Chapter 3

Serena was still up to her old tricks, using Instagram to passive-aggressively flaunt her hold over Julian.

Her latest post showed her lying in Julian's arms, looking pale and sweaty.

Julian's hand was resting gently on her stomach, rubbing it.

Her caption read: *Since we were kids, he's always been the one who loves me most. No matter how busy he is, or who he's with, the second I'm not feeling well, he drops everything to fly to my side. He really is the best man in the world!!!*

I casually tapped the heart to leave a like.

In fact, over the past three years, Serena had posted her "flexes" every single day.

For three years, she posted 1,095 brag-posts on Instagram, and I liked every single one of them.

She boasted about everything.

For instance, she didn't have a job, but Julian gave her his black card to spend whatever she wanted.

She lived in the house that was supposed to be our marital home.

She used my old things whenever she wanted, or threw them in the trash if she felt like it.

For the past three years, they lived exactly like a married couple.

I knew she was doing it entirely to torment me.

But every like I left was nothing but my pure contempt and indifference.

Serena, however, convinced herself that I was just going crazy with jealousy, desperately trying to make my presence known.

The next time I saw Julian, he walked into my coffee shop with Serena clinging to his arm.

They were wearing matching beige casual outfits. Julian, who had always insisted on wearing stiff, formal suits when he was with me, was wearing a trendy, relaxed blazer today.

Back when we were married, I had begged him to wear matching outfits with me. He always brushed me off, saying he hated changing his style.

Serena looked around my coffee shop, her eyes scanning the place with mock pity.

She gasped dramatically.

Julian frowned, looking at me with disapproval.

"I gave you so much money in the divorce. Why are you doing such grueling manual labor?"

When we divorced, I demanded half of his assets.

He had signed them over without hesitation, probably thinking it was just a temporary deposit.

I stopped wiping the espresso machine and looked up at him, my face entirely blank.

"Because I want to. And it has absolutely nothing to do with you."

Julian's face didn't change. He still thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

Serena offered me a fake, sugary sweet smile.

"Chloe, it's been three years. How have you been?"

"Great."

Serena seemed taken aback by how calm I was.

Just then, Julian's phone rang. He turned around and walked outside to take the call.

The second he was out of earshot, Serena's sweet mask fell off.

Her smile turned into a smug, venomous sneer.

"Cut the act, Chloe. But don't get your hopes up too high."

She looked down her nose at me, a cold laugh escaping her lips.

"Even if you remarry Julian this time, so what?"

"His mother still despises you. Her perfect daughter-in-law has always been me."

"Julian is only marrying you out of a sense of obligation."

"In fact, he only came to find you today because I gave him permission."

"And you'll have to sign a prenup."

"By the way, I drafted it myself."

She reached into her designer bag, pulled out a document, and threw it onto the counter.

I looked down at it with sheer amusement.

The terms were hilarious.

I would have zero claim to any of the Gray family's assets.

After marriage, I was not allowed to call his mother "Mom"—I had to call her "Mrs. Gray."

I was forbidden from identifying myself as Julian's wife in public; to the world, I had to remain his "ex-wife."

This absurd, insulting document actually made me laugh out loud.

I slid the papers back over to her.

"If Victoria loves you so much, why are you still just his side-chick?"

"It's been three years, Serena, and Julian still sleeps with you without giving you a ring. How pathetic."

Serena's face flushed with rage. She raised her hand, ready to slap me.

But then, the sound of Julian's approaching footsteps echoed from the doorway.

Her expression changed faster than a theater mask. Tears immediately welled in her eyes, and she adopted a look of tragic, selfless understanding.

"Chloe, I really do want you and Julian to be happy. I just want him to have a good life."

"As his childhood friend, his happiness is all I care about. This prenup is just a formality, please don't be mad at him..."

She was still the same cheap actress she was three years ago.

And Julian, seeing her tears, lost all ability to think rationally, as usual.