SIA'S POV:
I kept staring at the fixed phone. It had been more than thirty minutes since my husband's driver had called, informing me that he was on his way to pick him up from the airport.
It had been one year and six days since I had last heard from Ashton—no calls, no texts, nothing. He had abandoned me in this mansion, all alone.
Though he had started mistreating me after his sister's death—an incident he unjustly blamed me for—he had never left for an entire year without a single word.
I wished Ashton would give me a chance to prove my innocence, to show him I had nothing to do with his sister's death. I wished he would give our relationship a chance, to care for me as much as I cared for him.
Ashton loved me—after all, our marriage was built on love. But this sudden hatred was shattering me completely.
The phone finally rang, and I answered it immediately, my heart pounding. The driver's voice echoed through the receiver, "Ma'am, Mr. Wood didn't want to come home. He asked me to take him to the company instead."
My eyes burned as I fought back my tears. He had returned to the country after a year, and yet, he didn't think of seeing me first. The only thing on his mind was his work. He should have just married his job.
I grabbed my purse, rushed out of the house, got into my car, and drove off. He didn't get to treat me this way. He didn't get to hate me based on mere assumptions.
The drive felt unbearably long, the dark clouds mirroring the storm brewing inside me. When I finally arrived at the company, the weather had worsened. I hurried inside, taking the elevator without anyone attempting to stop me.
I used to work here as Ashton's secretary, but one day, he had coldly told me that seeing my face both at work and at home irritated him. He had given me an ultimatum: either continue working at the company and move out of the mansion, or quit and stay home.
But how could I have moved out? Where would I have gone? I had no one else in this world except for him.
The elevator stopped, and I walked down the long corridor, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, I reached Ashton's office. Without hesitation, I pushed the door open and stepped inside—only for my palms to turn clammy at the scene before me.
Ashton was indeed back after a year. But he wasn't alone.
There she was—his secretary. Not just any woman, but the one whose shoes alone cost more than my entire wardrobe. She always dressed so stylishly, effortlessly elegant—something I could never compete with.
One year ago, Ashton had spent countless late nights at the office with her under the pretense of working. I had been a fool to believe that lie.
Now, they were entwined in each other's arms, his hand resting on her bare thighs as they savored each other's lips.
"Ash…" I called out in disbelief, my throat suddenly dry, my voice barely above a whisper.
They broke their kiss, their gazes shifting toward me.
Ashton scanned me for a moment, and I expected him to at least apologize, to lie and tell me that what I had just witnessed wasn't real.
But the next words that left his lips shattered me completely.
With a raised brow, he asked, "Who are you?"
Tina chuckled mockingly. "Mr. Wood, it's your wife… remember?" she said, her tone light and remorseless.
I knew Ashton had only said that to hurt me. There was no way he had forgotten me. No way he had forgotten that he was married.
Yet, he turned to her and asked, "Sia?" as if confirming whether the name belonged to me.
Tears finally rolled down my cheeks.
"Is this it, Ash?" I asked, my voice breaking. Did he really need to confirm my name?
What had happened to all those times he had canceled important business trips just so he wouldn't be far from me? What had happened to the way he used to shower my face with soft butterfly kisses while I pretended to be asleep?
What about the cheesy way he used to whisper, I love you?
Had all of that been nothing but a stupid, meaningless fragment of my memory?
"How could you be with another woman?" I demanded, my voice trembling. "It's one thing to treat me badly and ignore me for a year, but you have no right to disrespect me like this."
He snorted, utterly unfazed.
"Tina, call security. Get this woman out of here," he ordered coldly, turning to leave.
Panic surged through me, and I instinctively grabbed his hand.
"What are you saying?" I asked in disbelief. He couldn't just push me out of his life like this. I wasn't his mistress—I was his wife.
"Call security, Tina," he repeated sternly.
Tina smirked as she picked up her phone and dialed a number.
I clenched my fists, my heart aching unbearably.
I wanted to plead with him, beg him not to do this. But I knew it would be futile. From the look in his eyes, I was no longer a part of his life.
And I wished I never had been.
Wiping my tears, I straightened my posture. "I'm leaving," I declared, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me. "You still have one last chance to stop me."
Tina's mocking smile grew even more pronounced.
Ashton chuckled darkly. "Get out, Sia."
I nodded, my heart breaking into irreparable pieces.
I was done.
With a heavy heart, I said, "I want a divorce. I'll have the documents prepared. So if you see a document tomorrow with the name Sia Jones, sign it. That's S-I-A. Don't forget the name before you sign."
His laughter echoed through the room. "This is hilarious, Sia," he scoffed. "We both know you can't divorce me. Did you forget? I'm the center of your life."
A small smile crept onto my lips.
"Good," I said softly. "At least you know that much about me."
Then, I tilted my head slightly and added, "Remember, the name is S-I-A. Please sign the papers."
I turned to leave, determined not to break down in front of them.
But before I could take another step, Ashton grabbed my hand.
Hope flickered in my heart. Was he regretting it already? Did he want to plead with me?
I turned to him, my eyes searching his. "Yes, Ashton?"
His next words shattered the last bit of hope I had left.
"You have no relatives, no money. Do you really think you can survive without my wealth?" he asked mockingly.
Tina burst into laughter.
I exhaled sharply, my lips curling into a smirk.
"Of course not, Mr. Wood," I said sweetly. "I definitely can't survive without your money."
He nodded smugly, as though satisfied with my admission.
But then, I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just enough to make his smirk fade.
"And since you seem to have a poor memory," I continued, "let me remind you—we didn't sign a prenup. So what belongs to my ex-husband… will equally belong to me."
The moment I saw his face turn pale, my smile widened.