Xander walked into the mansion, ignoring Ariadne's warm smile.

"Hey Aria, sorry I came unannounced."Crystal smiled politely at Ariadne.

"What are you doing here?" Ariadne couldn't hide her displeasure upon seeing Crystal with Xander.

"I will tell you, but may I atleast enter?" Crystal kept her sweet smile and polite demeanor intact.

"She came with me; be courteous to your guests." Xander's harsh and warning voice came from behind.

"I am sorry, please come inside." Ariadne said finally.

She didn't miss the faint smirk on Crystal's face before she entered the house.

After some time, Xander, Ariadne and Crystal sat down to dinner.

Crystal kept talking to Xander about some business matter, completely ignoring Ariadne.

Ariadne's heart ached every time Xander used a gentle tone with Crystal. He never talked to her like this.

"Xander! I got the Blue Mall contract."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you; I am very excited. This is my first contract as a CEO. I will come to you if I need help. You will not refuse me, will you?"

"No."

Ariadne knew exactly what Crystal was trying to do. She never failed to demonstrate her capabilities and how worthless Ariadne was in comparison to her.

Ariadne was a worthless housewife living a luxurious life on her husband's money, whereas Crystal was a highly talented independent girl. A successful businessman like Xander, would prefer to have Crystal as his wife rather than Ariadne.

"Oh, Aria, I forgot." Crystal blurted, which made Aria snap out of her reverie.

"I have come here to invite you to my celebration party, as the new CEO of Miller group. As my sister, you must come." taking out an invitation card from her handbag she handed it to Ariadne.

"I have already given Xander his invitation card."

After taking the card Ariadne looked at it. However, the fact that she had given Xander a separate invitation card caught her attention.

"You didn't congratulate Crystal on her achivement, Ariadne." Xander pointed out in a rough voice.

Ariadne looked at him. She felt humiliated in her own house by them.

"Sorry I forgot. Congratulations, Crystal. I will not miss it." swallowing the lump in her throat Ariadne uttered the words.

"Thank you Aria."

No one said anything after that.

After dinner, Xander went into his study to retrieve a file from his desk. He was searching through the files when a soft voice came from behind.

"Are you staying the night here today?"

He paused for a moment after hearing the voice, gritting his teeth.

"No." He resumed looking through the files.

"Did you enjoy the food today?" Ariadne asked nervously.

She spent a lot of time preparing his favourite dishes.

"Yes." he replied absently.

"I prepared them."

"Why don't you stay the night here today? I will make your favourite breakfast tommorrow." holding her breath, she added as there was no response from him.

He came here after a few months, so she was hoping he would stay.

"I have plenty of excellent cooks in my penthouse and they can cook better than you."

She felt dejected. She wanted to spend some time with him. She yearned to get to know him more and express her love to him. However, he had never given her the opportunity.

"Since you don't come here very often, please stay tonight." she made another attemt. The desperation could be seen in her pleading.

Xander paused. He turned around and approached Ariadne where she was standing.

His abrupt act startled Ariadne. She stepped back a little.

"Are you really that frustrated, Ariadne?"

She gulped with fear. He stood very close to her.

"Are you that much frustrated to spend a night with me, that you started to beg now?" He gritted his teeth.

She shook her head, understanding what he meant by spending the night with him.

Xander placed his finger on her lips just as she was about to explain.

"I know what you want; afterall, we have been married for two years and I have not even touched you once."

Ariadne's eyes widened with disbelief at how wrong he thought of her. He looked down at her body, from head to toe. Ariadne felt an unbearable pain and insult.

"You are not bad, but not good enough for me." She stiffened.

"You disgust me, Ariadne." he whispered into her ear.

She shut her eyes, which were now moist.

"But, since you are so frustrated, I have a suggestion for you." He moved closer.

"There are plenty of men around; they might like you. You are not that bad and you are quite famous in that. Don't you?" he said before stepping back.

Her voice got stuck in her throat. She had never felt so humiliated. Emma and Crystal spread many scandals to damage Ariadne's reputation. Some of them included men. What hurt Ariadne most was that even her own father believed them.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as Ariadne openned her eyes to meet the man's gaze.

Xander gently picked a drop of tear from her cheek with his finger and blew it into the air before turning and leaving the room.

Ariadne stood there like a statue. She was too numb to move an inch.

"Did you get the file?"came Crystal's voice from outside.

"Yes." Xander replied.

"Wait, where is Aria?"

"Don't mind her. She is not coming. Let's go now, I will drop you." was their final conversation before the sound of the main door opening and closing was heard.

........

It's the day Crystal was throwing her celebration party.

Together with Jennifer, Ariadne entered the venue. The place was exquisitely decorated. It's Blue Star hotel, one of Blake Corporation's high restaurants.

They passed through the hallway while people stared at them. Ariadne kept her head low, avoiding the gazes of others.

The guests were all well-known businessmen from Zavion City.

Almost none of them knew Ariadne as she had not established herself in the business world or in any other field. Only a few of their family friends and relatives were able to identify her.

However, Ariadne was well aware that everyone disliked her. They described her as a spoilt brat who used to waste her father's money and was now wasting her husband's money. They didn't consider Ariadne to be worthy of Xander as well. They believed Crystal was ideal for him.

After they found a comfortable spot, Ariadne's gaze wandered around the hall in search of a particular person. It didn't take her long to find him.

He was dressed in his usual business attire, a white shirt and a black coat and he looked attractively handsome as always.

However, the presence of the woman beside him broke Ariadne's heart. Crystal was dressed in a stunning red gown and was speaking with some businessmen while Xander stood beside her. She looked stunning and Ariadne could tell that people admired her based on their comments.

Xander's eyes shot towards Ariadne as if he sensed her gaze on him. They held eye contact for a moment before Xander looked away unbothered. Ariadne didn't have the courage to aproach him after their last encounter.

"He didn't even give you a smile. How rude!" Jennifer whispered.

"It's nothing new Jennie."

"Hey, Ariadne, come on here." Crystal spotted them as well. She waved to them. Ariadne went hesitantly. Jennifer trailed behind her.

"This is Ariadne, my sister." Crystal introduced her to the guests who were there. They said hello to each other.

Xander didn't bother to introduce her as his wife to them. He looked unfazed.

"Do you run the family business as well?" one of them asked Ariadne.

"No, I am a house wife."

"Oh, you are already married."

"She doesn't have any interest in business." Crystal interjected.

"Hey, You are Mr. Blake's wife, right?" a woman asked after examining Ariadne for a while.

Xander pretended not to hear anything. She felt disappointed.

"Yes." Ariadne replied.

"Oh, I see."

They stared at her with criticism in their eyes. It's obvious they didn't think she was deserving of Xander.

"I have heard that you spent a long time abroad." the woman added.

"I went for study." Ariadne furrowed her brows.

She was interested in design and went abroad to study the subject. However, Emma and Crystal spread rumors that she went abroad to live a lavish life, away from her family's restriction.

"Oh, what did you study?"

"Design."

"Oh." she said dismissively, as if it had made no impression on her.

"You are the older daughter, and you are a talented woman with unrivaled beauty. I am surprised that Mr. Blake married your younger sister instead of you." the woman looked at Crystal.

"Don't mind my words Mrs. Blake, I don't mean to offend you; I am just curious."

"Why don't you tell them why I married you?" at this point Xander spoke.

Ariadne looked at him, meeting his mocking gaze and faint smirk. She couldn't believe that Xander was attempting to embarrass her infront of all those people.

"Grandpa had our marriage fixed when we were younger." she replied after sometime. Sweat began to fill her face.

"Grandpa?" the woman looked confused.

"Mr. William Blake."

"Oh, that explains why."

"You look stunning Miss Crystal. Mr. Blake must be regretting marrying your sister instead of you."

The woman was Crystal's close acquaintance, so she must have known everything about them as she continued to insult Ariadne indirectly.

"You are too much, Mrs. Garner." Crystal blushed and lowered her face.

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

Ariadne began to feel uncomfortable standing there.

It's true that compared to her, Crystal looked more gorgeous. Ariadne used to be one of the most attractive girls of Zavion City. However, ever since she became Mrs. Blake, she had been depressed due to constant heartbreak. Sleepless nights had resulted in dark circles around her eyes.

She also lost weight. She no longer resembled the Ariadne that she once was, either physically or mentally.

"I am kidding, of course." the woman laughed.

The people then engaged in their conversation, completely ignoring Ariadne.

"Excuse us gentlemen." saying that, Ariadne left the group. She had enough of their nonsense.

They overheard a lot of gossips as they moved through the crowd.

"I have never seen Mr. Blake bring his wife with him to a public event. Look in this party as well. Mr. Blake is not with his wife, but with Miss Crystal and other guests."

"I think the rumours that Mr. Blake doesn't love his wife are true."

"Who could possibly love a girl like that?"

"Take a look at her sister, Miss Crystal; not only is she gorgeous, but she is also a successful woman. She even assumed leadership of the company and extended a helping hand to her father. Mr. Miller must be proud to have such a daughter. She has made her parents proud."

"She invited us to humiliate you." Jennifer was furious.

"What does She think she is? Xander's wife?"

"But Xander doesn't appear to be bothered by her antics. He is even supporting her." Ariadne sighed tiredly.

"He should be with you, not her. He didn't even acknowledge your presence."

Through the whole party Ariadne and Jennifer stayed in a corner.

While everyone praised Crystal for her achievements, they didn't hide their dislike for Ariadne.

However, nobody brought up the fact that she was the rightful heir of Aaron Miller as his only biological daughter. But her father gave the position to Crystal.

It's true that Ariadne had never involved herself in the family business as she was not interested in business. Nevertheless, her family didn't even consider to let her know about their decision.

It appeared that Crystal would have been given the position even if Ariadne had expressed interest. Thus, she didn't say anything about it.

It's not long before Xander began to feel uneasy standing among the businessmen.

'It's hot' he thought in his mind while listening to the conversation.

"This collaboration will produce excellent outcomes." one of them stated.

"Yes, working with Blake Corporation is truly an honour." the other man expressed his appreciation to Xander as they carried on their conversation.

Xander gave a small nod. He disliked these kinds of events, especially when there were lots of people gathered around him.

He was only putting up with it for Crystal. As she became the new CEO, she requested him to accompany her to meetings with businessmen throughout the city.

"We have no doubt that with Crystal, Miller Group will achieve greater success." a woman in a white gown interjected.

Xander started to feel suffocated. He felt the need to freshen up and fresh air in a private area. It was packed with people here.

"Are you allright?" Crystal asked, noticing his discomfort.

"I am fine. Please carry on, I will take a break." he told everyone before he walked out of the group.

"I am going to rest for a while." Xander informed his assistant as he headed to his room.

He had a permanently reserved room in the hotel as he often met his foreign clients here and spent the night as well.

His uneasiness was growing with every step. He loosened his tie.

"What is happening to me, it feels so hot." he murmured.

Sweat drenched his face. He took quick steps. In his haste, he ran into somebody.

"Xander? What has happened to you? You don't look good." came a soft voice.

Xander looked at the person in a daze. His senses were clouding up.

"Where are you going?" Ariadne gave Xander a close look and noticed that he was completely drunk. He couldn't even stand still.

"Room number 101." Xander mumbled incoherently.

"Let me assist you. I will take you to your room." Ariadne was worried about him.

She gabbed Xander's arm just as he was about to fall to the floor.

.

They soon arrived at the room entrance. As soon as Ariadne entered the room, she shut the door quickly because it would be embarrassing if someone saw him in this condition. She made him lie down on the bed and took off his shoes.

Xander was bubbling something Ariadne couldn't understand. She then proceeded to undo his tie.

Suddenly, halfway through the procedure, Xander grabbed her waist and flipped her onto the bed. Before Ariadne could process what had happened, Xander was already hovering over her.

They locked eyes, and for a moment everything paused.

Ariadne was snapped back to reality when she felt Xander's hand caressing her cheek softly.

"Beautiful" Xander murmured.

Ariadne tensed up at his strange behaviour. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Xander planted a kiss on her lips, making her stiffen. Her mind went blank.

It was her first kiss ever and that too with Xander. She couldn't resist returning the kiss. The kiss turned passionate.

Xander abruptly broke the kiss and began frantically kissing her neck. Seeing how frustrated he appeared, she suspected he had been drugged.

"I love you." Xander whispered between his kisses.

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"I love you, Angel." she froze on her spot.

"Angel?" Ariadne repeated the word terrified. She knew very well whom Xander used to call with this nickname.

"Yes, you are my little Angle, love" Xander replied.

Realisation dawned on Ariadne. Her heart shattered because even now, Xander was thinking about Crystal. In fact, he mistook her for Crystal.

The pain snapped her back from her romantic reverie. She tried to remove Xander out of her body, but he was too heavy for her. Xander was out of his mind. He did not let go of her.

"Don't stop me Angel; I need you." Xander pleaded.

She found herself in a dilemma. She remained motionless, tears streaming from her eyes. Xander began to take off their clothes. She held his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. There were both love and lust in them.

"For you" Ariadne whispered before kissing his lips.

She didn't stop him after that, allowing him to have his way.

.....

Ariadne woke up in the next morning with pains all over her body. When she opened her eyes, she discovered that her surroundings had completely changed.

"This is not my room. Where am I?" she wondered, and then she recalled everything.

She checked herself and found herself completely naked beneath the white sheet. She quickly got off the bed and picked up her dress that was on the floor.

Xander was sleeping soundly. She panicked at the thought of how he would react to the incident. She couldn't muster the courage to confront him. She was afraid he would accuse her of taking advantage of his drunken state. She dressed quickly and left the room.

As it was still early in the morning, there were no people in the corridor. Taking a cab, she departed from the hotel.

.....

Nearly two months had passed in the blink of an eye. After that party, Xander never visited or spoke with Ariadne. Ariadne learned from others that Xander and Crystal frequently met for business works. She felt insecure, but she couldn't do anything. Xander never answered her phone calls.

Today marked their second marriage anniversary.

She was alone in their mansion as she gave all the maids a break today.

She wanted to celebrate with Xander. Putting aside the humiliation of his previous visit, she delivered her message to him through his bodyguards.

However, they informed her that he had an important appointment and would be unable to visit Ariadne. She was expecting him to reject, but still she tried. Last year, he didn't show up as well.

She was sitting on her bed with a gift in her hands. She had purchased a wristwatch for him as a gift. Even though Xander didn't show up, she would have someone deliver the gift to him later.

She felt hollow inside as she sat alone. She was getting frustrated with Xander's cold behaviour towards her.

She had started to feel tired of trying. She didn't want to accept defeat, but deep down she knew that she was losing this battle day by day.

Feeling restless, she turned on the TV and flipped through the channels mindlessly.

Her attention was drawn to the news coverage on a news channel. She was surprised to see two familiar faces on the screen. She increased the volume.

"Blake Corporation President Mr. Xander Blake was spotted having dinner with Crystal Miller, the recently appointed CEO of Miller Group at a five-star restaurant in Zavion City"

'So this was the important appointment he had to attend.' She smiled bitterly.

Her phone lit up with a notification. Ariadne openned it to find Crystal had sent her a photo and a link to a post with a message,

"Happy Anniversary, my dear sister".

The image showed Xander and Crystal sitting on a table, staring at each other, with Xander holding Crystal's hand. They looked like a loving couple.

Ariadne's heart ached at the sight. She then opened the link and saw another photo of them.

However, it was the comment below the post that drew her attention. Her heart was pounding as she began to read the comments.

"Oh, They look amazing together"

"They're childhood sweethearts, but unfortunately they split up two years ago"

"Xander Blake is already married to Ariadne Miller, but rumour has it that their two-year marriage is not going well. Mr. Blake never appears in public with his wife"

"I have heard Mr. Blake doesn't like his wife at all. It's because of the family pressure that he has to marry her, leaving his beautiful girlfriend"

"Yes, Ariadne came between Mr. Blake and Crystal; they were such a beautiful couple."

"I have also heard that Ariadne used some dirty tricks to convince Mr. Blake's grandfather to force Mr. Blake into marriage."

"Omg. What a horrible woman she is."

"But her efforts appears to have failed; otherwise, why would Mr. Blake have dinner with Miss Crystal?"

"True love can never be stolen or destroyed."

"Is Mr. Blake planning to divorce Ariadne?"

"I think he might be as he has begun dating his first love."

Ariadne's breathing stopped at the word 'divorce'. Unable to take any more, she exited the comments section. Panicked thoughts began to cloud her mind.

The tone of an incoming notification brought her attention back to her phone.

It was another message from Crystal. With her heart racing, she opened the message.

"Enjoy the day to the fullest, dear sister, because everything will change tomorrow. It's time for me to reclaim what you stole from me, two years ago." Ariadne's face paled.

She felt terrified as it was clear that Crystal was upto something. She was affraid of lossing Xander. She couldn't afford it.

She remembered how two years ago she jumped at the opportunity to marry Xander, despite the fact that it was not ideal.

She had endured every insult and mistreatment, only to win his heart. She even sacrificed her career.

How could she possibly afford to lose him. She couldn't hold back her tears. Crystal's message left Ariadne with a bad feeling.

She didn't realize when she fell asleep in between her measurable thoughts.

.......

The ringing of the phone awoken Ariadne from her dreamless slumber. She opened her eyes and looked around.

The cake on the table caught her attention, and she recalled that it was their marriage anniversary yesterday. However, Xander didn't came to celebrate. Once again, all of her efforts were in vain. She sighed.

The phone began ringing again. She hurriedly searched for her phone, only to find it beneath the pillow.

"Hello." she answered the call.

"Is this Mrs. Ariadne Blake?" asked a heavy voice. It appeared to be a middle-aged man's.

"Yes. Who are you?" Ariadne rubbed her eyes, perplexed. Who would call her at this hour?

"Hello Madam. Good morning. My name is Peter Ford." Ariadne became overwhelmed by the man's formality.

"Hmm.. I am sorry, but I don't think I know you."

"Yes, Madam, I am aware of that. I am Mr. Xander Blake's lawyer."

She was surprised and confused at the same time, but then a realization dawned on her and she became terrified.

'No, whatever my mind is telling me, it will not happen.' She said to herself.

"Y..yes.... How can I help you?" Her voice trembled.

"Mrs. Blake. It's about the divorce between you and Mr. Blake. He wants to get divorced. I would like to discuss with you regarding this matter. Madam, when will you be free?"

And there it was. Her fear had become real. She could not hear anything else as she felt an explicit pain rip through her heart before darkness consumed her. She collapsed on the bed with the phone.

"Hello, are you there, Mrs. Blake?" the man kept calling her name for a long time before ending the call when he got no answer.

Ariadne awoke to the sound of a beeping machine. She opened her eyes only to be hit by a bright light, and immediately closed them.

"Are you feeling better?" A voice came from nearby.

She opened her eyes again, and saw Jennifer standing beside her bed. Looking around, Ariadne realized she was in hospital.

"Why am I here?" her voice was hoarse.

"You fainted at home, so we brought you to the hospital."

Ariadne furrowed her brows as she tried to recall what had happened. She felt a wave of pain sweep over her as the memory struck her like a truck. She recalled being called by Xander's lawyer to inform her about the divorce.

'He wants divorce.' She repeated in her mind.

She had been hoping for two years that everything would work out, but she was wrong and her worst nightmare had come true.

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?"Jennifer sensed that something was wrong.

"You are alright, there's nothing wrong with your health, don't cry, Aria." Jennifer became alarmed upon seing her condition.

Ariadne kept crying without saying anything.

"Aria? Are you listening to me?" Jennifer grabbed her shoulder when she didn't get any answer.

Ariadne looked at Jennifer with tear filled eyes.

"He wants divorce, Jennifer." Ariadne said before buring her face between her knees and sobbed.

Jennifer was rendered speechless by what she had just heard. She quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. She felt bad for her friend.

She was aware of Ariadne's deep love for Xander. Unfortunately, Xander never reciprocated her feelings, and always treated her coldly.

However, Ariadne endured all his mistreatment silently as she was afraid of losing him.

Jennifer sat down and hugged her. They remained silent for a while. Jennifer allowed her to gather herself a little.

"Don't loss hope, Aria. Perhaps you can still save your marriage." after sometime Jennifer broke the silence.

"How? By refusing to sign the divorce papers?" Ariadne turned towards Jennifer.

"But he will just hate me more. It will not fix anything." she wiped the tears from her face as she sighed in defeat.

"I have some news for you." she looked at jennifer's glistening eyes, puzzled.

"What is it?"

"You are pregnant." Jennifer declared with a smile.

Ariadne gasped in shock.

"What? How?" She was utterly confused but then realization dawned on her.

"Is this true Jennifer? Are you sure?" she grabbed Jennifer's shoulder in excitement.

"Yes, you are six weeks pregnant." Ariadne covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes welled up with tears again, but this time it was from joy.

However, she paled the next moment.

"But what if he blames me again, and does not want the child?" she asked, her voice filled with fear.

"Stop thinking negatively. No man can abandon his child, no matter how heartless he is. Perhaps he will reconsider the divorce for the sake of the child. Maybe he will start to love you as well. Don't loss hope." Jennifer could not bear to see her like this, and only wanted the best for her friend.

Ariadne's eyes glowed with newfound hope.

.....

Later in the evening, Ariadne sat excitedly on the sofa of their mansion, waiting for Xander.

When she returned from the hospital, she received a surprise call from Xander informing her of his arrival.

She prepared his favourite dishes as always. She also dressed up and applied light make-up to her face. She wanted to appear confident and beautiful in front of Xander. She didn't want him to notice her dull face.

When the door bell rang, she didn't go to open it this time. A maid opened the door.

After some time, Xander appeared in the living area, where Ariadne was sitting on the couch. She stood up, excited, as soon as she saw him.

However, her face darkened, as she saw Crystal right behind him, again.

"How are you doing, Aria? I heard you fainted in the morning and rushed to the hospital. Are you okay now?" Crystal expressed her concern, making Ariadne want to roll her eyes.

If she had cared, she would have paid her a visit at the hospital.

However, except for Jennifer, no one visited her. Grandpa William would have visited her, but his health had deteriorated recently, so he called her to check on her.

She had no idea why Crystal was here today. She hadn't commented on her regular meeting with Xander untill now, despite feeling insecure. Now she couldn't even have some peace in her own house.

Crystal began to accompany Xander whenever he visited the mansion. She was losing her mind.

"Yes, I am fine." Ariadne answered with a rude tone.

Crystal noticed but didn't say anything, instead looking at Xander, as if complaining to him.

'Is he going to lecture me on my manners again?' she wondered.

"My lawyer called you this morning. He said your conversation was cut short because you fainted. I, therefore, came here personally to talk about it. Here are the divorce papers." he pointed to the file, he was holding.

He went straight to the point without wasting any time. Ariadne stared at him, motionless.

He never asked her how she was doing, despite knowing she had been hospitalized earlier that day. His only concern was the divorce.

She was disappointed. She was nervous about telling Xander about her pregnancy, and Crystal's presence made the situation more difficult for her.

However, she needed to inform him because it was her last hope of saving her marriage.

"I have something to tell you."

Ariadne glanced at Crystal before adding, "Alone."

Crystal furrowed her brows.

"I don't want to hear anything, Ariadne. I know what it could be about. But you can't change my mind about the divorce. I want a divorce, and that is final." Xander said, looking directly into her eyes.

"It's not what you are thinking. Listen to me once. Please." she pleaded desperately.

"Don't make it hard, Ariadne. I am willing to pay you alimony, if you want."

Ariadne's eyes filled with tears. She hated herself for being so weak as she did not want to cry infront of them, especially Crystal.

"Just listen to me once, this is important, Xander." she repeated.

She did not like having this conversation in front of Crystal.

It was clear from the faint smirk on Crystal's face that she was thoroughly enjoying the show.

"If she is insisting, why don't you listen to her, Xander?" Crystal said to him.

"I don't have time to waste on her. If she wants to say something, she must say it in front of you." Xander grew irritated by Ariadne's pleading.

Ariadne felt humiliated.

"I am your wife, Xander. And it's about us. Why did you bring her into my house in the first place?" she could no longer contain her rage.

"Keep your mouth shut, and don't try to be brave. It will do you no good. Don't forget that this is my house, and I have allowed you to live here. You are not the one to decide who should and shouldn't come into this house." Xander warned her, gritting his teeth.

Ariadne couldn't believe he would say that.

"Here are the divorce papers. I want them signed by tomorrow evening." Xander threw the file on the couch.

"What if I don't sign them?" Ariadne became both frustrated and furious.

He could've done this in their own privacy. 'Why must he bring the woman whom she despises the most and humiliate her in front of her?'

"Aria, I am sorry, we have something to tell you. I.." Xander stopped Crystal by raising his hand.

"Crystal is pregnant... with my child. So you will sign the divorce papers without causing any fuss."

Right at that moment, everything came to a halt for Ariadne. The tears, which she was trying hard to hold back, streamed down her cheeks. The words had been ringing in her ears.

'No, she might have misheard it.' she told herself.

"Wha.. what did you say?" Her voice trembled.

"I am sorry, Aria..it was..."

"Just shut your mouth, I didnt ask you anything. I am asking this person, who is my so-called husband. " she interrupted Crystal, her gaze fixed on Xander.

For the first time, Xander saw fire in her eyes. He was taken aback for a moment.

"Crystal is pregnant with my child and...." a wave of rage swept through Ariadne, and she stepped forward and slapped Xander hard, not allowing him to finish his words.

Crystal gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"How could you do this to me? How could you?" Ariadne grabbed Xander's collar.

"I have loved you all my life. As your wife, I endured every single mistreatment of you and so many people for two years. And you cheated on me in the end." Her eyes reflected rage and hurt.

Xander was caught off guard. No one had ever dared to talk to him in a high tone, let alone slap him. His eyes turned red with fury. He did not expect her to react like this.

"Don't act like a victim here. You are responsible for this." Xander said, grabbing her hands and yanking them roughly from his collar. She collapsed defeatedly onto the couch.

"Sign the divorce papers without causing any drama. And don't try any dirty tricks again, because this time they won't work."

There was no trace of guilt in his voice, only arrogance.

Ariadne was silent, staring blankly at the floor.

"Don't get him wrong Aria. It was...."

Crystal never got to finish her words, as Xander dragged her with him and left the mansion, without sparing a second glance at Ariadne.

...

The mansion fell into complete silence.

Ariadne stayed still on the couch and the file containing the divorce papers lying next her. She was in a daze.

Her thoughts drifted back to her wedding day and the words that Xander had said to her.

"I hate you, Ariadne Miller."

"I will destroy you because of what you have done to me. I promise you."

The words kept coming back to her.

He did indeed keep his promise.

"You finally destroyed me, Xander. You have succeeded." she smiled bitterly.

.....

"Madam, are you alright? I have brought water for you." the voice snapped Ariadne back to reality.

"You have been sitting here for quite a while, Madam. Would I serve the dinner?" the maid asked.

"No need, I am not hungry." Ariadne checked the time, it was already past nine.

She didn't realize how much time she had been in her trance.

"Your service is no longer required today, you may retire to your cottage." in a trance she stood up from the couch and began climbing the stairs, to her room.

The young maid watched her retreating figure with sympathy.