A faint, cold curve formed on Dennis's lips as he spoke. "There's not a single lawyer who would risk drafting a divorce agreement for you."

The meaning behind his words didn't need to be explained. No matter what she wanted, walking away from this marriage wouldn't be allowed.

With biting sarcasm, Jillian let out a quiet laugh. "Your influence really knows no limits. You can even hand someone else's patent to whoever you choose. Of course, I would believe you."

For a brief moment, irritation flickered across Dennis's face.

Without adding anything more, Jillian pivoted and left, refusing to look back even once.

Under the harsh cold of winter, she stepped outside dressed only in a formal gown with a thin shawl draped over her shoulders. The freezing air crept into her body, and a dull, pulsing pain slowly spread through her right knee.

Long ago in Cletolia, she endured a savage beating to shield him, and that moment changed her life forever. It left her leg permanently damaged, forcing surgeons to insert three steel pins just so she could stand and walk again.

At that time, he repeatedly swore that he would marry her and take care of her for the rest of her life. Now, none of those promises remained, and he looked at her like a stranger while giving all his attention to Melany.

In the end, she could only see him for what he truly was. A man without warmth and without a heart.

For now, grieving over her broken marriage could wait, because reclaiming her patent mattered far more. Without hesitation, she flagged down a cab and made her way straight to the Miller Group headquarters to secure the proof she needed.

Back when they had just married, Dennis personally placed her in the company's core research division.

At the heart of Quantum Glue was her late mother's unfinished work. Jillian made a promise to see it through, and she refused to let anyone else take ownership of it.

As soon as she stepped into the building, she went straight to the lab. Without wasting a second, she began transferring experimental records, research drafts, and raw data onto a flash drive. While the files were being copied, she took out her phone and started searching for a capable lawyer.

Out of nowhere, raised voices and hurried footsteps echoed from the lab entrance. Before Jillian could even make sense of the disturbance, Melany rushed inside.

Rolling in quickly, Melany fixed her gaze on the illuminated screen. The moment she recognized the data being transferred, a calculating look flickered in her eyes.

With a casual but pointed tone, she spoke. "Jillian, what exactly are you doing here? Are you trying to interfere with my award-winning project?"

Before Jillian had the chance to respond, Melany suddenly pushed herself forward and struck the computer's power button, forcing the system to shut down.

A surge of anger ran through Jillian, and her voice shook as she spoke. "Melany, have you completely lost your mind?"

With open disdain, Melany let out a dismissive scoff. "I'm only making sure no one resorts to cheap tricks to sabotage something I rightfully earned."

Closing the distance between them, she lowered her voice into a taunting whisper. "Did you honestly believe you could collect evidence against me? Dennis already gave me his word that he would protect me. Your patent, your position, even your future, are already in my hands. If you keep this up, you are only making a fool of yourself."

Rage surged through Jillian, breaking past everything she had tried to contain. "You took my work, and now you walk in here acting proud of it?" The moment she met Melany's smug expression, the last thread of her restraint snapped, and she lifted her hand to strike.

Before her hand could land, a strong grip seized her wrist and stopped her cold.

"What exactly do you think you are doing?" Dennis's face was livid, a dark rage swirling in the depths of his eyes.

At once, Melany pulled back as if frightened. "Dennis, please... I understand that she is upset about losing the award. If she needs to take it out on me, then just let her."

As she spoke, tears welled up and slipped down her face, making her appear every bit the innocent victim.

A cold edge settled over Dennis's features, and the way he looked at Jillian carried nothing but disdain. "Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already? Raising your hand against someone in a wheelchair—do you feel no shame at all?"

A sharp mix of bitterness and hurt surged through Jillian as she faced him. "Shame? There is nothing shameful about reclaiming what was stolen from me!"

Cutting her off, Dennis spoke with clear irritation. "That's enough. I have already made it clear that the issue with the patent is closed. Melany is preparing to apply for her doctorate, and I refuse to let anything interfere with that."

Color slowly drained from Jillian's face as his words sank in. She said, "For her sake, I already gave up my entire career. You know how much my mother's final wish means to me!"

Without the slightest flicker of emotion, Dennis delivered his next decision. "Starting today, you no longer have any access to this laboratory."

The weight of his words struck Jillian hard, leaving her reeling. Dennis was cutting off her only chance to gather proof and fight back.

As if it were an afterthought, Dennis reached into his suit and pulled out a small velvet box. With no care at all, he tossed it onto the floor. The lid sprang open, and a diamond necklace fell out onto the tiles.

With a detached look, Dennis spoke as he glanced down at her. "It's your birthday today. I bought that necklace as compensation for the patent and to keep you from causing trouble. Now it looks like I threw my money away for nothing."

A sharp, mocking smile appeared on Jillian's lips. So he remembered her birthday. He knew, and yet he still chose to hurt her this way.

After taking everything from her, he still believed he could fix it with a piece of jewelry, just like he always had.

"I have no interest in your fake compensation," Jillian said through clenched teeth.

Without hesitation, Dennis gave his verdict. "This is the result of your own actions. Now, apologize to Melany."

While Jillian stood there in anger and disarray, a faint trace of satisfaction flickered across Melany's face before it quickly disappeared. Keeping up her gentle act, she spoke gently. "Dennis, please calm down. There's no need to be so harsh on Jillian. I understand she feels wronged. Let us not make a big issue out of this. I'm truly fine without an apology."

Her attempt to defend Jillian only made Dennis look even more displeased. "What do you mean you are fine? She almost hit you! Jillian, apologize to her this instant."

As Jillian faced the two of them standing together, a chilling numbness spread through her veins. Taking a slow step forward, she pressed her heel down onto the necklace and crushed it beneath her foot, as though she were destroying every last piece of hope she once had for him.

"An apology isn't going to happen." Her tone remained eerily steady, and the warmth that once filled her eyes was nowhere to be found. "Dennis, we are ending this marriage. I will take back my patent, and I will reclaim everything you took from me, one piece at a time."

Bracing herself against the sharp pain shooting through her knee, she turned away and began to walk off.

From behind, Dennis watched her leave with clear dissatisfaction, but something in her movements caught his attention. As his eyes narrowed, a hint of confusion crossed his face. What was wrong with Jillian's leg?

Unwilling to remain at the Miller Group any longer, Jillian immediately handed in her resignation.

Afterward, she stopped to buy painkillers to dull the intense ache in her leg, and then she began visiting several law firms, one after another.

At each place, the response was the same. The moment they learned her case involved taking something back from Miller Group, their attitude changed, and she was turned away without hesitation. Even Apex Law Firm, the final office on her list, rejected her for that very reason.

With nothing left to try, she started packing her belongings, ready to leave in defeat, when someone suddenly called out behind her, "Miss, could you wait for a moment, please?"

Turning around, she recognized the receptionist who had assisted her earlier.

A hint of confusion crossed Jillian's face as she responded, "Did I take something that belongs to your firm by mistake?" Her hand instinctively moved toward her purse to check.

Quickly shaking her head, the receptionist dismissed the concern. "No, that's not it. One of our partners reviewed your file and became interested. He would like to speak with you again."

Hope flickered back to life within her, and Jillian followed the receptionist into a modern conference room. Once inside, she sat down and steadied herself, but the partner had not arrived yet.

After a short wait, the door opened, and a tall man entered, then took the seat across from her.

The moment his features came into view, the courteous smile on Jillian's face stiffened. Of all situations, running into an ex-boyfriend while looking for a lawyer felt almost absurd.

Seated across from her was Leland Wilson, the first man she had dated when she was eighteen.

Back then, she had been the one who chose to end things.

He struggled to accept the breakup, and the way they parted had been far from pleasant.

Even so, Jillian had long since viewed that relationship with clear-headed detachment, so seeing him again did not unsettle her as much as it could have.

After gathering her thoughts, she pushed forward and began laying out her situation without hesitation.

Throughout her explanation, Leland said nothing and simply kept his attention on the documents, flipping through them one page at a time.

When her voice finally fell silent, the room was left in a tense quiet.

Only then did Leland raise his eyes, and his question caught her off guard. "Your husband treats you like that, and you're still not planning to leave him?"

A slight crease formed between Jillian's brows as she answered, "I'm going to divorce him. But right now, getting my patent back matters more."

Fixing her with a sharp look, Leland spoke with blunt honesty. "So you left me, only to end up with someone like him? Your judgment is worse than I thought."

The instant Jillian realized who he was, she had known that sarcasm was coming her way. Instead of reacting, she stayed composed and answered evenly, "Men like you are no different from each other. I walked away from you once, and I can walk away from him, too. I made a mistake before, and now I'll make a different choice."

A shadow crossed Leland's face as her words sank in. Was she really putting him on the same level as the man she was trying to leave?

"Don't lump me together with him. I never betrayed you when we were together." With a tightening jaw, he spoke with restrained irritation.

Then, as something from the past resurfaced, his tone sharpened further. "When I tried to get you back, I told you Dennis and Melany were involved. You were the only one who refused to see it. You rushed in anyway without thinking."

A faint, bitter smile curved across Jillian's lips.

Looking back, she could only see how naive she had been. She convinced herself that Dennis and Melany were nothing more than harmless childhood companions. She tolerated his cold treatment again and again, hoping he would finally acknowledge her. She even held onto the belief that he would one day remember who had saved his life. In truth, expecting anything from him had only made her look foolish.

Dwelling on those memories held no appeal for her anymore. With a steady breath, Jillian straightened her back and adopted a composed, professional demeanor. "Now that you know everything about my situation, can we focus on the case?"

After studying her for a moment, Leland chose not to press further and shifted into a more formal tone. He began outlining the legal aspects of her situation and offered his advice.

As the discussion came to an end, Jillian made her way toward the door. Just before she could leave, Leland called out from behind her, "Aren't you the well-known Dr. Casey Hadley? Why not use that identity to take back your patent?"

For a brief moment, Jillian paused, caught between instinct and memory. Her grandmother had always insisted that she leave Casey's identity behind and live quietly as Jillian.

After considering it, she looked back at Leland and spoke with quiet confidence. "With you handling this, I do not think I need to rely on the name Dr. Hadley."

Taking a step closer, Leland studied her expression. "So you have that much faith in me?"

Without hesitation, she gave a sincere answer. "I do. You carry yourself like a true professional now. You have changed a lot."

Something unreadable flickered in Leland's gaze, but it disappeared just as quickly.

Out of nowhere, he asked a question that shifted the air between them. "Do you ever regret ending things with me?"

After a short pause to think, Jillian responded honestly, "I do."

For a split second, satisfaction formed on Leland's face, but it didn't last.

With calm bluntness, Jillian added, "I regret not ending it sooner. If I had, you might have become an exceptional lawyer much earlier."

The change in Leland's expression was immediate, and his face turned grim at once.

With visible irritation, he pulled out a contract and spoke in a clipped tone. "So your voice is back, and this is how you use it? Just to argue with me? Sign this. I'll be handling your case from now on."

Without a moment of hesitation, Jillian picked up the pen and wrote her name.

Once everything was settled, Leland insisted, in a stiff and formal manner, that he would drive her home as part of his responsibility.

Although she tried to decline at first, she eventually relented and got into his car.

By the time they reached Aurora Mansion, both of them stepped out.

As they stood outside, Leland caught the subtle tremor that ran through her.

Without asking, he removed his suit jacket and placed it over her shoulders with firm insistence. "You're already an adult. How is it that you still can't take proper care of yourself?"

Jillian reached to give it back, but Leland stopped her and adjusted it more securely around her. "Happy birthday."

Caught off guard, she paused before responding, clearly surprised that he remembered, "That's the first birthday greeting I have received today. Thank you."

Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Dennis stood near the floor-to-ceiling window on the first level, occupied with his work calls.

From where he stood, Dennis lifted his gaze and caught sight of an unfamiliar man escorting his wife home while placing a jacket over her shoulders.

Without a second thought, he ended the call and stepped outside, his expression already tightening with displeasure.

Just as Jillian was about to head inside, Leland noticed Dennis approaching from a distance.

With deliberate intent, Leland moved closer and rested a hand on Jillian's shoulder to stop her. Raising his voice on purpose, he added, "By the way, enjoy your upcoming single life."

Every word carried clearly across the space and reached Dennis without obstruction.

At once, a sharp gloom settled in his eyes.

Before Jillian could even react, Dennis had already closed the distance and reached her side.

Right in front of Leland, he seized the jacket from her shoulders and tossed it aside as if it meant nothing. Without warning, he lifted her over his shoulder and carried her back inside with ease.

Caught completely off guard, Jillian struggled against him the moment she realized it was Dennis, and in the chaos, her shoes slipped off.

Once Dennis finally set her down, Jillian didn't spare him a glance and immediately made her way toward the stairs.

With a swift motion, Dennis seized her and forced her back against the wall, his expression heavy with displeasure. "Telling another man that you're about to be single? Jillian, does our marriage mean nothing to you?"

A mocking laugh slipped from Jillian as she replied, "Then what was I supposed to feel when you were so close with Melany? And don't forget, I already said we are ending this marriage. So keep your distance."

Without hesitation, she shoved him away, and the lingering scent of another woman's perfume on him made her stomach turn.

After losing his balance for a brief second, Dennis regained his footing and moved toward her again with even greater force.

A chill settled in his eyes as he spoke. "You don't even have a divorce agreement. What exactly are you planning to use to leave me?"

"I don't need one," Jillian said with firm resolve.

The decision had already been made in her mind. If a mutual agreement was not possible, she would file for divorce and end it through legal means.

For a moment, Dennis fell silent as he tried to make sense of her words. Then realization dawned on him. "So you brought another man into this on purpose to provoke me, hoping I would agree to the divorce?"

The realization settled in his mind all at once.

All of this, just because of the patent, had driven her to push things this far.

Taking a slow step back, Dennis let a faint, mocking look cross his eyes. "Give up on that idea. Divorce is not going to happen."

Caught off guard, Jillian asked the question that had been weighing on her. "Why are you so determined to refuse it?"

Love clearly was not the reason. Then why was he holding on so tightly?

With a detached tone, Dennis gave a curt response. "That doesn't concern you."

Refusing to let it go, Jillian asked, "Is this about Melany? As long as I remain your wife in name, no one in the Miller family will question how you treat her, and no one will criticize her either. To everyone else, you appear devoted and loyal, taking care of a disabled childhood friend."

As her thoughts aligned, her conviction grew stronger. "You don't actually want this marriage. You just need someone to keep up appearances, do you not?"

Not a single word came from Dennis.

That quiet response spoke louder than any denial could have.

A chill spread across Jillian's face as her expression hardened. "Dennis, this is disgusting."

An unbearable ache tightened around her chest, dull yet suffocating, as if countless tiny needles were pressing into her.

With a strained voice, she forced out her question. "Do you really think any of this is fair to me?"

Remaining completely unreadable, Dennis leaned closer and brushed his fingers lightly against Jillian's cheek. "You were the one who insisted on becoming my wife. This is simply the reality you chose, so you'll have to accept it."