Chapter 1: The Quiet End

After six years of being secretly married to Derek Young, we finally decided to end it—just as quietly as it began.

The memory of our first courthouse visit, almost ten years ago, drifted through my mind—cold as the linoleum tiles under our shoes. No witnesses. No rings. Just whispered promises between us. Now, we were about to break those promises in the same hush.

He didn’t want his new girlfriend to get branded a homewrecker.

He said, "I don’t want anyone to know we were ever married."

I just nodded, silent, and slid another zero onto the property settlement. If we were going to erase everything, I might as well get paid for it.

Derek’s face shifted—tightening, eyes narrowing.

"Is cash really the only thing that matters to you now?"

I let out a soft, humorless laugh.

"After all these years together, you really do know me best."