A Heart in Ruins

“Brother, I’ve decide to get a divorce.”

There was only a moment’s dead silence on the line.

Then, Gilbert Cross’s voice came through, “You just married Vittorio yesterday!”

I pondered it in my mind, a bitter smile touching my lips. It wasn't yesterday. It had been exactly 6,209 days.

In my previous life,for the seventeen years of my marriage to Vittorio Croft, we were indeed the picture of perfect harmony.

However, our fragile illusion came into pieces the day my older sister passed away from a critical illness. Grief-stricken, Vittorio suddenly fell severely ill himself.

When he finally woke up from his coma, his assistant asked, “Sir, what about Silvia Cross?”

Vittorio hadn't even blinked. He replied in a flat, indifferent tone, “Don't bother with her. She was originally nothing but a burden. I married her so that I could stay by her sister's side forever — if not as a lover, then as family.”

Standing right outside the door, clutching a tray of warm soup, I laughed until tears streamed down my face.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn on the very first morning after our wedding. We had just held the lavish ceremony, but the official paperwork hadn't been registered yet. I knew exactly what I had to do. Without a second thought, I took a pen and crossed out my name on the application form. In its place, I quickly wrote down Silvia Croft.

From this moment forward, my past was buried, and I would never cross paths with Vittorio again.

“No matter what decision you make, we will always support you. How about coming to Germany?”

The words echoed in my ear as I spoke to my parents on the phone. I didn’t answer right away. Instead, the moment the call ended, I headed straight to the embassy.

A few years ago, my parents had transferred their entire business overseas. They had moved abroad with my brother, leaving me behind to stay with Vittorio. Now, I was finally determined to leave.

“The paperwork will be ready in a week,” the officer said with a polite smile.

I gave a slight nod, took the receipt, and walked out of the embassy. The cool air hit my face, and a quiet certainty settled in my chest.

Everything was finally coming to end.

That evening, I met up with a few friends at a bar. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d stepped foot in a nightclub since marrying Vittorio.

“Sylvia, what’s gotten into you today?” Maggie asked, grabbing my arm in sheer surprise.

“Ever since you fell for that aloof monk, you’ve been trailing after him like a shadow. I thought you’d never set foot in places like this again!”

I offered a faint, self-deprecating smile. Lifting my wine glass, I took a slow sip, letting my gaze drift into a hazy blur. “I’m done caring about him. Tonight, I’m just going to party until I drop.”

But before the words even