May 2018.

The sun had just dipped below the horizon as a Maybach sped towards Fort City's business district amid heavy rain. 

Surprisingly, the main street seemed less busy as the car approached Platinum Restaurant.

In the passenger row, a woman in her mid-twenties couldn't contain her smile as she read her husband's text message. How happy she was; this was the first time her husband had asked her to meet at a restaurant to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Immersed with her cell phone, she didn't notice the car had already stopped.

"Madam…" 

The woman was startled to see the chauffeur opening the car door. Hurriedly, she grabbed her Birkin bag and stepped out.

"You can head home. I'll return with my husband," she told the chauffeur before striding towards the building.

Brimming with happiness, she made her way toward the VIP room. However, the joy she looked forward to quickly became a nightmare when she entered the room. 

Instead of her husband, she found a middle-aged man seated in the room, clad in formal attire—a black suit typically worn by executives in large companies.

"Did I enter the wrong room?" the woman's gentle voice resounds as she checks the door number. 

"Ms. Arabella Donovan, you are in the right room. Please come in and take a seat," the middle-aged man said as he stood up.

He was surprised that the beautiful woman he had seen four years ago had become a typical housewife. They had gained much weight and didn't care about their appearance, even though her flawless beauty was still there.

"Ms. Donovan, you might enter—" The middle-aged man gestured for Bella to join him in the room.

Bella didn't move from her place. She was reluctant to enter the room because she didn't remember ever meeting this person, and she was afraid this man was a terrible person who wanted to scam her. 

However, another question bothers her. 

Since she was married, Bella had barely heard anyone calling her by her full name; they usually called her by her husband's name. 

Bella appeared worried. "Sir, may I know who you are?" 

"Ms. Donovan, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am John Turner, Mr. Tristan Sinclair's lawyer," he said while extending his hand for a handshake.

Bella awkwardly accepted his handshake, confused about why Tristan had sent his lawyer to meet her.

Despite her confusion, Bella sat opposite John Turner and observed him place a piece of A4 paper on the table. 

When she read its contents, shock struck her—it was a marriage annulment letter. She was confused, why did this man give her this letter!?

Even after reading the letter multiple times, hoping she had misread it, John's baritone voice confirmed her worst fears.

"Ms. Donovan, this marriage annulment letter was prepared by my client, Mr. Tristan Sinclair. Please sign it if you have finished reading."

Hearing John's words, she felt everything in her mind was blank, as if consumed by an invisible black hole. 

'Tristan, seeking a divorce? Why? Why did he do that?' 

Bella can't understand why Tristan suddenly wants a divorce. She thought their marriage was fine. 

'No. This must be a mistake, right!?' 

Refusing to believe what she read, Bella raised her head, narrowing her eyes at John Turner, holding back her anger and hurt. 

How dare this man rudely address her by her family name when she hasn't signed the divorce papers yet?

She strongly wanted to vent her anger to John Turner, but she controlled her emotions, not wanting to reveal how hurt and angry she was. 

After her emotions were calm and her mind clear, she placed the paper on the table. 

"Where's your client!? Why didn't he come here and send you instead?" Bella asks calmly, but inside her heart, she feels shattered, as if someone had blown her heart.

"Mr. Sinclair can't come. He is swamped with his work." John Turner said impatiently.

"Could you please sign the paper without any more delay? I have a tight schedule, Ms. Donovan."

Bella tried hard not to lose her temper as she clenched her hand into a fist. 

"Mr. Turner, let me remind you," she said. "I've not yet signed the paper; it means I'm still part of Sinclair!" Her eyes were filled with an icy look. 

John Turner's face turns stiff upon hearing her warning. Just before he wanted to say something, Bella spoke again with a firm and commanding tone. 

"I will not sign anything before your busy client talks to me. You better call him now, or you will return home without anything!"

"Ma'am, I apologize for my rudeness," John Turner said politely, though internally cursing Bella. "Mr. Sinclair can't talk to you now. He sent me here to bring this letter to represent him." 

Bella silently laughed, hearing his words. 

"So, you're his mail courier now, Mr. Turner?" 

John Turner, "..."

"Mam, I'm—"

"I don't want to hear your reason," Bella didn't give John a chance to say anything. "Mr. Turner, I just need to talk to him personally. You had better call him now, or you would get nothing from me. I won't sign anything." She said coldly.

Deeply hurt by receiving divorce papers on their fourth wedding anniversary, Bella only wanted to ask Tristan's reason. Why did he divorce her? Yet, this lawyer didn't even try to reach him.

Bella didn't want to wait any longer. She dialed Tristan's number, but her face slowly turned dark. No words could describe her anger upon knowing Tristan had blocked her phone number. 

'Tristan Sinclair!! You are so mean! How dare you do this to me?' 

Suppressing her anger, Bella clenched her fist tightly, stowed her phone, and stood, ready to leave. She couldn't stay in that room any longer. 

"Ma'am, please sign the paper before you go," John Turner stood and followed her, blocking her path. "You can't leave until you sign the paper, mam." His eyes sharply looked at her. 

John Turner's face, which had been friendly, turned fierce. He no longer looked like a classy lawyer but rather like a thug in a suit.

"Mr. Turner, move! Don't block my way..." Bella was so pissed off looking at John Turner blocking her way. 

"You will not go anywhere before signing the paper, Mam. Please, just sign the damn paper!" John's voice sounded threatening, but Bella didn't flinch at his rising voice.

Bella chuckled, "Mr. Turner, are you really a lawyer?" 

John Turner frowned, hearing her question, "Of course I am. Do you want to see my ID?" 

"No need. I'm only confused because you look more like a lowly bandit than a lawyer!?" She smiles. 

John's facial expression dropped, and he looked like he'd just witnessed someone spit on his food. Hearing her words, he opened his mouth and wanted to counter them, but again, this woman stopped him. 

"Well, Mr. Turner, I clearly stated my reason. I won't sign anything until I speak with your client!"

"Mam, why insist on meeting my client when he doesn't want to see you again?" John Turner asked politely, but Bella felt like this man had just slapped her using his words.

Bella clenched tightly as she fought the urge to return his slap, but at the last moment, she restrained herself. 

She took a deep sigh before calmly saying, "Sir, if you keep blocking me, I'll count to three... I'll scream and claim you're harassing me!" 

John Turner didn't buy this woman's threat. He knows she was only bluffing. 

Seeing that, John Turner didn't move but smiled at her, making Bella's annoyance flare.

"Fine if you don't want to move. But, Mr. Turner, you can't blame me later if you end up in the police office," The corners of her lips lifted, revealing an evil and charming cold smile before she shouted, "Three... HELP... HELP... SOME—"

'What the hell!!' John Turner cursed inwardly. 'Is she foolish? Why jump straight to three? Can't she count?'

"Ma'am, please stop. Please don't scream... Ok, ok... I will call Mr. Sinclair now," John Turner had no choice but to call his boss.

Bella felt amused seeing John Turner's shocked expression. 

"Mr. Turner, you should have done that earlier. Why make me waste my energy screaming and hurting my throat?" Bella said while rubbing her smooth neck. "I might sue you if my vocal cords are damaged."

John was speechless. 

Bella ignored him and walked back into the room. She sat on her chair while glancing at John.

A bitter smile formed on her lips when she faintly heard John Turner speak on the phone. 

She still couldn't believe Tristan had blocked her phone number.

Feeling annoyed, she empties a glass of water to suppress her anger while waiting for John Turner to finish talking to Tristan.

Later, 

Bella saw John approaching her.

Her heartbeat raced faster than usual for unknown reasons, and she felt nervous about speaking to Tristan. 

"Ma'am," John Turner said, offering his cell phone to Bella. "You can talk to Mr. Sinclair..."

Bella's hands shook slightly when she took the cell phone. After taking a deep breath, she placed the phone on her ear.

Before Bella could say anything, she heard Tristan's cold tone on the other end, "You said you wanted to talk to me. Why are you silent now?" 

Tristan's attitude made Bella reconsider asking him to stop the divorce.

She clenched the cell phone tightly, holding back her anger. 

"Why did you send your lawyer to give me this divorce paper?" 

"Let's get straight to the point. Do you need more money as alimony?" Tristan asked casually, but his words felt like nails piercing Bella's heart.

Bella fought the urge to curse him. 

"Did you think I married you for your money?" She asked coldly.

...

"Just state how many you need, Bella. I will give you anything you want as much as you ask."

Hearing Tristan humiliate her with his words, she'd surely cry if she were alone in the room. Bella tries to hold back her tears while calming her emotions.

"Tr-Tristan—" Bella's voice slightly shaking. "I want to hear your reasons. Why did you ask for a divorce?" 

Instead of answering her, Tristan asked, "Do you remember why we got married?"

Bella didn't respond. Of course, she remembers. Their marriage was an arrangement between their grandpas. 

Old Donovan forced Bella to marry into the Sinclair family. This marriage started because of money and power, with no love between two people involved. 

If she can bear a son for Sinclair, they promise to give her family good fortune; their family business will no longer become a mid-core company. Sinclair pledged to help Donovan Group become the top company in the country.

Married for benefit, something Bella hated the most, but she couldn't refuse her grandpa and father at the time. She was powerless; her only option was to accept the arrangement and marry the man she never met before. 

However, She was stupid enough to make a big mistake after marrying Tristan Sinclair; she fell deeply in love with him. Now, she regrets it.

"Bella, maybe you already forgot after four years. Let me remind you. Our parents want you to carry on the Sinclair family line. But you haven't gotten pregnant yet."

Tristan continued, "What am I supposed to do now? I can't wait another year. You know that, right? Why you—"

"I understand!" Bella interrupted him. Her heart was truly hurt to hear his reason. She didn't need his words to slice her already wounded heart. 

During their four-year marriage, she had tried so many ways to give him a child but was unable to get pregnant until now. She couldn't possibly get pregnant just because she wanted to, as she couldn't force God to let her get pregnant. 

Bella felt like she was living in hell during their wedding, stressed about not getting pregnant. She had to endure the humiliation she received from her mother-in-law; she verbally abused her almost every day.

The most painful part was that her parents also despised her because, for four years, she couldn't bear a child and couldn't hold Tristan's heart.

'Well, Bella, at least you are now free from all those painful...' She tries to cheer her broken heart. However, Tristan's following words once again shattered her last bit of patience and calmness.

"Glad to know that. Alright, now sign the papers and stop creating drama, Bella! Ah, you don't have to worry… I will give you alimony, enough for you to spend the money for the rest of your life. You will not suffer after divorcing me." He said casually, but Bella felt like all her blood was rushing to her face. 

She feels utterly angry hearing his words.

'Who needs your money? I can make money without you!' Bella vents her frustration. 

However, just before she wanted to refuse his money, she heard a voice in her mind. 

'Don't refuse his money. Take it!!'

Bella was stunned. She pressed her lips to stop the words she was about to say.

"I will sign," Bella said without hesitation. "But, if someday you regret this decision and want me back, you won't get a chance, Tristan. So—"

"That will never happen!" Tristan ended the call without giving her a chance to say anything.

Beep!

Bella felt her eyes blurry as soon as the phone line abruptly ended. She pushed back her tears while trying to cast a spell on herself.

'Arabella Donovan, don't cry. Tristan Sinclair isn't worth your tears!' She gritted her teeth while returning John Turner's cell phone. 

...

Bella didn't say a word but just listened to John Turner explaining the divorce papers.

Her mind was sunk into a dark abyss in her heart's pond. She felt torn apart. The marriage she dreamed of had ended just like that. 

This divorce never crossed her mind. She thought Tristan would never divorce her, as he was always gentle toward her and never asked her to do anything. 

But now, she realized, her four-year marriage to Tristan was just a facade; his gentleness was only a mirage. She hated herself because she always believed that Tristan would love her one day. 

'What should I do now?' 

Faced with this sudden situation, Bella's brain could not think straight for a moment. 

'Should I return to my hometown to my family or stay here and start my new life?' Bella felt like her brain was in a thick fog, and she did not know what to do next. 

Bella sat in her chair, looking at John Turner before her. She couldn't understand a single sentence that came out of his lips. She felt like she was watching a movie without sound. 

Before long, she finally heard him. 

"Ms. Donovan, you just need to sign here," John Turner pushed the paper toward her and pointed to the part she had to sign.

Bella took the pen, but before writing her name on the paper, her hand stopped when something flashed through her mind. 

When John saw Bella didn't sign, he said, "Ms. Donovan, I want to clarify the alimony; Mr. Sinclair will transfer it to your account. And also, the house you live in now will be handed over to you. You will also get some shares in the company..."

"Please send all the money to this account." Bella write her bank account, which she never accessed after marrying Tristan.

"Swiss bank account—" John Turner looked surprised that this woman had an account at a bank known only for tycoons.

"Yes. I need your help selling the assets Tristan gave me. All the money and shares he gives me should also be sent to this account," Bella instructed. 

Bella will never stay at their marital house alone because she will always remember him if she remains there, and her mother-in-law's house is just next to theirs. 

How could she survive life in that place? 

"Ms. Donovan, that house—" John was surprised this woman wanted to sell the house. 

The houses are located in the most expensive neighborhoods in this country. Only famous and wealthy people can own a house there, and not just anyone can buy property there. 

"Yes. Why do you look confused?"

"Are you sure you want to sell that house, Mam!?"

"Of course. Sell it after I move out," Bella said. She signed the marriage annulment paper without hesitation. 

After she finished signing the paper, she turned to see John again.

"Mr. Turner, you can go now and tell him, if he sees me one day, ask him to ignore me because I will do that too." 

Bella averted her gaze from John Turner because she didn't want this man to witness her sadness. She wanted John to tell Tristan that she was okay with this divorce.

...

The moment Bella heard the door finally closed, all the toughness she had displayed in front of John Turner suddenly vanished. 

Her shoulders dropped. Tears began flowing down her cheeks. She cries in silence, pouring her sadness while making a vow in her heart that she will never forget and forgive Tristan Sinclair for what he did to her now. 

After crying for a while, Bella felt her eyes sting because there were no more tears to flow. 

Now, she only wants to go somewhere to sleep. Perhaps, after her long sleep, she might forget everything.

Bella slowly rises from her seat but feels her head spinning, and her gaze turns dark. With difficulty, she forced herself to leave the VIP room. 

When Bella arrived at the main entrance, she couldn't help but smile bitterly as she looked at the sky. The sky seemed to share the same feeling as her heart, dark with rumbling thunder.

She didn't see anyone walking outside, nor any taxis parked in front of the building, as if they had avoided the heavy rain about to hit the city.

Under the gloomy dark sky, Bella walked along the pedestrian path by the dim light of street lights. She didn't care when others looked at her strangely—as if observing a woman wandering around in the rain, her hair and dress getting wet.

The sound of the wind made her ears numb, and the cold air began to pierce her pores. Bella's steps quickened despite not knowing where to go.

She just wanted to walk along the pedestrian paths and beg the rain to erase the traces of Tristan and his damn family from her mind.

Amidst her chaotic thoughts, Bella began to think about her future. Should she return to her family? This question lingered in her mind, but the thought of her parents scolding her as usual because she wasn't pregnant dismissed the idea.

She couldn't go back there. She will feel more hurt if she returns to her parent's house.

After numerous steps and minutes, Bella finally stopped at an intersection, and her mind started to feel blank as if a dark fog enveloped her thoughts.

A faint smile appeared when she saw a red light.

'Walk!!' Bella whispered under her breath. She closed her eyes and took a few steps forward, but her weak knee gave in. 

Before her head hit the wet asphalt, her eyes slowly opened. She saw the light approaching and suddenly stopped not far from her. 

'Why did you stop!?' Bella muttered before darkness consumed her.

****

Upon opening her eyes, Bella saw a middle-aged man in a white doctor's robe standing beside her bed. She noticed the Promise Hospital logo on his robe.

'Why am I in the hospital?'

Bella looked around and was shocked to realize she was in the emergency room. Many hospital beds were lined up near hers, but only a few were occupied. She also noticed several nurses and doctors checking on the other patients passing her bed.

She couldn't recall what had happened to her. The last thing she remembered she was walking in the rain.

Curious, Bella turned her gaze to the Doctor, "Doctor, why am I here? What happened to me?" There was a trace of worry in her tone.

"Ms. Donovan, you are finally awake," the Doctor greeted her gently. Two nurses standing beside him also smiled at her.

Bella faintly smiled at them. She started to recall what happened before walking in the rain; she had left Platinum Restaurant after meeting John Turner, Tristan's lawyer.

'Tristan!'

Just thinking about him was enough to reopen the wound in her heart. The pain that had faded away amid the heavy rain started tormenting her again.

'I'm a divorced woman! The man I love divorced me just because I can't give him a child. How dare he—' Suddenly, Bella felt suffocated, remembering what had happened in the restaurant.

Her chest felt heavy, and her breathing became short. Slowly, she raised her hand to rub her chest to relieve the tightness while diverting her thoughts, but the more she tried, the more evident Tristan's image appeared.

As she struggled to breathe, she noticed the Doctor swiftly instructing the nurse to administer oxygen to help her breathe normally. She stopped them.

"D-Doctor, no need. I'm... Fine!" Bella said in a breathless voice. She felt suffocated, not because something had happened to her chest, but because she remembered the pain Tristan had caused her.

It was still hard for Bella to believe her status changed quickly. In the morning, she was married; in the evening, she divorced. The pain and disappointment she felt lingered.

How could she explain this to others, especially her family? Just thinking about it made her chest hurt even more.

"D-Doctor, I'm really fine. There's no need to put that thing," Bella tried to smile, even though it seemed forced.

"Are you sure, Ms. Donovan?" The Doctor asked while checking her condition.

"Yes, Doc. I'm fine…" She tried to reassure the Doctor she was okay. However, before she could sit properly, she felt her surroundings spinning.

Unable to resist the dizziness, she closed her eyes tightly and lay back on the bed.

"D-Doc, why... why... Do I feel like my surroundings are spinning?" Bella stammered.

"Ms. Donovan, you woke up too fast. Try taking a deep breath and slowly reopen your eyes. Don't get up too fast; take it slow, and you'll be fine."

Bella followed the Doctor's instructions. Surprisingly, she was able to sit on the edge of the bed without feeling her surroundings spinning. She felt fine.

"Are you feeling better now, Ms. Donovan?" 

Bella smiled at the Doctor and nodded.

"Excellent, Ms. Donovan. Do you remember what happened to you?" The Doctor asked again.

She shook her head. "No, Doctor. Why am I here?"

"Ms. Donovan, you fainted when you got here. However, after we checked your condition, you were fine. You are only tired, and your body cannot withstand the cold because it has been exposed to rain for so long—" The Doctor explained.

Bella was surprised to know she had lost consciousness in the rain. However, a second later, she felt her blood running cold.

'Oh my God, Bella! What are you thinking about? Why do you have such intentions!??' Bella scolded herself, remembering that, at that time, she had thought about ending her life.

How could she even think about it? It was not her style to have such a shallow mind. She felt like her soul was being possessed. 

How stupid!

...

"Ms. Donovan, if you want to play in the rain next time, I suggest you do that in short..." The Doctor playfully teased her.

Bella couldn't help but smile, though she still felt mad at herself, silently, in her heart.

"Doc, may I know who brought me here?" Bella asked. Her curiosity is evident.

A short-haired nurse answered, "A young man. Sorry, ma'am, I don't know his identity, but he is the one who registered your identity at the administration."

Bella frowned.

"Is he still around? Can you call him? I need to thank him." She was curious about who admitted her to this emergency room, worried that the person might know Tristan. She didn't want Tristan or the Sinclair family to know she was in this place.

"He has left the hospital. He only left you a note. But, sorry, ma'am, my head nurse is not here; she is the one who keeps that note," the nurse said, checking her watch.

"She probably return in about thirty minutes." The nurse continue.

"Thank you. It's okay, I will wait," Bella said. Then she looked at the Doctor. "Doctor, can I go home? I feel so much better."

She wanted to go home immediately and move her things out of her house.

The Doctor didn't answer her but glanced at the nurse beside him as if he had given them instructions.

"Ms. Donovan, yes, you can. But I suggest you call your husband to pick you up. It's not safe for you to go home alone. This is almost midnight."

Hearing the Doctor ask her to call her husband, Bella felt her heart hurt again. But his last words surprised her. Glancing at the wall clock, she was startled to realize it was past eleven o'clock.

Bella silently took a deep breath while trying to find her bag. She needed to check her cell phone to call Aunt Noora, her childhood nanny. 

Before Bella could ask for her bag, the Doctor said, "Ms. Donovan, congratulations."

Bella was confused. Why this Doctor congratulated her!?

"Doctor, what for?"

"You are pregnant, Ms. Donovan—"

Bella felt like she had been struck by lightning. She could feel all her blood rushing to her heart, quickening her pulse, too shocked by what she had heard.

"Pre-pregnant!?"