Chapter 1The Scent of Independence

Carter has always been a quiet, aloof man. He rarely speaks.

In our five years of marriage, the total number of words he’s spoken to me every day wouldn't even add up to five sentences.

Until today, when I saw a video.

In the video, Carter was holding a new intern, gently wiping away her tears.

"Stop crying. Since you're pregnant, we'll keep the baby. How could I ever bear to make you get an abortion?"

"Still crying? How about I tell you a joke? Be a good girl."

His familiar voice continuously played from my phone. I closed the app.

I called my lawyer: "Draft a divorce agreement for me. The sooner, the better."

* * *

I didn't say much. I just forwarded the video to Carter with a simple message: Divorce.

Carter didn't respond for a long time, so I had to go to his company in person.

In the CEO's office on the top floor of the Sterling Group building, the moment I pushed the door open, I saw Carter sitting on the sofa, holding that intern, Mia, in his arms.

They were so focused on each other that neither of them saw me standing at the door.

His fingertips gently stroked her back, his voice softer than I had ever heard it: "Stop crying. As long as I'm here, no one will dare wrong you."

As he spoke, he meticulously wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, his movements so gentle it looked like he was cherishing a rare treasure.

In our five years of marriage, he had always been distant and cold toward me. He had never shown me such tenderness.

It felt like I had been violently stabbed in the heart.

I walked straight over, without any hesitation, grabbed Carter by his collar, and slapped him hard across the face.

Carter was stunned by the sudden slap, unable to react for a moment.

Beside him, Mia immediately let out a piercing scream.

"How dare you hit Mr. Sterling!"

The next second, my other hand landed squarely on Mia's face.

Ah, much quieter.

"Let's get a divorce." I looked at Carter flatly. "You cheated."

Carter's eyes darkened. He gave Mia a dismissive glance, his voice devoid of emotion: "Wait outside."

Mia looked at me with resentment, but she obeyed Carter and left the room.

Carter raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth. As he lowered his hand, his eyes were bone-chillingly cold: "If you're asking for a divorce just because of an affair, you're being too impulsive."

He paused, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority: "Do I need to remind you, Chloe, that the Jenkins family is only surviving right now because of me?"

I clenched my fists.

I was able to marry Carter because of my mother. She was a powerful businesswoman. Unfortunately, I wasn't; I hadn't inherited her business acumen.

I was just an ordinary girl who only knew how to rely on her parents.

So my mom set her sights on Carter, who was just a small business owner at the time. She promised to back his career, but on the condition that he had to marry me.

Carter agreed, and we got married smoothly.

But half a year after our wedding, my mom passed away. My dad took over the company. He was a bit clever, but ultimately, he was just a man who had married into a wealthy family; he couldn't handle such a massive enterprise.

So over these past few years, it had been Carter holding the Jenkins family together.

Carter looked at my tense profile, a very faint smirk appearing at the corner of his lips: "Chloe, your mother did me a huge favor. So as long as you behave, no one can shake your position."

"As for Mia, I like her a lot right now. You don't need to stress over these trivial matters."

"I know my limits."

"So, if you're done throwing a tantrum today, go home."

Looking at Carter's emotionless face, I thought back to many years ago.

It was at a business gala hosted by my mom. Carter was invited as an up-and-coming entrepreneur.

He wore a well-tailored black suit, standing tall with a natural aura of detachment. But he was so incredibly handsome that when the light fell on his eyelashes, it was impossible to look away.

I admit, in that moment, my heart skipped a beat.

Later, when my mom proposed he marry me in exchange for full support of his business, he agreed almost without hesitation.

I held onto a sliver of hope. Maybe marriage could cultivate feelings. Maybe this handsome man would eventually show me some tenderness.

But five years proved how incredibly wrong I was.

I let out a cold laugh: "Carter, I didn't expect the first time you'd say this much to me would be over something like this."

"Let me tell you right now, listen closely. I am not like you. I cannot maintain a marriage with a cheating husband."

"So, for the sake of my mom helping you back then, let's just go our separate ways."

"I won't agree to a divorce." Carter looked up at me, impatience in his eyes: "It will damage the corporate image."

Hearing this, I laughed out loud, finding it both absurd and ironic: "When you were holding another woman and promising to keep her baby, did you think about the corporate image then? You can commit adultery, but suddenly you care about your reputation?"

His face stiffened. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but I couldn't be bothered to listen.

"That's all I have to say." I turned and started walking. "Divorce. It's non-negotiable."

With that, I walked out of Carter's office without looking back.