Zach hurried to call the family doctor, but I stopped him.

"Sometimes dizziness leads to nausea," I said. "Maybe it's because I skipped breakfast. It's nothing serious."

His tense expression softened slightly. Without another word, he lifted me gently back onto the bed and carefully tucked the blanket around me.

Watching him move with such tenderness, it was hard to reconcile this man with the cruel things I had overheard. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed he could be so skilled at pretending.

I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep. From the bathroom, I heard his low voice over the phone.

"Kayla, don't worry. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you at any cost."

When he emerged, he found me awake. For a fleeting moment, surprise flashed across his face before he recovered, offering me a smile.

"Something came up at the office," he said. "Get some rest. I need to head out."

I nodded, watching him leave. The moment the door shut behind him, I got out of bed, dressed quickly, and went straight to the hospital.

The waiting felt endless. I was terrified that I might be wrong—that all my suspicions were just paranoia. But I was even more afraid that the contraceptives he had been secretly giving me had harmed the child growing inside me.

When the results finally came, my hands trembled as I held the report. Tears spilled down my cheeks, unstoppable.

I was pregnant.

My fingers shook as I told the doctor about the contraceptives. His expression turned serious. "It's too early to determine the baby's health," he said, "but if you're already pregnant, it means this child is meant to be. Do your best to protect it."

That night, while Zach was in the shower, I opened his laptop.

The password didn't work at first. I tried several combinations before something occurred to me. I typed in Kayla's birthday.

The screen unlocked instantly.

A folder on the desktop was encrypted. I entered her birthday again. It opened without hesitation, revealing hundreds of photos—all of her.

Each image was a dagger to my heart. Kayla smiling. Kayla asleep on her desk. Even a blurred photo of her back. Every moment of her life seemed to be a treasure he had carefully collected and preserved.

Zach, Matt, and I grew up together. They were like knights by my side, always there, protecting me as I grew.

Then, when I was fifteen, Kayla transferred to our school and became my friend.

What once was the three of us walking together to and from school became four. But slowly, the pace began to change. Zach, Matt, and Kayla walked faster, leaving me behind. No matter how much I tried to catch up, the gap widened.

It wasn't that I couldn't keep up. It was that the knights I once knew had found someone else to love.

I picked up Zach's phone and checked the banking app. The passwords, unsurprisingly, were all linked to her birthday.

His transaction records were tangled and complicated, but two regular transfers stood out. One was a monthly payment of thirty thousand dollars—to Kayla. The other was a smaller sum, transferred without fail on the last day of each month. I noted down the account numbers and took photos of the transfers and the images on his computer.

Out of curiosity, I tried sending a small amount of money to the second account. A name popped up—a woman's name I didn't recognize.

I deleted our wedding photo from my phone's lock screen. That night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling until the first light of dawn crept through the curtains.

When morning came, I splashed cold water on my face in the bathroom. My phone alarm rang, and Zach, still half-asleep, reached over and turned it off.

"Victoria," he asked casually, "why did you change your wallpaper?"

I glanced at him, my expression unreadable. "You always said happiness doesn't need to be displayed. Since you never take photos with me, I figured there was no point in keeping it as my wallpaper."

He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously. "Love is something you carry in your heart. As long as we know, that's what matters."

A cold smile curled my lips. "But if you never say it, how can anyone be sure who you love?"

My words seemed to catch him off guard. He tilted his head, watching me closely.

"Honey, you're talking strangely today," he said.

I laughed softly. "It's nothing. You should get going. Don't you have an important meeting today?"

Still puzzled, he brushed it off and moved toward the door. As always, he laid out breakfast for me, then kissed my forehead before leaving.

"Call me if you miss me," he said with a smile.

I nodded, watching him walk away. I didn't bother tearing off the mask of his hypocrisy—not yet.

I reached out to my lawyer friend, Lily Parker and asked her to print two copies of the divorce agreement.

Lily hesitated for a moment, as if weighing her words.

"Victoria, about your mother's death… Something just doesn't sit right with me."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It all went too smoothly, didn't it? I had already planned how to fight the case if the culprit refused to confess." She paused, her brows knitting together. "But then he suddenly turned himself in. Sure, there was evidence, but it still feels too convenient—like something's off."

My heart clenched. A vague suspicion stirred within me, as if scattered fragments were beginning to form a clear line.

"Lily, can you help me trace an account?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I can't do that, but I know a private investigator who might be able to help."

Something unseen pulled me forward—a feeling that the truth was close, just out of reach, waiting to be exposed.

With the divorce papers in hand, I went to Zach's company.

The moment I stepped inside, I caught fragments of conversation drifting from the employees gathered near the entrance.

"Is she one of Mr. Hayden's friends? I heard she just returned from abroad. Honestly, I think she suits him better."

"I agree. She's so elegant—way more refined than his wife."

"Did you see her handbag? It's covered in diamonds. I can't even imagine how expensive it must be."

On the top floor, I stood outside his office. Through the door, I recognized his voice immediately.

"Kayla, it's been a month since I last saw you. I keep wanting to find an excuse to visit, but…"

"I know," Kayla answered. "I've been busy preparing for pregnancy. Matt doesn't like me going out alone."

"Is that so?" His voice faltered, laced with disappointment. He forced a chuckle. "You're going to be a mother—congratulations."

"Thank you," she said, her voice carrying a hint of laughter. "And about what happened three years ago… I couldn't have gotten through it without you."

"That's all in the past. As long as you're happy now, nothing else matters. I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone," he said

Kayla laughed softly, the sound curling at the edges. "You always said you'd be my knight, protecting me forever. I'm truly touched. Though, if Victoria knew, she probably wouldn't be too happy about it."

Even in casual conversation, she always managed to paint herself as the victim—as if she had endured unimaginable hardship while casting me as the villain.

But beneath her words, I caught something—three years ago.

Three years ago, my mother died in a hit-and-run. Shortly after, Kayla left for an overseas program. And then Zach proposed to me.

That was when everything began to fall apart.

My thoughts raced, pieces falling into place, yet I kept my composure as I pushed the door open.

Zach looked up, startled to see me. "Victoria? What are you doing here? You should be resting at home."

I smiled faintly, my gaze drifting to Kayla. "Just checking if my husband's office has anyone—or anything—that shouldn't be here."

Kayla flinched slightly, about to speak, but I turned away before she could.

"I called because I missed you," I said, keeping my tone light. "But you didn't answer."

Flustered, Zach grabbed his phone. Two missed calls from me flashed on the screen. I noticed how the ringer was still set to silent—he must have muted it while entertaining Kayla.

"Victoria, I didn't mean to ignore you," he said hurriedly. "I—"

"Wow, you keep such a close eye on Zach," Kayla cut in, her voice dripping with faux innocence. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "A man needs a little freedom, don't you think?"

"Thanks for the advice," I replied coolly. "But some men—no matter how closely you watch them—you'll never know what they're really thinking."

Zach grew more anxious. He rushed toward me, grasping my hand tightly. "I'm not like that," he insisted. "We're all friends—me, you, and Kayla…"

I smiled faintly, watching his panic with detached amusement. He wasn't worried about my feelings—he was worried about how I might retaliate against Kayla.

"I didn't say anything, did I? No need to be so nervous," I said.

Zach's tense expression softened slightly. As if eager to change the subject, he said, "It's Kayla's birthday tomorrow. She invited us to her party."

I told him I would be there.

Relief washed over his face. He seemed almost cheerful as he walked me to the door.

When I got home, I took the wedding photo down from the wall. With a pair of scissors, I cut it into tiny pieces. The framed picture on the table, the diamond ring he had given me when he proposed—I flushed them all down the toilet without hesitation.

That night, Zach didn't come home.

At 11 p.m., Kayla posted a selfie on her social media. In the background was a man's hand—bare of any wedding ring—but I recognized the watch on his wrist. It was the one I had given Zach.

The next morning, she posted again. This time, it was a photo of a custom CHANEL dress, dazzling with diamonds. Her caption read: [Will you really give me whatever I want?]

I suppose it made sense. In three years of marriage, I had never asked Zach for anything. Of course, he would happily spend his money on the woman he truly loved.

But none of that mattered anymore. I had a child now—and for the sake of my child, I would fight for everything I deserved when this marriage ended.

By the time I arrived at the party, the celebration was already in full swing.

Matt was announcing to the crowd that Kayla would soon be launching her own fashion brand—funded, of course, by the Hayden Corporation.

The guests gazed at her with admiration, murmuring about how lucky she was to have two childhood friends who adored her.

When I entered the room, the atmosphere shifted. Their admiration turned to mockery.

After all, I was the wife whose husband was willing to invest millions in another woman while I was left to play the part of a housewife.

I walked straight to Zach. My voice was calm but cold. "When were you planning to tell me about this investment in Kayla's brand?"

His face stiffened.

"This money is part of our joint marital assets," I continued. "Or did you think you could make decisions without consulting me?"

"Honey—" He hesitated, the word sticking uncomfortably on his tongue. "It's just a preliminary plan. Nothing's been decided yet, which is why I didn't mention it."

I let out a soft, humorless laugh. "I don't care if it's just a plan. I'm telling you now—I don't agree to it."

His expression darkened. "Victoria, don't throw a childish tantrum here. Whether or not this investment goes through is my decision. Your opinion doesn't matter."

"Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow, my voice steady. "Everything you own after our marriage is half mine. Or do I not even have the right to ask how our money is being spent?"

Before he could respond, Matt stepped in, his polished smile never faltering. With a light push, he guided me toward the stage, as if diffusing a minor domestic squabble.

"Victoria, when did you become so petty? It's Kayla's birthday today. Don't you think you should wish her a happy birthday instead of making a scene?"

I glanced down at Zach. His face was still clouded with irritation, but his eyes—his attention—remained fixed on Kayla.

A sharp pain twisted in my heart. Rage. Resentment. Humiliation. All of it burned inside me, threatening to swallow me whole.

I took the microphone in my hand.

"Zach," I said, my voice ringing out across the room, "I want a divorce."