Chapter 5

When Adrian came home, I was feeding the cat. I looked up - it was already dusk outside.

He took off his coat and crouched down, reaching out to pet the cat just like he had done many times before.

Fluffy turned her head away, hissing angrily at him, refusing to let him touch her.

Cats are more sensitive than humans. She could smell that Adrian had been petting another cat.

Amber's Instagram often featured photos of a white ragdoll cat.

An unfamiliar perfume wafted into my nose. I wrinkled my brow.

Turning my head, I saw Adrian's shirt collar open, revealing a dark hickey on his pale collarbone. It looked like someone had deliberately marked their territory.

Adrian followed my gaze, lowered his eyes, and smiled arrogantly, as if trying to fool an idiot: "Tch, the cat scratched me."

I felt neither sadness nor joy. I just lowered my head to pour water into the cat's bowl. "When can we sign the divorce papers?"

"In such a hurry?" Adrian leaned close, his lips brushing my ear. I recoiled in disgust.

He laughed: "You care that much about me? Trying to test me with divorce talk over and over? Don't worry, there's only one Mrs. Walker, and no one can take that from you."

I looked up at him, my gaze utterly calm. If only he knew... Never mind.

Adrian's body stiffened for a moment before his face turned cold: "Is this too much for you already? When you and my mother schemed against me back then, didn't you anticipate this day would come?"

I said quietly, "I regret it. I shouldn't have walked into that room back then. I shouldn't have married you."

Adrian suddenly kicked the table, sending it flying. He grabbed my chin roughly: "Regret? What right do you have to regret? Did I give you permission to regret?"

I no longer had the energy or desire to argue with him. In the past, when he was angry, I would think of all sorts of ways to cheer him up, not bearing to see even a frown on his face.

But now, the closer he got to the edge of rage, the more annoyed I felt.

I could refute him with countless words, but on this matter, I could only remain silent whenever he brought it up.

I just said softly, "Since what we had was wrong from the start, and things have come to this point, divorce is the only way out."

Adrian didn't respond immediately. He sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, eyes lowered as he lit a cigarette.

Then, from a distance, he slowly blew a puff of smoke in my direction. The smoke momentarily blurred his chiseled features.

He tapped his forehead with his finger, then pointed at the hickey on his collarbone, curling his lips: "Is it because of this?"

"Actually, if you like, you could try it too." He shrugged carelessly. "I don't mind. But Chloe, do you have the guts?"

I looked into Adrian's eyes - those upturned phoenix eyes that seemed alluring whether he smiled or not. I used to love those eyes.

I had thought that even if he didn't love me, he would at least have some respect for me.

The first time he crossed the line, I nearly went insane.

Back then, I hadn't loved him to the point of exhaustion, and I still held some hope for Adrian and our future.

I couldn't accept betrayal. I made a scene until everyone knew, until I lost a child, in exchange for his promise that it wouldn't happen again. I was willing to take another gamble, only to lose even more thoroughly in the end.

In Adrian's eyes, I didn't have the guts or the heart to cheat. But cheating was never about guts - it was about self-control and moral constraints.

The biggest difference between Adrian and me was that I was a person with marital morals.

But even the most moral person, when pushed into a corner, can fall.

Just then, my phone lit up with another message from Lucas.

I opened it to look - it was a photo of abs, face not shown, looking quite tempting.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. Adrian's presence loomed close.

Adrian... he saw the photo. I gripped my phone tightly, my heart skipping a beat.

I looked up at Adrian. He gazed at me with a mocking smile, his tone sarcastic: "Looking at some risqué male model photos online? Chloe, this is about all the guts you have."