Mockery, ridicule, and outright contempt.

Hailey ignored it all. Her gaze drifted past Allison and settled on Enzo, who leaned back, cigarette in hand, exhaling smoke as if none of this concerned him. His voice was calm, indifferent.

“Don’t worry, you’re still my legitimate wife. You know how my mother is; once she sets her mind on something, there’s no escaping it.”

“It’s all just for show. Don’t overthink it.”

Hailey’s fingers curled into her palm, her nails pressing into her skin. She lifted her chin, her voice steady.

“If Auntie wants this marriage to be nothing more than an act, then so be it.”

From the beginning, she had been unwanted. Enzo’s mother had made her disdain clear, treating her presence like an eyesore.

Back in the bedroom, Hailey lay awake, staring at the dim glow of her phone screen. The chat with Enzo remained open.

She had been the one who called him home tonight for his birthday.

Before that, their conversations had been nothing but half-hearted excuses. He was always “busy.” She had once been thrilled when Enzo agreed to marry her, foolishly believing she had a place in his life.

But outside this house, he was already surrounded by admirers.

She took a breath, then dialed.

The moment the call connected, an arrogant voice greeted her from the other end.

Hailey didn’t hesitate. Her voice was clear, unwavering.

“Didn’t you say you’d give me fifty million? Transfer the money. I’ll be gone by morning.”

She once believed love could conquer all. But now, she had given up.

Kaia Rainford, Enzo’s mother, set down her coffee cup with a satisfied smile, her tone unhurried. “I knew you’d be reasonable. Fifty million, leave my son.”

“Fine. Give me half a month. I’ll return to Belmond.”

Perhaps sensing her sincerity, Kaia transferred ten million on the spot, her laughter laced with amusement. “Once you’re gone, I’ll send the rest.”

“Alright.”

After ending the call, Hailey wasted no time. She began handing over her cases at the law firm, tying up every loose end. By the time everything was settled, the sun had already dipped low in the sky.

As she stepped into the house, voices from the living room stopped her in her tracks.

“Enzo, when are you going to give me a proper status? Didn’t you say you liked her? Why did you marry me?”

“She proposed to you ninety-nine times; how could you be so cruel?”

Enzo’s voice was as deep and lazy as ever, carrying a careless amusement. “Cruel? Not at all. I liked her from the start, and she liked me too. It was just a little game between lovers, making her propose ninety-nine times. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”

Hailey’s body trembled violently.

So Enzo had liked her all along.

Yet he had stood by and watched as she humiliated herself over and over again.

“Are you talking about Hailey? Isn’t she just Enzo’s pathetic little shadow?”

“What kind of woman clings like that? Even after he’s married, I bet she’d offer to care for his wife during postpartum recovery!”

“Exactly! How much lower can she sink?”

The sneers, the scornful stares, and the merciless ridicule from the past came rushing back, sharp, piercing, relentless. The taunting laughter echoed in her mind.

So many had mocked Hailey like she was nothing more than a joke.

Yet she had been foolish enough to believe she could thaw the iceberg that was Enzo.

But he had never been cold. He had simply never cared.

Her knees nearly buckled.

Inside, the laughter continued, lighthearted and teasing, interwoven with the sweet, flirtatious tone of another woman.

She had prepared herself for this moment. She had braced her heart.

With quiet determination, she pushed the door open, only to be greeted by a sickly sweet voice.

“Hailey, Enzo, and I are going on our honeymoon. Want to come along?”

Enzo’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her with detached amusement.

“Why do you always make a fuss over such trivial things? Like a little girl throwing a tantrum. Fine, we’ll bring you back something nice from our honeymoon. Don’t sulk, alright?”

Enzo was a master of deception, weaving lies as easily as breathing, luring her in with honeyed words.

Hailey shook her head. “You two go ahead. I have work to do.”

Enzo ruffled her hair lightly, his voice dripping with practiced affection. “I’m innocent, you know. My mom’s the one insisting I go on this honeymoon. Be good, okay?”

She gave a small nod and turned toward the bedroom, only to be jolted by the sudden, feral barking of an Alaskan Malamute.

The dog lunged, eyes burning with hostility, its bared fangs flashing as it sank its teeth into her neck!

“Hailey!”

“What the hell? How can you just let it bite someone? That’s disgusting!”

At the sharp call of its owner, the Malamute immediately released her and padded over to Allison’s side, its gaze still fixed on Hailey with unhidden malice.

A sharp sting seared through her skin. Blood trickled from the fresh scratches on her neck.

She had always been terrified of dogs, yet Enzo had let Allison bring one into the house.

And when she turned to him, hoping for even the slightest trace of concern, all she found was a flicker of reproach directed at her.

His gaze barely lingered on her before shifting to the dog. “Hailey, listen to Allison . Go get a rabies shot yourself. I’ll take Hailey to the pet hospital.”

That “Hailey,” was he talking about her or the dog?

Hailey went alone to get her rabies shot.

Meanwhile, her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.

[The weather is lovely today. After all the twists and turns, we’re finally back together.]

She glanced at the screen. A photo of Enzo and Allison on a cruise glowed mockingly in the dim light.

Under the golden hues, love bites trailed down Enzo’s neck and collarbone, bold, shameless.

Below the post, his comment sat like a knife to the heart: [As long as you’re happy.]

Enzo didn’t bother hiding his relationship with Allison. He never had.

Hailey said nothing, but an inexplicable urge rose within her to call Maddox.

The call barely rang before a lazy chuckle came from the other end, followed by the sound of ice clinking in a glass.

"Babe, what now? You can’t be this clingy. I’m busy."

Ignoring his teasing, she spoke softly. "I want to go home."

Maddox stilled. The light clink of his glass being set down echoed through the line. Then, with a wave of his hand, he dismissed the people around him.

A scoff followed. "Someone bullied you again? Didn’t I tell you if someone pushes you, push back? Do I really need to teach you that?"

His tone carried a trace of reprimand. "Letting yourself get trampled on like this? Stay put. I’m coming to get you."

"Okay."

Maddox was Hailey’s stepbrother, always playful and never one to take things too seriously. But the faint tremor in her voice made his chest tighten for a split second.

Not long after, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Jasmine, her voice practically glowing with excitement over the thumping bar music.

"Babe, get out of there already! Why are you still wasting your time on that deadbeat husband?"

The contempt in Jasmine’s tone was unmistakable.

Hailey needed an escape, something to drown out the mess inside her head, so she agreed to meet up for drinks.

When Jasmine spotted her downing bottle after bottle, she let out a low whistle.

"Whoa, sis, what’s with you tonight? Did that sorry excuse for a husband finally decide to ignore you?"

Hailey slumped against the sofa, her eyes glazed with unshed tears, her voice hoarse.

"We’re getting divorced. And the marriage certificate he gave me? Fake. Turns out he already registered a real one with someone else."

Jasmine stilled, her expression darkening before she suddenly exploded.

"Holy shit! If that’s true, I swear I’ll kill him! Who the hell does he think he is? You liking him was his greatest privilege, and now he pulls this? Screw him!"

"Don’t be mad. Just dump him already. I’ll find you someone a hundred times better."

Having Jasmine beside her was already a comfort.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but Hailey simply waved a hand, her voice a little too carefree. "It’s fine. I’m heading back to Belmond anyway. You know my brother, Maddox? He’s so handsome. So, so handsome, way better than him."

Jasmine scoffed, shaking her head.

But when Hailey muttered that she wanted to break up, Jasmine stilled, disbelief flashing across her face.

She had chased Enzo for three years. Back then, she only had eyes for him; her whole world revolved around him. Letting go now… how could that not hurt?

By the time they stumbled out of the bar, the city was already cloaked in midnight haze.

Jasmine got called away, leaving Hailey alone. She took a few unsteady steps, about to hail a taxi, when she suddenly froze.

A familiar figure stood at the street corner.

Allison.

A group of thugs surrounded her, their sneers cutting through the night. She was crying, her red-rimmed eyes gleaming under the dim streetlight.

The moment she spotted Hailey, she looked as if she had grabbed onto her last shred of hope.

"Help me! Please, save me!"

The thugs only laughed, reaching for her clothes.

Just as Hailey turned her head, a voice sliced through the night, cold, furious, laced with unrelenting rage.

"Get lost! All of you, get the hell out of here!"

With a single, brutal kick, the man sent several thugs sprawling to the ground. Then, his entire demeanor shifted. He turned to Allison, his touch achingly gentle as he whispered, "Don’t be scared. I’m here."

Something twisted deep in Hailey’s chest. A weight settled there, heavy and suffocating.

Without another glance, she climbed into a taxi.

Yet, just before the door shut, she caught his gaze, sharp, filled with blame and resentment.

She forced herself to ignore it. It had nothing to do with her.

Just then, a chat window, silent for half a year, suddenly flickered to life.

"I won’t be coming home tonight. She’s not feeling well. Don’t scare her."

"Tomorrow, bring me a birthday cake."

That night, the house was unbearably quiet. So quiet that even the walls seemed to echo with loneliness.

Hailey started packing.

One by one, she burned the love letters she had written, each carrying his name. Meaningless. Every single one of them.

The red scarf she had once knitted for him was thrown into the flames, unraveling into nothingness.

The origami stars she had folded, each one hiding whispers of love, reduced to nothing but ashes.

The diary where she had carefully recorded every moment of his proposal, crumbling, turning to dust.

It was as if she were erasing three years of devotion, one burned memory at a time.

By morning, Hailey had made a cake and prepared to take it to the hospital.

In less than a week, she would be gone. A simple cake, just a final act before she left for good.

But when she arrived at the hospital, an unexpected sound froze her steps.

Soft, intimate. The unmistakable sound of a kiss.

For a brief moment, she hesitated at the door before knocking.

As soon as she stepped inside, she watched as Enzo took the cake from her hands, only to feed it straight to the Alaskan Malamute beside him. A slow, indulgent smile tugged at his lips.

"Didn’t you love eating cake the most? Go on, enjoy."

Hailey barely reacted. She only lifted her head, only to be met with a sharp accusation.

"Was it you? Did you bribe those thugs to hurt Allison on purpose?"

The words were so absurd, so ridiculous, that for a moment, she could only stare.

Did he really think she was that cruel? That she would sink so low just to harm another woman?

Did evidence mean nothing to him at all?

She sat down in silence.

And in that instant, Allison clung to Enzo, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she pouted up at him. "Enzo, it hurts."