Amelia stood by the street, dialing her best friend Elise Fairfield with a trembling voice. “Honey, I need you!”

Elise immediately recognized the distress in her tone and asked, “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? You’re never like this.”

“It’s… it’s Chad. We’re getting a divorce.”

“Finally!” Elise cheered on the other end, her voice almost jubilant. She added quickly, “You should’ve done this ages ago. Ever since you got married, I barely even got to see you… Let’s meet. I think you could use some advice from a reliable divorce lawyer like me.”

Flagging down a cab, Amelia climbed in and disappeared into the city traffic.

The cab pulled up in front of a luxurious mansion. Before Amelia could even step out, Elise was there, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Congrats on your freedom!”

Amelia remained silent, her face calm.

The two went inside and settled down on the plush couch in Elise’s study. Elise grabbed a box of tissues in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. “Pick your poison. My advice? Go with the wine. We need to celebrate this special occasion properly.”

Amelia’s composure finally cracked. She broke down in tears, her sobs growing louder and more anguished with each passing moment.

Elise shoved the tissue box into Amelia’s hands and wrapped her arms around her, gently patting her back without saying a word.

When Amelia’s tears finally subsided, she began to speak between broken sobs, recounting all the sacrifices she had made for Chad over the years, eventually leading up to the night’s events.

Elise tried to comfort her. “You made the right decision. That man never truly loved you. Listen, I know a fantastic jeweler downtown. They can fix your pendant and make it as good as new. Hand it over, and I’ll handle it personally. I guarantee it’ll look just like the day your mother gave it to you.”

She leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “As for Vianna… don’t worry, darling. She’ll regret it. I’ve already called in a favor from a friend at the restaurant to pull their security footage. That home-wrecker won’t get away with this.”

Suddenly Elise jumped up, as if she remembered something. She reached for a box on the coffee table.

“Almost forgot your divorce gift!”

She opened it to reveal a dazzling ruby necklace. “Got this at Sotheby’s last month for $10 million. Honestly? It’s too much for me to pull off. But on you? Perfect.”

“Are you serious? This is way too much.”

“Oh, shut it,” Elise scoffed as she fastened the clasp around Amelia’s neck. “You could buy ten of these if you wanted to. Better on your neck than collecting dust in my safe.”

Ignoring Amelia’s protests, Elise handed her a mirror. “There—look! Stunning, isn’t it?”

Amelia stared at her reflection. Her weary, tear-streaked face contrasted sharply with the elegance of the necklace. Forcing a small smile, she said sincerely, “Thank you. I love it.”

“You don’t need to thank me. From the day I got into Stanford Law to landing my first job as a divorce attorney, you’ve always had my back. Now it’s my turn to support you.”

Amelia’s gaze drifted to the wall, where their graduation photo from Stanford Law hung. “It feels like just yesterday.”

“Doesn’t it? You were the youngest student in the school’s history and the top graduate of our class. Everyone believed you’d make it to the Supreme Court one day…”

Noticing Amelia’s somber look, Elise quickly changed the subject. “It’s late. Let’s get some rest. We’ll deal with the case tomorrow. You need to be radiant and confident when you face him in court.”

Amelia grabbed Elise’s hand. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

“Of course. I remember how thunderstorms used to send you crawling into my bed. Tonight, we’ll have the entire night to talk about the good old days.”

Amelia thought of how Elise always remembered her fear of thunder, while Chad either forgot or simply didn’t care. Tears welled up again.

Elise watched Amelia, who was now only a shadow of her former self—a woman who once possessed unparalleled beauty and charisma, now unrecognizable from the vibrant girl in their graduation photo.

At just 16, Amelia had been a legal prodigy, handling high-profile cases across various fields with an unbroken streak of victories. She was a nightmare for opposing attorneys and a media darling, hailed as the youngest “Legal Titan” of her generation.

Her future could have been dazzling, inspiring countless women. But then she met Chad, gave up everything for him, only to be taken for granted.

The next morning, outside the Third Divorce Court of New York City, Amelia stood waiting. Dressed head-to-toe in luxury brands, her makeup flawless, she exuded the elegance and authority that had been away from her for nearly a decade. Elise, beside her, was already growing impatient when Chad finally arrived.

Stepping out of a sleek luxury car, Chad’s aristocratic demeanor and strikingly handsome features turned heads.

Amelia noticed he hadn’t brought a lawyer, as if he didn’t believe she’d actually go through with the divorce.

Chad, too, was puzzled when he finally saw her. Overnight, Amelia had somehow transformed from a dutiful housewife into a radiant, commanding presence.

He approached her with sharp, piercing eyes. “Have you had enough? My patience has its limits…”

“Let’s get this over with,” Amelia replied calmly, meeting his gaze without flinching.

The scene—a beautiful couple facing off outside a divorce court—was cinematic enough to draw onlookers snapping photos.

“Fine. Just make sure you don’t regret this,” Chad said before striding into the courthouse.

Amelia followed without a word, and thanks to Elise’s connections, court staff were already waiting for them in a private office.

Chad turned to her. “I don’t care how your life turns out after this. But Luna is my daughter. Her name is Luna Weatherfield, and custody belongs to me.”

“How much time have you even spent with her? Do you even know what she’s been learning lately?” Amelia shot back coldly.

“At least I can provide her with the best private schools and equestrian lessons,” Chad replied, adjusting his tie. “As for you, without me, I doubt you could even support yourself.”

Elise interjected sharply. “Wow, sounds like we’ve got ourselves a classic custody battle. Should I go ahead and schedule a hearing in family court?”

Chad glanced at Elise’s Cartier watch. “By the way, Miss Lawyer, I’m curious—how exactly are you planning to get paid? My ex-wife’s bank account is probably emptier than her wedding vows.”

Amelia and Elise spoke in unison. “That’s none of your concern.”

The staff handed Amelia the divorce papers. She barely glanced at them before signing and passing them to Chad.

Her decisiveness unsettled him. She had once been like a vine, always clinging to him for support. Now, she seemed like a total stranger—resolute, independent. She was even willing to leave with nothing to ensure the divorce went through.

Amelia crossed her arms and asked coolly, “What are you waiting for?”

Chad hesitated, then said, “I’m giving you one last chance. Once I sign, you lose everything. No one will respectfully call you Mrs. Weatherfield again. Are you sure?”

Looking into her eyes, he saw no love, no regret—only detachment.

Amelia smiled. “That sounds perfect.”

Chad nodded, scrawling his signature. “I hope you don’t regret this.”

The judge looked at the striking couple with a hint of pity. He explained there was a mandatory three-month cooling-off period before the divorce would be finalized.

Amelia said firmly, “The ship has sailed. I won’t regret this.”

Chad shot back, “I’ll make sure you will never be able to call yourself Weatherfield again.”

With that, he stormed out. Outside, Amelia caught up with him.

“I’ll be there to pick up my things tomorrow. Just letting you know—you’re welcome to supervise.”

Chad slammed the car door shut before she could finish her sentence.

“Go home,” he ordered the driver, his icy tone startling the man into action. The car sped off, leaving Amelia standing alone.

“What a graceless man,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Elise joined her, pretending to be formal. “Miss Amelia Ainsworth, on behalf of my father, Mr. Fairfield, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to join our law firm Fairfield & Rubinger. What do you say?”

Amelia smiled and shook her head. “This divorce has taken a toll on me. I need some time to rest and enjoy my freedom.”