It was a safeguard. A biological protection mechanism unique to the women of my lineage. I could only conceive with a man who was clean—a man who was my true love.

And I… I was not the orphan with no connections Jackson believed me to be.

My parents were the Hensons.

The apex predators of the capital's aristocracy. I was their only daughter. The heiress to a dynasty.

But family law was absolute. Every heir who came of age had to undergo a "Relationship Trial." Three years of living without identity, without resources.

Pass the trial, and your spouse ascended to the heavens, elevated by Henson influence.

Fail it?

They faced the most brutal retaliation imaginable.

I forced the corners of my mouth up, though a dull ache still throbbed behind my ribs. "Jackson, do you remember what you said when we first got together?"

He didn't look up. His thumbs flew across his phone screen—probably charming his next conquest. "How would I remember something from that long ago?" Impatience sharpened his voice. "Wife, I'm busy. I don't have time to walk down memory lane with you."

*But I remember.*

I remembered the sincerity in his voice. The way he looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.

*"I love you, Maya. I will love you forever. No matter what the future holds, I will protect you. I won't let anyone harm you."*

*"Even if the world stands against us, I will stand in front of you, sheltering you from the wind and rain."*

Whatever true feelings existed back then had been ground to dust by three years of neglect.

I wanted to tell him: *Jackson Sharp, I don't love you anymore.*

When I met him, he was the outcast of the Sharp family—a discarded son facing bankruptcy. I was the one who secretly pulled strings, who helped him navigate the storms and build his empire from rubble.

I had planned to tell him the truth once the trial ended. I wanted to take him home, to give us a brand-new life at the summit of society.

But looking at him now…

There was no point.

Three years. And all I had to show for it was heartache.

I didn't hesitate. I walked to the bedroom and packed my pitifully small suitcase.

When I dragged it into the living room, Jackson finally glanced up. Surprise flickered across his face.

"Going on a business trip? I don't recall approving any travel."

I shook my head slowly and handed him the divorce agreement I had prepared in advance."Jackson,let’s get a divorce."