Chapter 1 Prologue

• Yesterday was just an accident. She didn't know whose fault it was, but she knew in her heart that if she hadn't arrived in time, Lucian's reputation would have been damaged for the senate election. Yesterday, she hadn't thought about the consequences she would face today, but her heart didn't want her to have problems and forced her to do senseless things.
• She couldn't bear to see him with other women, let alone see him lose what he had achieved.
• Suddenly, he grabbed Catherine's hand tightly, so tight that he could crush the bones in her hand.
• "Catherine, I'm very curious about how the blood came on the bed. If it was your first time last night, what was the bloodstain that appeared on my bed three years ago? Red ink?"
• A trace of shame crossed Catherine's face. Three years ago, she had just graduated from university. Even if she was a little spoiled because of her family background, how could she justify her actions?
• She was embarrassed and angry. She bit her lip almost to the point of making it bleed, her eyes about to fill with tears.
• "Believe it or not, I really didn't drug you last night."
• "You didn't drug me?" Lucian squeezed her hand, increasing the pressure. Looking at the stubbornness on her face, he suddenly smiled. "Catherine, you should be grateful that I don't have the habit of hitting women."
• He let go of her hand in disgust. He wasn't used to being close to her, and he didn't even look at her as he passed by her to go to the bathroom. He hated the smell of Catherine on his body and felt sick at the mere thought of touching her.
• That repugnant look disappeared with the closed door. Catherine choked back a sob. She suddenly felt tired, very tired.
• "I have loved someone for three years. But all I have gotten is pain."
• During this time, she never shed a tear in front of him, just thinking of his phrase.
• "Girls are not beautiful when they cry; they are beautiful only when they laugh."
• No matter how painful and sad it was, her tears only flowed into her heart. A queen does not cry. Memories of her wedding night suddenly came back. That night he kept drinking with his friends. When he returned to the new house, he was too drunk.
• She took care of him devotedly all night, and waited for him to wake up the next day. The first thing he saw was a nonexistent concern for his wife, who had not slept all night. Instead, he grabbed her arm and asked with a somber look.
• "Did I touch you last night? Tell me," he demanded, "Did I have sex with you?"
• "No, no. You came home drunk." She thought he would be kind to her when they got married, but she was wrong.
• "It's okay," he let go of her, with an indifferent expression.
• "Catherine, I don't want to make the same mistake twice."
• He lay beside her for countless nights but never touched her. He always looked at her with disdain. After a while, she thought that if he hated her, at least it was an emotion, but he treated her like a stranger. A stranger he didn't care about.
• And now? Can she continue to endure?
• Catherine wasn't sure. She was tired of living this fake marriage.
• Half lying on the bed, she could barely breathe. Looking at the closed bathroom door, listening to the sound of water coming from inside, she thought, "Lucian Landong. How cruel you are."
• Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened. Lucian, who had already bathed, came out with a bath towel around his waist.
• Seeing Catherine sitting on the bed with a pained expression on her face, he pretended not to see her. He picked up his clothes from the floor and quickly got dressed. Standing next to the bed, he gave Catherine a threatening look.
• "Don't try it again. Or else..."
• "There won't be a next time." Catherine suddenly came to her senses. Her cold eyes glanced at him slightly, and she suddenly wanted to laugh at the threat on Lucian's face, but she couldn't.
• She ignored the nakedness of his body. She lifted her head proudly and met Lucian's eyes courageously.
• "I want a divorce," she said, calmly and decisively.
• A hint of surprise shone in the man's eyes, but he only replied, "Are you doing this to break me? Do you think I will beg you?"
• "I know you won't beg me," Catherine was determined. She was tired, with that kind of exhaustion and pain that made her chest tighten too much, to the point where it was hard for her to breathe.
• But she didn't allow herself to fall. She couldn't, and even if she lost, she had to show glory.
• "I'm tired. I don't want to continue with this marriage. I want to divorce you."
• "You know very well that family rules do not allow divorce. Don't you think it's ridiculous to say this today?"
• To put it bluntly, Lucian did not believe that Catherine would let him go so easily and give up the position of Mrs. Landong that she had worked so hard to achieve.
• "Family rules?" Catherine wanted to laugh. "Who else in the family doesn't know that we don't get along? Do we still need to worry about family rules?"
• "Fine, no matter what tricks you want to play. You want a divorce? I agree, but it will take a month."
• "What do you mean?" Catherine didn't understand.
• Lucian snorted in annoyance. "After a month, if you're not pregnant, we will divorce."
• She looked at the coldness on his face and felt her heart growing colder. She was so cold that her body began to shake with anger. "Lucian, don't worry. I won't get pregnant. I'll buy emergency contraception later."
• "It's for the best," he continued mercilessly. "After you take the medication, we can go through the divorce procedures immediately."
• Leaning forward, he approached her with eyes full of disdain. "You should understand, I don't want to have children with women like you."
• Catherine saw Lucian's gaze, his face showing a disappointed expression. "Lucian, if there were a child, it would still be yours."
• Lucian ignored her words and exclaimed, "A month later, if you're not pregnant, we will divorce. If you are pregnant..."
• "What if I'm pregnant?"
• "Abort the child and we will divorce," he said word by word, his tone ruthless and cruel.
• "Lucian..."
• Her voice choked and broke. Catherine thought that being hated by him was the greatest pain in the world, but she never thought he would hate his own children, especially if they came from her.
• Lucian clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I don't want to go there, so remember to take your medicine later." Then he turned around and walked away.
• The door to the room closed heavily. At that moment, Catherine's body suddenly softened, and she weakly fell onto the bed, her beautiful features tight with pain. She wanted to cry but found she couldn't shed tears.
• Now she suddenly realized that her persistence was meaningless. No matter what she did, he would never love her...