On the very night Ansel Halberg is in another woman's arms, Odessa Montclair meets a tragic end.

The Grim Reaper gives her seven days to return to the world of the living and make one final request.

Her only wish is to divorce Ansel and erase every trace of their shared past. She's determined never to cross his path again—neither in this life, nor the next.

At 9:00 pm, Odessa Montclair was dragged into a dark alley by a stranger. Meanwhile, Ansel Halberg stood beside his lover, mesmerized by a dazzling drone light show.

By 9:10 pm, Odessa was fighting through a brutal assault, while Ansel poured out his heart in a passionate confession of love.

By 10:00 pm, Odessa had been stabbed and left for dead in a ditch. Ansel, however, remained entwined in a night of passion.

At midnight, Odessa came back to life. When she arrived home, Ansel was just stepping out of the shower.

Their eyes met, and Ansel's brow furrowed. "What happened to you?" he asked.

Odessa's hair was a tangled mess, her clothes ripped and stained, and she had bruises covering her pale skin. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face looked completely drained of color.

She held his gaze for a long, heavy moment before finally breaking the silence. "Ansel, I want a divorce."

His expression tightened. "Odessa, is it really worth destroying us over something so trivial?"

With a stoic expression, Odessa lowered her gaze and repeated, "I want a divorce."

Ansel stared at her in silence, his gaze cold and unyielding.

After a moment, he let out a weary sigh and stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her. "Alright, Odessa. I was wrong to make you leave the car halfway, but why do you always have to be so stubborn? Sydney and I were just fooling around. You're still Mrs. Halberg. No one can take that from you."

Though he had already showered, the faint scent of another woman's perfume still clung to his skin, cutting into Odessa's heart like a cruel, unforgiving blade.

Just the night before, she had uncovered Ansel's affair.

The cruelest irony was that his mistress was the very underprivileged student Odessa had supported for seven years.

Their argument in the car had quickly escalated. Fueled by humiliation and anger, Ansel had driven her to a desolate area and forced her out.

Moments later, tragedy struck.

Odessa died, and her soul descended into the underworld. Yet, because of her lifetime of kindness and good deeds, the Grim Reaper showed her mercy.

He granted her seven days among the living to fulfill one last wish.

And now, all she wanted was to divorce Ansel.

Odessa's heart went numb with pain, tears quietly streaming down her cheeks. She pushed Ansel away and said, "Do you remember when we first got together at 17? I told you I'd leave without hesitation if you ever betrayed me. You promised you never would. It was a matter of principle."

When she'd been murdered, her killer had stabbed her 17 times. Each wound was a cruel echo of the blind devotion she'd held at 17.

Ansel's gentle mask cracked. His eyes grew cold, glittering with disdain. "Principle?" he scoffed. "Do you really think something we said as kids still matters?

"Look at all the heirs from elite families. Tell me, which one of them doesn't have a mistress? Haven't I given you everything? All these years, I've been with you and only you. You're the one I truly love.

"What I had with Sydney was nothing but a passing thrill. Can't you grant me just one moment of indulgence?"

Odessa's gaze burned with disappointment, her fists clenched at her sides. "Would you believe me if I told you I've already died? All I want now is a divorce."

Ansel responded with a mocking laugh. "Really, Odessa? Do you think I'll fall for such a ridiculous story just so you can walk away?"

"I—"

Before she could speak, the bedroom door swung open. Sydney Wainwright stepped in, draped in a provocative silk dress, her bare skin adorned with fresh kiss marks.

Caught in Odessa's unwavering gaze, Sydney quickly slipped behind Ansel, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Odessa, I know it was wrong of me to be with Ansel... but for a man like him, keeping a mistress is just part of the game.

"Don't worry. Ansel cares for you more than anyone. I would never even think of stepping into your role as Mrs. Halberg."

Odessa remained silent, her eyes fixed on the bedroom.

The bed she had made so neatly just yesterday morning now lay in complete disarray.

She let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "After everything I've sacrificed, I never imagined betrayal would be your answer. You're honestly unbelievable."

Sydney hadn't only drained her finances—she was now lying beside Ansel in their bed, dressed in Odessa's nightgown as if it were her own.

Tears welled in Sydney's eyes. "Odessa—"

"Enough!" Ansel barked, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Calm down, will you?" Without another word, he pulled Sydney away and slammed the door shut behind them.

Odessa's strength gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.

A wedding photo of her and Ansel hung on the wall opposite her, their smiles glowing with happiness.

But as she gazed longer, confusion twisted inside her.

How could the man who once loved her so fiercely become someone she barely recognized?

That night, Ansel never returned.

Odessa lay in the bathtub, scrubbing endlessly at the dirt and shame embedded in her skin. But no matter how fiercely she scrubbed, the painful memories of last night clung stubbornly.

She wept until exhaustion took her, and in the fog of unconsciousness, she felt a pair of warm hands lifting her.

"Odessa!" a familiar voice echoed urgently.

As she fought to open her eyes, she saw Ansel standing above her, his usually cold expression replaced by unmistakable panic.

"Odessa, stay with me! I'm taking you to the hospital!"

She looked at him through the haze clouding her mind, and for a brief moment, the past came rushing back.

When she was 17, a devastating earthquake had shaken Brightmoor. Just before a classroom beam came crashing down, Ansel had thrown himself over her, using his body as a shield.

They were trapped beneath the rubble for five harrowing days. Without food or water, Odessa's grip on reality began to slip, and her will to survive started to fade.

But Ansel never let go. He called her name again and again, pulling her back whenever she began to drift away.

After surviving that nightmare together, they became inseparable.

Deep down, Odessa believed that she and Ansel had already conquered life and death—that no matter what storms came their way, they would face them together.

She never imagined Ansel would betray her by their third year of marriage.

When she finally woke, she found herself lying in a hospital bed.

The first thing she noticed was Ansel, slumped beside her.

He was still in the same clothes as the day before, looking as though sleep hadn't touched him all night. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face was drawn with exhaustion.

After staring at him silently for a moment, Odessa reached out and gently traced her fingers across his cheek.

Ansel stirred suddenly. The moment his eyes met hers, he embraced her tightly.

"Odessa, you scared me to death yesterday! Thank God you're okay! I shouldn't have said those things last night!"

That morning, he had returned home to discover her lying motionless in the bathtub. Her eyes were shut, and the cold water was tinged with red. In that instant, he feared she was gone forever.

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Odessa swallowed a sob and gently pushed him away, a faint smile flickering across her lips. "Ansel, can we please have a proper conversation?"

He nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Anything you want. Just promise me you won't do anything reckless again, okay?"

"Last night, I—"

Before she could finish, Ansel's phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and quickly declined the call, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "Go on, Odessa. What were you saying?"

But it was too late. Odessa had already noticed the name glowing on the screen—"Sydney Baby".

In that instant, something inside her gave way. "Never mind. You should answer it. I'm just a little tired… I think I'll try to rest."

She lay back down without saying a word.

Ansel shot her a brief glance before quietly slipping out of the hospital room.

Moments later, her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number. "Come to the underground parking garage. I dare you."

Odessa clenched her fists, determined to ignore it. But against her better judgment, she found herself heading for the exit.

In the underground garage, Sydney gripped Ansel's sleeve, tears streaming down her face. "Please, can I keep the baby? It's our first. I don't want to lose it!"

Ansel's brow knitted tightly, his voice cold and distant. "Odessa and I don't even have a child yet. How can you have one before her? Once that happens, you can have as many as you want."

Sydney sobbed harder. "But an abortion hurts… I'm scared. You promised you'd take responsibility when you slept with me!"

Ansel let out a weary sigh and pulled her close. "Alright, I'll go with you. After that, I'll buy you some properties. No, I'll get you anything you want. Just say the word."

Sydney slipped her arms around his neck. "I want you to propose to me. Even if I'm not your real wife, at least I can be your pretend one, right?"

Ansel said nothing, his brow tightening.

Sydney immediately pouted. "See? You're going back on your word again!"

"Alright, alright, I promise!" Ansel's heart softened the moment he caught the pleading look in her eyes.

Her tears quickly gave way to a bright smile. "I also want the same ring and wedding dress Odessa had!"

"Sure, no problem."

"And I want to go to the castle too!"

"Anything you want," Ansel said indulgently.

Ansel smiled affectionately, his eyes fixed on Sydney's flushed lips. Unable to resist, he gently lifted her chin and kissed her.

One kiss led to another, and soon they slipped into the car. The vehicle began to rock with a steady rhythm.

Hidden behind a nearby pillar, Odessa stood motionless, her face drained of color. She pressed a hand over her mouth, fighting to hold back a sob as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ansel had gotten Sydney pregnant.

He had told Odessa she was the one he loved most, yet here he was, sharing their most private moments with another woman.

For a fleeting instant, she felt the urge to scream at them for answers. But instead, she quietly turned away.

She didn't even realize how she left. Rather than returning to the hospital, she wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Not far ahead stood the Halberg Group's headquarters, its massive LED screen looping a video from two years ago.

The footage captured the wedding that every woman in Brightmoor had once envied—a fairy-tale castle, adorable flower girls, and a tearful Ansel and Odessa exchanging vows.

It all felt as though it had happened only yesterday.

As Odessa watched the screen, tears quietly began to stream down her face once more.

All of a sudden, a message from Ansel lit up her phone. "Hey Odessa, there's a last-minute meeting at the office. I won't be home tonight. Let's talk tomorrow, okay?"

Tears dropped onto the screen as a bitter, hollow laugh escaped her lips.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow was a luxury she no longer had.

Before she discovered the affair, Ansel often sent messages like these, insisting he had "emergency meetings" to attend.

Now, looking back, maybe every single one of those meetings had been a lie—perhaps he'd been with Sydney all along.

"Are you with Sydney?" Odessa typed back.

The typing indicator flickered almost at once, but no message followed.

After what felt like forever, Ansel finally replied, "You're overthinking things. If you don't trust me, feel free to ask my assistant."

Odessa said nothing.

Moments later, a message from Sydney popped up.

"Hey Odessa, I'm sure you heard everything in the parking garage. To be honest, it's only a matter of time before I take your place.

"Half of Ansel's heart already belongs to me. I'm younger, and I know how to make him happy. If you don't want to end up being just another discarded trophy wife, do yourself a favor and get that divorce."

Attached to Sydney's message were several photos of torn stockings and an open condom wrapper.

Odessa's hands shook as she stared at the screen.

She might have wanted a divorce after her death, but that didn't mean she was prepared to endure such a blatant and humiliating insult.

A sudden crack of thunder ripped through the sky as rain began to pour.

Raindrops traced the curve of her pale jaw, blending with her tears.

Finally, she typed a message to Ansel, "Let's get a divorce."

By the time she got home, night had already fallen. Odessa collapsed onto the couch, her fever burning through her veins.

A bitter laugh escaped her. She was nothing but a ghost, lingering on borrowed time… yet even a ghost's fragile body could succumb to illness.

After a long, heavy silence, Odessa forced herself to stand. She climbed onto a chair and reached for the wedding photo hanging on the wall.

Her fingers hesitated briefly on the frame before she ripped it apart with a pair of scissors.

After discarding the shredded photo, she pulled out every album and frame in the house. One by one, she tore each picture of her and Ansel into jagged, broken pieces.

Next, she gathered every gift Ansel had ever given her.

The valuable items were sold off at a steep discount, while the handmade pieces were smashed and thrown away without hesitation.

At last, Odessa entered the exhibition room.

Behind the spotless glass case hung the wedding dress she had worn years ago. She paused for one last look before ruthlessly cutting it apart.

Also on display was the exquisite diamond ring crafted by Ansel himself, its pink diamond alone worth tens of millions.

Odessa held onto the ring for what felt like an eternity before finally flushing it down the toilet.

She and Ansel had once shared a profound love. Those memories were too sacred to be tarnished by anyone else. So, with that in mind, she decided to be the one to destroy them.

When it was all said and done, Odessa collapsed to the floor, utterly exhausted.

Just then, Ansel stormed through the door.