Isiah froze, his eyes bulging as he ground his teeth. "Just because I can't perform, you want a divorce? Floria, have you lost your mind?"

Ignoring the doubt in his stare, I nodded casually and swept all the medicine from the table into the trash bin.

"I'm doing just fine. I just don't want to play widow at my age." I shrugged. "What's the issue? Didn't you receive the divorce agreement?"

His expression hardened, humiliation fueling his rage. "You want a divorce? On what grounds?"

He clamped down on my wrist. "You said you didn't mind, that you'd stick by me until I was cured. Now you're bailing? How can you be so shallow?"

He pressed closer, his fury seeming all too real, but I wasn't in the mood for his games today. I wrenched free and glared. "Yeah, I'm shallow. So go find someone who's not."

My eyes narrowed, flicking mockingly to the pocket where he'd stashed the photo. "Someone like Zoe."

His brows knit tight. After a long silence, he let out a chuckle, his tone softening like he was coaxing a child. "So, you're jealous, huh? Zoe and I are just colleagues, nothing more. Leaving you hanging today was my bad. I promise, I'll cooperate fully with the treatment from now on."

He reached for my damp, chilled jacket, trying to peel it off. I slapped his hand away, snatching my bag and heading for the bedroom with a cold laugh. "Cooperate? With what? You all kicked me out of the group chat. Why keep up the charade?"

He blocked the doorway, eyes wide with feigned innocence. "That never happened. Those idiots were just talking trash. I did it to keep you from getting the wrong idea, so..."

Zoe's call cut him off in mid-sentence. His face twisted in worry as he muttered, "Zoe's got some trouble. I need to handle it."

He changed his shoes and bolted out of the house. See? His lies always caught up to him.

I leaned against the doorframe, a wry hum escaping me. "Go on, then. You two sort out those needs of yours."

The jab hit home, and he whirled back, fury erupting. "Do you have to be so vicious, Floria?"

I didn't bother replying, and it was like punching cotton. He slammed the door on his way out, frustration echoing in the empty villa.

The once-cozy home felt barren now. I flashed back to the early days, pouring my family's fortune into the hospital to fuel his doctor dreams.

I'd supported him quietly from the shadows, even hiring Zoe at his insistence. And this was my reward. Inviting the wolf inside.

I lowered my gaze and dialed a real estate agent. "Hello, I have a house for urgent sale."

The next day, I went to the hospital to clear out my office, craving a real break. But as I lugged my box toward the exit, Zoe blocked my path, thrusting a bag at me with a saccharine smile.

"Floria, I heard you're still treating Isiah's issue. He goes all night when I wear this lingerie, so I got you a set," she said, her eyes gleaming with brazen triumph.

I snatched the lingerie and crammed it into her mouth. "Wear it yourself. I'm divorcing him. You can have the trash."

She choked, coughing wildly. "Floria, I didn't mean any harm. Are you just embarrassed by how cheap my gift is?"

Isiah came rushing over, his face thunderous. He backhanded me across the cheek. "Floria! Apologize to her now!"

Zoe's eyes flashed with cunning before she softened into the victim role, cooing at him. "It's fine, Isiah. She's probably just too high-class for something so inexpensive."

Isiah glared at me, his fury building. "Being snooty doesn't give you the right to shove it in her face. Bow and apologize to her immediately!"

The commotion drew a crowd, all of them whispering and pointing at me accusingly.

I bit down hard, staring at Isiah in disbelief as he twisted the truth. Raising my voice, I shot back, "Apologize? Did you ever think about us while you were sneaking around behind my back?"

"Shut up!" He clamped a hand over my lips, eyeing the crowd. "Are you deranged? Keep slandering Zoe, and I'll have you suspended."

"No need. I quit." I shoved his hand off and turned to leave.

"Quit? Floria, you've got some nerve to threaten me here," Isiah hissed, seizing my arm. "Fine, go! But if you walk out, we're done for good!"

"Perfect." I just gave a cool smile. "Don't forget to sign the divorce agreement and send it over."

He blinked, yanking harder. "Divorce agreement? Quitting's not enough—you're hitting me with divorce now?"

His feigned shock turned my stomach. The read receipt on the agreement I'd sent was crystal clear, yet here he was, playing dumb.

I twisted free, meeting his accusatory gaze dead-on. "All you have to do is sign and deliver."

Sick of the back-and-forth, I scooped up my box and kept walking. He bellowed after me, "If you leave today, you'll regret it!"

I snorted, stepping into the elevator.

Down in the lobby, his seething voice crackled over the PA system. "Due to Director Floria Roth's breach of professional ethics and her baseless smears against Dr. Zoe Mitchell, I, as her family, extend my deepest apologies. She is hereby terminated, with her year-end bonus redirected as compensation to the victim."

I never imagined that, for Zoe's sake, he'd smear me as unhinged and torch my career.

The lobby erupted in murmurs, fingers jabbing my way.

"So, she's the one who framed Dr. Mitchell. Jealousy's a hell of a drug."

"A department head? Must've slept her way up. Poor Dr. Mitchell—total injustice."

A woman charged forward, dumping her half-empty soda bottle over my head. "Disgusting! Scum like you don't belong in medicine. Get lost!"

The sticky chill crawled over my skin. I bolted to the garage, fumbling my keys into the ignition. But Zoe appeared out of nowhere, blocking the car with a smug, pitying grin.

"Tsk-tsk! Look at the mess you're in!" she scoffed. "You've been played the whole time. He turns you down, but the very next day, he's railing me in the office until my legs give out. Poor thing, living like a widow for two years."

I gritted my teeth, secretly recording her words on my phone.

Then she dangled the signed divorce agreement at me, smirking at my confusion. "Seeing you get wrecked like this? Isiah finally took pity and signed. He is mad and doesn't even want to see your face. He wants you to stay gone."

I snatched it, confirming his signature with a hollow laugh.

That was the man I knew. He wouldn't divorce me a moment ago, but he signed the agreement the next moment.

With a self-deprecating smile, I brushed past her and peeled out to City Hall for the certificate. Only then did a sliver of relief settle in.

Back home to grab my things, I nearly collided with Isiah's parents, laden with bulging bags.

"What brings you guys here?" I asked.

Jenny Coleman took my hands, scanning me top to bottom with genuine worry. "Isiah said you two fought, and you are set on divorce. We were scared he hurt you, so we hopped the overnight train to check."

I blinked, my fingers twitching.

She tightened her grip, unwilling to let go. "Without your backing all these years, Isiah would've never made it. Not long ago, you told me about lining up that expert for him. How did it come to this?"

Hank Coleman chimed in, "If that brat has done you wrong, I'll teach him a lesson and get it even for you."

My nose prickled at their genuine concern despite their weariness from the long trip. My mind flashed back to when Isiah and I bootstrapped the hospital.

We were both working ourselves to the bone. Jenny, out in the countryside, mailed me fresh farm chickens every few weeks. Hank bragged about his perfect daughter-in-law to anyone who'd listen.

My hand tightened around the strap of my purse—the one holding the divorce certificate, words stuck in my throat.

But as I glanced up, a flash from the fourth-floor balcony caught my eye. Isiah and Zoe were tangled in a heated embrace.

My heart iced over, bit by bit. Slowly, I released my hold and mustered a smile. "You've come all this way. You must be beat. Let's head up and take a rest."

I ushered them inside, lagging behind on purpose so they'd enter first. The door swung open to pandemonium: Zoe plastered against Isiah on the sofa, locked in a fervent kiss.

Jenny and Hank were stunned, their bags thudding on the floor. The crash snapped the pair apart.

"You animal! What the hell are you doing?" Hank snatched a slipper and flung it.

Zoe yelped, ducking behind Isiah. He stammered, "Mom? Dad? Why are you here?"

His face drained of color as he spotted me. "Floria, what the hell? Why'd you drag my parents into this? Clear it up. Zoe was just treating me!"

Tuning out his snarls, I dragged my suitcase from the bedroom.

Jenny jabbed a finger at him, her voice cracking. "How did I raise such a worthless son? Have you no shame toward Floria? Toward this family?"

Hank shook with rage. "And you brought your mistress home? I'll end you right here for tarnishing our name!"

He grabbed a golf club from the corner and swung at Isiah with all his might. He dodged, babbling excuses, but the elders weren't having it.

They laid into Zoe as the homewrecker, turning the living room into a battlefield of shouts and swats.

"I'm not a homewrecker!" Zoe shirked. "I'm pregnant!"

Zoe's wail sliced through the chaos, freezing everyone in place. Even Isiah went rigid. I huffed a mirthless laugh. Of course. The affair ran deeper than I'd feared.

Zoe turned pleading eyes to the elders, sniffling, "Isiah and I truly love each other. I know it's unfair for Floria, but the baby is innocent. It's Isiah's first child."

Isiah steadied her in his arms, facing his parents. "Zoe fixed me, and we owe her. Don't buy Floria's lies. Zoe doesn't even asking to be anything official; she just wants to have a baby for me. If Floria could be generous, we'd have a kid in the family. I never wanted a divorce. Floria is just petty. Help me talk her down, please."

His warped reasoning hung in the air, slowly chipping at their resolve.

The club clattered from Hank's grip. The sixty-something man gnashed his teeth, stomping in helpless frustration.

After eight childless years, the promise of a grandchild outweighed everything.

Jenny's gaze bounced between Zoe and me, brow furrowed in torment. "Floria, you..."

The same people who had been furious just a minute ago were now looking at me with pleading eyes.

It was absurd but understandable. In the end, blood spoke louder than betrayal.

I smiled thinly, fishing the certificate from my bag. But Isiah, sensing leverage, puffed up with arrogance. "Floria, cut the drama. Zoe's cool being the second fiddle. Once the kid is here, you'll be their mom. You know I can't get hard for you anyway. Isn't it better this way? You get to be a mother without the pain."

He paused, adding, "Since you quit your job, stay home and take care of Zoe. I'll give you an extra $5,000 a month. The three of us can live peacefully together. What do you say?"

Share a roof with a cheater and his sidepiece? He could dream on.

Before I knew it, my hand flew up and cracked across his face. A cold smile touched my lips. "Enjoy your happy life with her!"

Amid their stunned stares, I slapped the certificate down. "Isiah, we're done. $5,000? Nah, I want half your assets."