Blurb：
Betrayal and lies unravel as Alex Miller discovers his wife Chloe Sterling's shocking secret. After tirelessly caring for his bedridden father-in-law Mr. Sterling, Alex's world shatters when he learns Chloe filed for divorce behind his back. The marriage certificate becomes a symbol of their broken relationship, torn apart repeatedly by Mr. Sterling's violent outbursts. But the ultimate betrayal awaits when Alex finds Mr. Sterling perfectly healthy, walking and laughing with Chloe and family friend Leo Hayes. This emotional rollercoaster explores themes of deception, family manipulation, and the dark truth behind wealthy family dynamics. Will Alex confront them about faking paralysis? Can this marriage be saved before the divorce cooling-off period ends?Content：
After my bedridden father-in-law, Mr. Sterling, shredded my and Chloe’s marriage certificate for the ninth time, something inside me just… broke.
I looked down at the certificate, torn in half, the pieces still sticky with the soup Mr. Sterling had just flung at me.
Every time he threw a tantrum, that damn marriage certificate was always the first casualty.
“What are you looking at?” Mr. Sterling snapped from his hospital bed, his voice shrill. “If it weren’t for you, you jinx, would I be stuck in this miserable bed?”
Silently, I picked up the torn fragments from the floor. A sharp edge cut my finger.
I didn’t say a word, just lightly wiped the grease stain off my white shirt.
“Don’t pretend to be pathetic!” Mr. Sterling grabbed the water glass from his bedside table and hurled it at me. “Get out! Just looking at you makes me sick!”
**Chapter 1**
The glass whizzed past my ear, smashing against the wall and scattering shards everywhere.
I slowly backed out of the room, gently closing the door behind me. Leaning against the corridor wall, I took a deep, shaky breath.
The scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils, reminding me of countless nights spent in hospitals over the past two years.
I pulled out my phone and sent Chloe a SnapChat: “Hey, babe, maybe we should hire a nurse for Dad? He’s been acting up again…”
I saw she’d read it, but no reply ever came.
I stared at the screen for ten minutes before locking my phone, deciding to go to the Registrar’s Office to get a replacement marriage certificate.
The Registrar’s Office wasn’t busy. I handed the damaged certificate to the clerk. She glanced at it, then checked her computer and frowned.
“Mr. Miller, your divorce is in a mandatory cooling-off period for another seven days. We can’t re-issue your marriage certificate right now.”
“Divorce? What divorce?” I thought I’d misheard her.
The clerk turned the screen towards me: “Our system shows your wife filed for divorce. You’re currently in the cooling-off period.”
My fingers clamped down on the counter’s edge, my face going pale.
I suddenly remembered a document Chloe had given me to sign. She’d said it was a hospital bill. I’d been so busy taking care of Mr. Sterling that I hadn’t even looked, just signed it.
The clerk looked at me sympathetically. “Would you like to withdraw the divorce petition?”
The people behind me in line started whispering: “Isn’t that the guy who married into the wealthy Davis family? The one they say lives off Chloe?”
“You know it. I heard if it weren’t for him, Mr. Sterling’s legs might have been saved back then.”
I looked down at the ring on my ring finger, my heart twisting with pain.
“No, it’s okay. In seven days, the divorce will be final, right?” I whispered.
After receiving an affirmative answer, I bolted from the Registrar’s Office as if my life depended on it, but standing under the scorching sun, I felt an icy chill seep into my bones.
I hailed a cab back to the hospital. On the way, Chloe finally replied: “Busy with work. Let’s talk tonight.”
I repeatedly opened the chat box, wanting to demand answers, but I couldn’t bring myself to type anything.
The hospital corridor was eerily quiet. As I approached Mr. Sterling’s room, I heard bursts of laughter from inside.
Gently pushing the door open a crack, the sight before me froze me in place.
Download the Novel Master app, Search 【 283026 】reads the whole book.
The End