CHAPTER 1: CHAPTER 1: SHE WANTS A DIVORCE

They say it’s easiest to satisfy a woman’s demands in bed and in the afterglow.

Zinnia Lawrence draped herself limply over the man’s chest, lifting her misty eyes and holding out a hand to him.

"Where’s my anniversary gift?"

Unlike her disheveled state, the man’s shirt and trousers were immaculate. Only his tie was slightly loosened, revealing a sharply defined, seductive Adam’s apple. His deep features were sculpted and chiseled, and his long, narrow eyes naturally exuded a cold, ascetic air. Yet it was this impeccably dressed man who had just refused to let her retreat, pulling her down into the abyss with him.

Zinnia’s heart pounded, filled with sweet anticipation.

The man lowered his gaze to her. "What anniversary?"

Zinnia froze. He had been on a business trip for over a month, and she had assumed he’d returned today to celebrate her birthday and their wedding anniversary. She had even heard that he’d gone to great lengths to buy the naming rights to an asteroid overseas, and that his mother had given him the Forrest Family’s heirloom jade bracelet. Either gift would have made her ecstatic.

"You’re playing dumb!" Zinnia huffed, wrapping her arms around his neck to kiss his thin lips.

She never made contact. Jenson dodged.

The kiss landed on empty air, not even grazing his cheek.

Zinnia went rigid.

They had done everything, yet he had never kissed her. She thought today would be different, but it seemed not...

A woman’s sweet, soft body was not something to be satisfied with a single, perfunctory encounter.

Jenson grabbed her small hand and pressed it against his belt buckle, his voice teasing.

"Still not satisfied? If you want a gift, you’ll have to earn it."

Zinnia suppressed the disappointment creeping into her heart as her face burned hot again. Although they had been married for two years, they hadn’t been intimate often. She felt shy and tried to pull her hand away.

"Do it yourself," she muttered, but still leaned over and stuffed a condom into his hand.

Jenson snickered at her ostrich-like behavior. His gaze fell upon the condom, and his dark eyes turned instantly cold. He reached out and pinched her chin.

"Zinnia! Who taught you such a despicable trick?"

All traces of desire vanished from his handsome face, his voice leaving nothing but icy displeasure. The earlier warmth and intimacy dissipated like a dream. Zinnia was stunned. It was only when she noticed that the condoms were all torn that she understood. Jenson thought she had tampered with them, just like when she had supposedly schemed against him four years ago.

A chill ran down Zinnia’s spine. "I didn’t do it!"

She scrambled to the drawer to find the remaining condoms and prove her innocence, but they had all been carefully opened as well.

Jenson was already up and getting dressed, staring down at her imperiously.

"Not you? Who else comes into this room besides you?"

Jenson was a mysophobe with a strong sense of territory; he loathed having servants in the bedroom. Fearing his displeasure, Zinnia always cleaned the bedroom herself. Jenson knew this, yet now, her efforts had become evidence to be used against her.

A sour ache filled her heart. Zinnia recalled that her mother-in-law had visited a few days ago and had even entered their bedroom.

"It was your mother. She..."

"My mom? Do you really think that’s possible?" Jenson’s voice was frigid.

Katherine Rhodes would be thrilled if Zinnia couldn’t bear a child, as it would give her a reason to demand they divorce.

Zinnia’s lips parted, but she was rendered speechless. He doesn’t believe me. Nothing I say will matter. Haven’t I explained enough over the years?

"You’re just as incorrigible as ever!"

Her silence seemed like an admission. Jenson’s eyes sharpened, and he turned to leave.

Panicked, Zinnia leaned forward and grabbed his hand.

Just then, his phone rang. He shook her off and answered it. After listening for only a moment, his voice became gentle.

"Yes, I know it’s today. I’m on my way now. Wait for me."

Zinnia faintly heard a woman’s sweet voice through the phone. As he opened the door, she hastily threw on a nightgown and scrambled out of bed to chase him. The nightgown caught on a wine glass on the bedside table, sending it crashing to the floor. Wine and glass shards scattered everywhere.

Zinnia ignored it and ran to block the door, her voice trembling with anger.

"Who is she? Is she the reason you haven’t been home for over a month? And now you’re going to abandon me to be with her? You can’t go! You promised you would be with me today..."

Jenson stared at her, his gaze detached, his voice as chilling as a winter night.

"Zinnia, after everything you’ve done, what gives you the right to make demands of me?"

The color drained from Zinnia’s face. The man mercilessly pulled her aside and strode out. Clinging to the doorframe, Zinnia shouted after him with red-rimmed eyes, "If you leave, we’re getting a divorce!"

In the hallway, the man’s footsteps never faltered for a second. He quickly disappeared around the corner.

Overwhelmed, Zinnia collapsed to her knees on the floor.

When she was eight, Jenson Forrest had found her on the brink of death and brought her back to the Forrest estate, making her his nominal sister. He had attended her first parent-teacher conference. He had taught her how to ride her first bicycle. He had styled her first princess braid. He had even been the one to buy her sanitary pads and her first training bras when she got her period. For ten years, he was like a brother and a father to her.

The eighteen-year-old Jenson would have risked his life for Zinnia Lawrence.

But when the eighteen-year-old Zinnia climbed into her brother’s bed, she was seen by many, and it became the biggest scandal in Veridia. Grandma Forrest beat him black and blue and forced him to marry her. His girlfriend, Crystal Sutton, left the country heartbroken.

He married Zinnia but did not love her, willing only to be a husband in name. A year ago, they had a wild night while he was drunk, but even that hadn’t stirred his heart in the slightest. He refused to have a child with her. He hated her for ruining everything and forbade her from ever calling him ’brother’ again.

But while she loved him deeply, she could only bury that love in her heart, terrified that revealing even a hint of it would be a profanity against him. How could she possibly drug him and climb into his bed? She had no idea what truly happened that night four years ago. For all these years, everyone had sneered at her for shamelessly seducing her own brother, and the Forrest Family had never accepted her. She became pliant and timid, treading on eggshells around everyone.

She had thought that her mother-in-law giving her the family heirloom and Jenson spending their anniversary with her meant her sincerity had finally broken through—that she was finally accepted, finally loved by him. It turned out to be nothing more than her own ridiculous fantasy.

Hope and despair are separated by the thinnest of lines.

Everything that happened today was a silent slap across the face, waking her up completely.

She couldn’t go on like this.

I’ll get a divorce. I’ll set him free, and free myself.

"Madam, why are you sitting on the floor?" Aunt Kramer asked, standing at the door with a surprised look on her face.

Zinnia quickly turned away, blinked back her tears, and got to her feet.

"What is it?"

"Mr. Forrest told me to bring up your medicine before he left..."

Aunt Kramer held a glass of water and a pill. Zinnia knew it was a contraceptive. She took it and swallowed it in front of the housekeeper.

After Aunt Kramer left, Zinnia closed the door and numbly began to clean up the mess. It wasn’t until she spotted a smear of blood on the floor that she realized a shard of glass had pierced her sole. Crimson blood coated the bottom of her foot.

She let out a self-mocking laugh. After cleaning the floor spotless, she gave her wound a cursory treatment.

Downstairs in the dining room, the candlelit dinner and cake she had so carefully prepared were still sitting untouched. Zinnia sat down alone, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat slowly, bite by bite, as if performing a final ritual for her failed marriage.

From the living room, Aunt Kramer’s panicked voice rang out.

"This is terrible! Eighth Young Master has a high fever!"

Just yesterday, her eight-year-old brother-in-law, Julia Forrest, had fallen ill and begged for her. Her mother-in-law had sent the boy over. In fact, it was he who had told Zinnia about the jade bracelet.

Zinnia’s expression changed instantly. "Go start the car. I’ll take Eighth to the hospital right away."

"Seventh Sister, Eighth is in pain..."

Zinnia rushed into the room. The child’s forehead was scorching. Delirious with fever, he snuggled against her hand.

"Seventh Sister is here, Eighth. Don’t be afraid. We’re going to the hospital now."

It was nearly midnight by the time they reached the hospital. After a series of tests, Julia was admitted to a ward. Katherine Rhodes and Granny Ward soon hurried over to watch him, while Zinnia went to pick up the test results. Thinking that young Julia might be fussy if he woke up in the middle of the night, Zinnia decided to head back to the ward to grab her purse and buy some snacks.

The door to the ward was slightly ajar, and the sound of crying and conversation drifted out.

"Don’t worry too much, Madam. The doctor said Eighth Young Master’s leukemia isn’t high-risk. He might not need a bone marrow transplant."

"I know, but Eighth has Rh-negative blood. Transfusions are unavoidable. If Zinnia could just have a matching child, she’d at least be of some use. It would mean the Forrest Family didn’t raise her for nothing..."

In an instant, Zinnia felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

She understood everything. Julia, born to her mother-in-law at an advanced age, was the apple of her eye. Her mother-in-law didn’t want her pregnant for the sake of a grandchild; she wanted her to conceive a living medicine and a personal blood bag to save her brother-in-law.

A bone-deep chill spread through her. Zinnia turned numbly and walked in a daze toward the outpatient hall.

She thought the night couldn’t possibly get any more absurd. But then she looked up and saw her husband.

Beside Jenson stood a woman. They were both wearing glowing headbands, looking like a young couple in love. The man was looking down at his phone while the woman stood on her toes, playfully pinching the wolf ears on his headband. On her wrist, a jade bracelet gleamed with a watery light. It was the Forrest Family’s heirloom.

The world spun around Zinnia. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she turned her head and dry-heaved.

Jenson turned his head. His eyes lifted and met Zinnia’s.

Zinnia froze on the spot.

Jenson’s expression remained neutral. He said something to the woman, who then turned to look over.

Only then did Zinnia see her face clearly. It was a soft, gentle face—the face of a first love.

It was Crystal Sutton. She was back.