Chapter 5 Antonio's eyes flashed with nerves. He stood frozen, like he was encased in cement. He didn't dare speak or block me. He wasn't sure how much I knew or whether I was probing or certain. He didn't dare ask, but the truth was peeking through a thin veil. I walked into the guest room and shut the door. After a while, his voice came through. "Don't overthink it. Get some rest. Tomorrow is your birthday. I've got a surprise for you." The next morning, he took me to a hotel and acted like nothing had happened. I didn't want to go, but he said both our parents were invited. But to my surprise, the first guest arriving was Clarisse. Antonio's eyes were glued to her the moment she stepped into the room. 丸 She handed me a gift, flaunting her diamond ring. "Happy birthday, Iva. Antonio throws you such a big party. He's so good to you. If my boyfriend were half as good, I'd be set." I nodded, glancing at her ring. "You've got such a rare diamond. Isn't your boyfriend good enough?" She paused, glancing at Antonio behind me. She muttered meaningfully, "Material stuff's nice, but he can't even make time for I don't have your luck. I'm thinking of leaving." Her words made Antonio pace restlessly. I raised an eyebrow, asking, "Where to?" "My hometown to get married. I'm not young anymore. Can't keep wasting time," Clarisse replied, keeping her eyes on Antonio. She walked off. When I turned back, Antonio was clutching a crumpled poster with my portrait. Unaware, he stared after Clarisse. He didn't even try to hide it. He looked desperate when the figure went out of sight. I tugged at his sleeve, whispering, "It's my birthday party. Where are you going?" He hesitated. "I've got something to handle. I'll be right back." He shook off my hand and bolted. 1/3 Chapter 5 I shouted, "Don't bother coming back!" "Wait for me," he said without looking back. I sneered, pulling out my phone. "Head to the Carey Mansion." I grabbed evidence of Antonio's cheating and left the venue. My parents were already there, waiting. +25 Bonus Since I realized Antonio's heart had shifted, I'd been planning the divorce. I'd packed all my things and had them moved home. With all the business ties sorted, it was time to cut ties with the Careys. Antonio gave me the perfect chance. "Here's the divorce agreement for Antonio and me. Please pass it to him when he's back," I said, saying goodbye to them. Rosa Carey tried to keep me. "Antonio messed up. We'll make sure he's dealt with. Divorce isn't necessary. Forgive him this once. We know about Clarisse, his secretary. Since this happened, we'll fire her and make sure she leaves town. She'll never see Antonio again." I remained expressionless. Some things didn't hold up under scrutiny. Clarisse and Antonio had likely been involved long before our marriage, maybe even before he proposed. Her background made it impossible for her to marry into the Carey family, and in the end, Antonio chose to marry me. I used to think our love was mutual. Now I saw it was one-sided. I smirked and showed them surveillance footage that I had found. It showed Antonio frequenting Clarisse's apartment and chasing her from my birthday party. "I believe you know what is happening between them. For the sake of our families' history, I won't call it out. But this marriage is over," I said. Jack Carey and Rosa both froze. They exchanged awkward glances, unsure how to respond. My dad concluded, "We're taking Iva home. She's done with Antonio. If he doesn't agree, my lawyers will handle it. He'll leave with nothing and repay every cent he made off our family." I tossed all the evidence onto the table. My mom was worried. "Iva, are you sure you won't regret this?" I gave her a reassuring look. To a disloyal man, I'd regret nothing. "I just hope he doesn't come crawling back," I said. For years, I'd managed our home and helped grow the Carey business. Yet he was sneaking around with another woman. 2/3 Chapter 5 This kind of man was useless to me. "Mom, Dad, I've sorted out all the contracts. I'm ready to cut ties," I said firmly. My phone rang. As I expected, it was Antonio. His parents could tolerate his antics, but not me severing ties. They'd probably called him to reel me in. +25 Bonus I answered, and his panicked voice came through. "Honey, where are you? I'm coming to get you. It's your birthday. I've got surprises planned." Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!