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Chapter 1
Yvette Snyder stood at the entrance of the hospital, her body frail, clutching a report in her thin hands. Three words on the report stood out: "No conception detected".

"You've been married for three years. How are you not conceived?" Her mother, Yara Cadwell, demanded, jabbing a finger in Yvette's face disappointedly. Yara was dressed lavishly and wore high heels.

"Why are you so useless? If you don't get conceived soon, the Lanes are going to kick you out of the family. What's going to happen to our family then?"

Yvette looked at Yara blankly. She had a lot to say, but the words were stuck in her throat. In the end, all she could manage was, "I'm sorry."

"I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to give birth to Xavier's child. Do you understand me?"

Yvette's throat felt tight; she didn't know how to answer Yara.

In their three years of marriage, her husband, Xavier Lane, had never slept with her.

How could she ever have his child?

Yara stared at Yvette. The latter's weak demeanor was so unlike her own.

Finally, she said coldly before leaving, "If you really can't give him a child, then find him a woman who can. At least he'll appreciate you for that."

Yvette stared after Yara's retreating figure in disbelief.

Had her own mother just told her to find another woman for her husband to sleep with?

...

As Yvette made her journey home, she couldn't stop thinking about Yara's parting words. Suddenly, a loud ringing in her ear drowned out her thoughts.

She knew that her condition had worsened.

Just then, she received a message on her phone.

It was from Xavier, and the content was the same as always. "I'm not coming home tonight."

In the past three years they had been married, Xavier had never spent the night at home before. He had never so much as touched Yvette either.

Yvette could remember their wedding night three years ago. He had told her, "Since your family is bold enough to trick me into marrying you, you'd better be prepared to spend the rest of your life in loneliness."

Three years ago, the Snyder and Lane families had decided to form an alliance through marriage.

Both families had agreed to mutually beneficial terms in the agreement. But when the day of the wedding came around, the Snyder family went back on their word and transferred all of their assets away, including the billions that Xavier had paid to marry Yvette.

Yvette's eyes dulled at the memory. She replied to Xavier's text with her usual response: "Okay."

Without her realizing it, the report she was holding got scrunched up in her hands.

When she got home, Yvette tossed the report into the trash can.

Every month, around this time, she would feel unusually lethargic.

Yvette didn't prepare dinner for herself. She just leaned back on the couch, blearily drifting in and out of sleep.

The rumbling in her ear persisted.

That was another reason why Xavier hated her—she was hard of hearing, which, to the rich and powerful, was no better than being crippled.

Xavier would never allow her to carry his child.

…

At 5 o'clock in the morning, the pendulum clock on the wall chimed dully.

Xavier would be home in an hour.

Yvette realized too late that she had fallen asleep on the couch. She got up hastily and went to the kitchen to prepare Xavier's breakfast.

Xavier was a meticulous man who was strict about punctuality, not only with himself but also with the people around him.

He arrived home at six o'clock sharp.

Xavier was a tall and handsome man. Clad in a smart tailored suit, his demeanor was quiet and reserved, yet undoubtedly masculine.

However, to Yvette, he was cold and distant.

Xavier didn't even look at Yvette. He walked right past her to look at the food on the table and said with a scoff, "You do this every day. Are you a nanny or what?"

Over the past three years, Yvette had been doing the same things over and over again. She wore the same dark clothes and replied to his messages with the same singular word.

If it hadn't been for the business alliance and the Snyders' deceit, Xavier would never have married a woman like Yvette.

At the word "nanny", the rumbling in Yvette's ears returned. She swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat, and said bravely, "Xav, do you have someone that you like?"

Her sudden question surprised Xavier. His eyes darkened. "What do you mean by that?"

Yvette raised her head and stared at him, swallowing the bile rising in the back of her throat. "If you love someone else, you can be with her—"

Before she could finish, Xavier interrupted her. "You're mad."

...

After Xavier left, Yvette sat on the balcony alone, staring out into the cold rain.

The sound of the raindrops drifted in and out of clarity. She took off her hearing aids, letting the world around her fall into silence.

A month ago, her doctor had told her, "Ms. Snyder, there's been a pathological change in your auditory nerves and some of your cranial nerves, causing your hearing to worsen. If this goes on, you may lose your hearing completely."

Not used to a silent world, Yvette went to the living room and turned on the television. She turned up the volume to the max, which allowed her to hear some sound.

By coincidence, the television was showing an interview with Daphne Reyes, an internationally renowned singer known for her love songs.

Yvette's hands trembled slightly as she gripped the remote control.

Daphne was Xavier's first love.

It had been a long time since Yvette had seen her, but Daphne was still as pretty as ever. She was confident and relaxed in front of the cameras, unlike the shy and frightened young woman who had begged the Snyders for sponsorship in the past.

When the interviewer asked Daphne why she had returned to her home country, her answer was bold. "I came home to get my first love back."

The remote control slipped out of Yvette's hands. Her heart also fell to her stomach.

Flustered, Yvette turned off the television and went to the table to clean up the uneaten breakfast. When she got to the kitchen, she found that Xavier had forgotten to take his phone.

She picked it up and saw the unread messages on the lock screen.

"Xav, you must have been unhappy over the past few years, right?"

"I know you don't love her. How about we meet up tonight? I've missed you."

Yvette stared blankly at the messages until the screen went dark again.

Then, she called a cab to Xavier's office.

On the way, she stared out of the window. The rain fell incessantly. It felt like it would never stop.

Xavier never liked it when Yvette visited him at his office, so whenever she was there, she would take the service elevator from the loading bay.

When Xavier's assistant, Mark Xyrax, saw her, he just greeted her impassively, "Ms. Snyder."

No one around Xavier considered Yvette his wife. She was nothing but a smear on his reputation.

When Xavier saw Yvette bringing him his phone, he frowned.

She was always like this. No matter what he forgot, be it his lunch, his documents, a shirt, or even an umbrella, she would bring them to him.

"I thought I told you that you didn't need to deliver my things to me yourself."

Yvette froze. "Sorry, I forgot."

Since when had her memory been so bad?

Maybe she had panicked after seeing Daphne's message and became afraid that Xavier would disappear from her life suddenly.

Before she left, she looked back at Xavier. Unable to help herself, she blurted out, "Xav, do you still like Daphne?"

Xavier thought that Yvette had been behaving rather strangely lately. She kept forgetting things and asking weird questions.

How could a person like her be his wife?

Impatiently, he replied, "If you have so much free time, go find yourself something to do."

Yvette had tried getting a job before, but Xavier's mother, Shannon Guetta, had reprimanded her without holding back. "Do you want the whole world to know that Xav married a disabled woman with hearing issues?"

Therefore, Yvette had given up on finding a job and focused on her fruitless life as "Mrs. Lane" at Dewberry Estate.

…

At home, she sat alone until nightfall.

She couldn't sleep.

Just then, the phone on her bedside table rang loudly. It was a call from an unfamiliar number.

Yvette picked up the call. A familiar voice, yet one she dreaded, sounded from the other end.

"Is this Yvvy? Xav is drunk. Can you come pick him up?"

When Yvette arrived at Sternhow Club, she heard loud coaxing and jeering from the wealthy heirs inside the private room.

"Daph, didn't you say you came back to get our dear Mr. Lane back into your arms? This is your chance now. Go on, tell him how you feel!"

Daphne was a pretty woman who was popular wherever she went. She was also Xavier's first love, so the rich young men of the upper crust were happy to push the two together.

Daphne wasn't shy at all. She turned to Xavier and said without any reservations, "I like you, Xav. Please be with me again."

That was what Yvette heard when she arrived at the door of the private room.

Inside, the other people were urging Xavier to answer Daphne. His best friend, Tristan Shaw, was the most vocal among them.

"Xav, you've been waiting for Daphne for three years. She's back now. So, go on, answer her!"

Yvette stood frozen outside the door. Her heart was pounding. Just then, one of the men pulled the door open.

"Ms. Snyder?"

Chapter 2
Everyone in the private room looked over at the door. For a moment, the room was eerily silent.

Yvette immediately caught sight of Xavier in the middle of the room. His eyes were clear and bright. He was clearly not drunk.

She knew that she had been tricked by Daphne.

When Xavier saw Yvette, his pupils constricted.

Everyone else in the room looked awkward, including Tristan, who had been the most vocal in getting Xavier to accept Daphne's confession earlier.

Yvette shouldn't have gone there.

Daphne was the first to break the silence. "Please don't get the wrong idea, Yvvy. Tristan was joking. Xavier and I are just friends."

Before Yvette could answer, Xavier stood up impatiently. "There's no need to explain it to her."

Then, he stalked over to Yvette. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you were drunk, so I came to take you home," Yvette answered truthfully.

Xavier scoffed. "You really didn't retain anything I told you, did you?"

Lowering his voice, he said softly so that only she could hear him, "Are you here to remind everyone that I was tricked into marrying you three years ago? Did you think they forgot?"

Yvette was stunned.

Xavier gave her a cold look. "Stop seeking attention. You're only making me hate you more."

With that, he turned away, leaving Yvette standing alone.

Yvette stared after his retreating figure, unable to snap out of her shock.

None of the other scions in the room took pity on her when they saw Xavier ignoring her.

Tristan even had no qualms in telling Daphne, who was feigning distress, "You're too kind, Daphne. You didn't need to explain anything.

"If Yvette hadn't scammed Xav, he would've married you in the first place. You wouldn't have needed to suffer abroad as well."

Despite the constant ringing in her ears, Yvette could still hear every word clearly.

She knew better than anyone that even if Xavier hadn't married her, he wouldn't have married Daphne. Daphne was a nobody with no background, after all.

Daphne was well aware of this as well. That was why she had chosen to break up with Xavier and leave the country.

How had everything turned out to be Yvette's fault?

When Yvette left Sternhow Club with her umbrella, she felt as if she had been enveloped by darkness.

Just then, a lithe figure appeared beside her.

It was Daphne.

She was decked out in fine clothes, complete with high heels. She looked smug. "It's a cold night, isn't it? So, how does it feel to get scoffed at by Xavier after you came all the way here at this time to get him?"

Yvette didn't answer her, but Daphne didn't mind her silence. She just continued speaking. "I do pity you, you know. You've never experienced true love before, have you?

"Do you know that when I was with Xav, he would cook for me himself? When I was sick, he would drop everything and stay with me.

"Has Xav ever told you he loves you? He used to say that to me all the time…"

Yvette listened to Daphne's rambling quietly, her mind going over the past three years she had been married to Xavier.

He had never so much as stepped into the kitchen during that time.

When she had gotten sick, he had never comforted her.

He had never told her he loved her either.

…

That night, Yvette couldn't fall asleep.

She had only just found out that the man she had loved for the past 12 years had once loved another with all his heart, in the spectacular way that only young people could.

At that moment, she realized that it was time for her to give him up.

She had a sleepless night.

The next morning, Xavier returned home. The glare he gave her was cold.

"How attached are you to the Lane family's money, to me, your money-making robot?" he demanded.

Yvette was stunned. She didn't know what had gotten into him so early in the morning. Instinctively, she said, "I never wanted your money."

She had only ever wanted Xavier.

Xavier laughed in disdain. "Then, why did your mother come to my office and beg me to give you a child?"

Yvette was stunned.

She stared into Xavier's eyes. It was only then that she realized that he wasn't angry about what had happened last night.

Xavier had no desire to waste his breath on her. "If you want to continue staying with me and keep your family afloat, tell your mother to behave herself!"

...

In the end, Yvette didn't need to look for Yara.

Yara found Yvette instead. She was no longer cold and distant; she gripped Yvette's hands and said gently, "Yvvy, you should ask Xavier to give you a child. He doesn't have to do it biologically. He could do it through scientific measures."

Scientific measures.

Yvette stared at Yara in shock as the latter continued, "Daphne told me that Xavier hasn't slept with you in the past three years."

That was the last straw for Yvette.

She didn't know why Xavier would tell Daphne about that.

Maybe he really loved Daphne a lot.

With that thought, she suddenly felt relieved. "Just let it go, Mom."

Yara paused. She frowned. "What?"

"I'm tired. I want to get a divorce—"

Before she could finish, Yara slapped her hard across the face.

The kind, motherly facade was gone in an instant. She jabbed a finger at Yvette and gritted out, "You have no right to ask for a divorce!

"Without the Lane family, what do you think you're going to do? Who's going to remarry a disabled divorcee like you?"

Yvette felt her body go numb.

Yara had never liked Yvette, even when the latter had been a child.

Yara had been a famous dancer. The fact that she had given birth to a daughter with hearing issues was one of her biggest regrets.

Therefore, she had sent Yvette away to be taken care of by a nanny. She had only allowed Yvette to return home when the latter started school.

People used to tell Yvette that every mother loved their child.

So, she had done everything she could to excel at everything in hopes of making Yara happy.

Despite her hearing issues, she had been at the top of her class in dance, music, and art classes. But no matter how hard she tried, Yara still didn't consider her a good daughter.

In Yara's words, Yvette wasn't "complete".

Not only physically, but also in love and familial relationships.

After Yara left, Yvette used some makeup to cover up the red print on her face. Then, she packed her bags quietly.

Even after three years of married life, all her personal belongings fit into a single suitcase.

After she finished packing up, she gathered her courage and sent Xavier a message. "Are you free tonight? I need to talk to you."

Xavier didn't reply to her.

Yvette's eyes darkened. She knew that he didn't want to reply to her messages. All she could do was wait for him to come home in the morning.

She had thought that he wouldn't come home that night, but he got back at midnight.

Yvette wasn't asleep at the time. She went up to him and took his coat and bag from him with familiarity in her actions. It was as if they were a normal married couple.

Xavier's cold voice broke the peace. "Don't send me inane texts again."

As Yvette held Xavier's coat, her hand trembled slightly. "I won't do it again," she mumbled.

Xavier didn't notice anything wrong with her tone. He went straight to his study.

Generally, if he came home, he would stay holed up in his study. He probably thought that someone who was hard of hearing would live in a silent world.

Either that, or he simply didn't care about Yvette.

That would explain why he got straight to discussing his acquisition of Snyder Group in his study as if nothing was wrong.

When Yvette brought him some soup, she heard Xavier animatedly discussing work with his employees. He was talking about the acquisition of Snyder Group, her father, James Snyder's company.

She didn't know how to feel about that.

She knew that her brother, Terrence Synder, was useless at running a business, so it was only a matter of time before Snyder Group fell.

However, she had never thought that her own husband would be the first to cause Snyder Group's downfall.

"Xav," she interrupted.

Xavier was slightly startled. Out of guilt, or maybe some other emotion, he quickly hung up the phone and closed his laptop.

Feigning ignorance, Yvette walked into the study and placed the bowl in front of him. "Have some soup, then get to bed soon. Your health is more important than work."

For some reason, Xavier felt himself relax when he heard her soft voice.

She probably hadn't heard anything.

Feeling conflicted, he stopped Yvette before she could leave. "You said you wanted to talk to me. What is it?"

Hearing this, Yvette turned back to look at him. Softly, she said, "I just wanted to ask if you're free in the morning so we can go and file for divorce."

Chapter 3
Yvette's voice was calm and impassive, as though divorce were a menial matter to her.

Xavier's pupils contracted. "What did you just say?"

Over the last three years, no matter what he had done, Yvette had never brought up divorce.

In truth, Xavier knew that Yvette loved him.

Her eyes, which were usually dull and empty, were clear and bright now. "I'm sorry for being a burden over the last few years, Mr. Lane. We should get divorced."

Xavier clenched his fists unconsciously. "You heard what I said earlier, didn't you? Snyder Group was already failing; it won't matter whether I buy it or someone else does. What are you trying to do by bringing up divorce?

"Is it because you want money? Or a child? Or do you want me to leave Snyder Group alone?" he asked coldly. "Don't forget that I don't love you. Your threats won't work on me!"

At that moment, he seemed like a stranger to Yvette. A lump formed in her throat as her ears began throbbing. Even though she was wearing her hearing aids, she could barely hear what Xavier was saying.

She could only answer his last question. "I don't want anything."

Afraid that he would notice something wrong with her, Yvette left the study in a hurry.

As he watched her leave, Xavier felt frustrated for some reason. He had never felt like this before.

Not one to hold in his emotions, he flipped the table over. The bowl of soup that Yvette had brought him spilled all over the ground.

...

Back in her own room, Yvette forced herself to swallow a handful of pills.

She reached up to touch her ear. As she retracted her fingers, she saw crimson blood on them.

Thanks to the medicine, her hearing recovered a little by the time it was dawn. Yvette stared blankly at the soft rays of sunlight streaming from the window.

"The rain has stopped," she said quietly to herself.

Xavier didn't leave the manor that day.

He was in the living room bright and early, settled on the couch, waiting for Yvette to apologize and express her regret to him.

This wasn't the first time Yvette had lost her temper with him. However, after every tantrum, she would apologize to him before long.

Xavier figured that it would be the same this time around.

Soon, he saw Yvette coming out of her room, all freshened up. She wore her usual dark-colored clothes. She dragged a suitcase with one hand while holding a piece of paper in the other.

She handed the paper to him. It was a divorce agreement.

"Let me know when you have time, Xav."

With that, she left the manor, pulling her suitcase behind her.

It was bright and sunny outside. Yvette felt as if she had gotten a new chance at life.

Meanwhile, Xavier sat frozen on the couch, still clutching the divorce agreement in his hand.

It took him a long time to come back to his senses.

It was Saturday. Usually, around this time of the year, Xavier would take Yvette back to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors. During this time, they would have to endure strange looks from his extended family.

However, he was alone that day, which made him extraordinarily happy.

At Lane Mansion, Shannon and the rest of the Lanes were surprised to see him alone.

In the past, Yvette had always been the first one to turn up every year and the last to leave since she had been trying to please everyone.

Why wasn't she there today?

Shanon frowned and asked Xavier, "Where's Yvette, Xav?"

Xavier's expression turned cold. "She wanted a divorce and left me."

Everyone fell silent in disbelief when he said that.

Shannon was shocked. She knew that Yvette probably loved Xavier more than anything in the world, only surpassed by his own parents.

Seven years ago, Yvette had even protected Xavier with her own body when someone had attempted to stab him.

Four years ago, not long after the two had gotten engaged, something had happened to Xavier while he had been on a business trip in Dibay.

Everyone had been convinced that he was dead, but Yvette had refused to believe that. She had dropped everything and gone to the foreign city just to look for him.

Then, after they had gotten married, Yvette had taken care of almost everything in his life with meticulous precision, including being polite to everyone around him, even his secretaries. She had always been afraid of offending them.

Yvette clearly couldn't live without Xavier. So, why had she suggested getting a divorce?

Shannon had no idea, but she was glad that Yvette had finally decided to let Xavier go.

"She's not worthy to be your wife anyway. It's a good thing that you're divorcing her. She doesn't deserve you," she said

The others immediately chimed in.

"Yeah, you're young and handsome, Xav. You're in your best years now. Yvette's been dragging you down all this time!"

Instantly, the gathering turned into a slander fest.

They spoke of Yvette as if she were an unforgivable criminal.

Xavier should have felt happy that they were defending him, but for some reason, he found their words too sharp and crass.

He left Lane Mansion earlier than usual and made his way back to Dewberry Estate.

The sky was just starting to darken when he arrived home.

He opened the door and entered the manor. When he saw nothing but darkness, he remembered, with a start, that Yvette had left.

He changed into his house slippers and tossed his coat into the washer.

For some reason, he felt unusually exhausted today.

He went to the wine cellar to get a bottle of wine so that he could celebrate Yvette's leaving.

However, when he got to the wine cellar and saw the locked door, he realized too late that he didn't have the key.

He didn't like strangers in his house, so there were no maids or servants at Dewberry Estate. Ever since he had married Yvette, she had been the one taking care of the household affairs.

He could only go back to his room. Picking up his phone, he scrolled through his messages only to find work-related texts. Yvette hadn't called or texted him to apologize at all.

Tossing his phone aside, he got up and headed over to the kitchen.

When he opened the door of the fridge, he was stunned.

Apart from food, there were also a lot of supplements.

He picked one of the bags up and read the instructions on it. "Take five times a day for incapable of conceived."

He took a whiff of the supplement. It smelled disgusting.

He recalled that Yvette always smelled strange. So, this was why.

He scoffed silently. They had never slept, so no matter how much medicine she took, she would never have gotten conceived.

...

Meanwhile, over in a dark and dinky hotel, Yvette opened her eyes blearily.

Her head was pounding. The world was silent. She knew, then, that her condition had worsened again.

Before this, she had still been able to hear some sounds, even without her hearing aids.

She pushed herself up and felt around on the bedside table until she found her medicine. She popped the pills in her mouth, tasting their bitterness.

The day before, she had left Dewberry Estate, which had been her home for the past three years. At first, she had gone to her parents' house, Snyder Residence.

However, at the door, she had overheard Yara and Terrence discussing how they would marry her off to an old man if the Lanes kicked her out.

Yvette had blanked upon hearing that. It was then that she finally realized that she had no place to call home anymore.

Even though she hadn't eaten anything in two days, she still didn't feel hungry.

However, it was too quiet. The silence scared her.

It had been raining more frequently in Tirion this year than it had in previous years.

Yvette stared out at the passing pedestrians. Most of them were paired up or in groups. She was the only one alone.

She bought a bus ticket heading out of the city. She decided to go to her nanny's house in the countryside. Viola Xenos, her nanny, had taken care of her when she was a child.

It was already 9:00 pm when Yvette got there.

When Viola saw Yvette, she looked pleasantly surprised.

Yvette teared up when she saw Viola's warm smile. She reached out to her and hugged her. "Viola."

Due to health issues, Viola had never married and didn't have children of her own. Yvette was closer to her than she was to her own mother.

That night, Yvette cuddled up in Viola's embrace, just like she had when she was a child.

Viola wrapped her arms around Yvette, only to realize that the latter was very thin.

She pressed a hand on the Yvette's bony back, trembling uncontrollably. Forcing herself to calm down, she asked cautiously, "Has Xavier been treating you well, Yvvy?"

Yvette felt a sharp pain in her throat when she heard Xavier's name. She wanted to lie to Viola and tell her that Xavier had treated her well, but she knew that Viola wasn't silly.

Since she had already made up her mind to leave him, there was no need to lie to herself or to the people who loved her any longer.

"The person he loves has returned. I've decided to let him go and divorce him."

Viola was stunned. She couldn't believe her ears.

Yvette had told her multiple times before that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Xavier.

Not knowing what else to say, she comforted Yvette by telling her that there were plenty of other fish in the sea. There was bound to be one who would love her.

Yvette just nodded silently. The buzzing in her ears drowned out Viola's comforting voice.

That night, she managed to get a good night's sleep, which was rare.

However, when she woke up, she was greeted with the alarming sight of blood staining the spot where her head had laid on the pillow.

Yvette touched her right ear. Her fingers felt sticky.

She looked at her hand. It was covered in blood.

Chapter 4
Even Yvette's hearing aids were stained red.

Her pupils contracted, and she quickly grabbed some tissues to wipe her ear. Then, she stripped the bedsheets and washed them.

She was afraid that Viola would worry about her if she found out that her illness was worsening. So, she cleaned up the mess and found an excuse to bid goodbye to Viola.

Before she left, she placed a part of her savings on the bedside table without telling Viola.

Viola walked Yvette to the bus stop and waved goodbye reluctantly.

…

After Yvette left, Viola couldn't stop thinking about how thin the former was. Unable to just sit by, she called Lane Group.

When the secretary heard that Viola was Yvette's nanny and wanted to speak to Xavier, she transferred the call to Xavier's line.

It was the third day after Yvette had left Xavier. It was also the first time in three days that he had received a call about her.

Sitting behind his desk, he felt exceptionally pleased. Just as he had expected, Yvette wouldn't be able to last more than three days without him—or so he thought.

Viola's voice came through the other line, sounding weighed with age. "Mr. Lane, I am Yvvy's nanny. I've been taking care of her since she was a baby.

"Please, I beg you, treat her well. Don't hurt her more than you already have. She's not as strong as she seems on the surface.

"When she was born, Mrs. Snyder left her in my care because she didn't like that Yvvy is hard of hearing. Yvvy only returned home when she had to start going to school.

"The Snyders have never treated her as one of their own. Apart from Mr. Snyder, everyone else treated her like she was a maid.

"You and Mr. Snyder are the most important people she has in this world. I'm begging you, please. Please be kind to her."

Xavier's mood darkened when he heard what Viola said.

"Did she tell you to give me this sob story because she didn't want to face me herself?" he asked coldly. "Why should I care about her life? If you ask me, she deserved everything she got!"

That said, he hung up the phone without waiting for an answer.

Viola had heard Yvette gushing about how nice Xavier was to her. So, it was only then that she realized the truth—Xavier wasn't a good man at all. He wasn't a good husband to Yvette.

...

Yvette sat on the bus, heading home. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Xavier.

"You said you wanted to get divorced, right? I'll see you at 10:00 am tomorrow."

Yvette stared at the text blankly for a while before replying, "Okay."

Just one word.

It infuriated Xavier and completely ruined his mood. Unable to work anymore, he called up his friends and invited them out for drinks.

Daphne was also at the club when he arrived. "I'm not going home until I'm drunk!" she declared.

Tristan sat down beside Xavier. He couldn't help asking curiously, "How's Deaf Yvvy?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow at him. "There's no need to talk about her ever again. We're filing for divorce tomorrow."

Tristan was stunned. He couldn't believe his ears. "Really?"

Beside them, Daphne brightened. She poured out a shot for him. "Congrats on getting back your freedom, Xav!"

Xavier drank a lot that night.

Daphne offered to send him home, but he rejected her suggestion. "No need. It's not appropriate."

If he and Yvette were going to get divorced tomorrow, she might come home that night.

Daphne wasn't happy about the rejection. "Why? You're divorcing her anyway. Why wouldn't it be appropriate? Are you still scared that she might find out about our relationship?"

Their relationship?

Xavier narrowed his eyes. "You're overthinking this."

He got into his own car. Out of consideration, he also called a cab to send Daphne home.

On the drive home, he kept unlocking his phone to check if Yvette had sent him any messages.

She hadn't.

When he reached Dewberry Estate, it was dark. With a stormy expression, Xavier opened the door and turned on the light. Yvette was nowhere to be seen.

She hadn't come home.

The manor was left exactly the way it had been when she had left.

Still feeling the effects of the wine, Xavier threw himself heavily onto the couch and soon fell asleep.

In his nightmares, Yvette was covered in blood, but there was a smile on her face. "I don't love you anymore, Xav," she said.

When Xavier jolted awake, the sky outside had just brightened up.

He rubbed his forehead and went to the bathroom to freshen himself up. Then, he changed into a smart suit and made his way to the courthouse.

At the entrance of the courthouse, he spotted Yvette standing under a tree not far off. As usual, she was dressed in dark-colored clothes.

From the distance, she looked incredibly frail and thin as she stood amid the drizzle. It was as if a single gust of wind could knock her over.

Xavier could still remember how young and lively she had been when they had first gotten married. She hadn't been as thin and gloomy back then.

Holding an umbrella, he walked toward Yvette.

It took her a few moments to notice him.

Xiaver hadn't changed much over the last three years. He was as handsome and as confident as ever, with the added hint of matureness that came with age.

Yvette was a little dazed. The last three years felt like a blink in time to her, yet she also seemed to have exhausted a whole lifetime.

Xavier stalked over to Yvette and gazed at her coldly. He was waiting for her to apologize to him.

She had been sulking enough. It was time to put an end to this.

However, Yvette just said, "I'm sorry to pull you away from your work. Let's go in."

Xavier stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "Don't regret this." With that, he turned and headed into the courthouse.

Yvette stared after him sadly. Would she regret this?

She didn't know either.

In the courthouse, the judge asked them if they were sure about going through with the divorce.

Yvette's answer was firm. "Yes."

Her determined expression frustrated Xavier.

After filing for divorce, they still had to return to the courthouse in a month. If they didn't show up, then the divorce would be considered null.

As they left the courthouse, Yvette looked at Xavier, her expression unusually calm. "I'll see you next month. Take care."

With that, she stepped out into the rain, hailed a cab, and left.

Xavier was left standing on the spot. He didn't know how to feel as he watched her car leave.

Relieved, probably.

Relieved that he wouldn't need to put up with her any longer or endure others' ridicule for having a disabled wife.

...

In the cab, Yvette leaned against the window and stared blankly at the rain droplets on the glass.

In the rearview mirror, the driver suddenly saw blood dripping from her ear. He was shocked by the sight. "Miss? Miss!"

Yvette didn't answer him.

The driver hastily stopped the car.

Yvette was confused. They weren't at her destination yet. Why had they stopped?

She looked over at the driver and saw him mouthing silently. She realized that she had gone deaf again. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you. What are you saying?"

In the end, the driver had to type out what he wanted to say on his phone so that he could tell her about her bleeding ear.

Yvette reached out belatedly and felt the warm sensation in her ear.

She was used to it now. "It's alright. This happens all the time. I'm fine."

She was hard of hearing, but her ears hadn't bled like this before.

Two years ago, at a gathering, Tristan had pushed her into a swimming pool.

Yvette didn't know how to swim, so she had almost drowned. At the same time, her eardrums had also expanded due to the pressure.

She had been sent to the hospital, but the damage had been done.

At the time, she had been told that everything was fine. Why was this happening again?

The cab driver was still worried, so he dropped her off at the hospital she told him. After thanking him, Yvette went into the hospital on her own.

This time, she saw her usual doctor, Tom Jensen.

"Dr. Jensen, my memory has been rather bad lately. I kept forgetting what I'm doing," she said.

When she had woken up at the hotel that morning, it had taken her a long time to remember that she had to file for divorce with Xavier.

Tom looked at her latest report worriedly. "Ms. Snyder, I think you should consider getting tested for other things. Specifically, mental health issues."

Mental health…

Following Tom's recommendation, Yvette went and got a psychiatric diagnosis.

She was diagnosed with depression.

It turned out that patients with severe depression often experienced memory loss.

Before heading back to the hotel, Yvette stopped and bought a notebook and a pen. She wrote down everything that had happened lately.

She placed the notebook right beside her bed so that it would be the first thing she saw when she woke up in the morning.

News of her and Xavier's divorce spread quickly.

That night, Yara called her multiple times, but she didn't hear anything.

…

When she woke up the next morning, she saw a barrage of texts from Yara.

"Where are you?"

"Who do you think you are? Even if you're getting a divorce, Xavier should have been the one to ask for it!"

"You're such a jinx! Back when you got married, your dad got into a car crash and died. What's going to happen now that you're getting divorced? Do you want Snyder Group to go bankrupt? Is that it?"

Yvette stared at the messages. She was used to the verbal bully by now.

She typed out a reply. "Mom, it's time that we live by our own merits. We shouldn't depend on others so much."

Yara's response was swift. "You're such an ingrate! I shouldn't have given birth to you in the first place!"

Yvette didn't bother replying to that. She placed her phone aside.

She just had to wait a month. Once the divorce was finalized, she would be able to leave Tirion and start a new life.

…

Yvette's health worsened over the next few days.

She often found herself completely deaf. Sometimes, it took a very long time for her hearing to go back to normal.

Her memory was deteriorating too.

On the bright side, even though her hearing loss was incurable, at least she could do something about the depression.

She tried everything she could to keep herself happy.

She busied herself by registering as a volunteer online. She spent time taking care of abandoned old people and orphans.

Helping them made her feel like she had a reason to continue living.

A few days later, Yvette woke up in the morning and checked her notebook as usual. Then, she got ready to head out to the orphanage.

When she picked up her phone, she saw several unread messages.

There were messages from Terrance and Yara, as well as Daphne.

She opened the texts one by one.

Yara: "As you wished, Snyder Group is no more."

Terrence: "Keep hiding. You're the most cowardly and cruel person I've ever seen."

Daphne: "My condolences, Yvette. Actually, I think Snyder Group would thrive better under Xav."

Daphne: "Since your family has helped me so much in the past, do let me know if you need anything. I'll help you if I can."

Yvette had no idea what was happening.

She closed the messaging app. Almost immediately, she got a notification about the latest news.

Chapter 5
Yvette watched the news and saw the press conference held by Lane Group. It was an announcement that Xavier had successfully acquired Snyder Group. James' company no longer existed in the world.

…

Things on Xavier's end had been extra pleasant lately. He had acquired Snyder Group and gotten his revenge.

"The Snyder family finally got what they deserved for tricking you into that marriage three years ago." Tristan chuckled.

Yet, he changed the topic in the next instant. He asked Xavier, "Xav, has Deaf Yvvy approached you during the past few days?"

Xavier froze halfway through signing a document. He didn't know why, but people around him kept mentioning Yvette these days.

"No," he replied coldly.

That shocked Tristan. After all, how could Yvette not do anything when something this massive had happened to her family?

With that in mind, he spoke again. "Could it be that she's finally come around? I heard her family has been looking everywhere for her. Nobody knows where she's gone—"

He kept blabbering on.

Xavier frowned, feeling utterly annoyed. "Get out!"

Tristan jolted. That was when he realized that Xavier was furious. Not daring to say another word, Tristan bolted out of the CEO's office.

Once outside, he took his phone and called his assistant, Avery Fitzpatrick. "Have you found Yvette?"

"Yes, she's in a small hotel in Hexim Pass," answered Avery.

Tristan had Avery send him the location before he drove there.

He refused to let Yvette off the hook so easily. So what if she was willing to divorce Xavier now? She had already prevented Xavier and Daphne from being together for over three years!

Besides, Daphne had saved Tristan's life once, so he owed her.

It rained outside.

Yvette finished her volunteer work and picked up her medication from the hospital. Then, she held an umbrella while walking back to the hotel.

There were very few people on the road.

Tristan drove his car but kept his eyes on Yvette's slim back. He deliberately sped up as he drove past her, sending a puddle of rainwater splashing onto her.

Yvette shot him a blank stare.

Tristan happened to meet her emotionless gaze through his rearview mirror. He didn't know why, but he felt inexplicably nervous.

Yvette recognized Tristan's luxurious, dark gray Bugatti. Yet, she retracted her gaze and pretended not to notice him.

Even so, Tristan refused to stop there. He deliberately slowed his car and followed her. "Hey, Deaf Yvvy. So, you have a temper now, huh?

"You're not even going to greet me now? Didn't you used to love greeting me? Didn't you enjoy tickling my fancy?"

Yvette remained stoic while the former mocked her.

She used to do everything to win over those around Xavier, including his friends. It was all because she liked him. She had figured that Xavier's family and friends would one day accept her.

Alas, it seemed she had been too naïve.

At the previous gathering, Tristan had declared that he was Daphne's friend.

He couldn't care less about maintaining his gentlemanly, upper-class image when siding with Daphne. He had insulted Yvette and called her shameless. In the end, he had also thrown her into the pool, leaving her to die.

Since then, Yvette had steered clear of him.

Upon receiving no reaction or response from Yvette, Tristan stopped the car, opened the door, and strolled toward her. He grabbed her arm and asked, "What stunts are you planning to pull this time?"

Yvette's arm hurt, so she looked up at him. "I don't know what you're saying."

She wanted to pry his hand off her arm, but he flung her aside.

"Don't touch me with your filthy hands!" Tristan bellowed.

Yvette stumbled backward before falling to the ground with a loud thud.

Tristan froze on the spot in slight disbelief. It baffled him to see Yvette resorting to such tricks. He had only pushed her with a slight force, so how could she fall like that?

Seeing people looking their way, he nervously got back into his car.

Still, he gave her a warning before driving away. "Don't mess with Daph just because you're a disabled person, Yvette!

"She's different from you. It's taken her a lot of effort to get to where she is now, so you'd better not disrupt her and Xav's relationship again!"

After driving away, he even told the Snyder family where Yvette was staying.

Yvette's hands and knees were scraped when she fell. It hurt so much that she couldn't stand for a long time.

Deep down, she didn't understand why Tristan was so blind to what was right and wrong.

She recalled risking her life to rescue him from a car that had been about to explode four years ago.

His face had been covered in blood, and his eyes hadn't been visible. However, he had spoken in the warmest voice.

He had said, "Thank you. I promise I'll repay you someday."

Yvette couldn't help but bitterly wonder if this was his way of repaying her.

…

Once Yvette returned to the hotel, she took a shower and applied medication to her scraped skin. Then, she lay down in a daze.

The fall hardened her determination to leave Xavier for good.

…

The sun was shining brightly outside when Yvette woke up.

She got up and headed to the living area, only to see Yara sitting on the couch, wearing a formal dress.

Yara didn't seem to care one bit that Yvette had just woken up. She picked the document off the coffee table and handed it to the latter. "Take a good look at this. It's the backup plan I've selected for you."

Yvette accepted the document but saw the title "prenuptial agreement" on the cover. She flipped through the pages while reading the contents aloud.

"Ms. Yvette Snyder will marry Mr. Liam Lorimer. As his wife, she'll devote herself to him and look after him until the end of his life.

Liam will look after Yvette's family, which includes maintaining their quality of life. He'll also provide 300 million as funds for the Snyder family."

Following that, the document stated Liam's details. He was an entrepreneur from the older generation in Tirion. He was 78 years old that year.

Yvette's mind tensed.

At that moment, Yara spoke up again. "Mr. Lorimer has expressed that he doesn't mind that you were married before.

"He'll help revive our family's reputation from the ashes, as long as you marry him. Come on, dearest. You wouldn't let me and Terrence down, right?"

Yvette's face paled even more. "I can't agree to what you're asking of me."

Yara had never imagined that Yvette would reject her so candidly. She blew up in a fit of rage at once. "What right do you have to refuse? I gave you life!"

Hearing that, Yvette met Yara's gaze. "How about I return my life to you? Would that mean I no longer owe you?"

"What did you say?" Yara shrilled.

Yvette's pale lips moved as she said, "If I returned my life to you, would it mean you'd no longer be my mother? And I'll no longer be indebted to you for giving birth to me?"

Yara sneered, not believing Yvette would dare do such a thing. "Okay, then. I won't force you to marry Mr. Lorimer if you give your life back to me. But the question is, do you have the guts to do it?"

"Give me a month." Yvette seemed determined.

In Yara's eyes, Yvette seemed like a crazed person.

She warned, "You'd best not threaten me by only saying you'll end your life. We're not that close, so I don't care if you die. However, you must sign this document if you're too afraid to end your life."

…

Yvette had suppressed all her emotions to the brim and needed to vent somewhere. So, she went to a bar. She sat in a corner, drinking and watching the crowd happily dance in a daze.

That was when a dashing man with striking eyes noticed Yvette, who was all alone. He approached and asked, "Yvette?"

Yvette stared at the man but didn't recognize him. Still dazed, she asked, "Do you know how one can achieve happiness?"

The man was confused. "What did you say?"

Yvette continued drinking as she spoke. "The doctor says I'm ill and should try to be happier, but I can't make myself feel happy…"

That sparked discomfort in the man, Claude Lander. He wondered if Yvette had forgotten about him. Also, he was confused by what she said—something about being ill and needing to be happier.

"You shouldn't be in a place like this if you want to be happy. Why don't I drive you home?" Claude spoke in a gentle tone.

A smile curved across Yvette's face as she looked at him. "You're a good person."

Complex emotions stirred in Claude when he saw her bitter smile. He wondered what she had been through these past few years. Why did she seem so sorrowful?

Meanwhile, Xavier was also at the bar. After settling the divorce papers, he had let himself loose every night. On top of that, he hadn't returned to Dewberry Estate in a long time.

It was getting late.

When the crowd was about to leave, Daphne noticed a familiar figure in a corner of the bar. She exclaimed, "Isn't that Yvvy?"

Xavier glanced in the direction Daphne was staring in and saw a man merrily chatting with Yvette.

His expression soured at once. He was disappointed in Yvette for getting drunk at a bar and chatting up another man.

He felt like he had thought too highly of her before.

"Should we go and check up on her, Xav?" asked Daphne.

"No," was all Xavier said before speedily leaving.

On the other hand, Yvette declined Claude's offer. "There's no need to trouble yourself. I can go home on my own."

Claude was still worried about Yvette, so he ran after her when he noticed her leaving the bar. "Do you really not remember me?"

Yvette gazed at him but couldn't recall who he was.

"It's Chubbs. Have you forgotten?" Claude reminded her.

Only then did Yvette remember her friend, Chubbs, whom she met when she had been living with Viola in the countryside. Back then, Claude had been chubbier and nowhere near Yvette's height.

Yet, his six-foot-two-inch frame now towered over her. He had even grown to have handsome features.

"I remember now! You've changed so much. I didn't even recognize you!" said Yvette.

Meeting an old friend away from home was a pleasant thing. But only a slight smile curved on Yvette's face. That upset Claude.

"Come on. I'll drive you home," Claude stated.

When he dropped her off, he was shocked to learn she lived in a run-down hotel.

Yvette shifted in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's not a glamorous place. Please don't tell Viola I'm living in such a place. I don't want her to worry."

Claude nodded. Since it was getting late, it was unwise for him to stay longer. So, he left after telling Yvette he would visit her the next day.

He didn't notice the matte black car lingering in a dark area beneath the hotel as he walked out.

Now that Claude had left, Yvette felt dizzy and had an upset stomach from drinking too much.

That was when someone knocked hard on the door.

Yvette had just opened the door when Xavier grabbed her wrist. He exerted so much strength on her slender wrist that it felt close to snapping in half.

"You've made me look at you in a new light, Yvette!" Xavier snarled while shutting and locking the door. He then forcefully led her to the couch.

He sneered with words as sharp and lethal as a blade, "So, you've already settled on which family you'll marry into next, huh? I knew you wouldn't be so willing to let me go for no reason!"

Yvette didn't know why he had come over, nor did she know how he had seen Claude.

She was only briefly dazed. Once she snapped out of it, she shot a furious look at Xavier and didn't bother explaining herself to him.

The rims of her eyes reddened. "You and I aren't that different from each other."

The Snyder family had tricked Xavier into marrying Yvette. However, Xavier had treated her coldly for three years while remaining entangled with his first love.

Neither Xavier nor Yvette was a better person than the other.

Xavier had also drunk some wine, so he reeked of it. Eyes reddening, he pinched Yvette's chin and spoke with a dangerously low voice. "Who is he? When did you guys meet?"

That was the first time Yvette had seen him behave like this. She suddenly chuckled. "Are you jealous?"

Xavier's gaze grew tense as he scoffed. "You're unworthy of such a reaction."

Yvette became choked up.

That was when Xavier leaned in domineeringly and continued interrogating her. "Has he already touched you? Huh?"

In her three years of marriage, Yvette had given up on her work and declined to meet her friends whenever they had occasionally invited her out. She had done so to obey the Lane family's rules.

But now Xavier was suspicious of her.

Relief washed over Yvette just then. She questioned him back, "What do you think?"

That utterly angered Xavier, and his heated hands started travelling down her body.

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