The elegant, polished marble floors of the grand mansion felt like ice beneath Ye Xia's bare feet. Rain lashed against the tall windows, a symphony of fury that mirrored the tempest in her heart. In the spacious living room, the flickering fireplace cast long, dancing shadows, but its warmth offered her no comfort. Her husband, Jiang Chen, stood before her, his handsome face contorted into a mask of cruel indifference. Beside him was her so-called best friend, Lin Mei, her eyes filled with a predatory glee that Ye Xia had never seen before.
"Ye Xia, it's over," Jiang Chen said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "The divorce papers are ready."
Ye Xia's world crumbled. For eight years, she had been the perfect wife. She had endured the constant scorn of his wealthy family, the endless insults about her humble background and her plain looks. She had sacrificed her career, her friends, and her self-worth to become the trophy wife they demanded. She had even endured the loss of her mother, only to watch her father marry his mistress and bring her spiteful half-siblings into her life. Through it all, she had clung to the belief that Jiang Chen's love was real. Now, she realized it was nothing but a sham.
"Chen… what are you saying?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why? I've done everything for you."
Lin Mei stepped forward, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, sweetie, you've done everything for us, you mean." Her words were laced with venom. "Do you think he actually loved you? You were just a stepping stone. Your naive little family connection gave us the credibility we needed to secure the investments for our company. We've been building this empire together, with your money, with your connections, right under your very nose."
Ye Xia's gaze darted between them, her mind reeling. "My connections? I don't understand…"
Jiang Chen finally spoke, his voice filled with a chilling arrogance. "Your mother's family. We knew she wasn't just some ordinary woman. We've been investigating, and we found out that she was the disowned daughter of the wealthiest man in China, Chairman Li."
A sharp gasp escaped Ye Xia's lips. Her quiet, loving mother, a secret heiress? It seemed impossible.
Lin Mei laughed, a high, mocking sound. "Yes, dear. We just needed you to get close enough to Chairman Li so we could steal his business secrets and get a piece of his empire. And you were so very, very useful."
"Useful? I'm your wife! Your best friend!" Ye Xia's voice cracked with a pain so deep it threatened to consume her.
"Please, Ye Xia. You were nothing but a fool," Jiang Chen sneered. "Fat, ugly, and so easy to manipulate. You thought your pathetic love was enough? Now that we have everything we need, you're expendable."
His words were a gut punch. They weren't just taking her life; they were annihilating her very existence. As he spoke, two burly men stepped from the shadows. Lin Mei's smile widened, and she raised a small, glittering vial.
"We'll make it look like an overdose. A tragic accident, caused by the stress of your failing marriage. Everyone will believe it."
Ye Xia stumbled backward, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She was trapped. Betrayed. She saw the malice in their eyes, the complete and utter lack of remorse. She saw the truth: they had been playing her all along. The last thing she felt was the searing pain of a needle, the world fading into a dizzying blackness as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't just die; she was erased.