The Last Leaf of Devotion
Chapter 1
On the very night Ansel Halberg is in another woman's arms, Odessa Montclair meets a tragic end.
The Grim Reaper gives her seven days to return to the world of the living and make one final request.
Her only wish is to divorce Ansel and erase every trace of their shared past. She's determined never to cross his path again—neither in this life, nor the next.
At 9:00 pm, Odessa Montclair was dragged into a dark alley by a stranger. Meanwhile, Ansel Halberg stood beside his lover, mesmerized by a dazzling drone light show.
By 9:10 pm, Odessa was fighting through a brutal assault, while Ansel poured out his heart in a passionate confession of love.
By 10:00 pm, Odessa had been stabbed and left for dead in a ditch. Ansel, however, remained entwined in a night of passion.
At midnight, Odessa came back to life. When she arrived home, Ansel was just stepping out of the shower.
Their eyes met, and Ansel's brow furrowed. "What happened to you?" he asked.
Odessa's hair was a tangled mess, her clothes ripped and stained, and she had bruises covering her pale skin. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face looked completely drained of color.
She held his gaze for a long, heavy moment before finally breaking the silence. "Ansel, I want a divorce."
His expression tightened. "Odessa, is it really worth destroying us over something so trivial?"
With a stoic expression, Odessa lowered her gaze and repeated, "I want a divorce."
Ansel stared at her in silence, his gaze cold and unyielding.
After a moment, he let out a weary sigh and stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her. "Alright, Odessa. I was wrong to make you leave the car halfway, but why do you always have to be so stubborn? Sydney and I were just fooling around. You're still Mrs. Halberg. No one can take that from you."
Though he had already showered, the faint scent of another woman's perfume still clung to his skin, cutting into Odessa's heart like a cruel, unforgiving blade.
Just the night before, she had uncovered Ansel's affair.
The cruelest irony was that his mistress was the very underprivileged student Odessa had supported for seven years.
Their argument in the car had quickly escalated. Fueled by humiliation and anger, Ansel had driven her to a desolate area and forced her out.
Moments later, tragedy struck.
Odessa died, and her soul descended into the underworld. Yet, because of her lifetime of kindness and good deeds, the Grim Reaper showed her mercy.
He granted her seven days among the living to fulfill one last wish.
And now, all she wanted was to divorce Ansel.
Odessa's heart went numb with pain, tears quietly streaming down her cheeks. She pushed Ansel away and said, "Do you remember when we first got together at 17? I told you I'd leave without hesitation if you ever betrayed me. You promised you never would. It was a matter of principle."
When she'd been murdered, her killer had stabbed her 17 times. Each wound was a cruel echo of the blind devotion she'd held at 17.
Ansel's gentle mask cracked. His eyes grew cold, glittering with disdain. "Principle?" he scoffed. "Do you really think something we said as kids still matters?
"Look at all the heirs from elite families. Tell me, which one of them doesn't have a mistress? Haven't I given you everything? All these years, I've been with you and only you. You're the one I truly love.
"What I had with Sydney was nothing but a passing thrill. Can't you grant me just one moment of indulgence?"
Odessa's gaze burned with disappointment, her fists clenched at her sides. "Would you believe me if I told you I've already died? All I want now is a divorce."
Ansel responded with a mocking laugh. "Really, Odessa? Do you think I'll fall for such a ridiculous story just so you can walk away?"
"I—"
Before she could speak, the bedroom door swung open. Sydney Wainwright stepped in, draped in a provocative silk dress, her bare skin adorned with fresh kiss marks.
Caught in Odessa's unwavering gaze, Sydney quickly slipped behind Ansel, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Odessa, I know it was wrong of me to be with Ansel... but for a man like him, keeping a mistress is just part of the game.
"Don't worry. Ansel cares for you more than anyone. I would never even think of stepping into your role as Mrs. Halberg."
Odessa remained silent, her eyes fixed on the bedroom.
The bed she had made so neatly just yesterday morning now lay in complete disarray.
She let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "After everything I've sacrificed, I never imagined betrayal would be your answer. You're honestly unbelievable."
Sydney hadn't only drained her finances—she was now lying beside Ansel in their bed, dressed in Odessa's nightgown as if it were her own.
Tears welled in Sydney's eyes. "Odessa—"
"Enough!" Ansel barked, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Calm down, will you?" Without another word, he pulled Sydney away and slammed the door shut behind them.
Odessa's strength gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.
A wedding photo of her and Ansel hung on the wall opposite her, their smiles glowing with happiness.
But as she gazed longer, confusion twisted inside her.
How could the man who once loved her so fiercely become someone she barely recognized?
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