Chapter 1

On the day of the Spring Festival Gala, my childhood best friend's microphone suddenly malfunctioned, causing a massive broadcasting disaster that earned her nationwide condemnation.

Mysteriously, I also lost my voice on the same day and was subsequently sued by the production company for a staggering breach of contract fee.

Unable to pay the debt, I was sentenced to prison. Before turning myself in, I sent my husband and son abroad.

Three years later, I was released. My husband and son flew back to pick me up.

My husband wrapped his arm around my childhood friend, Chloe. "You ruined Chloe's microphone, so I put dumb cane in your water to destroy your vocal cords. You've served three years in prison; consider your punishment complete."

"For the past three years, Chloe has graciously ignored the past and taken care of me and Leo. You are not to bully her ever again, understood?"

My son clung tightly to Chloe's hand, looking at me with absolute disgust.

"Dad, I don't want a criminal for a mom! I only want Aunt Chloe to be my mom! She doesn't even deserve Dad!"

Learning the truth behind what happened three years ago, I stood frozen in place, completely shattered.

Finally, without saying a word, I turned around, walked away, and made a single phone call.

"I accept your offer. I'll go abroad and become an international pop star."

The person on the other end exploded with joy. "After all these years, you finally figured it out! I'll start processing your visa right now. Give me three days!"

I thanked him, hung up the phone, and hailed a cab.

From the beginning to the end of this interaction, my husband, Arthur, looked absolutely stunned.

His childhood friend, Chloe, played the peacemaker: "Arthur, you shouldn't have told her that you punished her for me. She just got out of prison, she has no money and no food, she needs our help. You're going to break her heart. What if... what if she leaves you?"

Arthur recovered his composure, his expression turning arrogant. "How could she possibly leave me? Whatever I say, whatever I do, she obeys. I'm her idol; she chased me for ten years before we finally got married!"

"She's just throwing a silent tantrum because she's mad about how I disciplined her back then. Trust me, in less than an hour, she'll come crawling back, begging for my forgiveness and asking to make up."

They weren't exactly whispering. I heard every single word, but the pain had numbed me completely.

Three years ago, when I sent Arthur and our son away at the airport, his eyes were red. "Behave yourself in there. Try to get your sentence reduced. Leo and I will be waiting for you."

My son cried, begging me, "Mom, please come with us! I don't want to be separated from you!"

I had been on the verge of tears, my heart breaking from the guilt of failing my family, agonizing over why I suddenly lost my voice on the day of the Gala, resulting in a debt I couldn't pay.

Now, three years later, the truth was finally revealed: my husband had intentionally destroyed my vocal cords and my career, sending me to prison, all for his childhood friend.

And my son despised me, looking at me like I had murdered his mother.

How could a family this completely shattered ever have a future?

I got into the cab. A festive Lunar New Year song was playing on the radio.

It was New Year's Eve; the atmosphere inside and outside the car was filled with joy.

But I didn't smile once. I returned to the house that had sat empty for three years, every surface covered in a thick layer of dust.

Once inside, I started packing my belongings.

Arthur arrived shortly after, his brow deeply furrowed.

"You know Leo and I just got back to the country. We can't stay in a house this filthy. I assumed you left early to come clean the place, but you haven't done anything. Thank God Chloe is so thoughtful and booked a hotel for us, otherwise, waiting for you to clean, we would have frozen to death outside."

I ignored his aggressive tone and continued packing my suitcase.

Arthur finally noticed something was wrong. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes," I looked at him calmly. "Three years ago, all the assets in my name were seized. Even though I bought this house, it was my dowry, so it's legally yours. The car is yours. Leo is yours. I'm leaving with nothing."

Hearing this, Arthur froze for a few seconds before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Mia, are you trying to divorce me? Do you realize you are a convicted felon? I haven't even rejected you yet, and you're asking me for a divorce? Do you still think you're that superstar everyone worships?"

He sounded incredibly exasperated, forcing himself to speak patiently.

"Or do you feel like you don't deserve me now because you've been to prison? You don't have to think like that. I don't despise you. You know how to write songs, and Chloe happens to be releasing a new album soon. She is incredibly kind. If you just apologize to her and let her use your songs, you'll have a job. Problem solved."

Kind?

I found that inexplicably hilarious.

Three years ago, Chloe was an unknown, struggling singer signed to Arthur's agency. Using my industry connections, she managed to secure a spot on the Spring Festival Gala. Right before she was supposed to go on stage, she discovered her microphone was broken, resulting in a massive public dressing-down by the production team.

She acted incredibly wronged, claiming someone had intentionally sabotaged her microphone.

She explicitly stated that I was the only person who had been near it.

Arthur automatically assumed I was intentionally trying to suppress her career and got into a massive fight with me.

At the time, I was a highly established and famous singer in the industry; I had absolutely no motive to sabotage her. I explained this clearly to everyone, but my husband chose to believe his precious Chloe over his own wife.

Seeing how things had ended up, I finally understood.

There was nothing wrong with how I loved, but I had given that love to the wrong person.

I took a deep breath. "Chloe falsely accused me. I will never beg her for anything. You destroyed my life for her, but for the sake of our child, I won't seek revenge. However, this is where we end."

"If you love her, we can finalize the divorce today. Once the Lunar New Year holiday is over, you two can get married."

Arthur's face instantly darkened.

"Enough, Mia! Chloe and I grew up together; we are just friends! There is no romance, no inappropriate relationship! How many times do I have to explain this to you? Why do you constantly make these malicious assumptions about us?!"

"And three years ago, if you hadn't deliberately broken Chloe's microphone out of petty jealousy, ruining her big break, she would have exploded in popularity back then, instead of just now starting to gain some traction!"

"Do you have any idea how considerate and caring Chloe was to me and Leo while you were in prison? She even defended you, saying maybe you broke it by accident and that she never blamed you."

"And what about you? You sat in a cell for three years and you still haven't learned your lesson! No guilt, no apology, and you're still sitting here slandering her to my face! I am incredibly disappointed in you!"

I stopped packing, looking at his furious, explosive expression. It felt like a massive boulder was pressing against my throat, making it impossible to speak.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered a time years ago when my chronic stomach ulcer flared up aggressively. I called him, asking him to take me to the hospital. Arthur didn't say a single word and hung up the phone.

I endured the agonizing pain until I passed out. When I woke up, Arthur subjected me to a barrage of accusations.

"Chloe accidentally cut her hand while slicing fruit for me, so I took her to the hospital to get it bandaged. Are you really that petty, Mia? You actually faked an illness just to compete with her?!"

"You put on this dramatic act every single day. Maybe you aren't tired of it, but I am! Can you just stop?!"

Whenever Chloe was mentioned, he automatically assumed I was being jealous and throwing a tantrum.

In his eyes, I was consumed by jealousy over Chloe, constantly competing with her, and enjoying the drama.

He said he was exhausted and disappointed in me, completely ignorant of the fact that I was the one whose heart had grown completely cold.

In the past, I used to rationalize it: even though he clearly favored Chloe, he still married me and had a child with me, which meant he must love me at least a little. So, I went out of my way to be nice to Chloe, bringing her onto TV shows and promoting her career, all to show my sincerity and ease the tension between us.

In the end, he sent me to prison.

I couldn't hold onto anyone, and I didn't want to try anymore.

Husband, child—I didn't want either of them.

Just then, a young, innocent voice shattered the tense silence. "Dad, look! Look at the toy Aunt Chloe bought me!"

Chloe, who had apparently returned with Leo at some point, was standing in the living room, playing with him.

Looking at them, Arthur suppressed his temper and his expression softened.

"Enough. Let's stop arguing. We're just making a fool of ourselves in front of Chloe."

I didn't say a word. I looked at Chloe. She was wearing an elegant, tailored dress, looking delicate and refined. Her gaze swept over me and Arthur, a flicker of apology crossing her face.

"Why do you both look so upset? Did I interrupt your family reunion? It's my fault, I was just so happy I forgot that Mia is the star today. Leo is safely dropped off, so I'll be going now."

She set Leo down and turned to leave.

Leo immediately panicked, his small hands grabbing her skirt tightly. "Don't go, Aunt Chloe! I don't want that smelly beggar! I want you to stay and play with me!"

"Leo, you are not allowed to speak about your mother that way," Arthur half-heartedly scolded. Leo pouted, clearly unhappy.

Then, Arthur turned to Chloe. "Chloe, stay and have dinner with us. Leo and I survived these last few years abroad entirely because of you. My wife and I owe you our gratitude."

"You don't need to be so formal. I promised I would always be by your side," Chloe said, walking back into the room. She offered me an apologetic smile, but her eyes were filled with unmistakable provocation. "Then I apologize for intruding, Mia."

Arthur took a deep breath and looked back at me.

"Today is New Year's Eve. Our family is finally reunited after years apart. Mia, sit down and let's eat together. The child is here. Have a proper conversation with Chloe. Don't force me to fight with you on such a good day."

I stared at him fixedly. The look in his eyes was still one of disappointment, laced with frustration that I was failing to meet his expectations.

I couldn't help but laugh, though my expression remained utterly numb.

He never believed in my innocence, nor did he ever believe that I truly hadn't harmed his precious Chloe.

Yet, I didn't refuse.

It would take a little time for my visa to process anyway. I decided to treat this meal as the final conclusion to our marriage.

Since Chloe was staying for dinner, and I usually did all the chores but refused to do anything today, Arthur quickly tidied up the house himself and cooked an entire meal.

Every single dish was something Chloe liked.

He piled food into Chloe's bowl until it was practically overflowing.

"Arthur, don't just focus on me. Give Mia some too," Chloe said, flashing me a smile. "Mia, you must have suffered a lot during your three years in prison, right? Arthur's meatballs are delicious. You should try one."

Arthur hesitated for a second, then placed a meatball in my bowl, his tone carrying a rare hint of gentleness.

"Stop frowning. It's New Year's Eve. Even Leo is happier about the food than you are."

Leo, who was busy picking at his food, looked up at me when he heard that.

His round eyes were full of disgust as he grumbled,

"If she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to eat it."

I took a bite of the meatball. It was fish. I spat it out immediately.

Arthur's face instantly darkened. "Mia, is my cooking really that disgusting?!"

My voice was incredibly tight. "I'm deathly allergic to fish. In severe cases, I can go into anaphylactic shock and die. Did you forget?"

Three years ago, on Arthur's birthday, Chloe volunteered to prepare a fish to show off her skills. She accidentally sliced her hand open, and blood from the fish splattered onto my face, instantly causing a severe rash to break out.

I collapsed on the floor, struggling to breathe.

Arthur rushed over, but instead of immediately taking me to the hospital, he grabbed iodine and gauze to bandage Chloe's cut.

Only after Chloe was safe did he notice I was having a severe allergic reaction. He finally rushed me to the ER and stayed at the hospital to take care of me for several days.

Now, he had completely forgotten.

Arthur seemed to suddenly remember. Panic flashed across his face, and he was about to offer to take me to the hospital when Chloe slowly spoke up.

"Arthur, Mia looks perfectly fine right now. She doesn't even have a rash. Do you think her allergy to fish last time was faked, just to get you to pay more attention to her? And now she's trying to do the same thing again by making this up?"

I looked down at my skin, which was completely clear and normal, and lowered my hand, which had been reaching for my phone to call an ambulance.

I was confused too.

But the suffocating lack of oxygen from a severe allergic reaction hadn't hit me. I figured that maybe, during my three years in prison, my immune system had changed, and I was no longer allergic.

Arthur pressed his lips into a tight line. "Mia, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Chloe looked at me, her face a mask of deep disappointment. "Mia, I've told you so many times, Arthur and I are just good friends. He's always thinking about you and missing you. You were so paranoid before, and you ruined my career because of it. Wasn't that enough?"

"Now that three years have passed, I thought you would have changed, but you're still playing these games. Arthur specifically gave you food because he wanted to make peace, and you use an 'allergy' as an excuse to throw his sincerity back in his face. How can you treat Arthur this way?"

Arthur wiped Leo's mouth, his eyes red with anger. "Ignore her. If she doesn't want to eat, she doesn't have to. Let's just eat."

I looked at Chloe, who was expertly sowing discord, and then at Arthur, who trusted her unconditionally. The retort on the tip of my tongue died in my throat, replaced by a cynical laugh.

Even with undeniable facts, he still chose to believe I was faking it.

I had nothing left to say.

That night, I received a notification on my phone. My visa was approved, and my flight was scheduled for the following evening.

Since I still needed to go with Arthur to finalize the divorce during the day, I didn't bother moving to a hotel.

Besides, it was the final day anyway.

In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by a searing, agonizing pain covering my entire body. The rash had finally appeared, delayed but vicious, forming a dense, raised layer across my skin.

I reached for my phone, only to realize it had died and shut off at some point.

Gasping for air, I struggled to drag myself to Arthur's room and knocked on his door.

Arthur rubbed his sleep-filled eyes. "Now what?"

I could barely speak, managing to force out only a few syllables.

"Hosp... hospital..."

Arthur frowned. He was just about to ask what was wrong when his phone rang, interrupting him.

"Chloe's pet got out. Wait for me here, I'll be right back."

He grabbed his coat and started to rush out. I reached out and grabbed the hem of his jacket, shaking my head desperately.

"Chloe is really panicked right now. I don't have time to argue with you. Let go." Arthur shoved me away forcefully and rushed out the door.

Gasping desperately for air, my face flushed a deep red from hypoxia. Ignoring the agonizing pain across my skin, I managed to crawl to Leo's bedroom door and used my last ounce of strength to knock.

"Who is it?"

A few seconds later, Leo opened the door. When he saw me, the disgust in his eyes deepened.

"Why are you here?" The tone he used was an exact replica of Arthur's.

I exposed my arm, showing him the severe rash. "Leo... emergency... call..."

Before I could even finish, Leo screamed and kicked me away.

"You're so gross! Dad never should have let you come back." He didn't even try to hide his revulsion. "It's your fault Aunt Chloe couldn't perform on stage! You ruined her life! Even if you die from a disease now, it's just payback for what you did to her!"

He didn't spare me another glance, slamming the door shut with tremendous force.

My heart jolted violently. I stared blankly at the closed door, suddenly bursting into laughter, even as tears slid down from the corners of my eyes.

I never should have begged them. I had been erased from their hearts a long time ago.

To them, I was nothing more than a sinner who needed to repent and apologize.

Immediately after, I completely lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

My face was as pale and bloodless as the bedsheets.

Arthur was sitting by my side, holding one of my hands, looking like he was having a restless sleep.

I quietly pulled my hand away.

"Mia, you're awake?" Arthur sat up groggily, his eyes bloodshot. "You went into anaphylactic shock from your fish allergy and almost died. Thank God I got back in time, otherwise..."

I didn't speak. He leaned over to look me in the eye, his tone surprisingly gentle. "I'm sorry. My attitude was terrible last night. I thought you were just throwing another jealous tantrum and faking it. I'll treat you better from now on."

I turned my head and saw Leo standing nearby, glaring at me unhappily.

"Leo, come here and apologize to your mother," Arthur scolded him softly.

"She's not my mother!" Leo pointed at me angrily. "She framed Aunt Chloe and won't even admit she was wrong! I don't want a bad person like her to be my mom!"

"We are not talking about that anymore," Arthur warned.

I smiled silently. "Leo is right. You both love Chloe so much. Why didn't you just make her your wife and let her be Leo's mother?"

Arthur's face turned ugly. "Mia, you're saying these things again. Yes, I didn't help you last night, but I am not a heartless man. If Chloe and I were really having an affair, we would have just stayed abroad permanently. Why would we come all the way back here to find a convicted felon like you?"

"Leo is just a child, he says whatever comes to his mind. Do you really have to hold onto one little comment?"

I looked into his eyes, feeling a momentary sense of detachment.

I remembered when his company was first established, nobody believed in him. Everyone thought a poor kid with no background or connections could never build anything successful.

But I, who was at the peak of my popularity, signed with his company without hesitation.

We stayed up late into the night writing songs together, we navigated meeting after meeting with difficult clients, we ran from gig to gig under the scorching sun and pouring rain.

Back then, his eyes were filled with hope for the future. He promised that once the company took off, he would personally ensure I became the queen of the music industry.

The way he looked at me back then couldn't be faked. He truly had loved me.

It's just that he no longer understood who he had given his love to now, whereas I saw it with crystal clarity.

Arthur was about to say something else, but his assistant burst into the room, interrupting him.

"Mr. Sterling, Ms. Sinclair passed out from low blood sugar while she was out buying breakfast for you!"

"Chloe's in trouble. Take care of yourself, I'll be back soon." Arthur hurried out, and Leo immediately followed him.

I didn't wait for him. I discharged myself from the hospital.

It was almost time for my flight. It was time for me to go.

I had printed out the divorce papers, and the video footage from the Spring Festival Gala backstage three years ago, which I had asked someone to find for me, had finally been delivered.

I went back to the apartment, placed the video and the divorce papers on the table, grabbed my suitcase, and left without a second thought.

Before boarding the plane, I sent Arthur a message.

"Arthur, there is a divorce agreement on the table at the apartment. Sign it, and we are officially over."