That photo in his study had been the wake-up call I desperately needed. One devastating revelation after another had plunged my world straight into darkness. Standing by the window, I stared blankly out at the skyline, my mind going entirely numb.

Could anyone on this planet be unluckier than me?

A pair of foster parents who were absolute monsters.

A husband who treated me like a cheap placeholder.

It felt as though no one had ever truly loved me. I was just a tiny, fragile boat adrift on a storm-tossed sea, with nowhere to anchor and nothing to hold on to.

So when Su Yiting showed up at my door, I wasn’t even surprised. She was draped in high-end jewelry, every step accompanied by an obnoxious, metallic clinking sound. Her face practically dripped with arrogance. “Su Wanxia, don’t you have an ounce of shame? You stole my life for years. Even the title of Mrs. Fu was supposed to be mine.”

I took a slow sip of my coffee, shockingly unbothered. “Oh. If you want it that badly, take it.”

Honestly, I was sick to death of playing the stand-in anyway.

Su Yiting faltered, completely thrown off by my indifferent response. Then, a contemptuous sneer returned to her face. “I’m the only real daughter here. Mom and Dad said everything you have belongs to the Su family, so you’d better hand it all back.”

Hearing that sent a wave of dark amusement through my already numb heart. Restingly my chin on my palm, I gave her a calm once-over. “What a coincidence. I was actually just planning on filing for divorce.”

When I got home, Fu Chiyan was sitting on the sofa reviewing documents. The luxury watch gleaming on his wrist reflected the cold ambient light, just like the man himself.

“Where were you?” he asked without looking up, his tone clipped.

“Since when do I need your permission to leave the house?” I snapped back. Since I was already planning my grand escape, I couldn’t be bothered to play the dutiful, obedient wife anymore.

Instead of getting angry, a dark, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Quite the temper today. If memory serves… it’s not that time of the month for you.”

I choked on my own air. This bastard actually tracks my cycle?

I stared at him for a beat before laying it straight on the line. “Fu Chiyan, I want a divorce.”

His fingers froze mid-air. Setting his tablet aside, his dark eyes locked onto mine, eerily calm. But I knew him too well—the angrier he got, the quieter he became.

Unbuckling his watch, his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Clink. The heavy watch hit the glass coffee table, making my heart violently skip a beat. Standing up, he closed the distance between us step by deliberate step. His fingers clamped around my chin, forcing my face up to meet his.

“Have I not treated you well enough? Why do you keep pushing for a divorce?” His lip curled into a cold, predatory smile. “Divorce? In your dreams, Wanxia.”

The next second, his mouth crashed down on mine. It was a punishing, possessive kiss that stripped the oxygen straight from my lungs. Sweeping me off my feet, he pinned me down onto the mattress, trapping my wrists firmly above my head until every last shred of fight was drained out of me.

By the end of it, I was too exhausted to even lift a finger. Fu Chiyan pulled my limp body tightly against his chest, his raspy breath brushing against my ear. “Still want to talk about divorce?”

Furious, I sank my teeth hard into his shoulder. The firm muscle under his skin trembled with a low rumble. This bastard was actually laughing. I jerked my face away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

Over our two years of marriage, he might have been emotionally distant, but he’d never been stingy with money. Clothes, designer bags, fine jewelry… plus a ten-million allowance every single month. I had spent two years secretly building a massive rainy-day fund. By now, I was practically a low-key multi-millionaire in my own right.

At the thought of my upcoming taste of absolute freedom, my mood instantly lifted. Time to fast-track the escape plan.

The very next day, I went to meet my partner-in-crime: Xu Ning, the wife of Fu Chiyan’s older brother. We had bonded over a shared, noble passion: spending the Fu brothers’ money.

The moment Xu Ning saw me, her eyes narrowed onto the faint red marks dusting my neck, and she let out a low whistle. “Damn, looks like a war zone. Don’t tell me Fu Chiyan lacks stamina.”

I gritted my teeth and slapped her hand away. “I wish he did!” Both of the Fu brothers were freakishly athletic. Did it feel good? Sure. But it left you feeling half-dead the morning after.

Xu Ning leaned in, her voice dropping to a secretive whisper. “I ran a check on the girl in that photo. She’s Fu Chiyan’s childhood sweetheart, but she got married to someone else a few years back.”

So I really was just the unrequited-love rebound. Romance novel tropes really didn’t spare a single soul.

Deciding to trust her, I spilled my entire run-away blueprint. To my utter surprise, Xu Ning’s eyes lit up like Christmas morning. “Take me with you!”

I blinked, bewildered. “Don’t tell me you’re a stand-in too?”

“Hell no! I’m the original, authentic product!” she groaned, launching into a wild rant about her husband controlling her like a toddler—banning cold drinks, banning short skirts, monitoring her every move.

We locked eyes, and without a single word needed, we slammed our hands together in a crisp high-five.

I immediately dialed my adoptive father, pressuring him into facilitating Xu Ning’s smooth exit alongside mine. Father Su was practically spitting blood on the other end, but he had to swallow his rage and agree just to keep his shady business deals with the Fu family intact.

Xu Ning waved her hand grandly. “Don’t worry babe, I’ve got stacks. I’ll take care of you!”

I instantly threw my arms around her waist, profoundly moved. “Boss! From this day on, my life is yours!”

We went straight into action:

Our golden rule: Even if we’re running away, we’re doing it in first class.