Five years into their marriage, Xander Jackson cheated on Caitlin Schmidt.

He had a mistress outside, but when Caitlin found out, she didn't cry or fight. Instead, she made the mistress leave willingly with a rich businessman in New York the next day.

After that, Xander returned to Caitlin without saying anything and remained the caring, perfect husband.

Caitlin thought it was just a minor episode.

But a year later, her family's company went bankrupt.

Her father, crushed by debt, jumped off a building. Her mother, tormented by loan sharks, was driven to her death. Her younger brother was hit by a car and left in a vegetative state.

Unable to withstand the series of blows, Caitlin fell gravely ill and became bedridden.

On the brink of death, Xander stood over her with a twisted expression. "When you handed Eleanor over to that old man, she was tortured to death in bed. Her body was covered in bruises and wounds. You should've seen this coming, Caitlin. This is your karma."

It turned out that everything had been part of Xander's revenge.

Lying weakly in bed, Caitlin stared at the man she'd loved with all her heart. She died with regret and hatred.

But when she opened her eyes again, she was standing outside the study door.

She was breathing hard, completely shaken. The fear and grief still hadn't worn off when she overheard the conversation inside.

Xander was talking on the phone.

"Thanks, man. I'll transfer your suburban villa to Eleanor's name first. I owe you a favor. Just don't let Caitlin find out."

That familiar sentence yanked Caitlin back to reality.

Was she reborn?

It was the same moment from her previous life when she accidentally found out Xander was cheating on her.

As she snapped out of it, his voice rang out again. "Eleanor is different. I feel alive and excited around her. But Caitlin? She just drains me. She's dull. I'm just taking a breather for now. Once I'm done having my fun with Eleanor, it won't stop me from loving Caitlin again."

Even though she'd heard it before, it still hurt like hell.

Caitlin clenched her fists, her eyes stinging. She still remembered what he'd told her before she died.

She took a breath, steadied herself, and sat down on the couch.

When Xander walked out and saw her, he abruptly stopped.

"Honey? When did you get back?"

"Just got here."

Caitlin kept her voice calm, hiding everything she felt.

The woman who was supposed to be shopping was suddenly home. Xander's guilty smile twitched as he said, "There's a problem with a project. I need to head back to the company."

It was still the same excuse as in the previous life.

Caitlin looked at him blankly for a few seconds. "Alright, go ahead."

This time, she didn't have the energy to care anymore.

As she expected, Xander didn't return home that night.

Caitlin sat there until dawn. When morning light broke through the windows, she wiped her tired eyes, had a quiet breakfast, and headed out.

She went to the law firm first. Then, she made her way to the Jackson Group.

Xander's office was on the highest floor. As she stepped out of the elevator, the hallway was empty, but ambiguous noises slipped through the office door.

"Mmm... Mr. Jackson, I can't take it anymore..."

"Mr. Jackson?" Xander sounded displeased. He grabbed her waist and pushed deeper, making her moan louder.

Then, he asked deeply, teasing and firm all at once, "Eleanor, you're being naughty. What are you supposed to call me?"

Eleanor Leonard grabbed his hand, clearly enjoying herself.

"Xander, please forgive me..."

"Good girl."

Caitlin dug her nails into her skin. Even though she already knew the truth, she still felt heartbroken.

She waited a long while before knocking.

When she walked in, Xander was sitting at his desk, looking satisfied. "What brings you here?"

"I need you to sign something."

Caitlin reached into her bag and pulled out the divorce papers. She flipped right to the signature page and slid it across the desk.

"What's this?"

Xander took it and was just about to look at it.

A faint moan came from underneath the desk. He jerked back with a shudder. When he came to his senses, he cleared his throat, trying to play it off like nothing happened.

Caitlin acted like she didn't notice. Her fingernails dug tiny crescent marks into her bag as she forced down the bitterness and said, "It's nothing. Just a property transfer form."

That was enough to erase Xander's doubts.

He quickly grabbed a pen, scribbled his signature casually, and said, "You could've just had someone drop this off. Don't tire yourself out."

Was he worried about her getting tired, or just worried she'd catch him red-handed?

Caitlin smiled sarcastically. "It's fine. Just this once. I'll head out now."

As soon as she stepped out, she pulled out her phone and made a call. "I'm willing to sell 20% of the Jackson Group's shares at a discounted rate."

"Alright. When do we sign?"

"In a month."

Once the divorce was final, she would walk away from the business she'd poured her soul into.

In her previous life, Xander blamed her for what happened to Eleanor.

This time, she'd give him what he wanted.

Before leaving, Caitlin went to the restroom. As soon as she stepped out, she bumped into Eleanor.

Eleanor had a curvy body paired with an innocent-looking face—pretty much the type most guys went for.

"Still here, Mrs. Jackson?"

She didn't even try to hide anything.

Her blouse was slightly open, showing off the love bites on her skin like she wanted Caitlin to see. It was both a challenge and a brag.

Caitlin paused and looked at Eleanor.

In her previous life, she'd used tough tactics to scare Eleanor off in a single day, even convincing her to quit her job and move to New York.

But now, Caitlin couldn't even be bothered.

Without saying a word, she turned and headed straight for the elevator. But after only a few steps, hot coffee splashed down her back.

"Oops!"

Eleanor gasped and raised her cup. "I'm so sorry! I might have overdone it a little to help Mr. Jackson relax. My hands are still shaky."

Hearing those words, Caitlin felt sick to her stomach, like she could picture every awful moment.

She had no interest in being part of their drama anymore, but that didn't mean she'd let Eleanor walk all over her.

So, she marched up and smacked Eleanor's face.

Out of nowhere, Xander appeared.

Eleanor quickly fell, clutching her cheek and dropping to her knees with a pitiful cry. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Jackson. I didn't mean to upset you. Please don't be mad."

Xander rushed to her side.

He shoved Caitlin aside. Her already burned back slammed into the edge of the wall, making her wince.

But he didn't even notice. Instead, he squatted down beside Eleanor and asked, "What happened?"

She pursed her lips and said fearfully, "I had low blood sugar. I got lightheaded and spilled coffee on Mrs. Jackson's back by accident. She got mad and slapped me. I deserved it."

Xander shot Caitlin a furious look.

"She's an intern," he snapped. "She just made a simple mistake. Did you have to take it that far?"

Then, he scooped Eleanor up and carried her into the office.

Watching his anxious reaction, Caitlin couldn't hold back the sting in her eyes.

She remembered a time when she'd gotten a tiny cut on her finger. Xander freaked out, rushing her to the emergency room. The doctor had laughed at how dramatic he was. But now, he was worried about another woman.

She told herself to move on, but the pain didn't just go away.

Caitlin bit her lip, got to her feet, walked out of the office, and headed straight to the courthouse to file for a divorce. Once the cooling-off period ended, her marriage to Xander would be done for good.

When she got home that night, he wasn't there.

He only texted her, saying he had to stay late at work and reminded her not to be late for a business dinner the next day.

It was something they had planned ahead of time.

Caitlin simply replied, "Okay."

She didn't bring up what happened earlier and didn't bother calling out his lie.

There was no point anymore.

The next day, when she arrived at the club, Xander was nowhere in sight. Instead, Eleanor showed up.

"Mr. Jackson is tied up in a meeting," she said. "He sent me to inform you and learn from you."

Eleanor changed her usual demeanor and looked serious now. Caitlin could only lead her into the private room.

During the meal, Eleanor kept raising her glass and leaning way too close to the client. Anyone paying attention could tell her intentions.

Caitlin had always disdained such behavior, so she left the table to use the restroom.

When she got back, the place was packed with people. She pushed her way through the crowd to see what happened.

The room was a mess. Xander had arrived, but the client was lying there, covered in blood.

"What happened?" Caitlin asked in confusion.

Then she spotted Eleanor, who was disheveled and trembling as she curled up in Xander's arms. It all clicked.

He was furious for the woman he loved.

Before Caitlin could react, Xander slapped her face hard.

"Don't act clueless!"

His bloodshot eyes locked onto hers like a furious beast. "Caitlin, do whatever shady stuff you want for business, but leave Eleanor out of it. She's not like you—she's simple-minded."

Caitlin stood frozen.

Her cheek stung, but her heart hurt more after hearing those words.

Shady?

She thought back to the early days of their company when she had hustled for clients. She had been put in the same risky situation, but she'd rather lose a deal than sell her dignity.

Xander had even stormed off to teach that client a lesson.

He beat the guy up and locked him in for a few days. Then, he comforted her. "You did the right thing. Thanks for protecting yourself."

Everyone knew Caitlin hated backdoor deals.

And now, he thought she was the one playing dirty.

Tears fell from Caitlin's eyes. "Is that how you see me?"

Xander was stunned and hesitated.

Right then, Eleanor clutched his sleeve, face flushed. "Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson told me to toast, but I said I can't handle alcohol. Mr. Zeller kept pushing drinks. I don't feel well..."

Xander's face twisted with anger again, and he shot Caitlin a nasty glare. "You've changed. You're not the person I used to know."

Without another word, he picked Eleanor up and walked away.

Caitlin lowered her eyes, forcing a bitter smile.

Yeah, people did change.

Xander wasn't who he used to be either.

On the way home, she was suddenly dragged into a dark alley.

"What do you want?!" she shouted, face going pale.

Those men didn't answer. Instead, they shoved her down roughly.

All around her were 99 liquor bottles.

They cracked them open and started forcing her to drink. She tried to scream, but she was choked and unable to speak.

The burning alcohol slid down her throat, sharp and painful.

Caitlin fought back, but it was useless. She cried powerlessly.

When they were done pouring the drinks, they yanked off her clothes, laughing and leering at her tender body.

"Hold on," one guy said. "Didn't the client just say to teach her a lesson? If we go too far, we'll be the ones in trouble."

Another guy shrugged. "Come on, man. Who gets their wife treated this badly? If we mess her up, he'll even thank us."

Caitlin's eyes flew open in shock.

Were they talking about Xander?

Since Eleanor had been forced to drink and almost been taken advantage of, he felt bad for her and decided to let Caitlin go through the same thing.

He did love Eleanor.

Right when those men were about to lay a hand on her, a police siren blared nearby. A passerby shouted, "Stop! I called the cops!"

Those men panicked and bolted in different directions.

Caitlin was safe, but she just stared blankly at the night sky, completely numb.

Then, she broke down into tears.

All the pain she'd been holding in came rushing out. She lay on the ground, gagging in agony. She threw up until there was nothing left but bile, then finally stood up and tremblingly made her way home.

Xander didn't come home once that whole week.

Neither of them reached out—just like every time they fought or gave each other the silent treatment. No texts, no calls, nothing.

Still, Caitlin knew where he was each day.

Eleanor kept updating her Instagram, bragging nonstop. Dinner by candlelight, private movie nights, over-the-top firework shows—Xander was spoiling her with something new every single day.

He also gave her designer bags, fancy jewelry, a house, and even an unlimited black card.

Honestly, she looked more like his wife than Caitlin did.

Caitlin wasn't sitting around sulking. She was at home, packing and tossing out memories. Since she had already decided to leave, there was no reason to keep anything that reminded her of him.

The first day, when Eleanor posted nine lovey-dovey photos, Caitlin burned all 999 photos she had with Xander.

The second day, after Eleanor showed off the custom clay dolls they had made together, Caitlin smashed all the antiques Xander had gifted her over the years.

***

On the seventh day, Eleanor posted a video of Xander confessing his love to her. That was when Caitlin slid the wedding ring off her finger.

The diamond still sparkled, but the love behind it had died a long time ago. She stared at it for a second, then flushed it down the toilet without hesitation.

Later that night, Xander finally came back.

The mattress dipped as he climbed into bed and hugged her waist. "Honey, let's stop this silent treatment. Tomorrow is the company's tenth anniversary. Let's go together, okay?"

It was also their fifth wedding anniversary.

That day used to mean a lot. She had planned it every year, but this year would be the last.

Caitlin shifted away from him and just said, "Hmm."

As his hand missed, Xander froze.

Figuring she was still mad, he felt confident the gift he prepared would make up for it.

With that in mind, he fell asleep at ease.

But the next day at the event, things went downhill fast.

The giant screen on the cruise kicked things off with a video about the company's journey, and then it shifted to a sweet recap of Xander and Caitlin's ten-year relationship.

They'd been through a lot together and always had each other's backs.

The crowd couldn't help but admire them, and even Xander looked a little emotional.

But just when everyone was feeling touched, the screen suddenly changed. Now it was showing a bunch of cozy pictures of Xander with Eleanor, plus some private ones of her.

Gasps filled the scene, and everyone assumed Caitlin did it. After all, who else would expose the mistress but the wife?

Xander's eyes became sharp as he snapped, "Caitlin, what the hell is this?!"

Caitlin was about to explain, but Eleanor burst in crying before she could say a word.

"Mrs. Jackson, I never stepped over the line with your husband. Why are you doing this to ruin me?" she sobbed.

"Mr. Jackson, I'll just quit to keep your marriage safe. I don't want to be the reason for all this."

With that, she ran out of the banquet in tears.

Xander tried to stop Eleanor, but Caitlin grabbed his arm.

"It wasn't me," she said firmly.

She refused to take the fall for something she didn't do.

But Xander wasn't buying it. He shoved her off him, causing her to stumble back and crash into the champagne tower. She fell hard.

Glass cut into her as she hit the floor.

"You're now even stalking, secretly taking photos, and making up lies? Is there any line you won't cross? I was going to cheer you up, but that's no longer necessary."

Then, he pulled out an emerald necklace.

It was an heirloom passed down in the Schmidt family for generations. Caitlin had pawned it years ago to help the company out. And later, she couldn't track it down.

It turned out that Xander had found it.

But the next second, he tossed it into the sea and ran after Eleanor without even looking back.

"Don't!"

Caitlin failed to stop him, so she climbed over the railing and jumped into the sea with injuries.

She floated and dived into the sea for three hours.

Every cut on her body burned way worse as the saltwater hit them, but she pushed through the pain and didn't give up. Eventually, completely drained, she finally spotted the emerald necklace.

Soaked and a mess, Caitlin dragged herself back onto the deck, barely able to breathe.

Clutching the necklace tightly, a flood of memories hit her. Back when she pawned it, Xander had sworn he'd give her the world and stay loyal forever. Now, it all felt like a big joke.

She threw her head back and laughed out loud.

But behind the laughter, she couldn't stop the tears and the sharp ache in her chest.

Once Caitlin made it home, she was burning up with a fever.

Lying in bed, she felt weak and powerless. Just then, Xander came in and yanked her out of bed.

Thinking he was finally taking her to the hospital, Caitlin got in the car obediently.

But halfway there, something felt off.

"This isn't the way to the hospital. Where are we going?" she asked in confusion.

"Hospital?" Xander let out a cold laugh. "How dare you still say that after the mess you caused?!"

Caitlin was still out of it, too fuzzy to make sense of what was happening, until the car stopped.

He brought her to see Eleanor.

After everything blew up online, people were criticizing Eleanor nonstop. She quit her job, left the villa overnight, and went back to her old place.

Now, she was on the rooftop, ready to jump.

When Xander brought Caitlin there, Eleanor backed up in a panic. "Stay back!"

"Eleanor, please don't do anything stupid!"

His hands were shaking as he advised, "I brought Caitlin here. She said she wants to apologize and post a statement online to clear your name."

Caitlin immediately snapped out of her daze.

"No way." She winced through the pain. "Why should I apologize to her?"

They were the ones who cheated. She was the victim. Why should she be the one to apologize?

Eleanor's fists clenched.

She kept her broken, pitiful look and said, "Of course, Mrs. Jackson. You don't need to apologize. I deserve all this hate. My life is worthless anyway. Maybe I should just end it."

"No!" Xander shouted.

Then, he turned and growled at Caitlin, "How can you be so heartless?! It's just an apology!"

Then, he kicked her.

Caitlin hit the ground hard, knees slamming against it.

"If you won't do it, I'll crush your dad's business," he threatened.

Suddenly, she remembered her previous life. With tears in her eyes, she looked up and asked, "Xander, do our years together mean less to you than Eleanor's?"

She asked that question on behalf of her from her previous life.

They had been together for ten years, through every up and down. And now, everything was shattered.

Xander was stunned for a moment, but he quickly returned to his cold self. "Are you apologizing or not?"

What other option did she have?

A tear slid down her cheek as she said with humiliation, "I'm sorry, Ms. Leonard. I'll post the clarification now."

She pulled out her phone and made the announcement.

Right after that, Xander walked over to Eleanor, gently coaxing her. "You heard it. It's done. Come down now."

Then, he helped her down.

Caitlin felt heartbroken when she saw that.

As she stood up, Eleanor came over, grabbed her hand, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Mrs. Jackson."

But when Xander wasn't looking, Eleanor gave a smug smile and whispered, "Don't you think it's kinda pathetic to be a woman like you?"

Caitlin's anger flared. She tried to yank her hand free.

But Eleanor clung even harder and yanked her off balance. They both stumbled backward, heading straight for the railing.

"Ah!"

They screamed together.

Xander rushed over to help, but he only managed to catch Eleanor's hand.

Caitlin fell.

As she fell, flashes of their past ran through her mind.

In the end, he still picked Eleanor.

When Caitlin opened her eyes, she realized she was in a hospital bed.

She hadn't died. That old building was only four floors tall, and the awning below softened her fall.

Still, three of her ribs were broken, and every breath felt like stabbing pain.

"Honey, you're finally awake!"

Xander rushed in, looking exhausted like he hadn't rested in days. "Now Eleanor can relax a bit. You have no idea how guilty she felt. She was so shaken up that she barely ate."

So, he'd been with Eleanor the whole time.

Caitlin pulled her hand away and said sarcastically, "With you fussing over her, she's bound to live forever."

Xander froze, then his expression darkened.

"Do you have to be like this? Eleanor works under me, and she's all alone. I should look after her. If it weren't for your drama, none of this would've happened to her."

Once again, everything was somehow her fault.

Caitlin just shut her eyes, too tired to argue.

Right then, Eleanor called. "Xander, where are you? I'm scared of being here alone."

"Hang in there. I'll be right back!"

Xander quickly stood up. Then, he seemed to think of something and sighed. "Caitlin, you've got me and the best doctors around. Eleanor has nothing. Don't keep picking fights with her."

He walked out without another glance.

But the truth was that she had already lost him.

Xander didn't visit her at all after that, but she didn't care anymore.

She just focused on healing, followed the doctor's orders, and got better little by little.

But on the day she was finally discharged, trouble hit the company.

Caitlin was called into a meeting. It turned out that Eleanor had leaked a partner's confidential information. The board all asked Xander to fire her.

"I swear I didn't mean to," Eleanor sobbed, eyes red.

But no one felt sorry for her. The accusations kept piling up, louder and harsher by the minute.

"That's enough!"

Xander said coldly, "I believe it was an accident. I've decided to give Eleanor 20% of my shares. She's a shareholder now, not an employee. No one can fire her."

Caitlin sat there in shock.

She had spent ten years fighting side by side with him to get 20% shares, but Eleanor got 20% effortlessly in less than a month.

He used to say control of the company would always stay between the two of them.

But to protect Eleanor, he didn't hesitate to break that promise.

It was just like their marriage.

What was once only hers had now been passed to someone else. And maybe Eleanor mattered more than she ever did.

Caitlin lowered her eyes and smiled bitterly. She clutched her hands as she hid the pain.

With Xander shielding Eleanor, the board couldn't do anything.

The shareholders soon left, clearly unhappy. Just as Caitlin got up to leave, two officers entered the room.

"Excuse us, we've got a report about stolen trade secrets. Is Eleanor here?"

The scene instantly froze.

Eleanor immediately ducked behind Xander and motioned for help.

He was quiet for a long moment and finally said, "It wasn't her."

Everyone turned to look.

Then, he added, "We already did an internal check. The one behind it is... Caitlin."

When he pointed straight at Caitlin, time seemed to stop.

"What did you just say?" Caitlin's voice shook as her eyes widened in disbelief. "Say that again. Who did it?"

Xander walked up and took her hand gently.

He spoke softly, "If Eleanor gets a criminal record, she'll be done for in this field. But you've still got me. I'll take care of you forever.

"Trust me. I'll get you out of this soon."

Then, he turned to the cops and selflessly handed over a USB drive. "Here's the evidence we collected. It proves Caitlin is the one who leaked the info."

He'd even faked the evidence. She had no way out.

Caitlin felt like ice was creeping through her veins.

She broke free from his grip, and tears welled in her eyes.

He once proposed to her in front of a crowd, promising to take care of her forever.

Now, she finally understood what he meant.

She felt like the biggest fool in the world.

Caitlin sat in the interrogation room, completely helpless.

No matter how many times she tried to explain, no one listened. In the end, they threw her into a detention center to wait things out.

The moment she walked into the shared dorm, all eyes locked onto her.

A woman with short hair and a toothpick between her lips said to her, "Hey, newbie. Go greet our leader."

The so-called leader was sitting on one of the beds, buzz cut and all, staring Caitlin down with a sharp, hostile glare.

Before Caitlin could even say a word, that short-haired woman kicked her knee, forcing her to the ground.

Then, she spat at Caitlin, "Can't you move faster? Do you want to die?"

That leader got up, yanked Caitlin's hair, and said hoarsely, "Are you the one who's messing with my friend's guy? You're pretty, though."

Hearing that, Caitlin figured it out.

She gritted her teeth and said through the pain, "Eleanor told you that? Do you know that she's the third party?"

A slap landed hard across her face.

"I already know that. But Eleanor said the one who isn't loved is the real third party. Otherwise, why would Mr. Jackson let you end up here to learn your lesson?"

Caitlin's mind froze.

So that was what Xander wanted?

She thought she was numb by now, but the tears she'd been holding back all day finally broke loose.

Before she could even catch her breath, that leader patted her cheek. "You've got three days. Time to learn how things work around here."

With that, Caitlin was dragged away.

On the first day, they filled her food with sand and stones and forced her to eat it all.

The next day, they hung her up by the iron bed and used her as a punching bag, kicking and hitting her like she was nothing.

On the third day, they stripped her and touched her roughly.

Those three days felt like living in a nightmare.

When she finally got out on bail, she was completely spaced out.

She didn't even realize she got into the wrong car. The man claiming to be Xander's lawyer wasn't one at all.

He worked for Xander's partner.

Xander had set a trap, cornering his business partner until his partner was forced to file for bankruptcy and drop the appeal.

Pushed to the edge, that partner snapped.

He kidnapped Caitlin and Eleanor at the same time.

The ride felt endless before the car finally stopped. They were dragged out and taken to an old, run-down dock.

Caitlin spotted the man right away.

"Mr. Castillo?!" Her heart sank, and she tried to persuade him. "Please don't do this. Let's talk. We can work something out."

Kenneth Castillo sneered, his eyes full of hatred. "Talk? If talking worked, Xander wouldn't have crushed me like he did.

"You guys leaked the intel first, then pushed me to the edge. If I'm going down, you're all going with me!"

Then, he grabbed his phone and called Xander.

"Xander, I've got both of your women right here. You've got one hour to show up with 15 million in cash. If you're late, I'll set one on fire and toss the other into the sea."

"You're insane!"

There was a pause, then Xander's cold voice came through the line. "If either of them gets hurt, I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life."

Kenneth laughed darkly. "You don't scare me, Jackson. The clock is ticking. You've only got one hour."

After hanging up, he tied both women up.

Caitlin was suspended over the sea, while Eleanor was on land, surrounded by gasoline.

Before the hour was up, Xander showed up.

He glanced between the two women, then focused on Kenneth. "Let them go," he demanded.

Kenneth smirked. "Things have changed, Mr. Jackson. You have to listen to me. Where's the money?"

As he spoke, he tightened his grip around Eleanor's neck.

Xander didn't dare to argue and slid a black case toward him.

"There's 15 million. Now let them go."

Kenneth opened the box, counted the cash, and smiled sinisterly. "Too bad. I changed my mind. Now you can only pick one. One of them must die."

Caitlin's heart started pounding when she heard those.

Deep down, she already knew Xander would pick Eleanor.

Even though she tried to prepare herself for it, it still hurt more than she expected.

But to her surprise, Xander didn't hesitate and said bluntly, "I'm not choosing. I want them both!"

Caitlin froze, completely caught off guard.

Eleanor, on the other hand, clenched her jaw in frustration. Still, she put on a tearful act.

"Mr. Jackson, don't worry about me. "This is all my fault. Let me take the fall."

Then, without warning, she shoved Kenneth away.

He stumbled back, dropping the lighter. In a flash, flames burst to life around them. In a rage, Kenneth threw Eleanor into the fire and slashed the rope holding Caitlin up.

Both of them were in danger at the same time.

As Caitlin hit the water, she caught one last glimpse. Xander looked panicked and rushed forward.

But not toward her.

He ran into the fire and shouted, "Eleanor!"

He pulled her out of the flames.

Meanwhile, Caitlin sank to the bottom of the sea.

That was when she realized he had made his choice.

***

When Caitlin came to, she was lying in an operating room.

Xander was standing over her furiously.

"So this was your plan? Why did you team up with Kenneth to stage this drama? You thought you could trick everyone? I can't believe you'd do this."

Caitlin was confused. She couldn't get what he meant.

Xander continued angrily, "Eleanor told me everything. You refused to take the blame, so you set her up. How could you be so cruel?!"

Caitlin's heart dropped. She got it now.

Still, she had no clue what tricks Eleanor pulled to get Xander to believe it was all her doing.

"It wasn't me. I didn't..."

Her voice became hoarse from drinking too much seawater. She tried to push herself up and explain, but Xander cut her off, angrier than ever. "Enough! Stop making excuses!"

Caitlin paused and fell silent.

Yeah, there was no point explaining it.

No matter what she said, he'd always trust Eleanor over her. Why waste the effort?

"So what now?"

She looked up, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You gonna punish me again for her?"

Her contemptuous tone only made him explode.

"Obviously! You hurt her, so now you're paying the price!"

Xander's face was twisted in rage, veins bulging as he yelled, "Eleanor got burned because of you! She needs a skin graft, and you're giving her yours!"

Those words hit her like a punch.

She couldn't believe he was so cruel to her.

"No! I'm not doing that!"

Caitlin tried to get up, but several bodyguards rushed in and held her down on the operating table.

Xander didn't even flinch. "There's nothing to discuss."

Then, he turned and walked out.

Soon after, Eleanor was wheeled in.

But the moment the door shut, she—whose thigh was supposedly burned—got out of bed unharmed and showed a smug smile.

She glanced at the doctor coldly and ordered, "Start the procedure. And skip the anesthesia. I want to see her suffer through every single cut."

The medical team exchanged nervous looks, but they didn't dare question her.

Caitlin was frightened. She fought to break free, but her limbs were strapped down tightly.

The scalpel touched her skin, and a burning wave of pain rushed through her.

"Ah!"​

Caitlin let out a piercing scream, her body jerking.

Eleanor burst into laughter like a devil, looking like she thrived on Caitlin's agony.

Then came the second cut. Then the third. Each slice took away more skin. Blood soaked the operating table beneath her.

Caitlin's forehead was drenched in sweat, her face ghostly pale. But she didn't scream or shed a tear anymore.

The more she cried out in pain, the more satisfied Eleanor was.

It wasn't until the 99th cut that the procedure finally ended.

By then, Caitlin had blacked out.

When she came to, she was already lying in a ward.

Thick gauze was wrapped around both thighs, and just shifting a little sent sharp pain through her body.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, feeling nothing at all. In her mind, she kept counting down the days.

Only five more to go.

Five more days, and she'd finally be free of Xander.

While Caitlin rested in the hospital, he never once showed up. It felt like they were back to their usual silent war, completely ignoring each other's existence.

After four days, she was cleared to go.

Still weak, she pushed herself up, grabbed her stuff, and got ready to leave.

When she passed by a ward, she heard Eleanor's sweet voice from inside.

"Dad, Mom, I'm doing great! Xander has been taking care of me this whole time. Oh, by the way, he's not just my boss. He's also... my boyfriend."

Caitlin froze.

Through the crack in the door, she saw Xander holding Eleanor's hand and smiling warmly. "It's my responsibility to look after her. Please trust me. I'll take care of Eleanor for the rest of her life."

Eleanor's mother was all smiles. "No problem. She's lucky to have someone like you."

Those words reminded Caitlin of the past.

Back when Xander proposed to her at her parents' house, he looked at them and said solemnly, "You can trust me with Caitlin. I'll take care of her for the rest of my life."

Now, he used those promises casually like they meant nothing.

Caitlin smirked and walked out of the hospital without any sadness.

The following day, after she got back home, Xander showed up too.

He headed upstairs, took a quick shower, and changed into some relaxed but decent clothes. Before leaving, he told her, "I've got a business trip coming up. I'll bring you back something nice."

He leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

But she avoided it. "Just go."

Xander paused, sensing something was off. But he shrugged it off and walked out with a smile.

As soon as he left, Caitlin also left and headed straight to the courthouse.

She felt extremely happy when she got the divorce certificates.

She slipped one into the bag and mailed the other to the Jackson Group.

Then, she snapped her SIM card in half and got into the car.

From then on, Caitlin was officially done being Xander's wife.