Chapter 2

Joanna seemed to have been waiting for Miranda's message, as her reply came almost instantly. "I didn't expect you to be so straightforward… From what Dorian described, I thought you'd be clueless and indecisive," Joanna wrote, her words dripping with mockery, cutting straight to Miranda's heart and leaving her reeling. But she said nothing, silently downloading the divorce agreement Joanna had sent and printing it out. When she went to sign it, her hand shook so violently she could barely hold the pen. From the age of eight to 25—for 17 years—Dorian had been by her side for every important moment of her life. She still remembered when she was a teenager, a gang cornered her in an alley. Dorian, with sheer determination and bare fists, drove them away. He was covered in blood, yet he comforted her, completely unharmed, saying, "Randa, you're my life. No one can ever hurt you." That blood-stained smile and how he risked his life to protect her… Dorian had been etched into her heart from that very moment. Turning away from those beautiful memories felt like a part of Miranda's life was ripped from her, causing her unbearable pain. She gripped her pen so hard that her fingertips went white—just then, two messages arrived one after the other. One message came from Joanna. "Dorian bought a new box. He bet me he could use them all tonight." The other was from Dorian. "Randa, there's an issue with a contract. I'll be working late at the office tonight." Working late… That explained all the sudden extra overtime during her postpartum recovery. Miranda grabbed the divorce agreement and signed her name carefully, stroke by stroke. The moment she finished, emptiness flooded her heart. She didn't sleep that night, and the next morning, she carried the signed divorce agreement to Cannon Group. Joanna was waiting for her in the CEO's office on the top floor. "I didn't expect you'd actually agree." Joanna sneered, tossing her long hair to one side to reveal the red marks on her neck. "Your signature is fine. Let me just stamp it." After saying that, she entered the safe code in the office and took out Dorian's official seal, representing the highest authority at Cannon Group, and pressed it onto the divorce agreement as casually as if it were nothing. After stamping on it, Joanna handed it back to Miranda with a look of contempt. "The processing's gonna take about a month. Mrs. Cannon, you can't hold onto a man who's fallen out of love. Don't change your mind later." Then, as if recalling something, she added, "Oh, and Dorian lost yesterday's bet. He only used 11 condoms. The last one is yours." She let out a delicate, mocking laugh that was dripping with sarcasm. Miranda fought back the suffocating pain in her chest and gritted her teeth. "Don't worry, I'll never regret it. Keep this secondhand man for yourself." With that, she ignored the furious Joanna and turned to leave. She had only taken a couple of steps when she ran straight into Dorian. Upon seeing her, he froze for a moment, then smiled instantly. "Randa, what are you doing here? Did you miss me?" His usual gentle tone made her chest ache, which almost made her blurt out, "Dorian, I want to—" However, before she could say the word "divorce," Joanna's teasing voice cut in, "Dorian, I'm hungry." In an instant, Dorian ignored the tears welling in Miranda's eyes and turned his attention to Joanna. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought you to the office before breakfast." Then, he turned to Miranda. "Randa, we'll talk tonight. I'll have the driver take you home." Dorian, who had never trusted anyone else with Miranda, finally seemed at ease and could entrust her to someone else. Miranda looked at Joanna's triumphant smile, her heart heavy with grief, but the words wouldn't come. She turned to leave, and just as she reached the lobby, Dorian appeared with Joanna trailing behind him. In front of all the Cannon Group employees, Joanna handed Miranda a tube of stretch mark cream. "Mrs. Cannon, Dorian said your stretch marks are pretty bad," Joanna said. Then, she raised her voice deliberately. "With stretch marks like that, it's no wonder men avoid you… You should be using this cream more!" Her brazen mockery drew a collective gasp from the crowd. Hundreds of eyes swept over Miranda, filled with judgment and curiosity. Anger and shame collided within her, making her body tremble. She slapped the cream away and shouted, "I don't need it. Stretch marks aren't ugly!" With a loud smack, the tube hit the floor. Joanna's eyes flickered sharply for a moment before softening into a hurt expression. "Dorian, I was only trying to help." All eyes turned to Dorian, who stared at Joanna's reddened fingertips, his expression instantly hardening. "Miranda, apologize!"