Fated Mate Isn’t Me

I was discharged and went home. The House felt extremely empty.

A maid hurried up, eyes darting away from mine. When I asked where Adrian was, she stammered that he hadn’t been back these past few days.

I made a few calls and pieced together the truth.

Ever since Emma was harassed, Adrian had practically kept her in the palm of his hand.

He picked her up and dropped her off himself, didn’t care if his million-dollar car got scratched in grimy alleys insisted on escorting her all the way to her door.

Then he decided her place was too shabby. With a casual wave, he threw down a hundred million and bought her a new House.

I stood alone in the vast living room, cold all the way to my bones. The way I’d run toward him back then was laughable. The way I’d been moved by his kneeling and begged forgiveness was even more ridiculous.

When I called Adrian, it rang long before he finally answered. The background was loud, chaotic.

“What?” His voice was impatient.

“Come home.”

“Can’t.”

I took a slow breath. “Adrian. Do you remember what day it is?”

He went quiet for a moment. His tone softened a fraction. “…I’ll be right back.”

I hung up and waited from dusk to late night, then late night to dawn.

Finally, noise came from the entryway. I walked over and saw Emma struggling to support a drunk Adrian. He was dead weight, practically draped over her, out cold.

Emma saw me and put on a timid, troubled expression.

“Ann… today was my birthday, and Adrian drank a little too much celebrating with me. Please don’t be mad.”

I looked at her and let out a cold laugh. “And what are you, exactly, telling me not to be mad? His Beta or the other woman?”

Her eyes reddened instantly. “I’m sorry…”

Adrian, swaying and half-conscious, seemed to sense something. He shifted, instinctively shielding Emma behind him, slurring, “Ann… d-don’t bully her…”

The last bit of warmth in my chest died. I called for the maids and had them carry Adrian upstairs.

Now the living room held only me and Emma. I handed her the documents I’d prepared.

“I know what you want. If you can get him to sign without him noticing, the Luna status will be yours.”

She stared at the Divorce Agreement, hesitated then took it.

The next morning, Adrian woke up rubbing his temples. The first thing out of his mouth was, “Last night… you didn’t make things hard for Emma, did you?”

I looked at his face without a hint of concern for me and spoke evenly. “Adrian, you said you’d never let me spend any holiday alone.”

His expression stiffened. He looked away, guilty. “Last night was an accident… What kind of compensation do you want? Name it.”

“If I say I want a divorce?”

His face changed instantly, turning dark. “Ann, stop it. I didn’t hear that.”

He grabbed his coat like he was fleeing. Before he left, he transferred a huge sum to my phone and told me to go buy whatever I wanted.

Less than an hour later, someone delivered the divorce papers to me, sent by Emma.

I opened them.

On the last page, under Party B’s signature, the name “Adrian” sat there in bold, unmistakable strokes.