"Hello, I want a divorce."

In the third year of her marriage, Roxanne Levine decided to file for divorce. But she did so without telling her husband.

Across the desk, the lawyer, Nathaniel Shepherd, responded in a formulaic tone after hearing her intent.

"If you wish to proceed with a divorce, both parties need to sign the divorce agreement. After that, there will be a one-month cooling-off period before the divorce is finalized. Did your husband not come with you today?"

Roxanne paused for a few seconds. "I'll make sure he signs it."

"Very well. I'll draft a divorce agreement for you."

"Hello, I want a divorce."

In the third year of her marriage, Roxanne Levine decided to file for divorce. But she did so without telling her husband.

Across the desk, the lawyer, Nathaniel Shepherd, responded in a formulaic tone after hearing her intent.

"If you wish to proceed with a divorce, both parties need to sign the divorce agreement. After that, there will be a one-month cooling-off period before the divorce is finalized. Did your husband not come with you today?"

Roxanne paused for a few seconds. "I'll make sure he signs it."

"Very well. I'll draft a divorce agreement for you."

After a short wait, Roxanne received the document. She lowered her head and walked down the stairs, her thoughts drifting to everything that had happened recently.

Just as she reached the front desk, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Roxy? What are you doing at the law firm?"

She looked up. The moment her eyes met Andre Spencer's deep gaze—eyes that seemed to pierce right through her—her heart skipped a beat.

Who would have thought that she would end up consulting someone from her husband's law firm for a divorce proceeding?

Even so, it was fine. He would not find out. After all, he had never really paid attention to her.

With that thought, she took a deep breath, trying to hide the tension in her voice.

"I'm here to ask about a few things. By the way, the property transfer Mom and Dad mentioned last time is ready. I need your signature."

As she spoke, she pulled out the divorce agreement. She flipped directly to the last page, laid it flat on the counter, and handed him a pen. The last page of the agreement contained only a signature line. As a lawyer, Andre instinctively frowned as his professional reflexes kicked in.

He was just about to take a closer look when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure stepping out of the elevator. He hesitated for only a second, then took the pen and signed his name where Roxanne indicated.

"Alright. If there's nothing else, you should go. I still have work to do."

The weight in Roxanne's heart eased, but almost immediately, a touch of self-mockery crossed her face.

If he had only taken a second glance, he would have known that what he had signed was not a property transfer agreement but a divorce agreement.

Unfortunately, his attention had been completely captured by Caitlin Bradford, who had just appeared.

Looking at that beautiful face, Roxanne felt a whirlwind of emotions inside her. Her hand tightened around her purse as she turned and walked out of the law firm.

As the automatic glass doors closed behind her, two voices drifted faintly into her ears.

"Andre, who was that just now?"

"A new client. She came to consult about a divorce," Andre replied, his usually indifferent tone carrying a rare touch of softness. "Why'd you come so early today? Give me a few minutes and I'll take you out for lunch, okay?"

Hearing the gentle, coaxing tone from inside and looking down at the signed divorce agreement in her hand, Roxanne gave a bitter smile.

Yes, she truly was here to consult about a divorce. Very soon, in just one more month, Andre would finally get what he had always wanted.

Roxanne and Andre were secretly married. Other than their parents, no one knew they were husband and wife—not even the woman Andre had loved for many years.

The secret marriage had been Andre's decision.

They were college classmates. On the very first day of school, Roxanne fell in love with Andre, the campus heartthrob, at first sight. She pursued him relentlessly for four years, but he remained completely unmoved.

Still, Roxanne had not been too disheartened. That was because although he had not said yes to her, he had not said yes to anyone else either. It seemed as if he was naturally distant from women.

After graduation, she focused on her career while he continued his studies. The two of them never crossed paths again, but she never forgot about him.

Two lines that once seemed destined to remain parallel forever suddenly intersected three years ago—because of a blind date.

At their first meeting, Andre was direct. He asked if she had any thoughts of getting married.

Roxanne did not know why he was in such a hurry to marry, but after years of holding onto her feelings, she was overjoyed at the chance. She assumed his family was pressuring him, so she agreed without a second thought.

It was only after they got married that she slowly uncovered his secret. It was not that he was indifferent to women; it was that he loved someone deeply, someone he could never be with.

That woman was Caitlin—his best friend's younger sister.

He was five years older than she was, and she had always treated him like a big brother. This one-sided love was doomed from the start. He longed for her while she remained unaware.

Caitlin had no idea about Andre's hidden feelings and married her boyfriend of three years right after graduating.

Andre had been devastated. To escape the heartbreak, and under the heavy pressure from his parents, he rushed into marriage with Roxanne.

After learning the truth, Roxanne spiraled into despair. However, she eventually pulled herself back together.

She believed that time was on her side. If she tried hard enough, surely, he would take notice of her one day.

However, even after three years into their marriage, his attitude toward her had never once felt warm. They were never even close to being intimate.

Just as her faith was beginning to collapse, Roxanne discovered a photo album. Inside were photos of a woman, spanning from when she was just 6 years old to 25 years old. Under normal circumstances, it should not have bothered her so much.

However, what if the woman was the one her husband had been secretly loving for years? And what if that album was being updated with new photos even after their marriage?

Roxanne could not pretend to be unaffected.

What made it worse was that the following night, Andre—who never drank—got completely drunk. His usually cool and distant eyes were filled to the brim with joy, almost spilling over.

After probing around, she soon learned why—Caitlin had gotten divorced.

At that moment, she smiled bitterly and resolved to end this hopeless marriage once and for all.

Perhaps it was the divorce agreement in her bag, but when Roxanne returned to the home they had shared for three years, something inside her felt different. She looked at the cozy space she had built with her own hands, and a flood of memories came rushing back.

Her gaze moved around the room and finally landed on the wedding photo in the living room—the one she always kept spotless.

When she saw Andre's forced smile in that photo, it stung so much that she could not help herself. She took it down and threw it straight into the trash bin downstairs.

That night, Roxanne spent hours sorting through their marital assets.

Andre returned and immediately noticed the missing wedding photo. He looked at Roxanne, who was busy writing something, and for once, furrowed his brows and asked, "Where's the wedding photo?"

"The nail came loose. I was afraid it might fall and hit someone, so I took it down."

Andre did not press further. He placed the takeout meal beside her hand and turned to go into the study.

The sharp aroma hit her nose, and Roxanne paused. She opened the bag. The sight of the fiery red food inside made her heart break.

They had been married for three years, and because of her chronic stomach issues, she had always kept to a light diet. However, her husband did not even know that.

If it were the old her, she would have forced herself to eat it just to make him happy no matter how spicy it was.

Yet now?

She picked up the entire bag and went downstairs to throw it away.

Starting today, she would throw away every grievance and heartbreak she had endured in this marriage—him included.

It was late into the night, but Roxanne remained wide awake.

She buried her face in the pillow, her mind tangled with thoughts. Suddenly, an unruly hand slipped around her waist. Feeling the warm breath against her back, she instinctively shifted away, dodging the kiss that was about to land on her.

Her resistance caught Andre by surprise. After all, in the three years since their marriage, it had always been Roxanne who eagerly sought his embrace.

This rare moment of his own desire being met with rejection made it impossible for him not to ask, "Are you in a bad mood?"

"I'm on my period," Roxanne replied, making up an excuse on the spot.

Andre did not think much of it. He responded with a quiet hum and gently tucked the blanket around her. As was his habit before bed, he mentally reviewed the day's events. Suddenly, he recalled the property transfer agreement from earlier and asked about it.

"Where's the property transfer agreement? Let me check if there are any loopholes."

Roxanne's heart began to pound, but she fixed a steady gaze on him.

"Do you really want to see it?"

Noticing the tension in her expression, Andre frowned slightly and gave a small nod.

After a long moment of silence, Roxanne got out of bed and went to the study. She pulled out the document and was just about to hand it to him when an abrupt ringtone cut through the quiet.

Andre answered the phone.

"Andre! Gary is drunk again and yelling outside. Come quickly, I'm so scared!"

Thinking of Caitlin's ex-husband—someone known for his aggressiveness—Andre's expression changed. He threw on a coat and prepared to leave immediately.

Watching his hurried movements, Roxanne called out to him. "Is that your friend's sister who's getting divorced? Something happened again?"

Andre was about to confirm it but was worried that she might overthink things as it was already so late at night, so he decided to exaggerate the situation instead.

"Yes. Her ex-husband got drunk again and is waiting outside with a knife. I need to check on her. Otherwise, it might be dangerous—possibly life-threatening."

Roxanne did not try to stop him. She simply told him to be careful.

After Andre left, Roxanne remained awake for the rest of the night. Even as daylight filled the room, she never once closed her eyes.

She picked up her phone to check the time, only to notice that Caitlin—whom she had secretly followed on social media just a few days earlier—had posted a new video to her feed.

In the video, the sun slowly rose between the mountains, spilling its golden light across the sky. Excited gasps echoed from all directions. The camera panned, and Andre's figure flashed briefly across the frame.

"The darkness of yesterday is over. Everything will soon be reborn."

Staring at those final words frozen on the screen, Roxanne felt a sharp pain in her heart.

It seemed Caitlin had successfully ended her previous marriage.

Of course, she had. With Andre—the top lawyer in his field—by her side, and with how many years he had been in love with her, he would have poured everything he had into helping Caitlin the moment he heard she was getting a divorce.

Now that she was single again, it was only a matter of time before Andre asked for a divorce so that he could be with her.

Roxanne did not even need to imagine it in detail; she could already picture how it would happen.

A bitter smile crept onto her lips, her heart sinking into quiet despair. A divorce was imminent. All she did was bring it forward.

Rather than waiting passively to be discarded, choosing to leave on her own terms was the only way to preserve the last shred of her dignity, was it not?

Roxanne set the phone down, stood up, and began gathering all the matching items she had once bought for them. She threw them into a cardboard box and dragged it downstairs.

Just then, Andre returned and saw her struggling. He rushed over at once.

"Why are you throwing out so many things?"

Roxanne lowered her gaze. "They were never used. Better to throw them out before they take up more space."

Andre nodded in understanding and took the box from her hands. Watching his silhouette gradually fade into the distance, Roxanne's expression remained calm.

In truth, if he simply opened the box and looked inside, he would have realized that everything about to be thrown away was things she had once treasured dearly.

With his intelligence, he would surely recognize what her unusual actions meant—she wanted to leave.

There was still room for a turning point in their story, but Andre did nothing. He tossed the box directly into the trash bin, then turned away.

There was no hesitation in his moves.

One afternoon, Roxanne's computer suddenly froze. In order to quickly finish organizing her files, she borrowed Andre's laptop.

While she was waiting for the documents to transfer, a new message notification suddenly popped up. She clicked it without thinking and saw that it was a message from the law firm.

"Andre, we're having a company dinner tonight. Are you bringing your girlfriend?"

Seeing that message, Roxanne's hand trembled slightly.

In the three years they had been married, Andre had never made their relationship public. In the eyes of others, he had always appeared to be single. That was also why, when she went to his law firm for legal consultation, not a single person had recognized her.

Would he say yes this time?

Roxanne did not know. She did not dare to hope.

Andre, seated beside her, glanced up at her the moment he saw the message as if trying to gauge her expression.

Noticing his gaze, Roxanne gave a faint smile. "Are you going to take me to the dinner?"

What she truly meant to ask was, 'After three years, are you finally going to acknowledge me?'

Andre did not know how to respond. He opened his mouth but said nothing.

That brief moment of silence pierced straight through Roxanne's heart like a blade, leaving behind a dull, lingering pain. She forced down the ache and put on an indifferent expression, pretending to be relaxed.

"I have something to do tonight. Even if you wanted to bring me, I probably wouldn't have time."

Andre's tension eased slightly, and his expression returned to normal. "Next time, then. When there's another chance, I'll take you."

Roxanne did not reply. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes and silently answered him in her heart. 'Next time? Andre, there would be no next time.'

…

That evening, Andre attended the dinner alone. As soon as he stepped into the venue, several of his drunken colleagues surrounded him.

"It's been three years, and we still haven't seen you bring a girlfriend to these events. Andre, that's not cool!"

"Come on, let us meet your lady already. How long are you going to keep her hidden away like a secret treasure?"

Under their teasing and pressure, Andre pulled out his phone. There were two names he could choose from—Caitlin or Roxanne. After hesitating for a long time, Andre finally tapped on the first contact and sent a message.

Before long, Caitlin arrived at the address he had given her.

The moment she pushed open the door, the entire private room lit up with excitement. Everyone burst into praise, complimenting Andre on his excellent taste.

As the evening wore on and the alcohol flowed, Nathaniel suddenly felt the urge to use the restroom. On his way out, he handed a document folder to Andre and asked him to pass it along to a lady downstairs.

It was a small favor, and naturally, Andre did not refuse. He took the piece of paper the client's phone number was written on and headed downstairs, glancing through the documents inside along the way.

He waited and waited but saw no sign of anyone. Finally, he took out his phone and dialed the number—only to realize that the contact was already saved in his phone. The moment the name 'Roxy' appeared on his screen, Andre froze.

He pulled the document out of the folder. Just as he was about to open it for a closer look, a pair of blinding headlights shone directly on him.

Shielding his eyes slightly, he looked up. Upon seeing Roxanne's figure, suspicion immediately rose in his heart. He raised the folder and questioned her. "A divorce property division agreement? Roxanne, what's the meaning of this?"

Roxanne was just as surprised, but her expression remained calm. She lied without hesitation, "It's Erica who wants a divorce. I helped her make an appointment with Mr. Shepherd."

Andre's instincts told him this was not as simple as she made it sound.

Frowning, he was about to open the agreement and read it for himself when a hand suddenly reached out from behind and hooked around his arm.

"Andre, didn't you come out to meet a client? What's taking you so long?"

As Caitlin pressed close to him, Andre became flustered and panicked. He did not even dare look at Roxanne's expression, much less figure out what to say.

Yet rather than explain, he was reluctant to push away Caitlin, who was willingly leaning into him at that moment.

Roxanne, however, remained far calmer than he had expected.

She took two steps forward, reached out, and retrieved the agreement from his hands. Then, with a slight nod, she spoke with polite detachment.

"Thank you, Mr. Spencer. My friend and I are in the middle of handling her divorce, so we won't trouble you any further."