Chapter 1

Dexter Gardner and Laura Harrison had been married for seven years. Everyone knew Dexter loved Laura to the point of obsession. That was until that fateful night. He drove through a raging storm in the dead of night to buy her favorite dessert—chocolate mousse cake from that downtown bakery. However, somewhere along the slick highway, the car spun out of control and slammed into the guardrail. When he woke up, everything changed. Dexter had developed dissociative identity disorder. During the day, he was still the loving husband. He remembered every anniversary, brewed her chamomile tea when her cramps hit, and held her tight when she woke up screaming from her nightmares. However, by night… he turned into someone else entirely. That version of him was infatuated with Regina Bush, the new intern at his company. He adored her, spoiled her, and worshipped her. Laura was devastated. She cried herself to sleep, tried therapy, hypnosis, and medications. She even visited churches, hoping faith might bring him back. She believed, stubbornly and painfully, that if she loved him enough, he would come back. It wasn't until after that day in the quiet hospital corridor. She overheard his closest friend, Robert Potter, ask in a low voice, "You've been faking the dissociative identity disorder for the past six months. How's that going?" Laura's fingers had just brushed the door handle when that sentence hit her like a muffled explosion in her ears. Her entire body went rigid, and her fingertips began to tremble uncontrollably. She thought, "His dissociative identity disorder… was fake?" "It's not bad." Dexter's voice drifted out, casual and relaxed in a way she hadn't heard before. "Laura's completely bought it. Not a shred of suspicion." Robert chuckled. "Dexter, you slept with Regina once and couldn't get her out of your head. So, you staged a car crash and made up a dissociative identity disorder? That's some next-level crap." "What else could I do? The girl's incredible in bed. Any guy would fall for that." Each word stabbed through Laura's chest like a blade—clean, precise, and lethal. She bit down on her lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, but nothing could drown the agony rising in her chest. It had all been a lie—the accident, the disorder, the love Dexter claimed would never fade. Laura had truly believed he was sick, sitting by his hospital bed day and night, crying until her eyes burned, even humbling herself to beg doctors for a way to save him. However, it had all been an act. He wasn't broken. He was pretending—because he couldn't resist the body of a younger woman. And for that, Dexter had lied to Laura without the slightest hesitation or remorse. Robert asked, "So, how long are you going to keep this up? What if Laura figures it out?" Dexter's tone was confident. "She won't. I'll drag it out for a few more months. Then, I'll wire Regina some money, send her overseas for grad school or something. Then, I'll 'recover' and tell Laura I'm back for good." Robert let out a low whistle. "Dexter, you're something else. Every dude I know keeps their wife at home and fools around outside. But you—faking an entire disorder just for some side action? "If it were me, I'd just fake it for life. Laura's gorgeous, no doubt. But come on. After seven years, even a goddess gets dull." Dexter let out a low chuckle and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Yeah, I got tired of her. That's why I went looking for a little excitement on the side." Everything Laura believed in came crashing down. Her heart felt like it had been ripped from her chest and run over again and again. A thousand needles stabbed her lungs. Her knees buckled under the weight of it all, but she didn't fall. She couldn't. She remembered that spring, when she was eighteen. Dexter had stood beneath the flowers on campus, cheeks flushed as he said, "Laura, I'll love you for the rest of my life." Back then, his eyes had been bright and full of warmth. He used to tremble just holding her hand. She remembered the night he proposed, down on one knee, saying that marrying her was the greatest blessing of his life. She remembered their wedding night—how gently he held her, whispering that he would cherish her forever. Now, at 28 years old, that same man said he was tired of her. Laura felt like her soul was being torn apart, piece by piece. If he had grown tired of her, he could have just said it. Dexter could have been honest. But instead, he chose to deceive her with cruelty, tearing apart everything they had with deliberate, calculated malice. She had always said the one thing she could never forgive was betrayal. For the past six months, she had been a fool. She cried her eyes out, begging every top specialist she could find to help him. She had even dropped to her knees when his "alternate personality" appeared, pleading for him to come back to her. It was all a carefully orchestrated lie—nothing more than a filthy scheme to sleep with another woman. Laura couldn't hold it in any longer. Her legs gave out as she staggered toward the hallway, desperate to escape. However, just as she turned, she crashed into someone. Regina wore a tight mini dress and flawless makeup. When she saw Laura, her red lips curled into a smirk. "Well, what a coincidence, Mrs. Gardner. Here to play the devoted wife again?" Laura didn't respond. She stepped forward, trying to leave. However, Regina deliberately stuck her foot out. Laura stumbled hard, crashing to the ground. Her knees slammed against the cold tiles with a sickening crack. "Oh no, how clumsy of you," Regina commented with mock surprise, but the malice in her voice couldn't be masked. "Guess that's what happens when you're past your prime. You can't even walk straight." Laura slowly lifted her head, locking eyes with Regina. Leaning down, Regina whispered in her ear, "Dexter said he's sick of you. He only wants me now. Do yourself a favor and leave, castoff." Being called a "castoff" cut through Laura's chest like a knife, sharp and merciless. For the past six months, she had endured Regina's jabs, Dexter's cold indifference, and every bit of humiliation this marriage had thrown at her. Today, she was done staying silent, though. The sound of the slap echoed through the corridor as Laura struck Regina's cheek. Regina clutched her cheek, eyes wide in disbelief. "How dare you hit me?" "You have a problem with that?" Laura's voice trembled, but her words were sharp and clear. "Do I need to wait for a special occasion to slap you?" Regina's eyes welled with tears. She opened her mouth to scream, but the hospital room door suddenly swung open. Dexter stepped out. "Dexter!" She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms as tears spilled freely down her face. "Laura just hit me!" Dexter looked past her, his eyes landing on Laura. Whatever warmth they once held had vanished. "Why did you hit her?" he asked coldly. Laura watched as Dexter shielded Regina with his entire body, and something inside her tore open. "She tripped me and called me a castoff. I slapped her. Was that so wrong?" she answered, her voice hoarse with disbelief. Dexter's lips parted slightly, his voice cold and sharp. "Apologize." "I won't." "Stop being dramatic, Laura. You dared to hit Regina, and now you're playing the victim," he commented. Regina clung to his sleeve, tears falling effortlessly. "It hurts, Dexter. I won't feel better unless I get to return the favor." Nodding, Dexter raised his hand. Two bodyguards stepped forward, grabbing Laura by both arms before she could react. "Dexter!" she screamed, struggling as her eyes burned with tears. "Have you lost your mind?" Regina smiled as she raised her hand. The sound of her slapping Laura echoed down the sterile hallway. Laura's face burned, blood trailing from the corner of her lips. "Enough," Dexter finally instructed. Regina pouted and held out her reddened hand. "My hand hurts now…" He took her hand with sickening tenderness, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Don't use your own hands next time. What if you got hurt?" Laura stood frozen, the world tilting around her. Her heart didn't just hurt—it had completely numbed. He cared about Regina's hand, but not the blood on her face. "Dexter…" Her voice came out as a rasp. "Did you forget the vows you made at our wedding?" Dexter hesitated only a second before replying, his voice void of emotion. "Those promises came from the main personality, not me. I only love Rena. You don't matter." Regina grinned smugly. "Dexter, I already booked a hotel. Last time, we ran out of protection too quickly. I brought plenty this time. I'll make sure you enjoy every second of it." Dexter chuckled low. "Let's go." The two walked away, wrapped around each other like lovers in a movie, their intimacy a humiliation. Laura collapsed onto the floor, trembling. … After Robert ran over, he helped her up. "Laura, don't take it to heart. That's not the real Dexter. The real one still loves you. You just have to wait for him to come back. "Yeah, you two practically grew up together. You've been in love for over a decade. He's just… not himself right now." Laura wiped at the blood on her lip, tears falling silently. "I don't want to wait anymore." They thought she was just venting, so they tried to comfort her again. "Don't do anything rash. Once he's cured, things will return to normal." Laura said nothing else, after which they escorted her to a car and told the driver to take her home. However, once they had driven far enough, Laura spoke softly. "Take me to a law firm." … 30 minutes later, she was seated across from a lawyer, Colin Patton. "Hello, I need you to draft a divorce agreement," she said, her voice firm. Colin hesitated. "Does Mr. Gardner know?" Laura gave a faint, bitter tug at her lips. Her voice was calm but resolute. "He will—very soon."