Chapter 1 A Divorce

• “Hmm, you smell amazing.”
• An old electric fan spun overhead in a room that was not more than forty square meters large. It was the only source of ventilation against the stuffy, humid air of summer.
• A man and a woman lay on a crumpled bed in the center of the room.
• The woman, Yvonne Walker, never imagined the stranger she had kind-heartedly brought home from a bar just the night before would bed her against her will.
• When she heard him muttering about how amazing she smelled, Yvonne pleaded, “No... Please don't.”
• “I'll take responsibility for you.”
• Extreme pain caused her toes to curl. The man had used brute force to have his way with her.
• She felt as though she was scalded when she made contact with his bare chest. It seemed to sap all the energy out of her body as she gradually lost herself to the inevitable.
• At some point, Yvonne fainted, exhausted from the sheer amount of physical exertion. By the time she awoke, the sky was starting to brighten.
• Yvonne hastily scrambled upright and immediately saw the naked man lying beside her.
• Her gaze roved over his defined features, dark brows, and tightly closed eyes. His face was perfect from every angle, so perfect that it was impossible to forget.
• Yvonne suddenly looked at her own body. Hickeys covered her skin, and she winced in pain every time she made a slight movement.
• Last night's embarrassing scene instantly flooded her mind.
• She mumbled, “You beast!”
• Just then, her phone started to ring. It was a call from the Lawson family's housekeeper, Mary Lynch.
• When the line connected, Mary asked, “Where are you, Mrs. Lawson? I'll send a driver for you. Mr. Lawson is almost home.”
• “N-No need for that, Mdm. Lynch! I'll take a taxi!” Yvonne sputtered, interrupting Mary's words. She also hung up without giving the housekeeper a chance to reply, likely out of guilt.
• Then, she shot the stranger on the bed a murderous glare. I would never have brought him home if I hadn't seen several people itching to rob him while he was three sheets to the wind! And if I hadn't brought him home, this wouldn't have happened to me too!
• With nowhere to vent her frustration, Yvonne sank her teeth into the man's arm.
• Alas, he remained sound asleep, probably worn out by last night's activities. Still, Yvonne dared not waste any more time trying to get a response out of him. I'll deal with him later. She dressed in a hurry and hailed a taxi to the Lawson residence.
• Jonathan Lawson, the Lawson family's heir, was her husband on paper. Yvonne had never seen him despite being married to him for three years.
• Her mother had been gravely ill in the hospital three years ago. Walter Lawson tracked down the then-penniless Yvonne and promised to cover her mother's hospital bills if she agreed to marry his grandson.
• Desperate for money and to save her mother, Yvonne agreed. She did not question the details of the arrangement at all for fear of the Lawsons taking back their word.
• She ended up with a betrothal gift of one million, which she used to save her mother. Time seemed to fly after that, and here she was, married to a husband she had never met for a whole three years.
• Jonathan had remained overseas for the past three years, claiming to be exploring business opportunities in new markets. In truth, he was waiting for her to initiate divorce proceedings.
• After Yvonne's departure, the stranger on her bed woke up. Her mysterious bedmate was none other than her husband, Jonathan. He instantly knew what he had done last night when he spotted the telltale bloodstain on the bedsheets.
• He had not been able to see the woman's face clearly, but he remembered the feel of her body and the alluring mole on her collarbone.
• Jonathan put on his shirt and called his assistant, Yosef Crawford.
• “Deal with the person who drugged me. Keep it clean. And I want you to track down the owner of this house and bring her to the Lawson residence.”
• “Yes.”
• Then, Jonathan left the house, looking sharply dressed. He strode confidently, striking as ever because of his broad shoulders and tall figure.
• He was heading home that instant to divorce his paper wife.
• Half an hour later, Yosef obtained the personal information of the house's owner. He even confirmed that the house was not leased to someone else before reporting his findings to Jonathan.
• “Ximena Walker...” Yosef shook his head and admired the woman's good fortune.
• At the Lawson residence, Yvonne hastily showered and changed.
• She barely had time to catch her breath when the help announced that Jonathan had arrived.
• Yvonne rushed out to greet him. Before she could even muster a smile, someone handed a document to her.
• “Mrs. Lawson, this is a divorce agreement. Your marriage to Mr. Lawson was one of convenience. The two of you have lived separately for three years. Even if you decide to take this to court, the judge will still approve the divorce. Naturally, Mr. Lawson won't leave you in the lurch. He'll give you every bit of alimony you deserve.”
• Yvonne paused, her smile frozen on her face.
• Divorce? He came back to divorce me?
• However, remembering how she had “cheated” on him the night before, Yvonne decided not to hang on to her marriage of convenience.
• “Feel free to speak up if you're displeased with the stated alimony.”
• An extremely elegant man walked out from behind the man who had handed the document to Yvonne. The former's cold gaze swept past Yvonne, and he only took a glance at Yvonne before shifting his gaze.
• He was clearly disinterested in her.
• However, Yvonne stared at that chiseled face for several seconds, stunned to the core.
• The man looked exactly like the stranger who had bedded her the night before.