Mia's car cruised steadily down Highway 101 as the outline of Los Angeles rose against the horizon. Luna leaned against the passenger seat, her fingertips gliding across her laptop's touchpad. On the screen was the draft of a Monet exhibition proposal she had painstakingly crafted five years ago. Back then, she was still a grad student at the Manhattan Art Institute. She'd spent three sleepless months poring over historical records and had even flown to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris just to see the originals.
"What's got you so focused?" Mia's voice broke the silence in the car. "I haven't seen you this absorbed since you were cramming curatorial projects back in college."
Luna smiled faintly, turning the screen toward her. "Just flipping through old proposals, looking for inspiration. Who knows—maybe someday I'll actually stage this exhibition."
"You'll nail it for sure!" Mia shot back without hesitation. "You were the most gifted curator in our program. If it weren't for that jerk Ethan, you'd probably already be running shows at MoMA."
At the mention of Ethan, Luna's expression dimmed for a moment before her eyes brightened again. "It's in the past. Starting over now isn't too late."
By ten a.m., they arrived at Mia's apartment in the Hollywood Hills. It wasn't large, but the space brimmed with artistic flair. Photos of Mia with celebrities covered the walls, shelves overflowed with fashion magazines and art books, and succulents Luna had once gifted her lined the windowsill.
"Take a break, I'll make you some porridge," Mia said, carrying Luna's suitcase into the guest room. "Noah texted—he landed at LAX at ten. I already sent a driver. He should be here in half an hour."
Luna nodded and drifted onto the balcony. The L.A. sun poured hot and bright through the palm leaves, scattering patches of light across the ground. She hesitated before pulling out her phone and opening a San Francisco gossip site. Sure enough, splashed across the homepage was a headline: "Nova Tech Launch Party: CEO Ethan Ward Appears with Mystery Woman, Sparks Couple Speculation." The photo showed Ethan and Chloe, standing close, her hand wrapped possessively around his arm.
The comments below speculated wildly. Some guessed Chloe was "Nova Tech's new investor," others wondered, "Where's the wife?" One joked, "Looks like Silicon Valley's got a new power couple."
Luna closed the page, her heart strangely calm. No more stabbing pain—just the flat confirmation of what she already knew.
Half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Mia rushed to open it. Noah stepped in, dressed in a navy shirt and gold-rimmed glasses, carrying a black briefcase. He looked travel-worn but still carried that polished air of elegance.
"Luna, are you okay?" His gaze went straight to her, full of concern. Setting down his briefcase, he pulled out a folder. "Before flying out, I reviewed California divorce laws and property division clauses. You should look this over."
Warmth stirred in Luna's chest. She knew Noah's Wall Street job left him little free time, yet he had carved it out for her—researching late, flying early. His presence felt like solid ground beneath her feet.
"Thank you, Noah," she said softly. "Honestly, my head's still spinning. I don't even know where to start."
"Don't worry, we'll sort it step by step." Noah sat across from her, his tone steady. "First, we need a clear list of all marital assets—real estate, savings, stocks, company shares. Then we'll catalog your evidence: the dashcam, the lipstick, the earring. These will prove Ethan's misconduct, which strengthens your case for a favorable split. And about your gallery career—if you can show you gave up potential income for the marriage, we can argue for compensation."
Mia arrived with a steaming bowl of porridge, setting it before Luna. "Eat while you talk. Revolution runs on fuel—don't let him starve you."
Luna managed a small laugh, picked up the spoon, and took a sip. The warmth soothed her throat, easing the tension that had clung to her since the night before. She began laying out their assets: "We own a villa in San Francisco. Ethan bought it three years ago, but it's in his name. We have about five million dollars in joint savings. Ethan holds sixty percent of Nova Tech. He had those shares before we married, but the company's value skyrocketed afterward—so I'm not sure how that part works. We also have stocks and mutual funds, but Ethan mostly manages them. I don't know the details."
Noah scribbled notes. "The villa, though under his name, was bought after marriage, so it's community property—you're entitled to it. The savings are marital assets too. As for Nova Tech, the pre-marriage shares belong to him, but the appreciation during marriage counts as divisible. For the other investments, we'll need to check transaction records." He paused. "We should bring in a California lawyer who specializes in high-net-worth divorces. They'll know how to handle the details. And you need to freeze the joint accounts fast before Ethan transfers anything."
Right then, Luna's phone buzzed with a call from a San Francisco number. She hesitated before answering.
"Luna? This is Jack… Ethan's brother."
She blinked. She'd met Jack only a handful of times. Timid, awkward, barely in touch with Ethan. Why was he calling now?
"Jack? What is it?"
"I… I have to tell you something." His voice dropped low. "Ethan asked me to help transfer assets. He wanted to put the villa and some savings under my name. Said if anyone asked, I should say it's just a temporary loan. I know it's wrong, but I was scared to refuse. Then I saw the news about you two divorcing, and I couldn't stay quiet. I'd feel guilty."
Luna's stomach twisted. Ethan was already moving assets. She forced her voice steady. "Jack, do you have proof? Transfer records? Agreements?"
"Yes!" Jack rushed to say. "There's a nominee agreement he made me sign, and I saved screenshots of the bank transfers. I'll email them to you. Just… please, don't tell Ethan it was me. He'll never forgive me."
"Don't worry. I won't." Luna said firmly. "Send them over. Thank you, Jack."
After hanging up, she relayed everything to Noah and Mia.
"As expected," Noah muttered, frowning. "He's been plotting this. Luckily Jack's willing to testify. Otherwise, we'd be cornered. First priority: file for asset preservation and stop him from transferring more."
"That bastard!" Mia slammed the table. "Cheating wasn't enough—he wants her penniless too? No way. We'll drag him through court until he pays for this."
Luna drew a deep breath, her eyes steady. "He won't get away with it. Noah, please find a lawyer right away. I'll call the bank and freeze the accounts."
By two p.m., Noah had secured a meeting with David, a top divorce attorney in San Francisco, for the next morning. Luna filed a request with the bank, freezing the joint account—just in time. The five million was still intact.
"Thank God," Mia sighed. "Tomorrow in San Francisco, I'm going with you. If Ethan tries anything, I'll make sure he regrets it."
Luna smiled faintly. "Thanks, Mia. With you two beside me, I feel stronger."
That night, Luna lay awake in Mia's guestroom. Jack's email had arrived—attached was the nominee agreement, plus a transfer screenshot showing the villa deed moved into Jack's name for one symbolic dollar.
Her chest burned. Once, she had believed she'd found true love and a home. Now she saw it was all a scam, carefully engineered by Ethan—betrayal, manipulation, financial schemes.
At one a.m., a text pinged from Ethan: "Luna, can we talk? I know I messed up. Come back. We'll start over. I'll give you everything—just don't leave me."
Luna stared at it, her lips curling in bitter disbelief. Now he admitted fault? Now he offered everything? Where was that when it mattered? She typed back: "There's nothing left to talk about. Divorce is final. My lawyer will contact you. We'll see you in court." Then she blocked his number.
For the first time, she felt truly free of his shadow.
The next morning at seven, Luna, Mia, and Noah boarded a flight to San Francisco. On the plane, Noah explained the steps of litigation, while Mia dabbed blush on Luna's cheeks. "You need to look fierce in front of the lawyer. No one's going to think you're weak."
At ten a.m., they entered David's law office. The forty-something attorney, calm in his brown suit and black-rimmed glasses, reviewed the evidence—dashcam recordings, lipstick, earring, Jack's agreement. He nodded gravely. "Strong case. Ethan's misconduct is clear. Asset transfers are documented. Under California law, you're entitled to at least fifty percent of marital property. Given his fault, the court may award you more."
"What about Nova Tech's post-marriage valuation increase?" Luna asked.
"We'll subpoena the company's financials to calculate exact growth. I'll also request Ethan's bank and brokerage statements to uncover hidden assets," David replied.
Just then, his assistant entered with a document. "Ethan Ward's lawyer just sent over a draft divorce agreement. You'll want to see this."
Luna's hands shook as she read. "Luna Chen voluntarily relinquishes all marital property, including real estate, savings, stocks, company shares. Both parties agree to divorce and sever all ties. If Luna refuses, Ethan Ward will release photos of her with an 'unknown male' (forged) and accuse her of adultery."
Mia exploded. "Unbelievable! He's blackmailing you with fake photos? He's scum!"
David's expression hardened. "This is textbook coercion, which is illegal in California. If he follows through, we can sue for intimidation and defamation." He looked at Luna. "Don't worry. We'll file immediately for divorce and asset preservation. The court will freeze Ethan's assets before he moves another cent."
Luna inhaled deeply, then nodded. "Do it. I'll take back what's mine. He will pay for what he's done."
Walking out of the law office, the San Francisco sunlight hit her face. Luna looked up at the bustling streets, no longer weighed down by fear or doubt—only by determination.
Noah walked beside her, voice steady. "Don't worry. I'll be with you until the very end."
Mia clasped her hand tightly. "Damn right. We're in this together. That bastard won't know what hit him."
Luna's eyes softened as she looked at her friends. She wasn't fighting alone. Lifting her gaze to the skyline, she whispered silently: "Ethan, Chloe—get ready. You'll pay for what you've done."
That afternoon, David filed for divorce and asset preservation. The court acted quickly, freezing Ethan's bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and part of his Nova Tech shares.
In his office, Ethan smashed a glass in rage. He had never imagined the "docile" Luna would move so fast—or strike so hard with airtight evidence.
Meanwhile, Luna sat in a café with Mia and Noah, planning her future.
"Once this case is over, I want to launch an art investment studio," she said. "Focus on emerging artists, especially Chinese-American ones. Help their work reach the global stage."
"I love it," Mia said instantly. "I'll bring in celebrity clients."
"I'll handle the Wall Street investors," Noah added. "If you need seed funding, just say the word."
Gratitude warmed Luna's chest. Despite all the pain, the road ahead felt wide open. She pulled out her Monet proposal and wrote across the first page: "It's never too late to live for yourself."
Sunlight spilled across the paper, gilding the words in gold.
Luna knew her new life had just begun.