"What? Divorce?"

Genevieve Gonzalez looked at the young man across the conference table with a subtle sense of surprise.

Six months had passed, yet he remained striking with his distinct eyebrows and sharp eyes. Each strand of his hair was neatly and meticulously groomed.

Over the years, things appeared to have remained the same.

"Sign it," he uttered emotionlessly. The words felt cold as they escaped his thinly sculpted lips.

Genevieve blinked, and her lashes were trembling. As her gaze fell upon the words 'Maximilian Ironhart' in the signature column, she found herself adrift once again.

After a moment, she finally replied.

"Why?" Her voice was trembling uncontrollably.

Maximilian arched his eyebrows slightly. His gaze was calmly fixed on her.

It appeared that this was the first time he looked at his wife this seriously in their five years of marriage.

She was beautiful but not in a stereotypical way.

Her beauty resided in her attitude, not on the surface. Her facial figures were exquisite. It was the kind that would leave one with a lasting impression.

Her eyes were incredibly bright and gentle. They always shone with soft and pleasant gleam when she looked at him.

At that moment, she stared at him. Her eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment.

With such a pitiful look in her eyes, any man would have been captivated.

Despite that, he wasn't fond of her.

"Here, the five-year term is up." He pointed at the divorce agreement with his slender fingers. He firmly and decisively pushed it toward her.

Five years ago, according to his elders' arrangements, he was compelled to marry someone from the Gonzalez family.

However, they had both signed an agreement for a five-year marriage, and the next day was the deadline.

The contract naturally had to end when the time came. There was no doubt about that.

This outcome was something Genevieve had predicted. Yet, when she heard him utter the word 'divorce', her chest still felt heavy and left her suffocated.

She took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure. Her fists clamped under the table discreetly. Her fingernails were digging into her palm, which caused her pain.

"Am I not good enough?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she asked him.

Maximilian looked at her quietly. His deep eyes were deep and distant, as if she were insignificant.

"If there are issues with the property division, we can discuss it with the lawyer later."

His irrelevant and money-laden response made Genevieve want to burst into laughter and cover her face.

It had been five years.

She had dedicated five years of her life to this man, and he could never reciprocate her love.

She desperately needed an answer!

"Is it because of Belladonna?"

“Why mention her?” Maximilian frowned. He was clearly displeased.

“What does she have to do with anything?”

“Would you have divorced me if it weren’t for her?” Genevieve’s eyes were swelling with unshed tears as she fought to keep her voice steady.

Maximilian's patience was wearing thin.

“Don’t make a fuss. The divorce between us is just because the agreement's up, nothing to do with Belladonna."

“Then, explain your numerous trips abroad to see her through the years!”

Now that everthing was exposed, she chose not to pretend. Over the years, she had feigned nonchalance. She was exhausted from the act.

After they were married, she found out that Maximilian had a lover named Belladonna MacBrien.

They were childhood friends, always in the same classes from kindergarten to university.

Due to grudges between their parents, they were not allowed to marry each other.

After Maximilian married Genevieve, Belladonna went abroad to study because she was overwhelmed with sorrow. Since then, five years passed.

In these five years, Genevieve had heard more than once that Maximilian went abroad to visit Belladonna.

Now that the agreed period had ended and Belladonna had returned. It was only natural for him to rush the divorce and marry his true love.

Maximilian hesitated for a moment after hearing this. Then, his expression turned icy.

“Have you been stalking me? Or did you hire someone to spy on me?”

"Ha..." Genevieve gave a bitter smile and said, "Some things don't need investigating; the evidence just shows up right in front of you."

She had never had anyone tail Maximilian, yet photos and videos were frequently delivered to her.

She didn't know who sent them and she didn't care. She just wanted to see the result.

Maximilian's voice grew colder as he responded, "I'll say it again... Our divorce has nothing to do with Belladonna. Don't slander her."

"Could you be slandered if you were innocent? Maximilian, do you really think everyone in the world is a fool, and only you are the smart one?"

Maximilian gazed at her with profound eyes. He maintained an unwavering silence.

The two stared at each other, refusing to yield an inch.

After a prolonged silence, he finally spoke...

"Genevieve, you disappoint me."

"The one who should be disappointed is me!" Genevieve raised her voice, holding back the tremble in her voice.

"For five years, I've risen early and stayed up late, tending to you, sending you off, waiting for your return, and wholeheartedly caring for you. I've been obeying your family in every way. I've put my heart and soul into being a good wife, managing the entire household for you. But what about you? Do you even have a shred of feeling for me?"

"So you think that is love, huh? Are those the reasons I should have feelings for you?" Maximilian's summary was ruthless.

He continued, "All these tasks could be handled by household servants."

Genevieve was left stunned. All her dissatisfaction, grievances, and resentment were shattered with that sentence.

No wonder he never gave her a serious intention. Whenever she brought him hangover soup, he impatiently said, "Just have a servant bring it." Now she knew why every time she went to his ancestral home, he would frown and ask her, "What are you doing here?"

Everything she had done all this time seemed to mean nothing to him.

Her silent devotion appeared worthless before him.

For five years, she had merely been playing the role of a servant...

"You're right," Genevieve murmured while a buzz echoed within her mind. Her heart shattered into smithereens in this very instant.

"There is no love between us." It was just her own wishful thoughts.

Maximilian opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He suddenly felt discontent and uncomfortable. He naturally assumed that he felt this way because of her apparent tantrum.

He gently took a breath and turned his head toward the window. The large, serene clouds were freely moving about. It was quiet yet laden with oppression.

Genevieve closed her eyes. The torrent of tears crashed against her tightly shut eyelids without restraint. The burning temperature was unable to warm her heart.

She had been wholeheartedly devoted to him these five years, enduring all the indifference and disdain. It wasn't just for the sake of that written agreement but also because it was him. Five years ago, the Ironhart family had pulled her out from the abyss, allowing her to see hope again.

She was grateful to them and wanted to use her entire life to repay them.

Even if they signed a prenuptial agreement, she believed that he would be touched if she gave him her love.

She considered this place her home. He was her family, and she desired to lead this peaceful life.

However, all he said was this was not love.

Really?

Genevieve's mind went blank.

Suddenly, she realized she had no idea whether she had truly understood love.

Silence enveloped them both in the meeting room. It was broken by the hushed breaths and occasional impatient tapping on the desk.

The cell phone vibrated, shattering the tense atmosphere.

"Belladonna?" Maximilian answered the call while casting an inadvertent glance at Genevieve.

"I'm not busy, go ahead."

Genevieve sat rigidly. Her face was pallid while witnessing Maximilian's transformation from cold indifference to gentle warmth. Her heart slowly sank and felt heavy.

Indeed, this was the way one should react when facing someone they loved.

It was gentle, sweet, blissful, and accepting.

Unlike them, a married couple for five years was akin to strangers. Their conversations hardly surpassed those with their servants.

"You've arrived?" Maximilian swiftly stood up. He continued talking to her while heading out.

"You're not well enough. Sit and rest on the couch in the lobby. I'll be down to meet you right away."

As he opened the door to leave, Maximilian remembered that Genevieve was still in the room. He halted and turned around.

"The lawyer will be here soon to discuss the division of property."

"No need. I..." Maximilian had already left before she could finish. His urgent demeanor extinguished the last warmth in her heart, leaving her to feel emotionally cold.

Genevieve sighed slowly. Unexpectedly, she started laughing as if ridiculing herself for the unrequited love she had clung to for so many years.

She suffered from chronic gastritis, and he never bothered to show any concern whenever she was admitted to the hospital. Yet he couldn't bear to make his loved ones wait for even an extra minute.

With such a contrast, what reason did she have to pursue after him?

Genevieve laughed. Her laughter was unexpectedly mingled with tears. They cascaded down one after another, defying any attempt to wipe them away.

Did she truly disgust him so much?

Five years couldn't win a man's heart. Was it her inadequacy or his unworthiness?

Genevieve covered her face. Her shoulders quivered slightly. Sobbing sounds escaped through her fingers, portraying her utter despair.

The large conference room was eerily silent, except for the sound of her sorrow.

All these years of emotional investment had been nothing but a complete joke.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Genevieve checked the caller. She then sniffed and answered the call in a low, hoarse voice.

"Hello, is there anything happened at the company?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a steady male voice that replied with a question.

"Are you crying?"