Chapter 1

Seeing I wasn’t jealous, Julian rushed after me, grabbing my suitcase.

“Quinn, Stella’s dream is to be an artist. She wants to see the trophy. Let her play with it!”

I lowered my gaze, looking at my fingers, aching and stiff from countless hours of painting.

Becoming a champion cost me a body riddled with aches and pains. He knew damn well how important that trophy was to me.

He also knew it was the one thing I’d never leave behind if I left, but he deliberately went out of his way to thwart me.

He saw my silence and frowned impatiently.

“God, you’re annoying! Always with that pathetic, gloomy face. It’s bad luck just looking at you!”

“Just name your price. How much? Is a hundred million enough?”

Money. If it really came down to money between us, how much were the ten years of my prime, my peak fame, worth?

A bitter laugh escaped me as I looked at Stella’s face, six parts similar to my own when I was younger.

They say a man’s loyalty only extends to 18-year-old girls.

And who knows how long this girl, who rose to fame as ‘Little Quinn,’ will last with Julian.

I handed her the trophy, offering a heartfelt wish: “I hear you’re from the Art Academy too? Then I wish your dreams come true soon!”

Seeing my obedient demeanor, he nodded, satisfied, and actually tried to appease me.

“As long as you take good care of Stella, I can consider adding her name to your artwork. But I can write your name a bit bigger.”

I scoffed, “Is she even worthy?”

All because Julian said, “I can’t stand to see you work so hard. Just be Mrs. Julian, isn’t that enough?”

I announced my retirement from art at the City’s Best Female Artist award ceremony.

My decade as Julian’s wife was supposed to be my most precious years, but all he gave me in return was one affair after another!

And now he wanted to put someone else’s name on my artwork?

I grabbed my luggage and turned to walk away. Just then, Julian, in a fit of rage, hurled the trophy at me.