Divorce my prentened poor Billionaire husband

Annika stood frozen outside the private room, tray of drinks clutched tight in her hands, like she’d been dropped straight into an ice bath. Revenge? What kind of payback were they plotting in there?

All those rich heirs circled Everest Kennedy like bees around honey, hanging on every word that came out of his mouth like it was gospel.

"Mr. Kennedy, Annika’s the one who messed up Selena’s leg. She can’t dance for three whole months because of her. We can’t just let her get away with this."

"When Selena’s fully healed, we’ll make sure Annika pays."

Selena’s soft voice cut in, sweet as poisoned honey. "Brother, my leg’s fine now. Let’s just forget about revenge. An eye for an eye just leaves the whole world blind, right?"

"Our sweet Selena, you’re too generous," the surrounding heirs chimed in, drowning her in compliments.

"How could Annika be so cruel to hurt our dear Selena?"

"Mr. Kennedy, we can’t just let this slide. They disrespected us. We have to stand our ground."

Annika listened to every accusation spill out from behind the door, and the blood in her veins turned to ice.

Was Everest’s supposed bankruptcy just… a long-planned revenge plot all along?

She peeked through the crack in the door, and saw Everest twirling his wine glass between his fingers, a cold smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I’ll make her suffer a hundred times worse than Selena did."

"Mr. Kennedy, break her will first, wear her body down, then starve her emotionally," one guy suggested.

"Poor Annika, works herself to the bone, won’t even splurge on a cab, just scraping by day to day," another added.

"Is this all just for Selena’s sake, Mr. Kennedy?"

"The first phase of revenge has been running three months already, and it’s almost over," Everest said, his handsome face half-hidden in shadow.

"Selena took three months to heal. I’m gonna make Annika wear herself out for the same three months, and end up with nothing."

"Mr. Kennedy, you’re a genius! This is way more satisfying than just breaking her right away. Is phase two already started?"

"Phase two is cruelty," Everest said, and tossed back the rest of his wine. The way his Adam’s apple bobbed was both mesmerizing and ice-cold. "Make her fall hopelessly in love, get her to give everything she has, then leave her hanging high and dry. Isn’t that cruel enough for you?"

Annika’s face went ash gray, every drop of blood draining right out of it. This was psychological warfare. He’d planned every single bit of this.

When she’d hit rock bottom, he’d stepped in, offered her half a million dollars to keep her dad out of prison. Made her feel indebted to him… and made her fall head over heels in love.

The deeper the love, the more agonizing the heartbreak would be. It was a cruelty far colder than any physical harm he could have done.

Annika couldn’t even remember how she stumbled away. Her mind was completely numb. The mocking laughter from the room bounced around her skull:

"Mr. Kennedy, why don’t you let me seduce her, get her into bed? I guarantee she’ll fall for me in a week."

"Annika was the beauty queen of her class, c’mon. Let me have a shot. I’m a pro at breaking hearts."

Annika pinched her leg so hard it ached, the sharp sting cutting through the fog to remind her this wasn’t some nightmare. Selena had set her up to overhear every ugly word. It had all gone exactly according to her plan.

Everest Kennedy was dead to her now.

When she got home, Annika collapsed feverish onto her bed, like she was burning up from the inside out. In her delirium, she clutched her belly, her muddled mind flooded with memories of Everest from the past three years.

Baby, don’t leave. If you really have to go, I won’t stop you. I won’t make the same mistake again…

A little while later, a limited-edition sports car screeched to a halt out front of her building. Zeke Lee had driven Everest back himself, and couldn’t resist joking about the run-down little apartment.

"Mr. Kennedy, what’s with this whole 'poor regular guy' act? I’m just saying, your girl might actually bolt this time."

"She won’t," Everest said, slinging his coat over one shoulder. His usual cold, aloof expression softened into a lazy smile. "It’s been three years. No point stopping now."

"Your girl’s actually one of a kind, y’know? Nothing like those other gold diggers. When are you gonna introduce her to the crew, anyway?"

"It’s not time yet."

Everest pushed open the car door and stepped out, striding toward the building like he did every night. Then he caught Zeke on the phone.

"Why you rushing me? I’m not back yet. Are you my wife now? Know your place—you’re just a friend."

Hearing the word "wife" made Everest pause. At midnight, Annika always called him. She’d ask if he was working late, tell him to get some rest, remind him to take his stomach medication.

Everest checked his watch and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up the dark, flickering faintly.

It was already one a.M. And Annika hadn’t called. Normally she rambled to him about every little thing that happened during her day, but today? Not a single text on WhatsApp.

Their last conversation was yesterday. Nothing since then.

Everest rubbed his temples with his long fingers. He’d almost forgotten—Annika had asked for a divorce. And she’d blocked his number.

He walked back to the car and reeled off Annika’s number to Zeke.

"Call her for me. Tell her I had too much to drink. Ask her to come down."

"Mr. Kennedy, why don’t you call her yourself?" Zeke’s eyes glinted with amusement. "Did you two have a fight?"

"Just the usual little spat," Everest said, a flicker of awkwardness touching his normally composed face.

Zeke called three times before it finally went through.

"Hey Annika, Everest’s drunk out here. Could you come down and get him?"

On the other end of the line, Annika mumbled, sniffling. "Don’t bother me."

The call cut off sharp, and Zeke couldn’t hide his grin.

"Told you, man. Everybody has a breaking point. She’s put up with three years of this crap. She’s at her wits’ end."

Everest’s face darkened noticeably, and his old stomach problem flared up. He’d been hospitalized once for stomach bleeding. Annika had stayed by his side the whole time, never left once. She’d researched all the best supplements to protect his stomach, never stopped nagging him about his pills.

She even paid the hospital bill out of her own pocket. Never asked him for a single thing in return.

Her constant reminders used to annoy him sometimes, but today… no calls, and he’d completely forgotten to take his medication at all.

In the dim glow of the streetlight, his eyes held a deep, unreadable darkness.

"Call again. Tell her I drank so much I’m bleeding internally."