Five years of marriage. My husband ran into his First Love, chose to stray, and betrayed our family. Now, I’m looking for a divorce lawyer...

Five years of marriage, a beautiful daughter, and a life built on trust—all shattered by a lingering scent of unfamiliar perfume. Sienna thought she had Julian’s heart, but the return of his "first love," Lydia, proves that some ghosts never die. When Sienna finds Julian’s lingering touch on another woman, she doesn't cry; she hires the city's most ruthless divorce lawyer, Sebastian. But Sebastian has a secret of his own: the woman ruining Sienna’s marriage is his own fiancée. In a web of lies, betrayal, and unexpected alliances, Sienna must decide: how far will she go to reclaim her life?

Chapter 1: The Shadow

My husband is having an affair. Should I try to win him back?

Lately, he’s always hiding his phone, head down, frantically sending messages. The smile on his face is something he can’t seem to suppress no matter how hard he tries.

As I was clearing the dinner plates, his phone—left forgotten on the dining table—suddenly buzzed. I picked it up to bring it to him, and my eyes accidentally fell on the screen. The notification was from a contact saved as "Lydie."

"Did I leave my phone in the dining room?" Julian’s voice drifted over.

I turned around, forcing a smile as I handed it back. "Yeah, I was just about to bring it to you."

He took the phone and hurried out of the room.

I continued with the dishes, but curiosity pulled at me, making my gaze flicker toward him every few seconds. I saw him glance at the screen, give a nonchalant cough, and head straight for the bathroom.

Julian and I have been married for five years, but I’ve never truly felt secure. He has always been a philanderer. Before we wed, he moved between women with a reckless, excessive lack of restraint.

He changed a lot after the wedding. Though he’d still occasionally flirt with female colleagues or strike up conversations with pretty girls, he never crossed the line.

At least, that’s what I thought.

But I always knew there was someone living in his heart—the woman he loved most, the one he never managed to get into bed, the one he could never forget.

That woman was none other than my former best friend, Lydia.

Lydia was gentle and introverted, a conservative woman by nature. Julian was hooked the moment he saw her.

A sweet, innocent little rabbit stood no chance against a veteran player of the dating scene. It didn’t take long for Julian to capture her heart. But Julian was like a fish in the vast ocean—he craved freedom and the thrill of the swim. Even with a girlfriend, he couldn't stop himself from provoking other women time and time again.

Lydia used to complain to me. She told me that just as she was preparing to give herself to him as a "gift," she discovered he wasn't a virgin. In a fit of rage, she broke up with him and refused to see him again.

That was when my opportunity arrived.

I had fallen for Julian long before Lydia did, though neither of them knew. After the breakup, Julian was miserable. He constantly sought me out to talk about her. Over time, we grew closer. Then, during a party with friends, we both drank too much and ended up in bed together.

"Honey, a client wants to grab dinner tonight. I’m heading out for a bit." Julian emerged from the bathroom quickly. By the time he spoke, he was already at the foyer changing his shoes, looking like he couldn't wait another second to leave.

I had a powerful intuition. He was going to see "Lydie," and that "Lydie" was almost certainly Lydia.

"Oh, drive safely," I replied out of habit. But in my heart, I had already made a decision.

I would follow him. I had to see exactly who he was meeting.

After he left, I was about to put on my shoes when my daughter walked out of her room. She looked at me and asked, "Mommy, where are you going?"

Daisy was conceived the very first time Julian and I slept together. She’s over four years old now. Honestly, Julian and I only married because of the pregnancy.

"Mommy’s just going downstairs for a moment. Stay with Mrs. Claire for a while, I'll be back soon."

Daisy was a well-behaved child and didn't try to stop me. But as the elevator descended, I couldn't help but wonder: if my husband really is cheating, should I endure it for her sake?

No. With my personality, I couldn't stomach it.

Yet, I worried about how she would handle a divorce. She was still so young.

I prayed silently. I prayed that Julian wasn't actually betraying me.

To avoid being spotted, I took a taxi to follow him. The entire way, my heart was in my throat, playing out every agonizing possibility in my mind.

The taxi eventually stopped. I followed Julian at a distance into a quiet bar called The Blue Velvet.

Hiding in a corner, I saw a woman waving at him. Her face was painfully familiar.

It was Lydia.