"Vivian Blackwood, let’s get divorced."

Those words weren’t new to Vivian at all.

She had heard them way too many times. But every single time Marcus Blackwood said them, her heart still clenched hard, like someone had grabbed it and twisted.

She didn’t pause. She got up at once and reached out to steady the man reeking of alcohol.

But before her hand could even touch Marcus, he shoved her away without holding back.

"Don’t touch me!" His voice was icy, full of raw disgust.

Vivian stumbled back several steps. She didn’t stop until her body slammed into the sharp corner of the table.

Marcus stepped forward, lifted a hand, and clamped it around her throat. A dark, chilling smile curled at his lips. "This divorce, are you doing it or not?"

With his fingers crushing her neck, breathing became hard. Vivian struggled and forced two words out through her throat, broken and hoarse. "No... divorce..."

Marcus let out a cold laugh. Then he shoved her down hard onto the coffee table. "Then do what a wife is supposed to do."

Her back hit the hard, freezing edge of the table. The pain shot through her body in an instant. Vivian bit down hard and endured it, raising her hands to push at him. "Let go of me!"

"Let go of you?" Marcus suddenly laughed. His eyes were red, almost bloodshot, and the way he looked at her was no different from looking at an enemy. Ruthless. Hateful. "You schemed your way into this, pulled every dirty trick in the book, all so you could marry me and crawl into my bed, right? Well, isn’t this exactly what you wanted? So what are you acting for now? Huh?"

"I..." Whatever Vivian wanted to say was cut off completely by Marcus.

Except he wasn’t kissing her at all.

He was biting her lips like he wanted to tear them apart.

The pain almost made her numb, but the ache in her chest was worse, like ten thousand needles stabbing straight through her heart.

Marcus flipped her over, his voice even colder than before. "I hate seeing this face of yours."

Vivian’s fingers gripped the edge of the coffee table so tightly they turned pale. She could only take it, unable to fight back, unable to escape.

At last, Marcus was done tormenting her.

He rolled over, got up, and dropped onto the sofa, falling asleep almost immediately.

Vivian slowly pulled her clothes back into place. Enduring the pain all over her body, she went to the bedroom, took a blanket from the bed, and came back to cover him with it.

Then she started cleaning up the floor and the coffee table.

The next morning, the moment Marcus Blackwood opened his eyes, he saw Vivian Blackwood walking over with a smile on her face. "You're awake? I made you some hangover soup. Have a little, or your head's gonna split later."

Marcus looked at how attentive she was, his eyes full of contempt. "Vivian Blackwood, do you even have any self-respect left? You weren't drunk last night. Don't tell me you already forgot what happened."

Vivian froze for a second. A flicker of hurt flashed across her eyes, but she buried it fast.

"Just drink some. I made it fresh," she said softly, setting the bowl on the coffee table, not daring to get too close to him.

Marcus let out a cold little laugh, picked up the bowl, and tossed it straight into the trash.

Then he walked to the bed, yanked open the nightstand drawer, took out a pill, and flung it at her. "Take it."

The pill hit Vivian, then dropped to the floor.

She stared at it for a moment, then lowered her head, crouched down, and slowly picked it up.

She knew it. If she didn't take it, Marcus would never leave.

Holding the pill between her fingers, Vivian hesitated for a beat, then put it into her mouth.

Only after seeing her swallow it did Marcus turn and walk out.

The second he was completely out of sight, she spat the pill back out.

Looking at that tiny tablet in her palm, Vivian gave a bitter little laugh, then silently started to cry.

In front of Marcus, she never dared cry.

Because to him, all of this was on her. Her own doing. No one else to blame.

Three years ago, she had fallen for Marcus Blackwood at first sight and chased after him like she had lost her mind.

In his eyes, Vivian Blackwood was shameless, manipulative, a vicious woman who would do anything to get what she wanted.

So for the past three years, Marcus had never once given her a kind look, and she wasn't even allowed to complain.

Because the moment she did, this marriage would be over.

She wiped her tears away, then went to wash up, change clothes, and put on makeup.

After that, Vivian Blackwood headed to MC Group.

MC Group was the biggest corporation in Lan City, and Marcus Blackwood was its president.

As for her, she was the president’s assistant.

The moment she reached the door of the president’s office, Vivian Blackwood heard Yvonne Hartley’s voice from inside.

Yvonne Hartley was the woman Marcus Blackwood had loved for four years.