Chapter 1For the first time, my playboy husband finally showed emotion when caught cheating.
Why?
HE was the one catching ME naked in bed with another man.
I thought he'd lose it, scream, or even just throw shit.
WRONG.
He didn't even flinch.
Instead, that bastard ripped open a condom and tossed it at me.
"Good girl. You finally join the fun." He smirked.
"We can screw whoever we want. Just use protection."
"I'm right next door. If you need tips on how to ride him, just knock."
I heard her moans through the wall all night!
What he didn't know?
This wasn't revenge. This was a test.
One last desperate gamble to see if he'd give a single damn about me.
FYI: He didn't.
For five years, I played the perfect wife while he paraded his sluts around like trophies.
And every time I cried? He laughed.
"It's just a marriage contract, babe. Stop being so dramatic."
Yeah, Jasper Blackwell, you're right.
It's just a business marriage anyway. I can marry anyone.
Without hesitation, I dialed his richest, most dangerous business rival's number.
"Interested in contract marriage with me? Come pick me NOW."
...
"Miss Sinclair... should we continue?"
The man in bed looked at me, almost felt sorry for me.
I scrambled off the bed, fumbling to pull on my clothes.
This whole thing was a fake-cheating performance.
The audience Jasper didn't give a damn and walked out. And I couldn't even finish the damn show.
I pulled out a check and shoved it at him.
"What happened tonight? Keep it to yourself."
When I stepped into the hallway, Jasper was waiting—arms wrapped around his little side piece, smirking at me.
"Thought you'd actually learned something. Guess not."
I froze, looking up at him.
He chuckled.
"Nora, if you're gonna hire some dude to fake it, why not just go all the way?"
"I can handle it. Hell, I've been telling you for years—we can screw whoever we want."
"We agreed not to stay out of each other's business, even if you really slept with someone else, I won't throw a fit like you. Relax. I'm generous."
His words hit me like a slap.
Yeah.
He was so "generous."
No man would be this chill about catching his wife in bed with another guy—even if it was fake.
Unless he didn't care at all.
He didn't care about ME. So nothing I did would ever get a rise out of him.
Between the two of us, I was the only one who couldn't let go.
Five years ago, when I first caught him cheating, I cried hysterically, a total mess.
And Jasper? He never overreacted, just watched me like I was pathetic.
Then he sighed.
"Nora, it's just an arranged marriage. Why humiliate yourself like this?"
Ice-cold water over my head, my heart freezing instantly.
He'd never understand how I felt back then. Just like he'd never know that when I found out he was my arranged husband, I was over the moon.
Because of that one line, I lost the right to even question him about his affairs.
Catching him cheating became routine.
I went from hysterical to numb. From screaming to silent.
And now? I was still hurt. But I could finally accept it.
This marriage was over.
I looked at Jasper, straightened myself, and smirked the way he always did.
"Sorry. Guess I'm not much of an actress."
He paused, a flicker of confusion in his eyes—maybe for the first time, he couldn't quite read me.
But his little mistress, Sienna, giggled and cooed.
"Oh, Jasper, don't be so mean to her."
"She stripped down and threw herself at some random guy just to get your attention, make you jealous!"
She shoved him toward me, poking his chest.
"Go on, comfort her. Look, she's about to cry."
Jasper glanced at me, smirking.
"It's a contract marriage. I have no obligation to babysit anyone."
"Deal with your own feelings. And if you don't want to humiliate yourself again, don't pull stupid stunts like this."
He slid his arm back around Sienna's tiny waist.
"You wanted me tonight, right? Can't break my word."
Then, without another glance, he went back into the room.
The second the door closed, Sienna shot me a mocking look.
Then the moaning started again.
They knew I was STILL out there, and they wanted me to hear it on purpose.
I stood there until my legs went numb. Then I finally stumbled home and called my lawyer.
"Draft a divorce agreement. I need it ASAP."
If Jasper wanted to call this a business arrangement, fine.
I'd just find a new business partner.
After all, it's just an arranged marriage! Might as well be ANYONE.
Chapter 2
Jasper vanished for two weeks—longest he'd ever gone radio silent.
But his little side piece Sienna? Updated like clockwork every night.
Auctions. Galas. High-society parties.
Even the private island from our honeymoon—she made sure to check in there too.
Sienna knew exactly how to twist the knife.
This wasn't just showing off. This was straight-up provocation.
Too bad for her, I was done playing.
I'd already decided to let go. No more emotions wasted on Jasper Blackwell.
I'd just put my phone down and crash when Sienna's message popped up.
"Got you a little gift. Hope you love it."
Right after—a trending link.
I clicked it and froze.
"Heiress Caught Cheating—Secret Late-Night Hookup Exposed!"
The headline was bad enough. But the photos? Dozens of nudes from that night.
Me looking wrecked. Eyes red from crying.
The comments were worse.
My pain got twisted into filthy rumors.
Nonstop hate, calling me slut.
I scrolled through, shaking with rage.
I WAS the victim here. But somehow, Jasper walked away clean while I got branded the slut.
I tried to get the story taken down.
Only to be told someone paid big money to keep it trending for a full 24 hours.
I hung up. Ice-cold realization hit me.
Sienna didn't have that kind of power.
But Jasper did.
He was the one who wanted to destroy me.
I couldn't wrap my head around it. Why did he hate me this much?
Five years of marriage. Dead in name, sure—but my feelings were real!
My care for him was REAL.
Even if he never loved me, did he really have to humiliate me like this?
Turns out, I'd get my answer soon enough.
---
The next night, Jasper and I were both invited to the same fancy gala.
I hadn't slept all night and got stuck in traffic, arrived late.
The ballroom was packed. But I spotted him immediately.
Surrounded by his boys, Sienna glued to his side.
I was about to walk over when I heard their conversation.
"Dude, I saw the headlines. Can't believe you actually got cheated on. Your wife's savage."
"Serves you right for stealing my girl back then."
Another guy laughed. "Please. You call yourself a pro? Those pics scream fake. She was obviously putting on a show to win you back."
"But Jasper, don't you think you went too far? Keeping it trending, letting people trash her like that—she's still a woman. You just burned her reputation to the ground."
Jasper lifted his glass, a lazy smirk on his lips.
"She needed to learn her lesson."
"I want her to know she can't pull shit like that—even if it's fake."
Someone scoffed. "So you get to sleep around, but she can't even pretend? That's some double-standard bullshit."
Jasper frowned, stayed quiet.
"You don't do jack as a husband, but you expect her to play the perfect wife. And thanks to your ‘no interference' rule, she doesn't even get the right to be jealous."
"Man, I'm jealous. My wife would've burned my house down by now."
"Maybe I should try that with my girl. You know, tell her we can see other people—"
This time, Jasper laughed.
"Don't. Unless you want a divorce."
"My situation's different. Nora's truly in love with me."
He said it so casually, like it was a joke.
But in that second, my blood ran cold.
So... he knew.
He knew I loved him all along.
Chapter 3
So because I loved him, he felt free to crush me—
Stepped all over my dignity, and let his mistresses humiliate me however they wanted.
Everything I'd suffered for five years—all because he knew I was in love with him.
Pathetic.
Their conversation kept going.
"Dude, you're a monster."
"But if she's that devoted to you, and you don't even want a divorce, why'd you trick her into getting an abortion when she was pregnant?"
I froze.
He was right. I had been pregnant once.
Three months in, I fell down the stairs. The railing on the second floor gave out.
By the time I got to the hospital, it was too late. The baby was gone.
Worse, the doctor said my body took serious damage. I'd probably never get pregnant again.
And guess who performed the procedure?
Sienna.
When I came out of surgery, Jasper actually looked at me like he cared for the first time.
He hugged me. His voice soft.
"It's okay. The baby's gone, but you're fine. That's what matters."
I thought I'd finally gotten through to him.
Turns out I was just an idiot.
"The doctor said if she'd rested properly, the baby might've made it. But you straight up sent her into surgery without telling her. Now she can't even have kids anymore."
"What the hell were you thinking, man?"
Jasper's face darkened. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and snapped.
"What else? I wasn't done having fun. Didn't wanna be a dad that soon."
"And don't kid yourself—she got pregnant to lock me down. We're just in a business marriage. If a kid messed with the company's interests, that'd be a dumb loss."
"I didn't mean to wreck her body. I'll make it up to her."
"And drop this topic. If she finds out, she'll lose her shit again."
I couldn't breathe.
My whole body shook—rage, heartbreak, despair.
Before I knew it, I was standing right in front of him.
The room went dead silent.
For once, Jasper wasn't calm anymore. A flash of panic crossed his eyes.
He cleared his throat. Tried to play it cool.
"Oh. You're here. Come sit."
I didn't move or say a word.
The silence was suffocating.
His face tightened—his warning sign.
I used to be terrified when he got angry.
Not anymore.
I pulled the divorce papers from my bag and dropped them in front of him.
"Jasper, I don't know when you'll be done playing around."
"But I'm done playing along."
"Sign this. Then you can screw whoever you want. I won't interfere."
"And I sure as hell won't use a baby to mess with your precious company interests."
"We're DONE."
