The softness in Claire’s eyes vanished, replaced only with disdain.

“Apologize? To him?”

“Do you really think he deserves it?”

I kept my face stern, but inside, my heart shattered.

Her voice turned colder, cutting like ice.

“If you don’t apologize today, then we’re not getting married!”

Gasps echoed across the office. Heads peeked out from behind cubicles, watching the chaos unfold.

It wasn’t the first time Claire had said something like this.

And every time, it was because of Ethan.

And every time, I gave in.

I had been with Claire for ten years. She was the one I’d chosen since childhood.

I had even dreamed of marrying her.

But dreams break. And now it was time for me to wake up.

“Fine,” I said.

“Then forget it.”

Her hand dropped, shock flashing briefly across her dark eyes.

Before she could say more, I turned and walked away.

“Ms. Bennett, maybe you should go after him, calm him down. I’ll be fine…”

“There’s nothing to worry about. He’ll regret it within three days,” Claire replied with indifference.

Her voice faded behind me, but I clenched my fists tighter.

This time, I wouldn’t regret it.

This time, I was already preparing to replace her.

Marriage? With her or without her—it didn’t matter.

That night, Ethan’s social feed blew up.

[ Who else lands such an amazing boss right after grad school? ]

The post was accompanied by three pictures:

Dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant,

The latest smartphone,

And a bank transfer of $200,000.

The last photo showed Claire herself, slicing steak and placing it gently onto Ethan’s plate.

I stared at them over and over, my chest hollow.

Ten years together, and Claire had never bought me a gift.

Not once had she transferred me even a dollar.

“Women should only enjoy a man’s love. Why would I ever surprise you?” she used to say.

She always believed women shouldn’t spend on men.

But for Ethan, her generosity knew no bounds.

Dinner dates? She’d sit and wait for me to do everything.

Photos? She refused every single time.

But Ethan—he got it all.

Without even trying.

My eyes burned, but I held it in.

Then—ding dong.

I opened the door. A delivery man stood outside.

“Good evening, I’m here to deliver the wedding photos.”

“I didn’t take any wedding photos.”

“Impossible. This is Claire Bennett’s residence, right?”

I nodded, and he unloaded a stack of large packages.

When he left, I opened one box, my hands trembling.

Inside were wedding photos—Claire and Ethan.

Set after set, outfit after outfit, scene after scene.

Claire beamed in every shot, her smile like a knife to my chest.

I looked up, only to see Claire at the door, holding up Ethan, drunk and leaning against her.

“Give me a hand, will you? He’s drunk.”

She ordered me around as if nothing had happened at work.

I stood still, pointing instead to the pile of boxes.

“I’ll give you five minutes. Clear all this trash out.”

“Including him.”

I gestured at Ethan, his face flushed with alcohol, clinging to Claire.

“No need to be so harsh,” she scolded.

“These photos were for Ethan’s mother. She wanted to see him married before she passed.”

“It was just to comfort her, nothing more. Why do you have to care so much?”

Ethan’s eyes turned red as he nodded.

“I only wanted my mom to leave this world happy.”

“I put my address down, but somehow it got sent to Ms. Bennett’s place.”

“Don’t be mad at her. This isn’t her fault…”

A grown man, speaking like a wounded child—making me look like the unreasonable one.

“You’ve got a master’s degree and you can’t even write down your own address correctly?”

“What’s in your head, air?”

“Fine. Since neither of you can throw this out, I will.”

I turned, grabbed scissors, and shredded the wedding posters and albums.

Frames smashed, glass cracked, paper torn to bits.

“No!”

“Adrian, I can take those with me!”

Ethan lunged barehanded, and the scissors sliced across his skin.

His sharp cry sobered Claire instantly. She shoved me hard, and I stumbled back, glass shards digging into my palm.

“Adrian Walker, what is wrong with you?”

“Smashing things, hurting people—can you not act like a man for once?”

“Ethan just lost his mother! You lost yours too! Can’t you show him some compassion?”

Her words cut deeper than glass.

My mother’s death was my greatest regret.

Back then, Claire and I were studying overseas. Restrictions kept me from flying home.

I said goodbye to my mom through a screen.

Even now, I wake at night, haunted by the ache of missing her.

And Claire knew this.

Yet she used it against me—just to defend Ethan.

Without a backward glance, she wrapped an arm around him and left.

I stared at the blood seeping from my palm, bitterness rising until it filled my chest.

“Mom, the woman you chose turned out rotten.”

“I don’t want her anymore.”

The silent living room gave me no reply.

My mother had always adored Claire.

She and Claire’s mother, Margaret Bennett, had been best friends. They arranged our engagement when we were children.

So when the Bennett family was choosing an heir, my father staked everything to support Claire in winning the role.

At just twenty, Claire stood on my family’s shoulders and secured a billion-dollar investment.

When my mother passed, Claire knelt before the video camera and swore, word by word:

“Auntie, don’t worry. I’ll make Adrian happy for the rest of his life.”

Later, when we graduated and returned from the United States, the wedding was set in motion.

But at the start of this year, Ethan began his internship at the Bennett Group.

And the story derailed—like a train switching tracks.

As her assistant, Ethan often called Claire late at night, sending messages at all hours.

Once, even while she and I were in bed, she shoved me aside to answer his call.

I grew suspicious, searched her phone, but found nothing.

The first time I met Ethan was in Claire’s passenger seat.

That was supposed to be our marriage license day.

Before we even entered the City Hall Marriage Bureau, one call from Ethan had her driving away.

I waited outside until the office closed.

Later she returned, and Ethan, seeing me, quickly slipped into the back seat.

“If it weren’t for Ms. Bennett today, my mother wouldn’t even have been admitted to the hospital.”

“Adrian, I’m so sorry—I didn’t know today was the day you were getting your marriage license.”

“I’ll handle the appointment next time!”

I’d heard about how Ethan Miller had been caring for his terminally ill mother all on his own. My sympathy got the better of me, and along with it, my suspicions about him and Claire Bennett faded for a while.

But after he messed up the appointment over and over again, I had no choice but to take another hard look at their relationship.

Claire’s defense of him became more public, more shameless. She even humiliated me in front of others just to shield him.

That’s when I realized—day by day, through endless pity, she had given Ethan not only her sympathy, but her love.

After getting my hand bandaged at the hospital, I returned home. The smell of meat filled the air the moment I opened the door.

Claire was in the kitchen. She froze when she saw me, a steaming bowl of porridge in her hands.

“Take this in to him. Say you’re sorry, and we’ll put this whole thing behind us.”

Before I could refuse, she shoved the scalding bowl into my injured hand.

Her eyes flicked to the bandages around my palm, her tone dripping with disdain.

“Don’t play the martyr.”

“Adrian Walker, honestly, if you have time to throw tantrums, you’d be better off reading a book and learning some refinement.”

“Compared to Ethan, you’re really not even close.”

The burn in my palm was nothing compared to the ache in my chest.

I poured the porridge out right in front of her. The bowl shattered against the floor, hot broth splattering everywhere.

I spread my hands. “Claire, maybe it’s your brain and eyes that need checking.”

“I don’t need to compare myself to him.”

Her jaw tightened with fury.

“Adrian, how could you? Claire made that porridge herself!” Ethan’s voice came from the doorway.

I turned to him, my glare sharp. “You want it?”

He froze, not yet understanding, before I grabbed him by the collar.

“Claire made this for you, right? Then you finish it all!”

I shoved his face into the steaming mess. Ethan thrashed on the floor, gagging and choking.

“Adrian, you’re insane!” Claire kicked me hard in the back, dragging him into her arms.

I ignored her screams, walking straight back to my room.

Blood seeped from my palm as I stood at the window, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

I dialed the number my father had given me.

“Tomorrow at one in the afternoon. Can you make it?”

On the other end, a woman’s voice answered softly, “Yes.”

“I’ll have my assistant arrange it.”

Not long after, I received the confirmation for a marriage license. Among all those divorce registrations, this one stood out like a beacon.

So it was this simple all along.

“Who were you talking to so late?” Claire suddenly entered, spotting the bloodied bandages on the floor.

“You’re really hurt?”

For the first time, I saw a flicker of remorse in her eyes. She hurried forward, examining my palm.

“I didn’t know it was this bad. Why didn’t you say something?”

She grabbed fresh bandages and began tending my wound, gentle and attentive.

It had been so long since she’d shown me this kind of care.

Between us, there had been nothing but bitterness and fighting. And when you’ve been starved of comfort, even the smallest kindness can break you.

I couldn’t stop myself—I pulled Claire into my arms.

She embraced me back, patting my shoulder softly.

“I know I’ve neglected you lately. That’s why you’ve been so extreme.”