Chapter 1

"Millie, you're delusional if you think I'll ever love you!"

As he held her by the throat, he pinned her to the couch, his face filled with disgust as he growled, "I've had enough of you. If you don't start behaving yourself, I'm going to file for divorce within six months!"

"I-I didn't do it! Joanna fell into the pool by herself."

Millie Caldwell's voice was feeble. She was soaked to the bone, and her frail body trembled.

She was still reeling from the shock of falling into the pool.

"Stop trying to talk your way out of this. You've been Jo's friend for years. You know damn well she has a fear of drowning!"

Winston Greer looked furious and threatening. It seemed like he was silently warning Millie that she would suffer badly if anything bad happened to Joanna.

Millie was instantly convicted based solely on her long friendship with Joanna.

Millie's eyes were glistening with tears, and a single tear trickled down her cheek. She was utterly heartbroken.

She could hardly believe that the man before her, chastising her for another woman, was actually her husband!

She had loved Winston for seven years and had been married to him for three.

When she found out she could marry Winston three years ago, she was thrilled beyond measure.

However, it wasn't until she was married to Winston that she found out the truth. It was Winston's mother, Gloria Meyer, who opposed Winston from being together with his sweetheart, Joanna Lowell. She was nothing more than a tool Winston used to protect Joanna from his mother.

When Joanna fell into the pool, everyone panicked and rushed to help her.

Yet when Millie fell into the pool, nobody cared, and she almost drowned in the freezing water.

Winston remembered that Joanna had a fear of drowning. Yet he didn't remember that she had the same fear as well.

When she thought about how her hard-fought marriage was nothing more than a sham, Millie couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

When he saw her sitting on the couch with a mocking smile on her face, Winston's eyes narrowed with contempt. "You're crazy!"

Perhaps Millie was indeed crazy.

In order to marry Winston, she repeatedly defied her father, Terrence Caldwell, causing chaos within the Caldwell family. She had even severed ties with the Caldwell family, which caused Terrence to fall ill and be hospitalized.

Terrence had warned her, saying that she was setting herself up for failure by marrying a man who didn't love her.

Yet, she mistakenly believed that Winston's willingness to marry her meant that she still had a chance. She was convinced that her love would eventually win him over.

She had assured Terrence that she would make this marriage work. She was very confident about it as well.

It turned out she was wrong about that.

No matter what she did, it would never be enough for someone who didn't love her—even her very existence was a mistake.

Winston was the one who decided whether the marriage would work or not.

Winston's phone suddenly rang. When he saw the name on the caller ID, his rage immediately abated.

In the quiet living room, Millie faintly heard the coquettish voice of a woman coming from the other end of the phone.

Winston lowered his gaze as he picked up his suit jacket and his voice immediately softened as he reassured, "It's okay, don't be afraid. I'll be there in a moment."

Millie's breath got caught in her throat.

After hanging up the phone, Winston shot Millie a malicious glance and left without turning back.

"Winston!"

Millie's voice sounded gravelly as she tried to stop him, saying, "I also have a fear of drowning."

Winston kept walking. Millie's statement just struck him as ludicrous.

Joanna's fear of drowning developed from his kidnapping back then. After Joanna plunged into the sea to save him, she was left traumatized by the experience.

Meanwhile, Millie was someone who possessed a diving certification. How could someone like her have a fear of drowning?

Did Millie think that he would love her if she did this?

She was utterly delusional!

As Millie watched him push the door open, tears rapidly steamed down her face. When she thought about how Winston had never prioritized her over the years, she felt a deep ache in her heart.

She mustered all her strength and asked with her visibly bloodshot eyes, "After being together for these past three years, don't you have any feelings for me?"

At that moment, her eyes held a heartbreaking desperation. She still clung to the hope that Winston might have some feelings for her.

Winston finally turned to look at her and sneered. After that, Millie was subjected to endless humiliation.

"Do you even have the right to talk to me about love? Spare me the pitiful charade, Millie! I'm so disgusted by it!" Winston's eyes burned with fury, and his words were like knives, stabbing at Millie's heart.

Despite knowing that he had someone else he wanted to marry, she still did everything she could to marry him. Was this Millie's so-called love?

Millie's knuckles paled as she tightly held onto the hem of her clothes. She couldn't help but remember what her best friend, Rachel Shaw, had previously said. Rachel had asked her why she insisted on being with Winston despite being the esteemed heiress of the Caldwell family.

She was at a loss as well.

It could have been because when she was bullied at 17 years old, Winston was the one who firmly protected her. At that moment, he even reassured her, saying, "Mills, don't be afraid."

However, Millie finally realized that phrase was something that could be offered to anyone.

Millie gently closed her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. Millie was so numb that she couldn't even feel her own heartbreak.

In the past three years, she had gone through so much pain. All of it was caused by the person she loved the most—Winston!

In Winston's eyes, she was simply a cold-hearted and treacherous woman who wanted to get rid of his sweetheart.

After seven years, even a glacier would have melted. Yet, she was still unable to gain an ounce of trust from Winston.

Instead of mutually tormenting each other, it was better to end it as soon as possible.

She didn't want to carry on with this marriage anymore. It was a marriage that disgusted him. She couldn't bear the thought of continuing this marriage.

Millie wiped her tears away and fixed her gaze on him as she calmly said, "Winston, let's get a divorce."

Winston's footsteps faltered for a moment. When he turned around, his gaze fell on Millie, and a flash of surprise passed through his eyes.

A sudden pang of pain shot through his heart, finding it somewhat unbelievable that Millie would actually say that.

Over the past three years, she had consistently played the part of the perfect wife and done everything she could to preserve their marriage.

Despite his harsh words over the years, she had never brought up a divorce before.

What was she trying to pull here?

Winston's throat bobbed as he frowned and growled out a warning, "Give it a rest, Millie. Go to the hospital and apologize to Jo right away!"

Millie felt like she had been stabbed in the heart.

She hardened her heart and spoke to him with a steely voice, "Do you not understand what I just said? I want a divorce!"

Winston was momentarily stunned by the shouting and his expression involuntarily darkened.

Millie was standing near the couch. Although they were only a few feet apart, it felt like they were worlds apart.

It seemed like Winston hadn't paid much attention to Millie in a long time.

She had become noticeably thinner, and she was no longer as radiant and beautiful as she was before she married him. At that moment, her entire being looked somewhat gloomy.

It was still May, and Yerwick City hadn't officially entered summer yet. She fell into the pool and was immersed in cold water. She was shaking uncontrollably, looking quite disheveled.

Winston's thoughts were momentarily whisked back to his youth.

Millie, the beloved heiress of the Caldwell family, was a talented young lady cherished by many. She excelled in many pursuits, attracting admirers from all over the city.

Yet, Millie only had him in her heart. She kept insisting that she would only marry him.

During that period when Gloria was unwell, Millie, a pampered young lady, who had never done any household chores, learned how to make soup and give proper massages. She took great care of his demanding mother.

At that moment, he didn't harbor any dislike toward Millie and was even willing to marry her.

When did things change?

It was when he was determined to marry Joanna, but Millie still went to great lengths to marry him.

Winston frowned slightly and growled, "Millie, I'm not going to give in to you anymore."

According to reason, he should have been happy that Millie wanted a divorce.

Yet, for some reason, as he looked at Millie's face, he felt inexplicably stifled inside.

"Are you sure you've made up your mind about the divorce?" Winston's gaze lingered on Millie, suddenly feeling like he didn't know her at all.

After all the effort she invested in this marriage, was she genuinely willing to get divorced?

Winston was dressed in a suit that accentuated his tall and slender build. He was exceptionally good-looking. His eyes were cold yet irresistibly alluring.

It was exactly this face that made Millie fall deeply in love with him.

In order to make the marriage work, she had suffered through his cold stares and Joanna's presence repeatedly. She believed that she had done her best in this marriage.

However, marriage was something that required effort from both sides. She couldn't hold it together by herself.

She didn't want to be a doormat in their marriage, nor did she want to continue interfering with other people's relationships anymore.

Millie smiled warmly as she responded, "I've made up my mind about it."

Winston's brow furrowed for a moment, and his grip on his coat tightened. Once again, he felt inexplicably stifled in his heart.

"Winston, I've been in love with you for seven years, but now I realize it's time for me to give up." Millie held back her tears, stifling the pain in her heart, and maintained a gentle smile as she said that.

She had to throw in the towel. She realized that she would never be able to win Winston's love since he was still in love with Joanna.

Although she didn't want to admit that her marriage had failed, she had to come to terms with it.

When he heard what she had said, Winston felt somewhat suffocated.

"Suit yourself."

In any case, Millie had a habit of throwing tantrums. After a few days, she would probably get over it.

Soon after, the door was slammed shut with a violent thud.

Millie collapsed onto the couch and smiled wryly.

It was time for her to come to terms with reality and let go of Winston.

Millie took out her phone and dialed a number.