Chapter 1

The warm sun beamed down on Ethan's face, bringing a smile to his lips as he made his way toward the grand estate of the Williams family.

Today was a special day for him as not only had he finally been released from prison, having served his time for a crime he didn't commit, but it also happened to be the anniversary of his marriage to Lucia Williams, the woman he loved with all his heart.

Ethan thought it fated that it would happen like this which was why despite not having anything, he still got something for Lucia to celebrate the occasion.

It had been 3 years since he last saw her with Lucia not bothering to come see him even once since he was forced to take the fall for her father who had been involved in a fraud case that would have seen him spend life behind bars.

All because of his love for his wife and unwillingness to see her dad suffer, Ethan had taken the fall and would have spent life behind bars if not that he was let out early on good behavior.

He was curious to know why Lucia hadn't visited but convinced himself that it was for good reason so he thought it would be okay to surprise her at the manor.

With not a single cent to spend on transport, he'd walked from the flea market which was located on the city outskirts to the Williams manor which was located in the central district, which left him drenched in sweat but it didn't matter as his heart was filled with excitement as he imagined the look on Lucia's face when she saw him again.

The thought alone was enough to keep him going despite his exhaustion.

As he approached the grandiose mansion, a sleek black sports car with customized features parked at the driveway caught his eyes causing him to wonder if it was a new car the Williams bought or if it belonged to a visitor as he didn't recall any of his in-laws owning the car when he was taken away 3 years ago.

Shrugging it off as something unimportant, he made his way into the house at a leisurely pace, quickly discovering a few of the maids working in the manor currently setting up breakfast.

They noticed his presence but instead of pleasant surprise, their expressions were marred with disgust as they stared at him causing Ethan slight discomfort.

What was with the unwarranted looks?

Frowning, Ethan decided against engaging them as he feared they might ruin his mood so he made his way to the stairs only to overhear them murmuring amongst themselves.

“Should we stop him?”

“Why though?... Does it concern us?... The young mistress has already moved on yet didn't have the decency to inform the poor fool.”

“I agree, he is so pathetic coming back here.”

Ethan's frown deepened as his heart began to beat with trepidation.

What did they mean by the young mistress had moved on?... Were they referring to Lucia?... No, there's no way.

Shaking his head to get rid of the negative thoughts, Ethan rushed to the bedroom he and Lucia shared only to find the door slightly ajar with faint noises coming from within.

A deep sense of unease gnawed at his heart as he came close to the door while whispering. “Lucia, what's going on?”

Then, he pushed open the door, and the little hope he held out was quickly snuffed out causing his body to run cold.

The woman he loved with his whole heart, the woman he had sacrificed everything for… Lucia Williams was in bed with another man, their bodies entwined in such a manner that it left little doubt as to what had taken place.

Ethan's heart ached as he stared at the duo in bed, especially the man as there was no way he wouldn't recognize him.

“Lucia!” He bellowed, causing the duo that hadn't noticed his presence to finally do so.

Lucia paled as she met his gaze, her expression marred with guilt and shame as she hurried to cover her naked body but it was already too late, she had already been caught in the act and there was no taking that back.

“How could you?” Ethan questioned, his tone filled with anger and frustration.

Lucia hesitated while shifting uncomfortably in bed, still trying to come up with a reason for why another man was in her bed.

However, before she could say anything, the man remarked. “I thought this fool was rotting in prison, how the hell did he get out early, and most importantly, what is he doing here?”

Ethan glared at him. “And you. How dare you come into my matrimonial home and sleep with my wife?... I thought you were my friend!”

“Hah, what friend?” The man replied in a mocking tone. “Sorry, but I don't relate to criminals.”

Ethan glared at him as he clenched his fist, prepared to lash out.

Just then, Lucia spoke up. “Enough!”

Ethan glanced at her, expecting an apology of some sort but instead what he got was yet another slap to his face.

“What are you doing here, Ethan?”

“... What?”

“You shouldn't be here.”

“I shouldn't be here?” Ethan barely controlled the anger boiling within as he remarked. “This is my home for fucks sake!”

“You can't believe that, right?”

“...”

Lucia sneered. “You should know the only reason I married you was because of who you were, but you are nothing now. You are no longer the number one gamer in the country, all your trophies, assets and finances have been confiscated and what's worse, you have a criminal record. Face it, Ethan, you and I are not compatible.”

“... You cheated on me and you aren't even sorry?”

“Sorry?... Why should I be?” Lucia continued shamelessly, her expression filled with disgust for Ethan. “Unlike you, Jason is wealthy and has a bright future. I'd rather be with him than a loser like you. So on that note, I'd like to ask for a divorce.”