When Lisa finally woke up, she was already in the hospital.

Her hands trembled as she touched her flat stomach. A wave of grief washed over her. The baby was gone. And she knew, deep down, that her marriage to Nick had ended too.

The door opened. She turned her head and saw Nick walk in, his fingers tightly interlaced with Susie’s.

Susie’s expression was icy, her eyes slightly red. She glared at Lisa with barely contained anger. “Mrs. Horden, I’ve already stayed away like you wanted. Why did you send people to threaten my parents? Can’t you control your husband, so you take it out on us instead?”

Lisa froze.

She didn’t even understand what was happening. Her first instinct was to look at Nick. But his gaze never once met hers. It rested fully on Susie, soft and admiring, as if she were something precious.

Lisa’s heart clenched. He used to look at her that way too, with warmth and tenderness that made her believe she was his whole world.

She could still hear his voice saying, “My dear wife, you’re the best. No one else compares to you.”

Now, he couldn’t even spare her a glance.

A bitter smile tugged at her lips. She ignored Susie and asked quietly, “Nick, why didn’t you save our baby?”

“You should be asking yourself why you got pregnant without my permission,” he said coolly, his voice sharp enough to cut through the air.

“So in this marriage, I don’t even have the right to want a child?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

Nick didn’t hesitate. “That’s right.” His tone carried the authority of a man who expected absolute obedience.

Tears blurred Lisa’s vision. Her chest felt heavy, her heart breaking all over again.

“I didn’t come here to talk about your baby,” Susie interrupted, crossing her arms. “Mr. Horden, you promised to handle this. I want an explanation.”

Nick gently patted her back to calm her, then turned to Lisa with a cold, chastising look. “Lisa, you pushed Susie away and threatened her parents. You owe her an apology.”

Lisa’s pulse quickened. “I didn’t do it. I won’t apologize.”

Nick’s eyes darkened. “Still causing trouble?”

“I really didn’t,” she insisted, shaking her head.

His expression turned even colder. Without another word, he waved toward the door. Two bodyguards stepped inside.

“Are you going to apologize yourself,” he asked, “or should they help you?”

Lisa’s heart stopped. She met his eyes, searching for even a trace of the man she once loved. There was none.

He turned slightly. “Help her,” he said flatly.

Cold terror ran through her. She had lost.

The bodyguards dragged her out of bed and forced her to bow her head. Her voice was hoarse and shaking. “I’m sorry.”

When it was over, she bit down on her lip until she tasted blood.

Nick looked at Susie, his tone suddenly soft again. “Will you accept her apology?”

Susie nodded but lifted her chin, her expression firm. “Mr. Horden, thank you for everything, but this is over. My parents would never let me be someone’s mistress, and I won’t let them suffer because of me.”

Nick’s lips curved faintly. “That’s easy to fix. Then you won’t be the mistress.”

He pulled her closer into his arms, took out his phone, and called his lawyer. “Draw up the divorce papers. Give Lisa one hundred million.”

Lisa stared at him in disbelief, her heart feeling like it was being torn apart piece by piece. The man who had once risked his life just to marry her was now divorcing her for his mistress.

Nick tilted Susie’s chin up possessively. “Once the divorce is finalized, you’ll be my only girlfriend.”

Susie wrapped her arms around him, her voice sweet and steady. “Then I’ll give you one chance. If you ever betray me, I’ll walk away without hesitation.”

As she said it, she glanced at Lisa from over Nick’s shoulder, a smug smirk flickering across her face.

Nick smiled softly, his eyes full of affection for the woman in his arms. Hand in hand, they left the room together, leaving Lisa sitting alone on the floor.

She watched them go and let out a quiet laugh. It started small, then grew until tears blurred her vision. She was laughing and crying all at once, the sound hollow and painful.

Not long after, Nick’s lawyer arrived with a folder in hand. “Mrs. Horden,” he said politely, “Mr. Horden asked me to have you sign the divorce papers. He also wanted me to tell you that this isn’t real. He says once he’s had enough fun, he’ll come back. You two will remarry and start over.”

He placed a black card and an envelope on the table. “There’s a hundred million in this account. Your wedding anniversary is in two weeks. Mr. Horden hopes you’ll take a short trip after that, give him some private space. But don’t worry, he said he’ll remarry you once you return.”

Lisa stared blankly at the papers. Did Nick really think she couldn’t live without him?

He was wrong. She once couldn’t leave because she loved him.

But now, she no longer wanted to.

Without a moment of hesitation, Lisa signed the divorce papers. Then she took the card and the plane ticket, ready to walk away for good.

Over the next few days, Nick paraded Susie through every high-profile event in the city.

She refused designer gowns and diamond jewelry, choosing instead to wear simple dresses in soft neutral tones. Her long black hair was always either straight or tied up in a clean ponytail, and she never wore makeup. In a world obsessed with glamour, she became the picture of effortless purity.

Nick adored her publicly, calling her unique and irreplaceable. Soon, socialites and heiresses began copying her understated style, and designers started creating new collections inspired by her image.

To treat Susie’s weak eyesight, Nick spent tens of millions flying in the best specialists from around the world. The doctors couldn’t reverse her condition, but they found ways to keep it from worsening.

When they told him there was no cure, Nick lost his temper so badly he nearly injured his own eyes, claiming he wanted to “share her pain.”

Meanwhile, Lisa lay alone in her hospital bed, scrolling through her phone as endless headlines flashed across the screen. Photos of Nick and Susie smiling together, interviews filled with affection and praise. Each one felt like another cut to her chest.

She realized then that Nick’s love wasn’t unique. Everything he had once done for her, he could just as easily do for someone else.

Later that afternoon, Lisa went to visit her younger brother, who had been in a coma for three years. He had been hit by a car on his way to school. Nick had flown in a world-class medical team back then, saving the boy’s life, but only barely.

Her brother never woke up. Machines and medicine were the only things keeping him alive.

Lisa sat beside him and held his hand, tears stinging her eyes. “Carl,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “I’m leaving soon. But before I go, I’ll take you somewhere new.”

She paused, looking at his peaceful face. “I used to think Nick was my happiness, but I was wrong.”

The words poured out of her in a rush. The pain, the betrayal, the exhaustion she had been carrying for years. She stayed like that until well past lunchtime, speaking to him as if he could still hear her.

When she finally stood up, she wiped her tears, gave him one last lingering look, and quietly walked out of the hospital.

Lisa’s first stop was the records office, where she filed paperwork to change her and her brother’s name and start the process of moving abroad. She paid for expedited processing that would be completed within a week.

Next, she went to the private villa Nick had given her — the one he used to call her sanctuary. She gathered every luxury gift he had ever showered her with, contacted an auction house, and arranged to sell them. Then she visited a small law firm to transfer the property back to Nick’s name.

Finally, she returned to their old home. In the stillness of the house, she pulled out the things she had once made for him by hand. They were simple, sentimental gifts — nothing valuable — but Nick had once treasured them as if they were priceless.

Now she tossed them into the fire one by one. The flames rose higher, and in the shifting glow, flashes of their past came back — his laughter, her smile, the way they had once believed their love could survive anything.

But happiness, she realized, was as fragile as glass. When the fire finally burned out, so did everything they had been.

At some point, tears blurred her vision. She wiped them away, turned around, and froze.

Nick stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. Susie stood beside him, cool and composed.

“What are you burning?” Nick asked.

Lisa hesitated, then answered quietly, “Just some things I don’t need anymore.”

Nick nodded casually. “Find the emerald bracelet I gave you. Give it to Susie.”

Even though she had told herself she no longer cared, her heart twisted. That bracelet had been a family heirloom, traditionally reserved for the first daughter-in-law. And now he was giving it to another woman.

Her fingers trembled slightly, but she managed a calm nod. “Alright. I’ll get it.”

They were divorced now. The bracelet no longer belonged to her.

Susie followed Lisa upstairs. As she looked around at the rows of designer dresses and glittering jewelry, envy flashed in her eyes before she quickly hid it behind a neutral smile.

Lisa retrieved a polished wooden jewelry box and handed it to her, unaware of the cold glint in Susie’s gaze.

“Lisa,” Susie said with a sneer, “you’re divorced. Why are you still here? Don’t you have any self-respect?”

Lisa glanced at her calmly. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be gone soon.”

“I don’t need your pity,” Susie snapped. “You didn’t give me anything — I earned this myself. No one will stand in my way.”

Her voice hardened, her polite façade slipping away.

She pulled out the bracelet, threw it to the floor, and shoved Lisa hard.

“Ah—”

Lisa screamed as she tumbled down the stairs, her head hitting the steps. Blood streamed down her face.

Susie quickly sat down, grabbed a shard of the broken gem, and slashed her own leg. “Mr. Horden! Help! Lisa’s hurt!”

The crash brought Nick running. He took one look at the scene — the blood, the shattered jewelry — and his expression darkened. But instead of rushing to Lisa, he walked straight past her and lifted Susie into his arms.

His gaze landed on the blood running down Susie’s leg. “She did this to you?”

Susie nodded without hesitation, her voice calm. “I know I didn’t deserve the bracelet,” she said softly. “She’d rather destroy it than give it to me. I just didn’t expect her to throw herself down the stairs to frame me.”

Nick glanced briefly at Lisa, then told the staff to tend to Susie’s wound. “I’ll get you bandaged first. I’ll deal with her later.”

Moments later, he ordered the guards to drag Lisa to the living room.

“Baby,” Nick said coldly, looking down at her, “why do you keep disobeying me? I told you not to touch her.”

Lisa forced herself upright, meeting his gaze through the blur of blood. “She pushed me,” she said, her voice shaking.

Nick let out a cold laugh. “Still lying? If you won’t admit your mistake, you’ll be punished the hard way.”

“Nick, please—check the security cameras,” she pleaded, panic rising.

“There’s no need,” he said flatly. “Susie wouldn’t lie to me. You’ve been too jealous lately. It’s tiresome.”

He waved his hand, and the butler appeared, holding a leather whip.

Lisa trembled. His favoritism had turned into cruelty she could no longer comprehend.

The first strike ripped through her skin, and blood soaked her back. She bit her lip to keep from screaming as tears streamed down her face.

Under Nick’s cold stare, she stopped begging. She simply closed her eyes and took the pain in silence.

She remembered the man he used to be — the one who had endured brutal beatings from his own family just to marry her. Three hundred lashes, three sleepless nights, yet he never gave up. Even when unconscious, he had whispered her name, promising that she was the only one he would ever love.

He had once said she meant more to him than his own life, that he would never let her suffer, that the world would know she was his wife.

And now, that same man was standing over her, punishing her for something she hadn’t done — all because of another woman.

Nick Horden, she thought bitterly through the pain, was this really just a game to you?

When Lisa woke up, a full day had passed. The wounds on her back had been treated, and the pain had mostly faded.

Nick sat beside her, lazily smoking a cigarette. Through the haze of smoke, his cold voice broke the silence. “Susie’s upset. You need to make it up to her.”

Lisa stared at him, her face blank. “What exactly do you mean, Mr. Horden?”

The title made his expression darken. He crushed out his cigarette, then brushed her lips with his ash-stained fingers.

“Don’t be like that, baby. Don’t stay mad at me.” His eyes glinted with something dangerous.

Lisa’s heart gave a sharp jolt. For a moment, she remembered what Nick’s grandfather had once told her.

‘Nick only loves people who obey. If you insist on staying by his side, be prepared to act like an obedient pet for the rest of your life.’

Back then, she hadn’t understood. She’d thought his grandfather was only trying to drive them apart.

Now she finally knew what he meant. Nick’s love was obsessive, controlling, and selfish. He was the one in power, and she existed only as his reflection.

She lowered her gaze, hiding the fear in her eyes, and nodded obediently. “I understand.”

“Good girl,” Nick said, satisfied. “Prepare a solo piece. Susie wants to hear you play the violin tonight.”

He stroked her hair like she was a child, then carefully applied ointment to her back himself. His touch was cold, almost clinical, and made her skin crawl.

That night, Lisa put on a long-sleeved champagne-colored gown covered in crystals and diamond jewelry. The chauffeur drove her to the hotel where the banquet was being held.

The event took place at one of the Horden Group’s most prestigious hotels. Nearly everyone from New York’s high society was there.

Most of the women wore simple pastel dresses and light, natural makeup. In contrast, Lisa’s glamorous outfit made her stand out, and not in a good way.

As soon as she walked in, whispers spread across the room.

Disdainful.

Pitying.

Mocking.

“Trying to steal the spotlight? Once a homeless, always a homeless. She looks ridiculous.”

“She’s just desperate for attention now that Nick’s done with her.”

“She’s not half the woman Susie is. What a joke.”

Each word hit her like a blade.

She remembered another banquet years ago when someone had insulted her for being a former homeless, and Nick had responded by having the man’s mouth sewn shut. He had warned everyone that anyone who dared speak against her would disappear from the city overnight.

Now, with Nick no longer protecting her, those same people spoke freely, sneering without restraint.

The gossip finally stopped when Nick and Susie arrived.

Lisa followed the crowd’s gaze. Susie was dressed in a pale satin slip dress, her long hair tied high in a ponytail. She carried herself with confidence, her chin slightly lifted.

In that moment, Lisa understood why Nick was drawn to her. Susie reminded him of who Lisa used to be, bright, carefree, and full of life.

When she had first married into the Horden family, she had been like that too, radiant and bold, never ashamed of her past.

But Nick had told her he didn’t like women who were too loud or too free-spirited. After they married, he had molded her into someone quiet, obedient, and restrained.

Now she realized, painfully, that he had only grown tired of the version of her he had created and fallen in love with the shadow of who she used to be.

Lisa’s expression dimmed, a quiet heaviness settling in her chest. The sight of everyone fawning over Susie made her stomach twist. Without another word, she turned to leave.

“Mr. Horden, didn’t you say you had something prepared for me?” Susie’s sharp, confident voice rang out behind her. Lisa froze mid-step.

Around them, the crowd exchanged uneasy glances, watching Nick’s face closely. No one ever dared to speak to him that way. Even when Lisa had been his favorite, she had always been careful, gentle, and obedient in his presence.

But now, Nick didn’t seem the least bit bothered. Instead, a faint smile tugged at his lips as he allowed Susie’s arrogance to go unchecked.

“Yes,” he said casually. Pulling Susie into his arm, he gestured for someone to approach. A waiter came forward, carrying a violin.

Lisa turned around as the instrument was placed in her hands. Under dozens of watching eyes, she gripped it tightly. Her gaze drifted through the crowd until it landed on Nick, and something inside her went cold.

She had once loved playing the violin and dreamed of joining an orchestra. But Nick had forbidden her from performing for anyone else, claiming her music belonged to him alone.

Now, as she looked at the man who had stolen her freedom and her heart, she gave a bitter smile. So his rules only lasted until Susie came along.

Lisa took a deep breath and began to play Adagio in G minor. The soft, aching melody filled the room, each note trembling with grief. It sounded like heartbreak given form.

The song was her farewell.

From that moment on, she decided she would never love Nick Horden again.

Nick frowned slightly as he watched her. The sadness surrounding her made something inside him twist with irritation and unease.

“Enough,” Susie said suddenly, her tone impatient. She stood up, cutting off the music. “This is too depressing. You’re the one who filed for divorce, not me. Stop acting like the victim.”

Her words were sharp and calculated, disguised as careless honesty.

Lisa met her eyes briefly but didn’t respond. She lowered her gaze in silence.

Susie’s smirk faltered. Her jab had landed on air, leaving her frustrated. She turned toward Nick, her voice trembling with feigned hurt.

“Mr. Horden, did you bring her here just to humiliate me?”

The room fell silent. Everyone was waiting, holding their breath. Nick Horden was not a man who tolerated disrespect especially not in public.