After Divorcing Me, He Went Broke!

Sarah looked up at the ceiling.

"Ten more minutes," she said quietly. "Tell him he can come in after ten minutes."

Hanosa bowed slightly and left, closing the door behind her. When her footsteps faded, Sarah stayed still on the bed.

It was an unspoken rule between her and Ronan-something never discussed, yet always followed.

Whenever he returned home, he never came straight into her room without permission. He always had Hanosa ask when he could enter, and she always answered in minutes.

It was almost ironic, because he didn't need to do that. The room was his too. He could have walked in whenever he wanted. But maybe that was how they kept the only thing left of their marriage-distance.

Sarah rose from the bed and walked to the bathroom to freshen up.

Usually, whenever Ronan wanted to see her, she would put in a lot of effort to look perfect for him.

She would wear her most beautiful dress, apply a soft, expensive perfume, style her hair, and put on a little makeup.

Once, she had even tried to dress like Mia-copying her hair, her clothes, even the way she smiled in her photos. She had done it all in the foolish hope that Ronan would notice her again.

She was hope that night would turn into something beautiful, and he would become the man he once was-warm, gentle, and attentive.

But she was wrong. No matter how hard she tried, he never truly looked at her.

So tonight, she didn't try at all.

After showering, Sarah wore a simple cream-colored satin pajama and wrapped her hair in a towel.

As she dried it with a hair dryer, she glanced at the clock and saw that ten minutes had passed.

Right on cue, the door opened quietly without another knock. Ronan entered as if he had every right to.

Sarah sat at her vanity, facing the mirror.

From the reflection, she saw him sitting at the end of the bed, posture straight, dressed in a white suit she had already seen on Mia's Instagram account.

A few seconds of silence passed before his voice broke it.

"Tomorrow is Shenina's birthday, right?" he asked flatly.

Sarah replied softly, "Yes."

He nodded once, as if confirming something he already knew. Even though he had failed as a husband, Sarah couldn't deny that Ronan was a good father. He never missed a single important moment in their daughter's life.

He was always there for their daughter's birthday, remembered every detail-her favorite toys, her favorite color, even her kindergarten activities.

And in front of Shenina, he always made sure they looked fine together.

Perhaps that was why Sarah had not filed for divorce yet. Beneath all the pain, Shenina was her first reason to stay, and the second one was because she has nothing yet in assets.

Ronan looked at her through the mirror, expressionless and calm.

"Shenina is already five," he said suddenly. "It's the right time to give her a sibling."

Sarah froze for a moment while applying her night cream, then looked at him through the mirror.

"Should we?" she asked flatly.

He nodded once. "Yes. You haven't given me a son yet. We will program a baby boy."

She held her breath for a moment, then let out a bitter, almost silent laugh. She looked at her reflection, smoothing the remaining cream on the tip of her nose.

"How could Shenina have a sibling," she said calmly, "if her father never touches her mother?"

"I will touch you starting tomorrow," Ronan said without emotion. "Only to make you pregnant."

The words hit harder than any scream could. Sarah wanted to ask if that was all she was to him-a machine for bearing children. But her tongue refused to move. She was too tired to fight again and again.

Ronan stood and walked toward the door.

"Prepare yourself starting tomorrow," he said, not looking back. "I will come to this room, and the doctor will start our program."

His hand was already on the doorknob when Sarah spoke.

"Why not let your girlfriend give you a son?" she asked coldly.

He stopped. Silence stretched for a few seconds before he slowly turned to her, his eyes sharp and filled with warning.

"Remember who you are, Sarah," he said firmly.

"You have not fulfilled our family agreement to give me a son."

Sarah said nothing.

Another reason his family had accepted her was because they wanted a male heir. A son born from her womb-a woman of noble blood meant higher status, greater honor, and more power among the elite. And she was nothing more than a tool to make that happen.

Before closing the door, Ronan looked at her again, his tone almost mocking.

"Oh, and one more thing," he said. "Stop using your second account to check on Mia. Stop watching what I do."

Sarah couldn't speak.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her mind racing.

But then a realization struck her.

How did Ronan know she had been watching his girlfriend?