!

Ivory immediately dialed the number in an attempt to confront this phony b*tch but only to get a busy signal. Coward! She turned to call Gadreel instead as she bet the two were together but suddenly realized that she didn't even have his number.

Ivory replaced her stepsister to marry Gadreel because her father pleaded with her after Evangeline fled. The Remington family was rich but not as powerful as the Ødegaar. They couldn't afford to offend them.

She knew it was only to satisfy her father's selfish desires, but she still agreed. She longed for the warmth and attention of the family more than anyone else. After her mother passed away, her father had practically forgotten about her.

She also felt pity for Gadreel, but more importantly, she loved him. Though he no longer remembered it, they used to be best childhood companions and she had a crush on him from the first sight.

Without any flowers or sweet ceremony, she became Gadreel's wife, working tirelessly day and night to nurse him back to health. Eventually, Gadreel woke up like a miracle a few months ago. She almost wept with joy but he just looked at her with coldness, as if resenting seeing her first instead of Evangeline.

His ward became lively soon and many came to visit. Ivory seemed to have become transparent in their lives again. On a shining afternoon, Gadreel finally spoke to her, but what he spat out was cold and harsh instead.

"Don't expect love from me. You know who has my heart and you'll just be my wife on paper."

Ivory should have learned when he said that. How could she be so naive thinking the marriage was an opportunity not only to gain her father's praise, love, and acceptance but also that of the man she secretly admired?

Ignoring her almost became their habit. And she was just a convenient tool when they needed it.

Being a convenient substitute was not her.

She shouldn't give those vipers any chance to bite her.

Wiping the tears down her cheek, she shut down the video.

Ivory looked at the birthday cake she had prepared, picking up a book of matches and lighting the candles on top.

She watched them burn, never feeling so alone.

“Happy birthday, Ivory. And happy every day from now on.” She whispered to herself.

As the candle slowly melted, a thought crossed her mind and she leaned down and blew out her birthday candle, marking it as the start of her new age and the end of her anniversary with Gadreel.

Suddenly, the door opened and like the high prince of the aristocratic world he was, Gadreel walked in. He switched on the lights, chasing away the darkness that had swallowed up the entire house.

He spotted Ivory almost immediately, sitting like a statue in the dining room. His gaze moved from her to the food she had prepared, and back to her again.

She expected him to say something, but the displeasure in those blue eyes of his said enough and without another word, he began heading towards the stairs.

Before she could stop herself, Ivory had stood up in a challenging manner, causing her chair to screech against the floor.

“Aren’t you going to say anything to me?”

He turned to look at her and his gaze narrowed.

“What’s there to say to you?” His tone was cold. There was no ounce of guilt in his eyes. Their marriage had been just a convenience. He had no love for her.

Swallowing the bitterness, Ivory tried her best not to show her voice shivering, “It’s our anniversary…and my birthday.”

Gadreel looked back at the food, then at her, and with the most indifferent and coldest look, asked. “So?”

So?

At that moment, Ivory felt another sharp knife stabbing into her heart. So sharp that she needed to strain to keep from fainting by pinching herself. She should have expected it. She was nothing to him.

Gadreel was unaware of her inner tumor at all and continued coldly, “I don’t have time for this.” Then, he began his journey up the stairs.

“Wait!” Ivory called out.

“It seems I won’t be receiving a birthday present from you today,” she squeezed a smile on her face as she said bitterly.

That made Gadreel wrinkle deeper. He hated that look on her face as if she suffered a lot for him. No one forced her. It was her own choice to step into this loveless marriage. He had given her the title of Lady Ødegaar and the black card with no limits. She had earned enough from this deal, what was there not to be satisfied with?

“So, how about letting me give you a gift?” Ivory looked at him, her face calmed now.

“Don’t bother,” Gadreel said impatiently. He was tired enough tonight and he just wanted a good sleep.

“Listen, Gadreel Ødegaar,” she didn’t hesitate this time. “It’s my anniversary present for you. Let’s divorce.”