Chapter 2

Shortly after Stephan left, Rebecca received a video call from Morgan. He wore a white shirt as he cooked, and his fringe fell over his forehead. His lashes curved upward slightly, looking soft and gentle. He asked, "Becca, have you gone through with the divorce?" Rebecca was older than he was and had seen more in life than he had, but she still couldn't stop her heart from speeding up when seeing his handsome face. She couldn't blame the young women at his college for coveting him—who wouldn't, with a face like that? She cleared her throat. "He's signed the divorce agreement. I'll have nothing to do with him in a month's time." Morgan smiled at that and said, "Since there's nothing between you guys anymore, remember not to let him touch you before everything's finalized. I'll make sure to check for marks." She didn't expect him to say that and blushed faintly. Then, she put on a serious face and said, "Stop saying such nonsense! You're still so young!" He turned to look at her, not bothering to hide the possessive look in his eyes which was gone in a flash. His expression became aggrieved, and he said, "My age is the only thing that's small about me, Becca. I'm not like that in… other areas." Rebecca hurriedly switched the subject and pacified him, afraid that the conversation would turn raunchy if they continued like that. Finally, she managed to get him to end the call. He was perfect in every way, aside from the fact that he was too clingy. Rebecca left the house to buy a calendar after hanging up. For the next month, she counted the days until she was free. With each day that passed, she would tear off a page of the calendar. From October 1st until the 10th, Stephan didn't come home at all. However, she still knew where he'd gone, who he'd seen, and what he'd done. His current conquest, Giselle Lane, was an intern at his company. Every day, she would update her social media and subtly brag about the things they did together. They had afternoon tea at high-end restaurants, played golf at exclusive golf courses, enjoyed the city lights from mountaintop villas, and had steamy moments in luxury hot springs. It was strange that Stephan, who was notorious for being a playboy, had spent so much time with one woman. In the past, his flings never lasted more than a month. He would grow bored with them by then. But Giselle seemed to have a few tricks up her sleeve. She and Stephan had already been together for three months, yet he still wasn't sick of her. Perhaps it was that unusually long shelf life that boosted her confidence. She wasn't as obedient as Stephan's past lovers—she'd added Rebecca's number and had sent her WhatsApp messages to provoke her. Rebecca didn't take her plotting to heart. She was already preparing for a divorce—why would she care about any of these things? She had time to spare, so she started clearing out the house. The razors she'd painstakingly picked, the suits she'd ironed and hung neatly, the Patek Philippe watch she'd stayed up late to buy… It didn't matter how cheap or expensive the item was—as long as it was something she'd given to Stephan, she packed it up and threw it out. At the same time, she threw out the grievances she'd suffered in this marriage and the love she'd once harbored for him. She'd already made up her mind to bid her past farewell and start afresh. Another two days passed before Stephan returned. He frowned as he looked around the villa, which looked much emptier. "Did you throw my things out, Becks?" Rebecca nonchalantly flipped through a magazine. "Yep. I bought those things, so I can do whatever I want with them. Do you have a problem with that? It's not like you use them, anyway. You're never home." He thought she was saying those things on purpose because she was still mad about what had happened. He sat beside her and coaxed half-heartedly, "Didn't we agree that we'd have our own fun without catching feelings for anyone? Why are you upset over this again?" That again. No matter what he did, he could always find various excuses to explain away his behavior. And she, as his wife, could only accept the pain he brought her. She couldn't even voice her grievances. But now, she no longer wanted to waste her time arguing with him over these inconsequential matters. She shut her magazine loudly and headed upstairs, her tone cool as she said, "Don't overthink this. I don't care at all." Stephan thought she was putting up a strong front when he heard that. He got up and grabbed her hand. Then, he pulled out an invitation and placed it in her hand. "Look, stop being mad. I'll take you to an auction tomorrow, and you can get whatever you want. Cheer up, alright?" Rebecca wanted to turn him down, but she changed her mind when she saw that the auction was organized by Weatherby's. She agreed to go. Since they were about to get divorced, it would be nice to use his money to make herself happier.