Chapter 1 Chapter 1

When I handed the divorce papers to Callum Kipling, he was on his tablet, helping his step-sister, Hannah pick out her graduation dress. Her silky voice could be heard clearly through the phone. "Cal! I want a dress with a night-sky backdrop, adorned with stars, just as romantic as the meteor shower we watched together that night.""Alright, we'll take our time finding one. If nothing fits, we'll have it custom-made. The little princess must be satisfied, right?" Callum indulged her and almost signed his name at the bottom of the contract without glancing at the document I handed him. It wasn’t until they had finished their tender exchange and he reached for a glass of water from the table that he casually glanced at the paper. Then he laughed in disbelief. “You’ve got quite a temper, don’t you, Eloise? All this just because I didn’t go with you to the hospital? And then you jump straight to a divorce?" Why wouldn’t I? That day, I had already been unwell due to my period, yet he insisted I join them at the mountaintop resort. By nightfall, I had developed a fever. When I begged him to take me to the hospital, he left me stranded halfway down the mountain. "There's a clinic ten minutes down the hill. Buy some medicine yourself. I have something urgent to take care of," he said before leaving. But with my fever reaching 102°F, how was I supposed to make my way down the mountain alone in the middle of the night? The moment he left, I fainted. Later, I found out that the so-called "urgent matter" was watching a meteor shower with Hannah. "Whether I dare or not, I've already done it," I said calmly. I changed my shoes and headed for the door, utterly indifferent to his questioning. "Since you've already signed it, I’d appreciate it if you could have someone take it to the courts to finalize the process." I thought Callum would readily agree, relieved to end things. Instead, he erupted in anger. "Do you really think I won't go through with this? You’re going to regret this and come crawling back to me." Regret? That was impossible. I waved him off, shut the door, and left. Driving to my studio, I didn’t bother deciphering the deeper meaning of his words. The studio had recently taken on a custom dress order, and by the time I finished, it was already late. A message from Callum awaited me on my phone. [Come to Willow Creek. Bring your sewing kit.] With the countdown to our divorce ticking away, I had no intention of sacrificing any more of my time for him. Yet, his messages kept coming. [If you don’t show up, I can’t guarantee I’ll make it to the divorce proceedings. Or is this divorce just another ploy to play hard to get?] Ha! I let out a cold laugh. I was exhausted but grabbed my sewing kit before heading out. The evening traffic was dreadful. By the time I reached Willow Creek, Callum and the rest had already drunk their fill. Callum and Hannah, along with a few others, were laughing and joking together. Emmet Porter whom I shared a bit of rapport with, tried to reason with Callum. "Look Cal, sisters are sisters, but a wife takes priority. You’d better not mix up what matters most." Hannah clearly didn’t like that. She held Callum’s face and planted a bold kiss on him. "I’m the one Callum raised so of course, I’m the most important person in his life," she declared arrogantly. "Yes, yes, you’re the most important thing in my life," he replied lightly. Callum was long accustomed to Hannah’s intimate gestures. He ruffled her hair and smiled at her affectionately. "Does Eloise really think she’ll go through with the divorce? She’s just playing me. "All these years, I’ve given her a place to belong. Without me, she wouldn’t even have a home. Leave me? She wouldn’t dare. "Just wait. Before the cooling-off period ends, she’ll come back crying and begging me to take her in." I stood frozen, gripping the sewing kit tightly in my hands. When Callum abandoned me halfway down the mountain, I didn’t cry. When I signed the divorce agreement, I didn’t cry. But now, a sharp ache rose in my chest, and my nose stung with the threat of tears. When I was young, I let myself believe in him because he promised me a home. As someone who had drifted for so long, that promise had moved me and made me fall for him. But years later, that very promise had become the blade that now pierced my heart. It turns out the people closest to you know exactly where your weaknesses lie—and how to strike at them.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

I steadied my emotions and walked over to them. Callum noticed me first. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before he quickly masked it with a mocking smile. "What’s this? Regretting it after just one day? Did you come to beg me to call off the divorce?" I raised the sewing kit in my hand. "You said it yourself. If I came, you’d cooperate with the divorce. Don’t try to go back on your word." He hurriedly grabbed his phone, and as his eyes scanned the messages, a brief flicker of unease passed over his face. Before he could respond, Hannah stepped forward and clung to Callum’s arm. "I used your phone to message Eloise. My dress has such a low neckline—I didn’t even know where to start adjusting it.""Then go and put on a jacket," he said, his attention instantly diverted. Without a second thought, he draped his suit jacket over her shoulders in an intimate gesture that caught the attention of everyone nearby. Perhaps it was the magic of the divorce papers, but as Hannah flaunted her claim on Callum and his automatic response to her, I felt nothing—no discomfort, no jealousy. Instead, it was Callum who, realizing his actions, offered me a rare explanation. "Hannah has been trailing after us since she was little. It... it’s just a habit," Callum said, his voice faltering. "Mm," I replied calmly, cutting off his half-hearted excuse with a simple nod. "Since I’m clearly not needed here, I’ll head back. Enjoy your evening." I had almost reached the door when he called out. "Eloise." He hurried over with an umbrella and opened it above my head. Awkwardly rubbing his nose, he muttered, "Emmet said it’s raining outside. Let me take you back." The rain wasn’t heavy, but the wind scattered it in unpredictable directions. Callum pulled me close, his arm shielding my shoulders as he positioned me under the umbrella. "You just recovered from a fever. Don’t catch a cold," he said, his gaze softening as it settled on my face. His tenderness was so striking, that I couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked at me like that—not since Hannah had returned. But it was too late, Callum. A broken heart couldn’t be pieced back together. I knew that the heart that would mend would no longer hold a place for him. I quickly slipped into the car and seated myself as far from him as possible. For the next few days, I buried myself in work, finally completing all my pending orders. After bidding my clients farewell, I listed the studio on a real estate website and headed home early. The moment I stepped inside, I noticed workers coming and going. The once minimalist living room had been transformed into a garish pink princess castle. Even the rug had been replaced with a heart-patterned design. Hannah was perched on Callum’s shoulders, hanging fairy lights above the door frame. I glanced at Callum’s shirt, its childish butterfly print so out of character it was almost laughable. The young girl was clearly pulling out all the stops, staking her claim as she silently urged me to leave. And what about the ever-astute CEO Callum? Either he genuinely couldn’t see it or he was purposely indulging her. When Callum noticed I had returned, he quickly set Hannah down and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Hannah’s still a young girl so she likes a lively atmosphere. She’s just staying for a few days. Don’t hold it against her." A young ‘girl’? She’s in her twenties. Can she still be called a ‘girl’ if she kissed him the way she did? I didn’t ask that question though—it felt out of line. I knew that nothing I said would matter anymore, especially once our divorce was finalized. I shrugged and walked toward my room. “Just don’t touch my things.”"I made some pasta, Eloise. Want some?" Callum asked suddenly. Perhaps it was my calmness that surprised him, or maybe it was his belief that Hannah had gone too far. “The banquet tonight won’t have much to eat. You should at least have a little something now.”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I followed the direction of Callum’s finger and saw two servings of spaghetti on the dining table, their colors and aromas inviting. It was only then that I realized Callum could cook. I remembered a time when I couldn’t stomach the food from outside, vomiting uncontrollably and sweating from stomach pains. I'd asked for a simple bowl of plain stew but he had said that he couldn’t make it. Ha, so it wasn’t that he couldn’t, he simply didn’t want to cook for me. I smiled politely and declined the invitation before heading upstairs to prepare the gift I intended to give the birthday celebrant that evening. Technically, with the divorce process already underway, I didn’t need to attend any more banquets with Callum. But the hostess that night was Mrs. Gwen Bolton, my first client and the matchmaker between Callum and me. It would be improper not to go. I had chosen a hand-sewn handbag according to her preferences. The leather was soft, and the design was simple. However, when I finished packing everything and came downstairs, Callum stopped me. "What's wrong?" I asked. As I gazed at him coldly, he seemed momentarily lost but quickly brushed it off. "Don’t go tonight. Give the gift to Hannah instead," he said quietly as if embarrassed by his own request. "Hannah is about to graduate and wants to join the entertainment company under the Bolton Corporation. If she earns Mrs. Bolton’s favor, things will be much easier for her, and her future path will be smoother." He didn’t know how much effort I had put into my gift, how many hours I’d spent sewing until my fingers nearly bled. No, that was not true. He knew but I wasn’t worth his care. So, with a casual remark, he dismissed all the time and energy I had invested. Something in me had shattered but then came an unexpected sense of lightness and release. You see, when it came to this relationship, I no longer had even the slightest attachment left. I smiled and handed over the gift box. "Fine, then you can give it to her." I had never lost contact with Mrs. Bolton. She knew everything that had happened here. Even if I didn’t go that night, it would be the same if we met tomorrow. As for the gift, I could only say that no matter how heartfelt the present, if it did not come from the right person, it would not mean anything. Callum seemed surprised by how quickly I surrendered but then a smile appeared on his face. He handed me a brooch. "Didn't you always say that you wanted something like this? I was wrong before, not paying attention to your words. I’ll make it up to you in time." Callum played the role of an emotionally abusive husband very well. This was the gift I had wanted on Valentine’s Day. I had put it in his shopping cart, but he had always pretended not to see it. However, for Hannah, he had opened his eyes. But the truth was, some things were special only because the person gave them special meaning. Without that, no matter how good the gift, it did not mean anything. "Alright," I said without emotion. Callum fastened the brooch for me and then adjusted my shawl. "Why are you always in such a bad temper? The last time was my fault. Don’t be angry anymore. Hannah won’t stay in the country for long. Don’t stoop to her level, okay?" Up until now, Callum still thought I was filing for divorce because I was throwing a temper. I didn’t offer any explanation. I tried to sidestep his hand, but he yanked me into his arms. "Darling, let’s withdraw the divorce application. I promise I’ll never leave you again." He said it with such conviction that for a brief moment, I almost believed him. This was the same Callum who had just days ago been cold and dismissive as he spent his time with another woman like it was nothing but a figment of my imagination. But that feeling lasted only a second. Because when Hannah came out of her room, I saw her wearing an entire set of matching jewelry from the same brand. Then I remembered that just recently, I had received a promotional push for the brand. It had offered the brooch as a complimentary gift for the purchase of the full set. It should not have been a surprise that Callum’s nice gesture was insincere. I was like the freebie, never his first choice.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Time flew by, and soon it was the last day of the divorce cooling-off period. Coincidentally, it was also my birthday. Callum flew back from abroad early in the morning and came straight to me with a bouquet of roses. "Happy birthday, Darling." He looked disheveled. His shirt was wrinkled against his body, and his tie was undone. He was clearly exhausted and his eyes were bloodshot. His assistant, Paul Mason helped with the luggage with a smile on his face. "Mr. Kipling finished three days' worth of work in one day just to make it back to celebrate your birthday, Mrs. Kipling""Oh, don’t give away my secret, Paul," Callum said playfully. He extended the bouquet to me. "Here. I'll freshen up. Later, I’ll take you out to celebrate your birthday. “And you can’t refuse. I’ve been planning this for a long time." Fine, let’s part on good terms. It was time to put a perfect end to the relationship. I waited in my room for a long time, and as the sun began to set, Callum still hadn't come to get me. I took out my phone, ready to tell him that we no longer needed to celebrate my birthday and that I wouldn't wait any longer. But then I saw a notification for a news broadcast I followed. [Breaking news: The Kipling family's adoptive daughter, Hannah Kipling, has been accused of inappropriate involvement with her own step-brother, Callum Kipling forcing his wife to divorce him.] I clicked on it, and there were various intimate photos of Hannah and Callum, along with a signed divorce agreement. There was a sound outside my door before Callum kicked it open. He was beyond furious as he marched up to me. "How could you be so vicious, Eloise? "You’re a woman yourself. Don’t you think it’s disgusting to ruin a girl’s life this way?" "It wasn’t me!" I protested. I had no interest in using such clumsy tactics. I stared directly into Callum’s eyes. “Look, we’re getting a divorce. Who you like has nothing to do with me.”“Who else would make such an accusation about me and my brother, if not you?” Hannah yelled as she pushed herself into Callum’s arms. “Everyone knows that your so-called divorce is just a threat to make my brother abandon me. “If this kind of news spreads, how will people view the Kiplings? How will they view my brother?”“Call the police, ” I said as I pulled out my phone. “Since you want to know who the real culprit is, let the police investigate it.”“Shut up!” Callum swiped the vase filled with roses from the vanity and knocked it to the floor. He looked at me with utter contempt. “You have no shame, Eloise. My family still has a reputation to protect. You’re so disgusting.” Two years of intimacy, three years of sharing a bed, and in the end, he had only that to say about me. “You’re no better,” I scoffed, then handed him the divorce agreement once again. “Since we’re both tired of each other, it’s better to just get this divorce over and done with.”“Fine. I’d be a fool not to sign it now,” he said haughtily as he quickly signed the papers before tossing them to Paul. Then he kicked the door open and left with Hannah in his arms. I stared at the disarray in the room, then slowly removed my wedding band and placed it on the table. Then I grabbed the suitcase I had packed earlier and headed toward the airport. Before boarding the plane, I sent him one last message. [Let’s part ways, and never meet again.] After sending it, I turned off my phone and boarded the flight to Azure City.