Chapter 1 Divorce Is Not An Option

• It was a warm and humid summer night.
• Clarice stood outside on the balcony and transfixed her gaze at the royal blue GTR that had just pulled into the driveway.
• Even though the inside of the car was not lit, Clarice could clearly discern the slender and porcelain-fair hands wrapped around the man's neck. The duo inside the car was entangled in a passionate exchange, seemingly paying no heed to Clarice who was peering down from the balcony.
• I suppose I'm not a peeping tom since they're perfectly aware that I'm watching them.
• The man's hand glided greedily under the woman's low-cut white dress in a deft manner.
• Judging by his dexterous manner in caressing the woman, it was clear as day that the man already had plenty of experience.
• The woman tilted her head back, basking in the moment of pleasure, and revealed her slender neck. She deliberately positioned herself so that she was in Clarice's plain sight. Her red lips curled into a provoking smile.
• “Ahh...”
• In an attempt to further aggravate Clarice, the woman intentionally let out a soft moan to entice the man.
• Meanwhile, Clarice peered at the two with a cold, hard look on her face.
• She was plagued by waves of despair and heartache the first time she had stumbled upon the two. However, Clarice had gotten used to their betrayal after chancing upon them time and again. Their audacity grew as days went by. Their flings had once taken place in hotels but now, they could not even spare her some dignity and cheated right under her nose instead. Her heart went numb when the two cheated on her right in the bridal room where she had personally decorated.
• The doom of her marriage was not for the lack of effort. She tried everything within her means, trampling all over her own dignity as she tried to make her man stay.
• Nevertheless, everything was about to come to an end that night.
• She had watched the fervent moment between the two for as long as it had lasted.
• After the man had finally come out of the car looking pleased and content, Clarice turned around and left the balcony.
• The three of them came to a face-off in the living room.
• The man's brows furrowed at the sight of Clarice, exasperation written all over his face.
• “What now?”
• “Let's get divorced, Xavier.”
• “Divorce?” Xavier sneered as though he had just heard a joke of the century.
• He turned to his side and planted a deep kiss on his lover's lips as he gazed at the woman affectionately, smacking his lips frivolously. Then, he turned on Clarice and enunciated his every word, “Dream on.”
• “Why?”
• She could no longer keep up a calm and composed face at his remark. Isn't he deliberately fooling around with my half-sister, going more and more out the line just so I will divorce him?
• Clarice used to be reluctant to give up on her childhood sweetheart, Xavier Zimmerman, thinking that he had been beguiled by her half-sister, Christie Greene.
• However, she had not expected that when she finally thought things through and mustered enough courage to mention divorce, she would be smacked with a blatant rejection.
• “Why? You have the cheek to ask me why?”
• Xavier threw her a look of contempt as he grimaced in disgust, “Clarice, tit for tat. You should have prepared yourself to suffer my vengeance when you decided to betray me in the first place. I will not divorce you, nor will I lay a single finger on you. Not only that, I will let you witness how sweet I am with Christie.”
• “Xavier, what have I done wrong, exactly?”
• It was a fairytale-like story where they grew up as childhood sweethearts, fell in love with each other, and eventually tied the knot.
• Never in her wildest imagination that her pursuit of bliss would mark the start of a seemingly never-ending nightmare.
• Clarice did not even have an inkling as to what she had done wrong in the first place.
• “Don't put up that innocent look in front of me. You disgust me, woman!” Xavier snickered and circled around Christie's waist before turning around to leave, “Babe, let's go home and enjoy our time together.”
• “Sure, I will make you something delicious.”
• Christie's cloying voice made Clarice nauseous. All colors drained from Clarice's face as she managed a bitter smile.
• So, I can't even get a divorce now?
• Why should I keep holding my end of the limbo then?
• Clarice sniggered and turned around to head upstairs.
• She had already changed out of her conservative casual clothes when she came downstairs. Clarice was wearing a revealing, sexy short dress that hugged her figure.
• It was fiery red, the color of lust and passion.
• She no longer wanted to be the moth flying too close to the sun. That night, she chose to let herself bloom out of the cocoon that she had been trapping herself in.
• After half an hour, Clarice reached the bar.
• She had managed to garner greedy and lecherous looks from the men along her way to the bar counter.
• “Give me a Knockout.”