Natalie had loved Hassan like a wildfire—reckless, consuming, impossible to ignore. The whole city watched her chase Hassan for years, laughed at her devotion, called her crazy. They didn't know that somewhere, on a magnolia tree, a girl had once carved his name into the bark with a promise to love him until she turned a hundred. At twenty-four, she stopped. Not with a fight. Not with a scene. Just a quiet click of a pen on divorce papers she had already signed weeks before. Hassan didn't know she had already left. He was too busy shielding another woman—his arms wrapped tight around her, his body a wall against the world—while Natalie stood behind him like an afterthought, like a joke. He didn't know the woman he had dismissed as "that crazy girl" was the same one who would one day stand on the world's biggest robotics stage, a genius in her own right, with a gold medal around her neck and an army of fans screaming her name. He didn't know any of it—until he turned on the news and saw her face everywhere. And then, for the first time, he fell to his knees to beg. But Natalie only stepped back, her face calm, her voice flat as still water. "You want to marry me?" she said. "Get in line."

Chapter 1After four years of marriage to Hassan Carlson, Natalie Thornton asked for a divorce.The catalyst was an incident during their anniversary dinner. She had brought along the young boy they sponsored. Perhaps caught up in the moment, the kid looked at Hassan and blurted out, "Dad."Everyone present froze. Especially Natalie.Hassan sat at the head of the table, a cigarette between his fingers. Through the swirling smoke, his handsome features carried a hint of detached weariness. Hearing the title, he didn't look particularly surprised. He merely corrected the boy with calm patience."Call me Mr. Carlson. I'm not your dad."The sponsored child quickly corrected himself, "Yes, Mr. Carlson. I just missed my dad too much. Mrs. Carlson, please don't misunderstand."Natalie's nails dug fiercely into her palms. She looked down at the boy, then over at Hassan. To be fair, they didn't look remarkably alike, but the child did bear a striking resemblance to someone else.In a flash of realization, she blurted out, "Hassan, what’s your relationship with Gardenia Sutton?"Silence fell over the room once more.And silence was the loudest answer.Finally, one of Hassan's friends tried to smooth things over. "Natalie, don't get the wrong idea. Whatever happened between Hassan and Gardenia is ancient history."With her suspicions confirmed, Natalie felt her world suddenly collapse, her mind going completely blank. So this was what it felt like to have your love crushed—a suffocating, chest-tightening agony.Having chased after Hassan for years, she obviously knew he had an ex-girlfriend he had once deeply loved but couldn't have. But who didn't have a past? She had been generous enough not to make a fuss about it, never even asking for the woman's details.It turned out she was Gardenia Sutton, an independent woman with a prosthetic right leg, working hard to raise a child on her own.A year ago, Natalie and Hassan had agreed to sponsor the child. The mother and son were originally from a remote area, but Hassan suggested bringing the boy to Kingswood City, citing its superior educational and medical resources. Natalie had run herself ragged finding them a school and a place to live, settling them in completely.Playing the details back in her head, the more she thought about it, the more pathetic and ridiculous she felt.Whenever she brought up wanting a baby, he would always say there was no rush. It turned out he was just in no rush to have one with her.When she suggested buying a higher-quality prosthetic for Gardenia, he immediately took over the task. It wasn't out of consideration for her—it was for Gardenia.And marrying her had merely been a way to spite Gardenia.Her very existence was a joke!Natalie looked up, meeting Hassan's gaze, desperate to find even a flicker of guilt.But there was none. It was as if he was absolutely certain that, even confronted with the reality of his betrayal, she could never leave him.No one here was going to speak up for her, either. She had never truly fit into his circle. His world was filled with business elites and prodigies, while she was just a socialite who knew how to have fun—they had absolutely nothing in common. To them, her presence lowered their status, and she had never been truly welcome.Given her usual temper, she should have flipped the table, flipped the whole room upside down, and made a scene the whole city would hear about.But she didn't. She was calmer than usual. She had finally learned to do what Hassan always told her. *Natalie, grow up. Stop letting your emotions control you.*"Natalie, you're here. Grab a seat," someone said, acting as if nothing was wrong.At the door, Gardenia walked in to serve another dish. She was carrying a massive glass sashimi platter, piled high with shaved ice that weighed down her wrists. Her lips were pressed tightly together.Someone observant immediately stood up to help her place the dish on the table and smoothly offered her a seat.Gardenia ended up sitting in the only empty chair—right next to Hassan.Natalie stood there alone, like an outsider."Gardenia, why do you insist on doing such exhausting work? It's not like Hassan hasn't given you money.""This job is fine. Earning my own money through hard work isn't something to be ashamed of..." Gardenia enunciated clearly, refusing to show a hint of vulnerability.A waiter wheeled in a towering, multi-tiered cake from outside. Natalie had baked it herself. For the past month, on top of rehearsing for her dance company from dawn till dusk and prepping for a major performance, she had squeezed in time between meals to learn baking from a professional pastry chef.All for their four-year anniversary. She had hidden a ring inside the cake.Hassan hadn't worn his wedding ring in a long time, claiming he had accidentally lost it. She had flown overseas to track down the original designer and commissioned an exact replica."Hassan, you even ordered a cake for Gardenia?"The group beamed at her. "Gardenia, welcome back!"Natalie looked at Hassan. He was raising a glass with everyone else, completely unbothered by where the cake came from.The first slice was handed to Gardenia. In the shimmering light, she looked in surprise at the ring peeking out of the frosting. "This is..."The room erupted in cheers."A ring! Is this a proposal?!""Get together! Get together!""Kiss her!"Crash!With a loud shatter, the towering cake was shoved to the floor. The glamorous venue was instantly plunged into chaotic silence."Natalie! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!"Everyone glared at her, making no attempt to hide their outrage.Under their shocked and furious gazes, Natalie pulled the wedding band off her ring finger and tossed it into the ruined cake.After four years, the ring had left a deep indent on her finger. She didn't know how long it would take to fade, but with the ring gone, the mark would vanish eventually."Hassan Carlson, the anniversary is over. Let's get a divorce," she said, throat dry, feeling the sudden emptiness on her hand.The crowd looked unfazed. Natalie was known for throwing tantrums and threatening divorce, only to come begging for his attention shortly after. There was no way this marriage was actually ending."Don't wake up tomorrow and regret this," he said, his tone casual and flat. "Stick to your word. No acting out and whining to me the next day.""Don't worry. I won't."What they didn't know was that this time, Natalie meant it.By the time she stepped out of the restaurant, her vision was blurred with tears.A figure rushed out after her and grabbed her arm.Gardenia's eyes were sharp. "Do you think I'm his mistress? Let me tell you, Hassan and I are completely innocent. I haven't spent a dime of his money.""I'm not blind, and I'm not deaf." Natalie shook off her hand.Suddenly, a van screeched to a halt right behind her."Ah—"Her scream was muffled before it could escape. Two burly, masked men locked onto her in a split second, covering her mouth and shoving her into the vehicle.In the blink of an eye, Natalie was gone.Gardenia stood frozen in place. Her body swayed slightly before she took a hard fall onto the freezing pavement, scraping her elbow against the steps.When the people inside the restaurant finally came out looking for her, they found her sprawled miserably on the ground. Two of them helped her up. Noticing the large patch of skin scraped off her elbow and her prosthetic leg detached nearby, they were instantly furious. "Did Natalie push you?! That vicious woman, there's no one in all of Kingswood City more arrogant than her!"The other friend was equally incensed. "Where did she go?! Pushed you and ran off? She has to apologize! This is crossing the line!"Gardenia's lips trembled. "She... she...""Did she threaten you? Don't be scared, you have us! We're definitely on your side.""She..." Gardenia blinked, holding back tears, and shook her head. "It's fine, let's go back inside. I still have to work.""Gardenia, you're just too kind! She treats you like this and you do nothing. No wonder she can't win Hassan's heart—her soul is so toxic."They supported her back inside, loudly complaining about the incident to Hassan.He had just placed a piece of food on the little boy's plate. Only after watching him eat it did he finally speak. "Call Natalie."Gardenia frowned. "...Forget it, I'm fine.""Gardenia, stop feeling sorry for Natalie. Are we supposed to wait until she puts you in the hospital to call it a big deal?"The call had already been dialed, the friend eager to hold Natalie accountable without a second's delay.Beep, beep, beep...The line rang until it automatically disconnected."She's definitely guilty and too scared to pick up!"Gardenia lowered her eyes, her long bangs hiding her expression. Her hands, tucked into her sleeves, were trembling slightly.She peeked discreetly at the man in the seat. He was watching the boy eat and casually added another rib to his plate. His broad shoulders were straight but relaxed; every movement was deliberate, steady, and elegantly precise.She pressed her lips together, forcing a soft smile as she walked over to the other side of the child. "Adrian, is it good? Hurry and thank him."The little boy, who had been focused on his meal, looked up. His eyes darted slightly before he spoke in a soft voice, "Thank you, Dad."Hassan paused mid-motion with his silverware. A cool gaze swept over, hiding something deep beneath his calm exterior. His voice was low. "Eat a little more."A friend nearby couldn't help but laugh. "Hassan, now this looks like a real family! Natalie has dragged you down for four years. Finalize the divorce tomorrow as soon as City Hall opens. Don't drag it out."...The next morning, outside City Hall.Inside the car, Zeke, Hassan’s assistant, sat in the passenger seat. The phone rang and disconnected, over and over. Frustrated, he glanced into the back. "I still can't reach Mrs. Carlson's phone."Gardenia glanced at Hassan. Seeing his silence, she reached over to gently pat the boy's head sitting between them, offering carefully, "She might still be sleeping."Hassan glanced at his watch, his tone indifferent. "Let's drop you off at work first."When they arrived at the restaurant, Gardenia got out and handed the boy a lollipop, affectionately stroking his cheek. "Be good for... Mr. Carlson today. Mom will come get you after work."The boy nodded, staring intently at his lollipop as he unwrapped it. His quiet, detached demeanor mirrored the man beside him.By the time they returned to City Hall, a few more sports cars had parked nearby. Clearly, plenty of people were eager to see Natalie and Hassan's marriage end.Natalie was famously flamboyant in their circles, living entirely by her own rules because Hassan was always there to clean up her messes.A divorce meant they were severing ties. He would no longer protect her.It also meant the wolves masquerading in sheep's clothing could finally bare their fangs.Zeke made one last call, which also failed to connect.Hassan sat in the back of the car, a laptop resting on the tray table in front of him. He clicked through his work emails and casually unscrewed a bottle of water for the child, as if the noisy spectacle outside had absolutely nothing to do with him.Zeke frowned. "Could something have happened to her? In the past, no matter how angry she got, she never ignored your calls."Natalie knew that a call from Zeke meant Hassan was looking for her. Even during her worst tantrums, she would at least answer the phone, even if she refused to speak.Having finished his work, Hassan loosened his tie and draped it over the back of the seat. His voice was low and steady, entirely devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an undeniable weight. "I've entertained her tantrum all morning. That's enough. Back to the office."Just as the last word fell, someone knocked on the car window, revealing a slender silhouette in red.The only person who loved wearing such a bold color with that kind of impact was Natalie.Zeke's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.It really was her. But she looked strange—no, she looked completely battered. She had no shoes on. Her feet, painted with a fiery red polish, were caked in mud, scraped, and swollen with purple bruises. Her hair was tangled, her makeup completely ruined.It looked as if she had fought tooth and nail just to make it here, purely to get this divorce.Zeke turned back, only to realize Hassan had already stepped out of the car.Radiating a frigid aura, he stopped half a step away from her. His overwhelming presence bore down on her as he scanned her up and down. "Where have you been messing around this time?"A faint, mocking smile tugged at Natalie’s lips. "That's right, I was out messing around. And the second I was done, I rushed right over here for our divorce."He pressed a knuckle against the bridge of his nose, the movement agonizingly slow and restrained. The air around them grew heavy, as if pressed down by an invisible force."Natalie, stop using divorce to test my limits," he warned, his voice rougher than usual but terrifyingly clear. "This is the last time."She knew him well enough to know he was furious.The old Natalie would have instantly folded, desperate just to make him happy. But today, she completely ignored his anger and turned toward the entrance of City Hall.There was only a minute left before the staff went on their lunch break.Natalie bowed her head slightly in apology. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."The clerk sat back down, took one look at her, and froze.Natalie used to be a lead dancer on television, enjoying a brief stint of fame. She was exquisitely beautiful, utterly flawless. The contrast between that image and the dirty, disheveled woman standing here was jarring.The clerk cleared her throat softly. "And your husband?"Natalie frowned, glancing out the door. Hassan hadn't followed her inside?Chapter 2After four years of marriage to Hassan Carlson, Natalie Thornton asked for a divorce.The catalyst was an incident during their anniversary dinner. She had brought along the young boy they sponsored. Perhaps caught up in the moment, the kid looked at Hassan and blurted out, "Dad."Everyone present froze. Especially Natalie.Hassan sat at the head of the table, a cigarette between his fingers. Through the swirling smoke, his handsome features carried a hint of detached weariness. Hearing the title, he didn't look particularly surprised. He merely corrected the boy with calm patience."Call me Mr. Carlson. I'm not your dad."The sponsored child quickly corrected himself, "Yes, Mr. Carlson. I just missed my dad too much. Mrs. Carlson, please don't misunderstand."Natalie's nails dug fiercely into her palms. She looked down at the boy, then over at Hassan. To be fair, they didn't look remarkably alike, but the child did bear a striking resemblance to someone else.In a flash of realization, she blurted out, "Hassan, what’s your relationship with Gardenia Sutton?"Silence fell over the room once more.And silence was the loudest answer.Finally, one of Hassan's friends tried to smooth things over. "Natalie, don't get the wrong idea. Whatever happened between Hassan and Gardenia is ancient history."With her suspicions confirmed, Natalie felt her world suddenly collapse, her mind going completely blank. So this was what it felt like to have your love crushed—a suffocating, chest-tightening agony.Having chased after Hassan for years, she obviously knew he had an ex-girlfriend he had once deeply loved but couldn't have. But who didn't have a past? She had been generous enough not to make a fuss about it, never even asking for the woman's details.It turned out she was Gardenia Sutton, an independent woman with a prosthetic right leg, working hard to raise a child on her own.A year ago, Natalie and Hassan had agreed to sponsor the child. The mother and son were originally from a remote area, but Hassan suggested bringing the boy to Kingswood City, citing its superior educational and medical resources. Natalie had run herself ragged finding them a school and a place to live, settling them in completely.Playing the details back in her head, the more she thought about it, the more pathetic and ridiculous she felt.Whenever she brought up wanting a baby, he would always say there was no rush. It turned out he was just in no rush to have one with her.When she suggested buying a higher-quality prosthetic for Gardenia, he immediately took over the task. It wasn't out of consideration for her—it was for Gardenia.And marrying her had merely been a way to spite Gardenia.Her very existence was a joke!Natalie looked up, meeting Hassan's gaze, desperate to find even a flicker of guilt.But there was none. It was as if he was absolutely certain that, even confronted with the reality of his betrayal, she could never leave him.No one here was going to speak up for her, either. She had never truly fit into his circle. His world was filled with business elites and prodigies, while she was just a socialite who knew how to have fun—they had absolutely nothing in common. To them, her presence lowered their status, and she had never been truly welcome.Given her usual temper, she should have flipped the table, flipped the whole room upside down, and made a scene the whole city would hear about.But she didn't. She was calmer than usual. She had finally learned to do what Hassan always told her. *Natalie, grow up. Stop letting your emotions control you.*"Natalie, you're here. Grab a seat," someone said, acting as if nothing was wrong.At the door, Gardenia walked in to serve another dish. She was carrying a massive glass sashimi platter, piled high with shaved ice that weighed down her wrists. Her lips were pressed tightly together.Someone observant immediately stood up to help her place the dish on the table and smoothly offered her a seat.Gardenia ended up sitting in the only empty chair—right next to Hassan.Natalie stood there alone, like an outsider."Gardenia, why do you insist on doing such exhausting work? It's not like Hassan hasn't given you money.""This job is fine. Earning my own money through hard work isn't something to be ashamed of..." Gardenia enunciated clearly, refusing to show a hint of vulnerability.A waiter wheeled in a towering, multi-tiered cake from outside. Natalie had baked it herself. For the past month, on top of rehearsing for her dance company from dawn till dusk and prepping for a major performance, she had squeezed in time between meals to learn baking from a professional pastry chef.All for their four-year anniversary. She had hidden a ring inside the cake.Hassan hadn't worn his wedding ring in a long time, claiming he had accidentally lost it. She had flown overseas to track down the original designer and commissioned an exact replica."Hassan, you even ordered a cake for Gardenia?"The group beamed at her. "Gardenia, welcome back!"Natalie looked at Hassan. He was raising a glass with everyone else, completely unbothered by where the cake came from.The first slice was handed to Gardenia. In the shimmering light, she looked in surprise at the ring peeking out of the frosting. "This is..."The room erupted in cheers."A ring! Is this a proposal?!""Get together! Get together!""Kiss her!"Crash!With a loud shatter, the towering cake was shoved to the floor. The glamorous venue was instantly plunged into chaotic silence."Natalie! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!"Everyone glared at her, making no attempt to hide their outrage.Under their shocked and furious gazes, Natalie pulled the wedding band off her ring finger and tossed it into the ruined cake.After four years, the ring had left a deep indent on her finger. She didn't know how long it would take to fade, but with the ring gone, the mark would vanish eventually."Hassan Carlson, the anniversary is over. Let's get a divorce," she said, throat dry, feeling the sudden emptiness on her hand.The crowd looked unfazed. Natalie was known for throwing tantrums and threatening divorce, only to come begging for his attention shortly after. There was no way this marriage was actually ending."Don't wake up tomorrow and regret this," he said, his tone casual and flat. "Stick to your word. No acting out and whining to me the next day.""Don't worry. I won't."What they didn't know was that this time, Natalie meant it.By the time she stepped out of the restaurant, her vision was blurred with tears.A figure rushed out after her and grabbed her arm.Gardenia's eyes were sharp. "Do you think I'm his mistress? Let me tell you, Hassan and I are completely innocent. I haven't spent a dime of his money.""I'm not blind, and I'm not deaf." Natalie shook off her hand.Suddenly, a van screeched to a halt right behind her."Ah—"Her scream was muffled before it could escape. Two burly, masked men locked onto her in a split second, covering her mouth and shoving her into the vehicle.In the blink of an eye, Natalie was gone.Gardenia stood frozen in place. Her body swayed slightly before she took a hard fall onto the freezing pavement, scraping her elbow against the steps.When the people inside the restaurant finally came out looking for her, they found her sprawled miserably on the ground. Two of them helped her up. Noticing the large patch of skin scraped off her elbow and her prosthetic leg detached nearby, they were instantly furious. "Did Natalie push you?! That vicious woman, there's no one in all of Kingswood City more arrogant than her!"The other friend was equally incensed. "Where did she go?! Pushed you and ran off? She has to apologize! This is crossing the line!"Gardenia's lips trembled. "She... she...""Did she threaten you? Don't be scared, you have us! We're definitely on your side.""She..." Gardenia blinked, holding back tears, and shook her head. "It's fine, let's go back inside. I still have to work.""Gardenia, you're just too kind! She treats you like this and you do nothing. No wonder she can't win Hassan's heart—her soul is so toxic."They supported her back inside, loudly complaining about the incident to Hassan.He had just placed a piece of food on the little boy's plate. Only after watching him eat it did he finally speak. "Call Natalie."Gardenia frowned. "...Forget it, I'm fine.""Gardenia, stop feeling sorry for Natalie. Are we supposed to wait until she puts you in the hospital to call it a big deal?"The call had already been dialed, the friend eager to hold Natalie accountable without a second's delay.Beep, beep, beep...The line rang until it automatically disconnected."She's definitely guilty and too scared to pick up!"Gardenia lowered her eyes, her long bangs hiding her expression. Her hands, tucked into her sleeves, were trembling slightly.She peeked discreetly at the man in the seat. He was watching the boy eat and casually added another rib to his plate. His broad shoulders were straight but relaxed; every movement was deliberate, steady, and elegantly precise.She pressed her lips together, forcing a soft smile as she walked over to the other side of the child. "Adrian, is it good? Hurry and thank him."The little boy, who had been focused on his meal, looked up. His eyes darted slightly before he spoke in a soft voice, "Thank you, Dad."Hassan paused mid-motion with his silverware. A cool gaze swept over, hiding something deep beneath his calm exterior. His voice was low. "Eat a little more."A friend nearby couldn't help but laugh. "Hassan, now this looks like a real family! Natalie has dragged you down for four years. Finalize the divorce tomorrow as soon as City Hall opens. Don't drag it out."...The next morning, outside City Hall.Inside the car, Zeke, Hassan’s assistant, sat in the passenger seat. The phone rang and disconnected, over and over. Frustrated, he glanced into the back. "I still can't reach Mrs. Carlson's phone."Gardenia glanced at Hassan. Seeing his silence, she reached over to gently pat the boy's head sitting between them, offering carefully, "She might still be sleeping."Hassan glanced at his watch, his tone indifferent. "Let's drop you off at work first."When they arrived at the restaurant, Gardenia got out and handed the boy a lollipop, affectionately stroking his cheek. "Be good for... Mr. Carlson today. Mom will come get you after work."The boy nodded, staring intently at his lollipop as he unwrapped it. His quiet, detached demeanor mirrored the man beside him.By the time they returned to City Hall, a few more sports cars had parked nearby. Clearly, plenty of people were eager to see Natalie and Hassan's marriage end.Natalie was famously flamboyant in their circles, living entirely by her own rules because Hassan was always there to clean up her messes.A divorce meant they were severing ties. He would no longer protect her.It also meant the wolves masquerading in sheep's clothing could finally bare their fangs.Zeke made one last call, which also failed to connect.Hassan sat in the back of the car, a laptop resting on the tray table in front of him. He clicked through his work emails and casually unscrewed a bottle of water for the child, as if the noisy spectacle outside had absolutely nothing to do with him.Zeke frowned. "Could something have happened to her? In the past, no matter how angry she got, she never ignored your calls."Natalie knew that a call from Zeke meant Hassan was looking for her. Even during her worst tantrums, she would at least answer the phone, even if she refused to speak.Having finished his work, Hassan loosened his tie and draped it over the back of the seat. His voice was low and steady, entirely devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an undeniable weight. "I've entertained her tantrum all morning. That's enough. Back to the office."Just as the last word fell, someone knocked on the car window, revealing a slender silhouette in red.The only person who loved wearing such a bold color with that kind of impact was Natalie.Zeke's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.It really was her. But she looked strange—no, she looked completely battered. She had no shoes on. Her feet, painted with a fiery red polish, were caked in mud, scraped, and swollen with purple bruises. Her hair was tangled, her makeup completely ruined.It looked as if she had fought tooth and nail just to make it here, purely to get this divorce.Zeke turned back, only to realize Hassan had already stepped out of the car.Radiating a frigid aura, he stopped half a step away from her. His overwhelming presence bore down on her as he scanned her up and down. "Where have you been messing around this time?"A faint, mocking smile tugged at Natalie’s lips. "That's right, I was out messing around. And the second I was done, I rushed right over here for our divorce."He pressed a knuckle against the bridge of his nose, the movement agonizingly slow and restrained. The air around them grew heavy, as if pressed down by an invisible force."Natalie, stop using divorce to test my limits," he warned, his voice rougher than usual but terrifyingly clear. "This is the last time."She knew him well enough to know he was furious.The old Natalie would have instantly folded, desperate just to make him happy. But today, she completely ignored his anger and turned toward the entrance of City Hall.There was only a minute left before the staff went on their lunch break.Natalie bowed her head slightly in apology. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."The clerk sat back down, took one look at her, and froze.Natalie used to be a lead dancer on television, enjoying a brief stint of fame. She was exquisitely beautiful, utterly flawless. The contrast between that image and the dirty, disheveled woman standing here was jarring.The clerk cleared her throat softly. "And your husband?"Natalie frowned, glancing out the door. Hassan hadn't followed her inside?Chapter 3After four years of marriage to Hassan Carlson, Natalie Thornton asked for a divorce.The catalyst was an incident during their anniversary dinner. She had brought along the young boy they sponsored. Perhaps caught up in the moment, the kid looked at Hassan and blurted out, "Dad."Everyone present froze. Especially Natalie.Hassan sat at the head of the table, a cigarette between his fingers. Through the swirling smoke, his handsome features carried a hint of detached weariness. Hearing the title, he didn't look particularly surprised. He merely corrected the boy with calm patience."Call me Mr. Carlson. I'm not your dad."The sponsored child quickly corrected himself, "Yes, Mr. Carlson. I just missed my dad too much. Mrs. Carlson, please don't misunderstand."Natalie's nails dug fiercely into her palms. She looked down at the boy, then over at Hassan. To be fair, they didn't look remarkably alike, but the child did bear a striking resemblance to someone else.In a flash of realization, she blurted out, "Hassan, what’s your relationship with Gardenia Sutton?"Silence fell over the room once more.And silence was the loudest answer.Finally, one of Hassan's friends tried to smooth things over. "Natalie, don't get the wrong idea. Whatever happened between Hassan and Gardenia is ancient history."With her suspicions confirmed, Natalie felt her world suddenly collapse, her mind going completely blank. So this was what it felt like to have your love crushed—a suffocating, chest-tightening agony.Having chased after Hassan for years, she obviously knew he had an ex-girlfriend he had once deeply loved but couldn't have. But who didn't have a past? She had been generous enough not to make a fuss about it, never even asking for the woman's details.It turned out she was Gardenia Sutton, an independent woman with a prosthetic right leg, working hard to raise a child on her own.A year ago, Natalie and Hassan had agreed to sponsor the child. The mother and son were originally from a remote area, but Hassan suggested bringing the boy to Kingswood City, citing its superior educational and medical resources. Natalie had run herself ragged finding them a school and a place to live, settling them in completely.Playing the details back in her head, the more she thought about it, the more pathetic and ridiculous she felt.Whenever she brought up wanting a baby, he would always say there was no rush. It turned out he was just in no rush to have one with her.When she suggested buying a higher-quality prosthetic for Gardenia, he immediately took over the task. It wasn't out of consideration for her—it was for Gardenia.And marrying her had merely been a way to spite Gardenia.Her very existence was a joke!Natalie looked up, meeting Hassan's gaze, desperate to find even a flicker of guilt.But there was none. It was as if he was absolutely certain that, even confronted with the reality of his betrayal, she could never leave him.No one here was going to speak up for her, either. She had never truly fit into his circle. His world was filled with business elites and prodigies, while she was just a socialite who knew how to have fun—they had absolutely nothing in common. To them, her presence lowered their status, and she had never been truly welcome.Given her usual temper, she should have flipped the table, flipped the whole room upside down, and made a scene the whole city would hear about.But she didn't. She was calmer than usual. She had finally learned to do what Hassan always told her. *Natalie, grow up. Stop letting your emotions control you.*"Natalie, you're here. Grab a seat," someone said, acting as if nothing was wrong.At the door, Gardenia walked in to serve another dish. She was carrying a massive glass sashimi platter, piled high with shaved ice that weighed down her wrists. Her lips were pressed tightly together.Someone observant immediately stood up to help her place the dish on the table and smoothly offered her a seat.Gardenia ended up sitting in the only empty chair—right next to Hassan.Natalie stood there alone, like an outsider."Gardenia, why do you insist on doing such exhausting work? It's not like Hassan hasn't given you money.""This job is fine. Earning my own money through hard work isn't something to be ashamed of..." Gardenia enunciated clearly, refusing to show a hint of vulnerability.A waiter wheeled in a towering, multi-tiered cake from outside. Natalie had baked it herself. For the past month, on top of rehearsing for her dance company from dawn till dusk and prepping for a major performance, she had squeezed in time between meals to learn baking from a professional pastry chef.All for their four-year anniversary. She had hidden a ring inside the cake.Hassan hadn't worn his wedding ring in a long time, claiming he had accidentally lost it. She had flown overseas to track down the original designer and commissioned an exact replica."Hassan, you even ordered a cake for Gardenia?"The group beamed at her. "Gardenia, welcome back!"Natalie looked at Hassan. He was raising a glass with everyone else, completely unbothered by where the cake came from.The first slice was handed to Gardenia. In the shimmering light, she looked in surprise at the ring peeking out of the frosting. "This is..."The room erupted in cheers."A ring! Is this a proposal?!""Get together! Get together!""Kiss her!"Crash!With a loud shatter, the towering cake was shoved to the floor. The glamorous venue was instantly plunged into chaotic silence."Natalie! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!"Everyone glared at her, making no attempt to hide their outrage.Under their shocked and furious gazes, Natalie pulled the wedding band off her ring finger and tossed it into the ruined cake.After four years, the ring had left a deep indent on her finger. She didn't know how long it would take to fade, but with the ring gone, the mark would vanish eventually."Hassan Carlson, the anniversary is over. Let's get a divorce," she said, throat dry, feeling the sudden emptiness on her hand.The crowd looked unfazed. Natalie was known for throwing tantrums and threatening divorce, only to come begging for his attention shortly after. There was no way this marriage was actually ending."Don't wake up tomorrow and regret this," he said, his tone casual and flat. "Stick to your word. No acting out and whining to me the next day.""Don't worry. I won't."What they didn't know was that this time, Natalie meant it.By the time she stepped out of the restaurant, her vision was blurred with tears.A figure rushed out after her and grabbed her arm.Gardenia's eyes were sharp. "Do you think I'm his mistress? Let me tell you, Hassan and I are completely innocent. I haven't spent a dime of his money.""I'm not blind, and I'm not deaf." Natalie shook off her hand.Suddenly, a van screeched to a halt right behind her."Ah—"Her scream was muffled before it could escape. Two burly, masked men locked onto her in a split second, covering her mouth and shoving her into the vehicle.In the blink of an eye, Natalie was gone.Gardenia stood frozen in place. Her body swayed slightly before she took a hard fall onto the freezing pavement, scraping her elbow against the steps.When the people inside the restaurant finally came out looking for her, they found her sprawled miserably on the ground. Two of them helped her up. Noticing the large patch of skin scraped off her elbow and her prosthetic leg detached nearby, they were instantly furious. "Did Natalie push you?! That vicious woman, there's no one in all of Kingswood City more arrogant than her!"The other friend was equally incensed. "Where did she go?! Pushed you and ran off? She has to apologize! This is crossing the line!"Gardenia's lips trembled. "She... she...""Did she threaten you? Don't be scared, you have us! We're definitely on your side.""She..." Gardenia blinked, holding back tears, and shook her head. "It's fine, let's go back inside. I still have to work.""Gardenia, you're just too kind! She treats you like this and you do nothing. No wonder she can't win Hassan's heart—her soul is so toxic."They supported her back inside, loudly complaining about the incident to Hassan.He had just placed a piece of food on the little boy's plate. Only after watching him eat it did he finally speak. "Call Natalie."Gardenia frowned. "...Forget it, I'm fine.""Gardenia, stop feeling sorry for Natalie. Are we supposed to wait until she puts you in the hospital to call it a big deal?"The call had already been dialed, the friend eager to hold Natalie accountable without a second's delay.Beep, beep, beep...The line rang until it automatically disconnected."She's definitely guilty and too scared to pick up!"Gardenia lowered her eyes, her long bangs hiding her expression. Her hands, tucked into her sleeves, were trembling slightly.She peeked discreetly at the man in the seat. He was watching the boy eat and casually added another rib to his plate. His broad shoulders were straight but relaxed; every movement was deliberate, steady, and elegantly precise.She pressed her lips together, forcing a soft smile as she walked over to the other side of the child. "Adrian, is it good? Hurry and thank him."The little boy, who had been focused on his meal, looked up. His eyes darted slightly before he spoke in a soft voice, "Thank you, Dad."Hassan paused mid-motion with his silverware. A cool gaze swept over, hiding something deep beneath his calm exterior. His voice was low. "Eat a little more."A friend nearby couldn't help but laugh. "Hassan, now this looks like a real family! Natalie has dragged you down for four years. Finalize the divorce tomorrow as soon as City Hall opens. Don't drag it out."...The next morning, outside City Hall.Inside the car, Zeke, Hassan’s assistant, sat in the passenger seat. The phone rang and disconnected, over and over. Frustrated, he glanced into the back. "I still can't reach Mrs. Carlson's phone."Gardenia glanced at Hassan. Seeing his silence, she reached over to gently pat the boy's head sitting between them, offering carefully, "She might still be sleeping."Hassan glanced at his watch, his tone indifferent. "Let's drop you off at work first."When they arrived at the restaurant, Gardenia got out and handed the boy a lollipop, affectionately stroking his cheek. "Be good for... Mr. Carlson today. Mom will come get you after work."The boy nodded, staring intently at his lollipop as he unwrapped it. His quiet, detached demeanor mirrored the man beside him.By the time they returned to City Hall, a few more sports cars had parked nearby. Clearly, plenty of people were eager to see Natalie and Hassan's marriage end.Natalie was famously flamboyant in their circles, living entirely by her own rules because Hassan was always there to clean up her messes.A divorce meant they were severing ties. He would no longer protect her.It also meant the wolves masquerading in sheep's clothing could finally bare their fangs.Zeke made one last call, which also failed to connect.Hassan sat in the back of the car, a laptop resting on the tray table in front of him. He clicked through his work emails and casually unscrewed a bottle of water for the child, as if the noisy spectacle outside had absolutely nothing to do with him.Zeke frowned. "Could something have happened to her? In the past, no matter how angry she got, she never ignored your calls."Natalie knew that a call from Zeke meant Hassan was looking for her. Even during her worst tantrums, she would at least answer the phone, even if she refused to speak.Having finished his work, Hassan loosened his tie and draped it over the back of the seat. His voice was low and steady, entirely devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an undeniable weight. "I've entertained her tantrum all morning. That's enough. Back to the office."Just as the last word fell, someone knocked on the car window, revealing a slender silhouette in red.The only person who loved wearing such a bold color with that kind of impact was Natalie.Zeke's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.It really was her. But she looked strange—no, she looked completely battered. She had no shoes on. Her feet, painted with a fiery red polish, were caked in mud, scraped, and swollen with purple bruises. Her hair was tangled, her makeup completely ruined.It looked as if she had fought tooth and nail just to make it here, purely to get this divorce.Zeke turned back, only to realize Hassan had already stepped out of the car.Radiating a frigid aura, he stopped half a step away from her. His overwhelming presence bore down on her as he scanned her up and down. "Where have you been messing around this time?"A faint, mocking smile tugged at Natalie’s lips. "That's right, I was out messing around. And the second I was done, I rushed right over here for our divorce."He pressed a knuckle against the bridge of his nose, the movement agonizingly slow and restrained. The air around them grew heavy, as if pressed down by an invisible force."Natalie, stop using divorce to test my limits," he warned, his voice rougher than usual but terrifyingly clear. "This is the last time."She knew him well enough to know he was furious.The old Natalie would have instantly folded, desperate just to make him happy. But today, she completely ignored his anger and turned toward the entrance of City Hall.There was only a minute left before the staff went on their lunch break.Natalie bowed her head slightly in apology. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."The clerk sat back down, took one look at her, and froze.Natalie used to be a lead dancer on television, enjoying a brief stint of fame. She was exquisitely beautiful, utterly flawless. The contrast between that image and the dirty, disheveled woman standing here was jarring.The clerk cleared her throat softly. "And your husband?"Natalie frowned, glancing out the door. Hassan hadn't followed her inside?