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Heart in Ashes
Heart in Ashes
Author: Chihuahua

Chapter 1

Author: Chihuahua
last update Last Updated: 2025-01-10 16:42:06
"Mrs. Fulmer, here's the divorce agreement from the safe."

On Luna Baxter's fifth wedding anniversary, her secretary, Susanna Mace, handed the divorce papers to her in a Westonian restaurant.

On the day Simon Fulmer and Luna registered their marriage five years ago, Simon, as a gesture of sincerity, drafted and signed a divorce agreement before locking it in a safe.

The agreement stipulated that Luna could sign it at any time to end the marriage if Simon was ever unfaithful.

Luna swiftly signed the document.

She looked at the empty seat across from her, her expression dim. "Take the divorce papers to the attorney. Then, book a hotel and prepare the wedding venue in advance."

Susanna froze for a moment before she tentatively asked, "Whose names should I write for the bride and groom, Mrs. Fulmer?"

"Simon Fulmer and Sophie Sutherland," Luna replied, to which Susanna didn't say another word.

Sophie was Simon's first love.

Susanna's voice trembled as she continued, "Mrs. Fulmer, how many days from now should the wedding be held?"

Luna slowly turned her gaze to the window.

The blue fireworks, blazing for an hour, flickered out at last, leaving only a faint line in the sky.

"Happy Fifth Anniversary to Simon Fulmer & Luna Baxter."

Luna withdrew her gaze and pressed her lips together. "The wedding will be in seven days. Also, book me a flight to Naavi for that same day."

"Naavi, ma'am?" Susanna was stunned for a few seconds, hesitating before advising, "Mrs. Fulmer, perhaps you should reconsider?"

On the day of their marriage registration five years ago, in addition to the divorce agreement that Simon voluntarily signed, Luna's parents, who resided in Naavi, refused his million-dollar wedding gift and had him sign a prenuptial agreement.

The agreement stated that if Luna were ever heartbroken by the marriage and returned to her parents' home alone, Simon would be forbidden from stepping into Naavi for the rest of his life.

If that day came, Simon wouldn't even have the chance to beg for reconciliation.

"It's fine." Luna shook her head.

It would be her birthday in seven days. She planned to leave Simon, take a flight to Naavi, and arrange for someone to host a wedding for him and Sophie, fulfilling their wishes.

After Susanna left, Luna's phone suddenly vibrated.

A notification popped up.

Simon had used the company's Facebook account to publicly post a photo of the blue fireworks display, tagging her.

"Happy fifth anniversary, my love. I will love you forever."

Within less than a minute, the post garnered over a thousand comments.

"I'm so envious! I was wondering why Lake City had an hour-long blue fireworks show tonight. It was Mr. Fulmer's surprise for Mrs. Fulmer after all!"

"Five years of marriage and Mr. Fulmer's declarations of love are still this grand."

"I heard that after Mr. Fulmer had surgery under general anesthesia last year, he wasn't fully awake yet when he saw Mrs. Fulmer in the recovery room. His groggy first words were, 'You have a sensitive stomach. Did you eat lunch on time?' Even the nurses were moved to tears at that moment."

Among the flood of comments, Simon replied to one.

"Lulu is my wife. Loving her, spoiling her, and protecting her for a lifetime of peace and happiness is my duty as her husband."

Instantly, this reply was met with a wave of envious outcries in the comments.

Yet, as the object of all this admiration, Luna impassively stared at the empty seat across from her.

Once, there was love between her and Simon.

They had never fought in their seven years together.

For seven years, Simon had given her wealth, status, and love.

But a month ago, on the night Simon was away on a business trip, Luna discovered that he had long been unfaithful.

That night, Simon sent her a voice message.

When she played it, a woman's voice came through the speaker.

"I've been back for six months. With just a flick of my finger, he's fallen into the palm of my hand. He prepared a blue fireworks show for me tonight. Since I don't like blue, let me give it to you for your anniversary celebration so that it won't go to waste."

At the time, Luna didn't even know who the woman was.

That was until two weeks ago when Simon walked into a party in the private room with that woman.

Simon introduced her, saying she was his distant younger cousin.

Sophie's delicate face lit up with a bright smile as she greeted Luna, "Hi! I've been back for over six months. I'm finally meeting you, cousin-in-law!"

The woman's charming and all-too-familiar voice left Luna in a daze.

Later, Luna left early as she couldn't stay. When Simon came home drunk in the middle of the night, Luna received a message from an unknown sender.

"It was way too thrilling on the rooftop tonight. I couldn't hold back and left scratch marks all over Mr. Ex. I've gotta say, Mr. Ex is still as wild as ever. He's like a stallion in heat."

Luna looked at the passed-out Simon on the bed.

His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and his chest was covered in scratch marks.

The shirt he wore was the men's version of the matching white shirts she had custom-made for their anniversary last year.

On the collar was an embroidery of the word "Husband" she had hand-stitched.

When Simon received the shirt, he was so touched that he took her hand and promised, "Lulu, every time I wear this shirt you gave me, I'll remind myself to stay away from other women. I'll save myself for you."

Now, the same shirt bore a glaring lipstick stain on its collar.

And today, on their fifth wedding anniversary, she arrived first at the Westonian restaurant.

Five minutes later, she received a call from Simon.

Simon said he was preparing a surprise for her and couldn't make it to their candlelit dinner, so she should enjoy the fireworks alone.

Two minutes after he ended the call, Luna received a photo from him on WhatsApp.

She clicked on the photo and saw Simon having a candlelit dinner with Sophie.

The flowers and red wine made for a romantic sight.

Simon must have posted his love declaration on Facebook while he lay in Sophie's arms.

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 2

    Luna ignored Simon's faraway high-profile public love declaration.She got up, grabbed her bag, and went home. Once back in the bedroom, she asked the maid for a pair of scissors.Luna took out her custom-made women's version of their matching shirts and cut it into strips. Then, she shredded their marriage certificate into pieces as well.She packed everything into a gift box and wrote "Second Wedding Gift" on it.Just as Luna finished, she turned around and ran into Simon, who had just returned.Simon's handsome face was filled with tenderness as he took her hand and led her downstairs."Honey, I prepared a surprise for you. Come see."When they got downstairs, Luna saw a large box truck parked outside.On the truck was an enormous pink gift box.As Simon clapped his hands, the gift box automatically opened. Balloons and confetti rose into the air, revealing a blush-pink Maybach.Two staff members quickly raised a banner that read, "A Gift for Princess Lulu."The scene ins

    Last Updated : 2025-01-10
  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 3

    Simon couldn't hold back his smile as he gazed lovingly at Luna."We'll go with the flow. Hopefully, we'll have one by the end of the year. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter. I'll love the child as long as Lulu's the mother."Luna lowered her gaze to the cake before her, remaining silent for a few seconds.Ever considerate, Simon began slicing the cake when a man entered the shop. The man informed Simon that another vehicle had scratched his car and told him to check. Simon frowned, his expression darkening. "I'll go check it out. Lulu, go ahead and dig in. I'll take care of it quickly and come right back. And order yourself a drink, but nothing cold. You're due for your period in two days."His thoughtful words once again drew envious murmurs from the other customers in the shop."Oh my goodness, he even remembers when her period is. Mr. Fulmer really is the perfect man. He's flawless!""I can't even imagine how happy I'd be if I were Ms. Baxter."The shopkeeper glanced at the q

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 4

    Half an hour later, Luna sat in a cab, her eyes fixed on the pink Mercedes G-Class not far away.Simon opened the sunroof, and within a minute, the pink G-Class started rocking rapidly.A crowd began gathering nearby, some stopping to gawk, exclaiming in astonishment, "Wow, making out outdoors. How exciting.""Tsk, tsk, rich people sure know how to have fun—lakeside, a G-Class, and a beautiful woman. It's going to be one heck of a night."Luna's eyes reddened as she stared at the swaying vehicle. Her entire body felt cold to the bone. Hands trembling, she recorded a five-minute video.Afterward, she sent the video to Susanna with a raspy voice note. "Play this during the wedding."Once the message was sent, Luna dialed Maple Morgan, her mother."Mom, I'll come to Naavi in seven days to see you and Dad."On the other end of the line, Maple sensed the slight quiver in Luna's voice and immediately frowned. "Is Simon coming with you?" she asked."I'm coming back alone," Luna repli

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 5

    Sophie's eyes turned red with emotion as she nodded excitedly. "Yes! I'll marry you! I'll marry you a hundred times!"The surrounding camera crew immediately erupted into cheers. "Congratulations!"Inside the car, Luna watched the scene unfold with a cold expression, her entire body numb.When Simon proposed to her five years ago, he was just as heartfelt.He had worn a sharp black suit, held a bouquet of vibrant roses, and presented her with a meticulously prepared engagement ring.Back then, he even choked up while proposing."Lulu, you're the only woman I'll ever love in this lifetime. There will be no other women in my heart. I beg you, please marry me. I swear, I'll end myself if I ever cheat."Luna let out a bitter laugh until tears started to fall suddenly.It turned out everything was a lie. The promises, too, were lies.Even his so-called sincerity was fleeting and ever-changing.Looking at Luna with concern, Clover gently asked, "They've left. Should we follow them?

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 6

    Simon was slightly taken aback. When he received the call from the hospital, he had been dining with Sophie's parents.At the time, he was so overcome with fear that he immediately left Sophie's family behind to rush to the hospital.Thankfully, Luna hadn't suffered any major injuries."I was out having dinner with some clients. There's an important deal I need to follow up on. I came over right away when the hospital informed me about your accident," he explained.Luna's soft eyes narrowed slightly as she stared straight at him."You just came from a dinner with your clients?" she asked."Yeah, Lulu. I'm so tired." Simon massaged his temples.Hearing that, Luna slowly closed her eyes and said nothing more.Simon sat by her side to keep her company. After a while, his phone suddenly rang. He decisively declined the call, only to have the caller persistently call again.Simon muted his phone and began typing a message with his head lowered.A minute later, his expression becam

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 7

    The next day marked the third day of the countdown to Luna's departure.Early in the morning, Simon came to visit Luna with a container of bone broth. "I asked the housekeeper to make this for you. It's your favorite bone broth with vegetables. Try some.""Okay." Luna didn't refuse and ate it slowly, taking small bites.Simon soon left. About half an hour later, Luna turned on the surveillance footage.In the living room, Sophie was throwing a tantrum about wanting to go shopping.It was raining that day, and the roads were slippery. Simon, worried she might fall and hurt the baby, arranged for luxury brands to bring items to the villa for her to choose from.On top of that, he thoughtfully contacted a brand selling maternity and baby products to deliver newborn clothes for Sophie to pick out.That evening, the attorney, Luther Lawson, visited Luna's hospital room."Mrs. Fulmer, your divorce agreement with Mr. Fulmer has officially taken effect.""Thank you." Luna looked at

    Last Updated : 2025-01-10
  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 8

    At 6:30 pm, Simon stood at the entrance of Evercoast Hotel. Guests had begun arriving as scheduled, most of them being closer friends of both him and Luna. However, there was still no sign of Luna.As Simon pulled out his phone and called her, a cold, automated female voice answered, "Sorry, the number you dialed is not in service."Frowning deeply, Simon felt a sense of unease rise within him.Was Luna angry and refusing to attend the birthday party tonight?Clenching his phone tightly. Simon recalled the events earlier that day.During lunch, Sophie had sent him a message about how she was bleeding. Concerned, he left Luna behind and rushed Sophie to the hospital.At the hospital, the doctor explained that Sophie's condition was caused by emotional distress, which had triggered early signs of complications. The doctor advised Simon to take better care of her emotional well-being.Since it was Luna's birthday today, Simon intended to settle Sophie at the hospital and return

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  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 9

    Simon finally turned his attention to the gift box in front of him. With his mind in chaos, he opened it almost numbly.What met his eyes were pieces of fabric. It was his and Luna's matching shirts, cut into shreds. On top of the pile was a fragment of the collar, still bearing the word "wife", which Luna had personally sewn on.Simon carefully picked up the piece of fabric with "wife" embroidered on it, his legs almost giving way beneath him."This… This is the gift Lulu wanted to give me today? Impossible! Who pulled this cruel prank? She would never cut up our matching shirts..."A memory of their fourth wedding anniversary from a year ago flashed in his mind. Luna had gifted him a custom-made men's version of their matching shirts that night. She had looked at him with gentle, loving eyes, her gaze brimming with tenderness. "Simon, you are my husband, and I am your wife. I cherish every day we spend together. However, if you ever betray me, if I become disappointed in you or

    Last Updated : 2025-01-10

Latest chapter

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 23

    Realizing she had accidentally let something slip, Sophie immediately stopped talking.Simon's gaze turned dark and menacing. He fixed his eyes on Sophie and enunciated each word with a chilling precision, "Did you order Hunter to kill Lulu?"Sophie shook her head frantically, still trying to deny it. "I didn't—"Before she could finish her last word, Simon's fist landed squarely on her face.The blow knocked her jaw to the side and a mouthful of blood spilled from her lips.Simon squinted his eyes. Like a man possessed, he continued to pummel Sophie, his fists raining down on her face.Minutes passed, and Sophie collapsed to the ground, unable to hold herself up any longer.But Simon's fists didn't stop.The guests around them stood frozen in shock, watching the madness unfold. Not a single person dared to step forward to intervene.It wasn't until the police and an ambulance arrived that Simon finally stopped.When Sophie was carried away in the ambulance, her face was bloo

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 22

    Clover needed Zaiden's hair for the paternity test, which was quite a troublesome task.However, thanks to Sophie's usual mistreatment of the household staff, things took an unexpected turn.Not only did Sophie look down on the household staff, but she also constantly nitpicked and scolded them.When Clover privately spoke with one of the maids, she hadn't even taken out the money she had prepared as compensation before the maid agreed to help her pull out some of Zaiden's hair—simply to vent her frustration.Upstairs, five servers were delivering dishes as scheduled.One masked female server walked over to Simon with a plate covered by a cloche. She slowly lifted the lid, revealing not food but four neatly arranged copies of documents.The people at the same table immediately turned to look, and the commotion was so noticeable that guests at the nearby tables also leaned over to see what was going on."What's that?""No idea, but it looks like we're about to witness some drama

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 21

    Lawrence said, "This is punishment for your recent inappropriate behavior. The Fulmer family's rule—loyalty and devotion to relationships and marriage are paramount; only when the family is united can everything prosper!"Simon lowered his eyes in despair.His grandfather forbade him from participating in Fulmer family affairs for five years. With so many cousins in the family, these five years would likely see many of them surpass and crush him, and he would probably lose his chance to inherit the family legacy forever.However, he had already lost Luna; what use did he have for the Fulmer family fortune?"I understand, Grandpa."Lawrence shook his head in disappointment as he left with his cane.In the evening, Sophie learned that Simon had been ordered by Lawrence to refrain from involving himself with the Fulmer family's business for five years.She sat alone in the living room, her mind in chaos.The last time she spoke to Hunter, she told him she would cook for him as a r

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 20

    "Yes, Mrs. Baxter," Luther responded. Luther went to Simon's villa one week later. As he looked at the man in front of him, who had lost nearly 70 pounds, there was a flash of surprise in his eyes. But in just a second, his expression returned to normal. "Mr. Fulmer, Mrs. Baxter has asked me to sell the villa. The new owner has already signed the contract today. I kindly ask that you—"Before Luther could finish, Simon suddenly looked up and scoffed, "You're asking me to leave, right? Lulu is dead, and this villa no longer holds any of her things. It's no use for me to stay." Simon then staggered toward the door, with Luke following him out of worry.Simon had been drowning himself in alcohol, consumed by thoughts of Luna. His sleep was reduced to one or two hours a day, and at his lowest, overwhelmed by longing, he even attempted to cut his wrists. Before Simon could leave the garden, he lost his balance and collapsed again.Luke sent Simon to the hospital. Unable to bear

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 19

    As Sophie watched Simon, who was nearly losing his mind, her eyes swam with emotions.He seemed like a lion who had lost its lioness, lowering its proud head in defeat.When she had made the firm decision to leave Simon back then, she hadn't seen him break down like this. What was so good about Luna?Sophie walked up to Simon, grabbed his hand, and desperately vented her frustrations. "You're going to Naavi? Luna's dead! What's the point? If you go now, you'll come back penniless!"Simon suddenly looked up and aggressively shook off Sophie's hand. Then, he stood up and glumly stepped closer to Sophie.Sophie was terrified by the vicious look in his eyes. She kept backing away until she hit the wall.Simon roughly grabbed her neck."If you hadn't stopped me from going to find Lulu, she and I would have reconciled long ago, and she wouldn't have had that car accident!"You indirectly killed Lulu! Sophie, I'll make you suffer after you give birth to the child!" Simon's voice was s

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 18

    "Hunter instructed us to wait for the next rainy day. Once Ms. Baxter's car is parked in the company lot, we're to tamper with it," William Sr. informed before pausing and continuing in a low voice."Hunter repeatedly emphasized that we must make it as brutal as possible. He wants Ms. Baxter taken care of in one shot. If successful, he promised to add another 500 thousand dollars to our payment."Horace, who had been twirling his pen, suddenly stopped. A cold expression appeared on his handsome face."Ha, how generous of him."Hearing the icy undertone in Horace's voice, William Sr. was taken aback for a few seconds.Horace, who typically kept his emotions concealed, was now visibly showing his displeasure."So, what's my role in this, sir?" William Sr. asked cautiously.Horace thought for a moment and gave his instructions. "Make minor adjustments to the car. Nothing critical. Leave the rest to me." He planned to arrange for a stand-in to take Luna's place behind the wheel, set

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 17

    "Yes." Luna nodded and calmly analyzed the situation. "If I fake my death, Simon will definitely rush over to mourn me. I can take away his assets then. After all, he loves to play the role of a devoted lover. Once I'm 'dead', Sophie won't let Hunter bother me anymore. Having her cling to me like a persistent pest has been such a headache."And most importantly, if Simon comes to Naavi for the mourning, I can ensure that Sophie, who's after his money, ends up with nothing."It was a plan that killed three birds with one stone!However, to successfully stage her fake death, she needed a helper. After much thought, Luna decided to seek Horace's assistance."So, what you mean is, you want me to recommend a method that can make someone believe they've successfully killed you, but without actually harming you?" A flicker of intrigue crossed Horace's handsome features.Luna nodded and, without hiding anything, recounted the events of the past two months. When speaking about those events

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 16

    Judging from the force with which Luna was pushed, it was clear the culprit was a man.Horace stood up and thoughtfully suggested, "I'll take you to speak with the manager."A while later, in the surveillance room, the restaurant staff retrieved the footage but said apologetically, "The person covered the camera before making their move, Ms. Baxter. Unfortunately, the surveillance didn't capture the moment you were pushed into the water."Luna frowned at those words. "Did you capture a clear shot of this man's face on any of your cameras?"Four staff members began to take turns reviewing the footage. After half an hour, they all shook their heads."Our apologies, Ms. Baxter. He wore a mask and a hat. The cameras didn't capture his face."Luna's expression turned serious. "Send me all the surveillance footage where he appears."On the way home, Luna sent the surveillance clips to Clover. "Help me investigate this person," she requested."What happened?" Clover asked, her voice t

  • Heart in Ashes   Chapter 15

    Luna froze for a moment before realizing that Clover was calling to remind her to be cautious.Clover undoubtedly was her best friend."I'll be careful," Luna replied.After hanging up, Luna decided not to tell her parents about Simon's plan to come.Her parents had already been worrying about her a lot recently. They were preparing to publicly announce that she would take over the Baxter family's business and help her rise to the top.That afternoon, Maple returned from the company. She gently knocked on Luna's door. "Lulu, come out with us for dinner tomorrow night. Your father and I want to introduce you to someone."Luna looked up from her computer and obediently replied, "Alright."She had already figured out her parents' recent behavior patterns. When they arranged private dinners, they were always with someone influential in the area.The following evening, Luna drove her parents to the destination. She didn't notice a black car closely following them from behind.The d

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