Prologue

An elegant young lady exited the hospital and quickly got into a high-end black car.

“You seem very happy, Mrs. Huxley,” the driver commented with a smile.

Happy? She was joyful! After three years of marriage with the love of her life, she finally got pregnant. And this news came just at the right time!

Ivy had been in love with Gerard since high school. Gerard Huxley was her senior and the dream boy of every girl. He was handsome, intelligent, with an impressive background. His parents were the presidents of the Huxley group, the most powerful group in Artea, and it was no news that he would be the successor. Not that Ivy cared for the last part.

Looking at the report in her hand, the word ‘PREGNANT’ couldn't help but make her feel happy, and her smile grew even wider.

Ivy has always been a beautiful girl - big doe-eyes, small plump lips, and a cute button nose, even when she was just a child. Coupled with her sunny and friendly characteristics, it was impossible for one to hate her.

She remembered the first time she met Gerard. At that time, she was only fifteen years old. She was walking along the road when suddenly, some lewd boys dragged her into a deserted alleyway, where they bullied her. Her clothes were torn badly, and just when she thought she would be defiled, Gerard came and rescued her. He even removed his shirt and covered her with it before taking her in his arms and bringing her to the hospital. Since then, she fell madly in love with him.

She braved herself to confess her love for him but was rejected. She was brokenhearted, yet a miracle happened. A few days after her eighteen birthday, Gerard came to her house with his grandfather and proposed to her. How could she say no to the man of her dream?

Even though their marriage reception was low-key, the three years of her marriage were the best time of her life. Gerard spoiled her so much that she didn't need to do anything, nor was she short of money. Gerard lavished her like a madman, especially after becoming the Huxley Group CEO a year ago. She couldn't ask for a more perfect man.

Suddenly a ping sounded from her phone. She quickly checked it to see a message from her husband.

[Come to the Starlight Hotel. You can get the key from the receptionist.]

[Okay.] She quickly replied.

The Starlight Hotel was owned by the Huxley Group. Even though it was located two hours away from the city center, it was still popular with tourists due to the fact that a beautiful bamboo forest and river surrounding it.

“North, please drive to the Starlight Hotel,” Ivy told her personal bodyguard cum driver.

“Alright, Mrs. Huxley,” North replied and set course toward the suburb.

Gerard always spoiled Ivy during their wedding anniversaries.

During their honeymoon, he bought her to Modestria simply because she loved the roses from there.

On their first wedding anniversary, he bought her a custom grand piano from a piano master because she loved to play the piano.

On their second wedding anniversary, he bought her a horse because she said she wanted to learn how to ride one.

Gerard was always thoughtful when giving her gifts. He always gave her the things she loved.

She couldn't contain her excitement as she thought of Gerard’s surprise for her this year. What would he give her?

“North, what do you think Gerard will do this year?” Her excitement was contagious and made North chuckle.

He really liked this Lady of the Huxley family and saw her as his own little sister. She had a sunny disposition yet, at the same time, was gentle, kind, polite, and very down-to-earth. She never put on air, although she was married to the wealthiest family in Artea.

“I’m sure it’ll be something that will make you happy, Mrs. Huxley,” North answered with a smile.

“You are right, North. No matter what Gerard will give me or do to surprise me, it’ll always make me happy,” Ivy giggled.

The car drove toward the hotel, and two hours passed, just in time for dinner. The moment the car stopped in front of Starlight Hotel, Ivy jumped down and walked toward the receptionist to get her key.

She went inside the elevator and pressed the number of the highest floor. As expected, Gerard had booked the presidential suit.

Once she was in front of the suite, she quickly swiped the key card and pushed the door open. But the view that greeted her made her freeze in her track.

Her bare-chested husband was leaning against the headboard with a quilt covering the lower part of his body, and one of his arms circled the shoulders of the woman next to him. The woman was his childhood friend, Mia, whom Ivy used to regard as her best friend too.

Mia had the quilt covering her body. Only her head, neck, shoulders, and hands holding the quilt tightly were visible.

When she saw Ivy, she moved closer to Gerard and buried her face in his chest as if seeking protection from Gerard.

“Gerard... Mia... What’s... What’s the meaning of this?” Ivy’s voice trembled as she asked them that question.

“Can't you see? Do you still need to ask?” Gerard snorted. The hard look in his eyes was vastly different from the loving look he usually had for her.

“Gerard, don't be rude to her,” Mia’s soft voice sounded.

Gerard turned toward Mia, and Ivy gasped as she saw the loving look in Gerard’s eyes that was usually reserved only for her was now fixed on Mia.

“You know I only love you, Mia,” Gerard said in a loving tone.

He turned to see Ivy and the loving gaze became cold again.

“Sign the divorce paper on the desk,” Gerard said coldly.

Ivy gasped again, and her body swayed. “D-Divorce?” she asked in disbelief as she tried to keep her body from falling.

“Sign it!” Gerard roared.

In all the time she had known Gerard, Ivy had never heard him speak to her that way, and her tears flowed down her eyes.

“Sign it. I want to make Mia my legal wife soon,” he said coldly before turning to Mia and pulling the quilt over both of them.

“Stop it. Ivy is still here,” Ivy heard Mia’s shy voice.

“I don't care about her. It’s you whom I love, and I can do anything to the woman I love. If she wants to watch, then just let her watch.” Ivy heard Gerard’s loving voice, saw the figures under the quilt moving, and heard Mia’s soft moans.

She didn't need to see what was going on under the quilt to know what they were doing, and her heart shattered into pieces.

Not wanting to stay in the room any longer, she staggered to the desk and signed the divorce paper before running away from the hotel.

She ran and ran and ran, not knowing or caring where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to get as far away as she could from the hotel.

What went wrong? When did Gerard and Mia become a couple? Was she blind all these years? Or were they just too good at keeping their relationship a secret from her? To think of it, was her marriage a sham?

Why did Gerard suddenly propose to her after he rejected her and when they had nothing to do with each other? He had never talked to her before suddenly coming to her house to propose.

Did his grandpa ask him to marry, and he simply chose her because she was the only girl brave enough to tell him of her feelings? No wonder he seldom said to her that he loved her.

Today was supposed to be a happy day. It was their third wedding anniversary, and they should be celebrating it lovingly like the past two years, especially with the news of her pregnancy, but her cheating husband and best friend ruined everything!

Her feet subconsciously brought her to a bridge near the hotel where Gerard used to bring her to watch the sunset and sunrise.

She walked closer to the bridge, but suddenly she heard the screech of a car before she heard a loud bang and felt a force hitting her. Her body flew and hit the railing of the bridge before collapsing to the ground.

All she could feel was pain all over her body, and her eyesight was blocked by sticky liquid. She knew she had hit her head, and her blood was flowing down to her eyes.

“Quick, throw her over the bridge, or Mr. Huxley will fire us,” a man’s impatient voice sounded.

She recognized that voice. He was one of Gerard’s most trusted bodyguards.

Mr. Huxley? Gerard? He wanted to kill her so he could marry Mia? But why? She had signed the divorce paper! Was it not enough? Did he hate her that much?

She would have laughed bitterly if she could, but at this point, she could not move even an inch of her body. Every movement would cause her agony, especially her tummy. She knew she had lost the baby she had waited so long to conceive.

She felt her body being lifted and knew she would die soon. The bridge was high, and underneath was a deep river. There would be no way for her to survive if she was thrown over, especially with the wounds all over her body.

For once in her life, she felt scared of her husband. She never knew him to be cold-blooded and ruthless.

The men lifting her threw her over the bridge, and she knew this was the end of her life.

“Gerard, I regret falling in love with you,” she thought before she felt herself being submerged in the icy cold river.