He'd used soda can tabs as replacement rings just to get through the ceremony with me.

That night, I got so mad I kicked him out of bed.

"Dave, you're seriously the worst. I'm writing you into my grudge journal."

Instead of getting upset, he laughed.

"Write whatever you want. I'll win you back every time."

I knew he'd misunderstood what the diary really meant, but I didn't explain. I just gave a vague nod.

Dave was probably thinking about our newlywed days. For once, a rare smile showed up on his usually cold face.

"See? Told you I'd win you back eventually. So quit holding grudges. Here."

He handed me another property deed, then casually pulled me into his arms.

"It's a new downtown development. I saved one just for you to mess around with. PR already handled the videos, and next month I'll help you get back into the industry, okay?"

The staff outside the door peeked in, their faces full of envy.

But I stayed stiff and blank.

"Whatever you want."

When neither kindness nor pressure worked on me, his expression darkened.

"Are you seriously still fighting me over this?"

I looked up at him calmly.

"No. How would I dare, Mr. Tarrett?"

My tone instantly set him off.

"Bianca, I was the one who filmed those videos, and I'm the reason Maggie ever got her hands on the camera. If you're angry, take it out on me. Got it?"

A heavy pressure slammed against my chest.

For Maggie, he would do anything.

Even lower himself in front of me.

Even sacrifice himself for her.

Suddenly, I felt drained.

I didn't want to keep fighting them anymore.

So I answered quietly,

"I understand."

When I didn't argue like he expected, Dave stared at me with clenched teeth for a long moment before slamming the door on his way out.

***

The next day, Dave texted me and told me to come to the golf course.

I was about to refuse when another message popped up right after.

[Come over. Count it as a forgiveness token.]

I looked at those words and realized this would be the last one.

So I went anyway.

The second I stepped onto the private golf course, I realized Dave wasn't there.

Then someone slammed a kick to my back, sending me face-first onto the ground.

Maggie's voice floated over, cold and smug.

"Stop looking for him. I'm the one who called you here."

Two bodyguards grabbed me before I could move.

Then the golf clubs came down on my leg. Hard. Again and again.

Blood sprayed across the grass. Pain ripped through me so badly I screamed.

Fighting through it, I shouted, "Maggie, are you actually insane?!"

She gave me a fake-sweet smile, poison practically dripping from her eyes.

"Why? Everyone already hates you, but Dave still won't divorce you. He even said he wants to make it up to you and help you come back. So tell me. Why?!"

Dave treated her like a queen.

Apparently, one little comment meant to brush me aside was enough for her to lose her mind like this.

I looked at her coldly. "I was never competing with you."

Guess that satisfied her ego for a second, because she let out this smug little snort.

"But I still can't stand looking at you. You're some big international supermodel, right? Then let's see how you seduce Dave after I ruin one of your legs."

Her eyes dropped to the blood soaking through my pant leg, disgust flashing across her face.

Then she noticed a golf ball nearby.

A weird smile curled across her lips.

"Take off her pants!"

Her voice turned sharp.

"Too bad the egg challenge didn't happen last time. Lucky for us, there's a golf ball right here. Bianca, trust me—you're gonna have the time of your life today."

Rolling the golf ball around in her hand, she ordered the bodyguards to strip me.

I fought like crazy, screaming until my throat felt shredded raw.

Maggie just giggled next to my ear. She grabbed my face, her fake nails scraping bloody lines across my skin.

"Stop screaming. You'll love it soon enough. Better than sleeping with a man, honestly. I guarantee you'll be begging for more after this."

Looking at her twisted expression, all I could think about was every time Dave had taken her side.

The disgust in his eyes.

The way he looked at me like I was the problem.

Tears spilled down my face, but weirdly enough, they made me stop caring.

I was leaving anyway.

Why the hell should I keep letting her bully me?

Right as they grabbed my pants to rip them off, I shoved one of the bodyguards back and lunged at Maggie.

Then I sank my teeth into her hand as hard as I could.

Maggie let out this high-pitched shriek and clawed at my face, trying to pry me off her hand.

I didn't let go.

Blood filled my mouth, metallic and thick, right before half her finger tore free between my teeth.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Dave's furious shout exploded across the course.

The second he ran over, he froze.

My face was covered in blood, and my pants had been half ripped off.

And just like that, he finally figured out Maggie had been hurting me.

His face changed instantly. He kicked the bodyguard off me, yanked my pants back up, then grabbed me like he was suddenly scared.

"Bianca, what happened? Don't be scared. I'll—I'll take you to the hospital."

But Maggie suddenly screamed again, holding up the severed half of her finger.

"Dave, she bit off my finger! My finger's gone! It hurts so bad! Save me!"

Dave froze.

Then he looked at me, shock and hesitation flashing across his face.

Only for a second.

He only said one thing.

"Fingers only have a short survival window. I need to get her to the hospital first. Call an ambulance yourself. I'll come back for you after."

Then he picked Maggie up.

My heart dropped into a bottomless pit.

So it wasn't that he didn't know how cruel Maggie was.

He just always chose her.

I looked up at him.

"Dave Tarrett, this is the last time."

Something in his face shifted. Like he was losing something for good.

But when Maggie trembled in his arms, he still chose her without hesitation.

Before leaving, he looked at me seriously.

"I know you suffered because of this. I promise I'll give you an explanation. Just... don't call the police. Please."

I watched him disappear into the distance.

I didn't go to the hospital right away.

Dragging my injured leg behind me, I made my way back to the mansion.

Sure enough, the second I got home, one of the staff handed me the property deed Dave had already prepared.

The deed to this mansion.

I locked it in the safe.

Then I placed my diary, the divorce papers, and the contract termination agreement together on the table.

Finally, I grabbed a note and left him one last sentence.

[I've paid back everything I owed you. We're done. Dave Tarrett, let's get divorced.]

With my only bag in hand, I boarded a flight out of Hawthorne Bay, headed for Southvale.

Dave, this is where we end.

***

Third-Person POV

After the plane lifted into the sky, Dave dragged himself home, dead tired.

The house was quiet. Empty.

Frowning, he called Bianca.

Then he spotted a note on the bedroom desk. Just as he reached for it, a cold robotic voice came through the phone.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is unavailable..."

His eyes dropped to the bold words on the note.

His pupils shrank instantly.