Hello Everyone,

As some of you may know that this is not a new novel, but an old one.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused but even I don't know what happened but suddenly my novel 'Divorced Billionaire Heiress' was deleted because it had some 'ReStRiCtEd CoNtEnT'.

Like seriously, that was my novel. I had posted more than 500 chapters, there were more than 800 people reading it and now it's gone because it had something even I don't remember mentioning.

There was literally 0 adult content except for 2-3 kisses. There are novels which are even more erotic on Mangatoon. I'm not cursing them but why mine which had nothing. MT is sending me around 100 notifications of same thing 'Your Work Is Not Passed because it had adult content' WHERE IS THE ADULT CONTENT WHY DON'T I KNOW MY NOVEL HAS SUCH THING.

Instead why don't they work on servers and pass the episodes authors are updating instead of keeping them under review for more than 3 days. Everyone is facing problem due to that so why not work upon it.

I'm trying it get it back but no response. Even this reason was also informed me after 10 days.

My one more novel is deleted and I understand for that because it had some scenes but not this one. They are again and again asking me to revise this novel but what am I suppose to revise and delete when there is nothing... LITERALLY NOTHING.

I'm soo pissed. It was my first novel and it was special to me. Not only that it was the first novel of mine that got so popular and got so much love and got me so excited and it's gone. I can't even tell what I felt when I saw only 5 novels on my profile and one of my special novel gone.

Anyways, I'll keep trying to get it back but I have decided I'll start it all over again.

For convenience of both old and new readers the chapters will be merged. One episode of Manga will have 5 chapters of novel.

So if you are a new reader you can start afresh and read from beginning. If my old readers manage to find this book again and decide to start it again they can just skip to the new chapter or from where they last left, although it will be appreciated a lot if you can leave a like and support those old chapters too.

I understand if you don't read those chapters because there are so many and it's tiring for me as well coz I have to start it all over again... And I'm Hating it.

This app is having so many problems recently and they are not even doing anything. It's the same daily, not passing chapters for so many days, not responding to feedback.

Whatever, Let's get back to extra work caused by someone else and update the novel again.

Hope this get the same love as the older one.

If you love this story later, please tap the subscribe button. I'll try to give daily updates. If there are mistakes such as grammar or spelling mistakes, repeated or missing chapters please let me know in the comment section. That will help me a lot. Thank You!

Thank You for listening my rant. Love you all.

Ding!

A message alert sounded.

[Please go to the hospital to donate blood as soon as possible.]

When Nicole saw this message, she was stunned for a moment like she had sustained a huge blow to her chest.

The sender’s name was “Hubby”.

Ding!

Another message immediately followed. It was a notice from the bank that she had received a fund transfer of 500,000 dollars.

Nicole scrolled up to look at her message history with her husband.

[Remember to go to the hospital.]

[Fund Transfer: $500,000]

[Remember to come to the hospital to donate blood.]

[Fund Transfer: $500,000]

[Please come to the hospital right away.]

[Fund Transfer: $500,000]

In their three years of marriage, the only time Nicole’s husband, Eric Ferguson, initiated contact with her was to ask her to go to the hospital to donate blood. To be exact, to sell blood. Nicole’s blood was solD to...Wendy Quade.

Eric also treated Nicole as a stranger throughout their marriage.

This month alone, Nicole had already given blood three times, which was more than her body could tolerate.

Nicole sat on the sofa as her eyes unconsciously became sore and started to blur. Yesterday while she was waiting for Eric to get off work, she stood in the rain for more than an hour, so she was feeling unwell and dizzy today and did not go into the office. Eric probably did not know that she had a fever either.

She coughed and held her phone, hesitating whether to reply. Suddenly, an unfamiliar number sent her a message that crushed her last ounce of perseverance and self-respect.

[Even if you are Mrs. Ferguson, you’re just a front and shamelessly occupy this position for three years. Has Eric ever looked at you once before? He slept over at my place last night. If I were you, I’d find a rope to hang myself. You’re just an interfering homewrecker!]

‘A homewrecker?’

Nicole suddenly felt suffocated, depressed, and shaken. Nicole was Eric Ferguson’s legal wife. She gave up her family and friends to marry this man for three years, yet she was labeled a despicable homewrecker?

Once again, her chest felt like it was crushed. All those accumulated feelings for Eric throughout her humble days as his wife suddenly shattered into pieces.

Following that message, a photo was sent to her phone. It was Eric’s calm sleeping face. His handsome sculpted features were like an intricate art piece that made her so attracted to him, like a moth to a flame.

This picture was an attestation to the message earlier.

The woman nestled on Eric’s shoulder was none other than Wendy Quade. Although both of them have their eyes closed, the curled-up corners of Wendy’s lips showed her wakefulness at that moment.

They looked like a pair of intimate lovers.

Her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from the Ferguson Villa.

When Nicole habitually picked it up, Eric’s mother, Quinn, curtly ordered her around.

“Nicole, did you forget what day it is? The maids are off today, so hurry up and come over to cook for us!”

Nicole sneered and hung up the phone without saying anything.

She had been walking on eggshells around Eric Ferguson, trying to maintain this fragile marriage.

At the office, everyone underestimated her, but she still did her best to play the role of Eric’s secretary.

At home, Eric’s mother and sister looked down on her “unknown origins”. They were mean and picked on her every chance they could. They ordered her around, asking her to cook, do the laundry, and even clean the house. Nicole, who was supposed to be the Young Madam of the Ferguson family, was treated like a lowly servant. She stayed meek and obedient. She also never complained about any of this to Eric for fear of troubling him and putting him in a difficult position.

She had endured so much that she was desensitized to it.

Regardless of how much others despised her, Nicole was still willing to persist and endure all of it for the sake of Eric Ferguson.

However, for the past three years, Eric never seemed to remember that she was his wife. The extent of their communication was when he gave her work to do at the office, urged her to donate blood, and transferred money to her.

At this moment, Nicole felt exhausted. She could not hold on any longer.

This was not the first time Wendy Quade tried to provoke her. In the past, Nicole could always laugh off those harsh and mean words, but this photo completely trampled over her self-esteem.

Humiliation, loneliness, and a harsh cold engulfed her.

‘Was my three years of marriage a joke?’

At this moment, Nicole’s face was extremely glum. She had finally made up her mind.

‘Fine. It’s time for this joke to be over.’

Nicole scrolled through her phone, and without hesitation, she sent Eric a message.

[Let’s get a divorce.]

Although she was still feeling dizzy, she knew that this was the right decision.

Eric called her immediately. Nicole had already expected his wrath at this moment. The man’s voice was harsh and cold as he said, “Nicole, what are you making a fuss about? How much do you want? Just state a price. The doctor said that Wendy’s in critical condition…”

Nicole forcefully suppressed the dizziness and interrupted his words.

She smiled coldly and said in a hoarse voice, “Eric Ferguson, I’ll see you at the City Hall in an hour, or you can watch her die.”

She hung up after that sentence. Immediately after, she received another message.

[Fund transfer: $1,000,000]

“Hahahaha…”

Nicole laughed out loud as her tears gushed out uncontrollably.‘This is absurd! It’s just too ridiculous…’

Nicole put away her phone. She suppressed the pain in her heart and the burning sensation in her body, then braced herself and took a taxi to the City Hall.

Time passed by the minute. Eric Ferguson called Nicole twice, but no one answered, so he refused to call again.

Nicole sat on a bench looking very pale. An hour later, Eric walked over with a stern, expressionless face as he looked down at her with his cold gaze.

“What exactly are you dissatisfied with? I know that you’ve donated more blood this month, but I’ve already compensated you.”

“Let’s just get a divorce…” Nicole lifted her head and met his cold gaze.

Her voice was a little mute and she no longer wanted to speak to Eric anymore.

They were never on the same page after all.

Nicole looked at the prominent features of the man in front of her. He was handsome and tall, which made her fall head over heels for him, but he never once smiled at her.

In the past, she used to be cautious not to irritate him, but now when she saw his stern face, she felt numb.

Eric looked at Nicole with a grim face. He could tolerate all of her requests or demands, but he needed a reason.

‘Does she genuinely think that she’s the only one who can donate blood?’

“Nicole, don’t regret your decision.”

“What I regret most is marrying you three years ago.” Nicole smiled miserably. She finally thought it through, and her mind could not be any clearer at this moment.

‘I’ve suffered enough in this marriage with Eric Ferguson. Enough is enough!’

It was near the end of the day, so there were only a few people in line and they were the last couple.

Their three years of marriage ended so hastily, in a matter of minutes.

The moment Nicole held the divorce certificate, her heart trembled a little.

Eric did not say anything about wanting her to stay and did not even cast her a glance.

“Let’s go to the hospital.”

He still did not forget to use her one last time.

Nicole lifted her head slightly and suddenly laughed. “Eric Ferguson, even if she dies in front of me in the future, I won’t waste another drop of blood on her.”

Eric’s eyes suddenly turned gloomy. “How could you curse Wendy like that when she’s sick? Don’t forget, the condition of our marriage back then is that you’ll donate blood at any time she needs it.”

At that moment, Nicole just felt like her heart was stabbed. She was overwhelmed with pain.

‘Right...I could only marry him because I have golden blood. I promised to donate my precious and rare Rh-null blood to Wendy Quade whenever she needed it…’

Nicole’s gaze flickered as she looked at him, but the man’s eyes only had his usual indifference.

Her smile widened until she finally laughed with unbridled coldness.

‘I should’ve understood long ago that to Eric Ferguson, I am just a lowly walking blood bank…’

“Eric Ferguson, I don’t give a damn about being your wife! Don’t worry, I’ll donate my blood to her one last time and settle our accounts.”

She smiled enigmatically, then glanced at Eric and turned to leave.

Eric’s eyebrows were slightly knitted. He felt inexplicably irritable. He felt that there was something not quite the same with Nicole today, but he could not describe the feeling. It was like she was out of his control.

In their three years of marriage, he thought that he already knew her well. She was clingy and persistent before they got married, but she became a meek and obedient wife after.

Recently, Wendy needed more blood transfusions. He felt guilty about it, but Nicole had never refused, so he felt more relieved and thought of compensating her in other aspects.

Regardless of her initial intentions of marrying him, Nicole was a good wife. Nicole suddenly asking for a divorce annoyed him, but it did not matter.

Eric’s dark eyes deepened as he got rid of the irritation in his heart.

‘Forget it, she’ll naturally come back begging when she can’t survive on her own.’

......

Before Eric could say anything, Nicole hailed a cab by the roadside and went to the hospital. She found Wendy Quade’s VIP ward and pushed the door open.

A few doctors and nurses surrounded Wendy and asked attentively if the woman was feeling any discomfort.

When Wendy saw Nicole, her eyes flickered and she immediately looked delighted.

“Nicole, you’re finally here! You’re not mad at me for always bothering you because of my poor health, are you? I was worried that your body couldn’t take it.”

Nicole strode over to her with a cold and gloomy gaze.

“You sent that text, right?”

She went straight to the point.

Before Wendy could answer her, Nicole slapped Wendy’s face viciously.

“Ah!” Wendy screamed and covered her cheek in shock.

Eric’s eyes sank and his face was stormy as he yelled, “Nicole! What are you doing?!”

The man’s voice was cold.

‘He showed up fast enough. Was he so afraid that I’d hurt Wendy?’

Nicole thought.

Wendy pouted and looked panicked. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as she covered her cheek and looked behind Nicole. She argued in a loud voice, “I didn’t do anything, Nicole. You misunderstood me.”

‘Is Nicole crazy? How dare she hit me in front of Eric?’

Nicole sneered. “Stop your act. I know it’s you.”

With a seeping cold gaze, Nicole walked to Wendy and took out the printed picture of Eric from her bag, then flung it in front of them.

Eric looked at the photo and had a moment of shock and confusion.

Wendy’s face also instantly turned glum and pale.

He had a long day yesterday, so when he visited Wendy at the hospital, he dozed off for a while. It was apparent that this photo was secretly taken at that time.

The only other person in that room then was Wendy Quade.

Thus, Eric knew who had taken this photo. Wendy wanted to stab Nicole in the heart, but she did not expect to shoot herself in the foot.

How could Wendy still maintain her image of a pitiful meek woman?

In the past, Nicole would still care about Eric’s presence, but now, there was no need for that anymore.

Nicole smiled indifferently, and her voice was surprisingly cold. “I told you that I’m here to settle accounts. This is what you owe me. Wendy Quade, you’re the homewrecker in this situation. Are you satisfied now? I wish you all the best in replacing me as Mrs. Ferguson.”

Without much thought, Eric could guess how Nicole got this photo. He suddenly felt a little suffocated. His expression was cold and complex.

Eric’s face was still as cold as ever when he looked at Wendy’s sickly pale face with a stern gaze.

Wendy’s heart trembled. She quickly defended herself. “Eric, Nicole must have misunderstood something. I didn’t do anything or take this picture. She probably found someone to take this so that she could frame me!”

Eric frowned for a moment as Wendy sobbed pitifully and tugged on his sleeve. She said cautiously, “Eric, I can apologize to Nicole. If giving me blood affects your relationship, I won’t ask Nicole for blood in the future. I swear by Hendrick’s name that I don’t know anything about the photos!”

Hearing the name “Hendrick”, Eric’s eyes flickered as he thought of his best friend’s dying wish. The gloom on Eric’s face dissipated a little.

“Nicole was too agitated earlier and shouldn’t have hit you. Do you need a doctor to check it out?”

Wendy was still covering her cheek that felt numb from Nicole’s slap and shook her head. “It’s okay.”

Eric nodded and looked at Nicole, who was standing on the side. The corners of her lips curled up mockingly and she had a cold and indifferent look on her face. Seeing her like this, Eric inexplicably felt a strange emotion in his heart.

“You wanted a divorce because of this? Never mind, get your blood drawn first.” Eric wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, but it was not an appropriate environment.

An insignificant photo meant nothing compared to Wendy’s health. Eric planned to explain the photo to Nicole afterward as there were still outsiders in the ward.

Wendy felt relieved and knew that she got away with it. ‘Eric still chose me. Nicole lost again!’

Nicole had long guessed this outcome. Wendy was good at acting and Nicole was not bothered to expose her. She no longer wanted to be involved with them. Nicole looked at the doctor on the side and asked in a calm voice, “Are you sure she needs a blood transfusion?”

The doctor froze for a moment. When he received Wendy’s glare, he nodded in panic under Eric’s watchful gaze. “Yes, Ms. Quade fell just now, which caused serious blood loss in her legs, so she needs a blood transfusion.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Eric ordered in a cold voice.

“Yes, sir.” The doctor quickly went to make preparations.

Wendy gave Nicole a smug smile from an angle that no one else could see.

“Wait.”

Nicole did not leave with the doctor obediently. Instead, she went forward and lifted Wendy’s quilt in a domineering and swift motion.

Nicole did not care in the slightest whether Wendy was embarrassed or not. She looked at Wendy’s bandaged left leg and ripped off the bandage despite Wendy’s struggle.

Suddenly, the temperature in the ward instantly plunged to a freezing point.

Nicole looked at the graze on Wendy’s leg and scoffed.

“Wow, it’s so serious that there’s not even a drop of blood flowing out. If I came a little later, I’m afraid your ‘wound’ will heal completely…”

“Nicole! You... Eric, it’s not like that...it’s just that I’m feeling weak right now and will recover better with a blood transfusion…”

Wendy Quade met the man’s dark gaze. Her heart trembled as she explained in a panic.

“You get ‘injured’ four to five times a month. I think you’re just trying to drain my blood!” Nicole’s voice was cold as she continued, “Too bad, you won’t have this opportunity again in the future. Get Eric to marry another fool to be your new mobile blood bank.”

After that, Nicole sneered and left the ward without looking back.

The moment Nicole slammed the door to the ward shut, she slumped on a bench in the corridor. At that moment, she felt dejected like she had been abandoned by the whole world.

Nicole felt extremely aggrieved. Tears slid down the corners of her eyes as she took out her phone and mustered her strength to make a call.

Her voice choked with fatigue.

“Big Brother…”

The other party only heard her voice and sighed silently. His voice was indulgent. “Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

A few minutes later, a noble and elegant man leading a group of mysterious men in black carried the unconscious woman out of the hospital and left quietly.

......

Eric Ferguson dragged the attending doctor out of the ward with a gloomy face. His dark eyes were filled with anger.

“A serious leg injury?! Is a blood transfusion even needed for grazed skin? Is this the standard of professionalism in your hospital?!”

Eric exuded a terrifying chill. When he thought of Nicole’s weak condition every time after she donated blood, the guilt in his heart deepened, and that strange feeling in his heart became more intense.

The doctor shuddered and did not dare to hide the truth from him anymore.

“It was Ms. Quade’s order. It has nothing to do with our hospital. Ms. Quade said you agreed to all of the blood transfusions. Every time Ms. Nicole donated blood, you were also there, so we thought that we’re just following orders. Mr. Ferguson, we will never dare to do this again…”

‘Wendy Quade...did I indulge her too much? Nicole insisted on divorce just because of that photo. Did she misunderstand my relationship with Wendy?’

In that case, Eric thought that he could just explain it to her. Although he did not have much affection for his wife, he had always been faithful to their marriage and was satisfied with their status quo. Thus, he did not mind living like this for the rest of their lives.

At least, he had never thought about getting a divorce since they got married.

If Nicole was just not satisfied with his relationship with Wendy, he could keep his distance from her.

Eric thought that their marriage could be saved if they sorted out this tiny problem.

He took out his phone to call Nicole, but her phone was turned off.

Eric’s eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he summoned his bodyguard that was at the entrance. A few minutes later, the bodyguard stood in front of him with trepidation.

“Mr. Ferguson, we can’t find the Young Madam anywhere. The hospital’s surveillance footage was suddenly hacked ten minutes ago. We can’t find any clues to where the Young Madam went even if we searched the entire hospital.”

Eric frowned deeper and his thin lips were pressed into a taut line.

When he thought back to the way Nicole did not hesitate to sign her name on the divorce agreement, he felt an indescribable emotion surging in his chest. His deep dark eyes seemed bottomless and inscrutable.

‘Where can she go after the divorce? She doesn’t have any money…’

The thought of her leaving so abruptly made that irritable feeling that constantly haunted him more intense. His heart just felt extremely uncomfortable.

“Get someone to search for her and notify me immediately when you’ve found her.”

‘How dare she turn off her phone like this?! She’s really out of line!’

“Yes, sir.”

Eric did not want to admit that he felt a twinge of panic because of this woman who was no longer his wife.

......

The Italian limited-edition luxury furniture in the lavishly decorated room was incredibly familiar to Nicole. As soon as she opened her eyes and saw the opulent room that she had not seen in a long time, her tears instantly streamed down her face.

‘This is my room…’

“What are you crying for? It’s just a divorce. Do you think the Stanton family can’t support you?”

A mature and tough voice rang in her ears. When Nicole looked over, her eyes felt sore and she cried even more.

Floyd Stanton, the legendary Chairman of Stanton Corporation who could shake the entire West City with a stomp of his foot, stood in Nicole’s room looking imperious and majestic.

“Dad..."

As soon as Floyd Stanton walked over, Nicole jumped into his arms and cried hysterically.

Floyd sighed, heartbroken and angry at his daughter. She had never suffered the slightest bit since she was a child, yet she acted so lowly in front of Eric Ferguson. To make things worse, Eric Ferguson never once appreciated his darling daughter.

If not for their prior agreement, Floyd Stanton would have crushed the Fergusons and beat that bastard to death to avenge his daughter!

“Nikki, remember our agreement? If that bastard doesn’t fall in love with you within three years, you’ll come back to succeed me in the company. Now, you have to abide by our agreement, okay?”

Floyd lovingly stroked his daughter’s hair while she bawled. After a while, Nicole sobbed and spoke intermittently.

“Don’t worry, Dad...I...won’t be...that stupid again…”

To chase after her so-called “true love”, Nicole abandoned her family and friends despite their advice. She gave up her identity, elite status, and luxury lifestyle to fly into her own self-destruction, like a moth to a flame.

That man was finally stripped from her heart, inch by inch, but the pain that she felt was etched in her mind forever.

“Good. Daddy will get your big brother to accompany you. Familiarize yourself with the company first, then we’ll choose a nice day to host a welcome banquet to announce your identity.”

Floyd was excited because his precious baby daughter was finally going to start a career!

Although news of Nicole’s return to the Stanton family had not been announced yet, Nicole’s best friend, Yvette Quimbey, could not wait to see her and came running to her door.

As soon as Yvette saw Nicole, she gave Nicole a big bear hug and said, “Baby, I’ve missed you so much! Congrats on your divorce!”

When Nicole first told them that she would conceal her identity to get married, Yvette was the first to stand up against it, but Nicole still stubbornly married into the Ferguson family and gradually lost contact with Yvette. Now that she saw her best friend after all these years, Nicole’s eyes brimmed with tears again.

The two ladies chatted for a long time about everything under the sun.

Finally, Yvette pestered Nicole wanting to see her divorce certificate, so Nicole reluctantly took it out and showed her. When Yvette saw it, she sighed with relief.

“Eric Ferguson, that stupid blind son of a b*tch! He’s gonna regret this!”

Nicole lowered her eyes. “Even if he does regret it, it doesn’t have anything to do with me anymore. He’s a stranger to me now.”

“Well done, Baby! You just need to wave your hand, and your admirers will be lining up from your doorstep to the outskirts of West City! That bastard can’t even get in line!” Yvette scoffed in disdain.

Nicole suddenly remembered that she left some important documents at Eric’s house, so she had to go back to take them. Yvette volunteered to go with her, which Nicole agreed to after some thought.

What Nicole did not expect was to see Eric’s mother, Quinn, as soon as she went back. Quinn always went to their house without notice and walked around like she was the master of the house.

Quinn was very displeased when she saw Nicole return with a stranger.

She held her head up high and looked at Nicole and her friend with scorn.

“Nicole, didn’t I tell you that we have a lot of confidential documents in the house? You can’t just bring randos back here. Do you have a goldfish memory?”

Yvette was stunned and spoke up in dissatisfaction. “Who are you calling a rando? Don’t you think you’re too old to be calling people names?”

She was a pampered princess who was loved by everyone. ‘How could she ridicule me like this?’

Yvette could already tell what kind of life Nicole had while she lived here and felt infuriated.

Quinn coldly snorted and gave Yvette a once-over. “Don’t think you can pretend to be elite just by wearing this fake outfit. I’ve seen a lot of low-class people like you who dream of marrying into a rich family!”

Yvette sneered in anger. Nicole’s face sank as she said, “She’s my friend. Please show some respect.”

Nicole had always walked around with her tail between her legs in the Ferguson family and never talked back to Quinn.

‘Now, she dares to reprimand me in front of outsiders? This lowly woman with an unknown background dares to speak to me like this?!’ Quinn thought.

She was furious and yelled, “Respect? Do people of your background even deserve respect? Nicole, you should count your blessings that our family accepts you to be our daughter-in-law. You’ve been living so well in our house for the past three years. Did you forget which mudhole you crawled out from? This girl you brought home is probably just like you. You both smell of poverty, so get the hell out of my house and don’t stain my floors!”

Yvette tilted her head back and laughed from exasperation. She wanted to jump up and curse at Quinn.

“Nicole, is this the result of you working so hard for these people for three years? We smell of poverty?! How did you put up with this for three years?! Well, you can put up with it, but I can’t!”

Yvette stepped forward and shoved Quinn, who stumbled backward and almost fell.

“I’m telling you, if it wasn’t for Nicole, I wouldn’t have even heard of the Fergusons! You’re just a nouveau riche with that measly money. Watch how I’ll stain your floors with your blood! If you dare, come at me with your old wrinkly limbs!”

Quinn was trembling with anger as she pointed at Yvette and Nicole.

She threatened them. “You... you… Nicole, I’ll kick you out of the Ferguson family!”

Nicole did not apologize and make amends as she would have in the past. Instead, she just looked at Quinn with an expressionless face.

“There’s no need for you to kick me out. I’ll take my own things and leave.”

After that, Nicole ignored Quinn’s shocked gaze and went straight to her bedroom upstairs.

Her old self was really stupid to give up her dignity for a man.

Nicole was trampled on time and time again by Quinn, who only wanted a daughter-in-law from a prestigious family, yet she did not utter a word of complaint.

Going forward, she did not have to put up with all this anymore.

She took nothing but her documents, then went straight downstairs.

Yvette and Quinn, who were downstairs, were still shooting daggers at each other. When Yvette saw Nicole coming down, she raised her eyebrows proudly. “You ready?”

Nicole nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Nicole, I’ll tell Eric what happened today! Don’t think that you can just leave and come back as you please. Even if you come crying and begging on your knees, I’ll still kick you out!”

Quinn thought that Nicole would be afraid of such a threat.

As a result, Nicole stopped in her tracks and smirked, then looked back at Quinn with disdain.

“I forgot to tell you. I’ve already divorced Eric Ferguson. Even if you come crying and begging on your knees, I will never step into this house again.”

Nicole finished her sentence and left without hesitation.

Quinn was stunned in place. ‘Divorce? Nicole’s willing to get a divorce?’

She immediately called her son. “Eric, did you and Nicole get a divorce?”

Eric furrowed his brows. “How do you know? You saw her?”

“You’re really divorced?! That’s great! This kind of woman is not worthy of being a part of our family. She’s just a pheasant that wants to become a phoenix. I can’t stand her from the beginning. There are so many high-born ladies waiting to marry you, so it’s best if she leaves. Good riddance!”

Eric’s dark eyes sank. His voice inexplicably became urgent. “Where is she?”

He impatiently interrupted his mother’s ramblings.

Nicole had mysteriously disappeared from the hospital and he could not find any trace of her, but she finally appeared on her own.

There was only one thought in his mind at this moment. ‘I want to see her!’

“At Imperial Gardens, of course, but she left. This reminds me, I have to check if she stole anything. You didn’t give her too much money for the divorce, right?”

“She didn’t ask for a penny.” Eric was a little surprised at his mother’s malice towards Nicole. He had always thought that Nicole and his family got along well and did not expect his mother to be so outrightly discontented with Nicole.

“At least she’s self-aware!” Quinn coldly snorted.

The man’s cold eyes darkened as he hung up the phone in annoyance.

He felt even more unsettled. ‘Did Nicole ask for a divorce because of my mother?’

Eric went back without a thought. He barely came back to their house.

When he went upstairs, he saw that everything was still there. Even the card that he gave her for her monthly expenses was untouched, but her documents in the drawer were all gone.

Eric suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and the irritable feeling became more intense.

After all, he could not remain indifferent to her after three years of marriage.

Quinn came into the room angrily. “The ‘Daydream’ necklace in the safe is missing! It’s worth $10 million. Nicole must have stolen it. I’ll call the police!”

Eric frowned. “Don’t call the police. It’s not her. Maybe you left it somewhere.”

Nicole had never asked for the password to the safe, so how could she steal the necklace?

‘Also, it’s merely $10 million. It’s not worth much, so what’s the point of stealing it?’

When Eric thought of this, he could not even recall if he ever gave his wife any jewelry in their three years of marriage...

Eric took his car keys and left. He sat in the car and smoked a cigarette, but the uneasiness in his heart did not dissipate.

Quinn was not willing to let this lowly woman get away that easily. She did not have to call the police because she had plenty of other means.

After Nicole and Yvette left Imperial Gardens, Yvette had been cursing the Fergusons until they got home. “That old hag is senile! If it wasn’t for her age, I would’ve taught her a lesson!”

Nicole was used to it and smiled. “Forget it. Don’t stoop to her level. Anyway, we won’t be seeing them anymore.”

The two ladies were talking and laughing. When they finally returned to the Stanton Mansion, they saw Grant Stanton, who rarely appeared because he was always busy with work, sitting on the sofa and reading the newspaper. He looked so serious, noble, and indifferent.

Nicole happily ran over and hugged him from behind as she acted like a spoiled child. After three years without seeing him, he still felt as familiar as ever.

“Big Brother, you’re finally back! Why did you disappear after sending me home?”

Grant helplessly and dotingly allowed her to wiggle around him. His cold aura was broken by the cozy atmosphere.

“There was an important meeting I had to attend. I rushed back as soon as it was over. Here, your gift.”

This was Grant’s habit. No matter how far away he went on a business trip, he would always bring her souvenirs. This was a limited-edition custom-made handbag that was not yet available in the country. It had an eight-digit price tag and was invaluable in the market. Most importantly, it was unique to Nicole.

Grant found out in advance that Yvette was also here, so he bought her a custom Chanel perfume that women liked.

Yvette took it over with a blush on her face and said softly, “Thank you.”

However, Grant did not notice Yvette’s expression because his eyes were fixated on his sister. He knew that she had a rough time, so he felt heartbroken and only wanted to give her the best.

On the other hand, Nicole keenly observed Yvette’s reaction. Her smile widened and she had already fantasized about their future.

“Your second brother is in a laboratory abroad participating in a confidential scientific research project, so he can’t come back at the moment. Your third brother’s at a film festival and will be back in a few days. For the next couple of days, you can shadow me at the office…”

Nicole made a bitter face, but she knew that there was no escape, so she could only nod and agree.

......

Late at night.

“Holy sh*t!” Yvette was hyperventilating as she called Nicole, who picked up the phone in the middle of the night with a sleepy voice, “What’s wrong?”

“Go online right now! The Fergusons still didn’t forget to sling mud at you after the divorce. They said that you stole something from them and that they won’t involve the police if you return it by tomorrow. Otherwise, they’ll screw you over. It’s gone viral!”

Nicole’s heart sank and she immediately went online. Sure enough, the hashtag, #FergusonsExWife, was trending on the internet.

It was an official statement from the Ferguson Corporation accusing Nicole of having no character and stealing valuable jewelry after the divorce.

“Valuable? They even dare to show off a mere $10 million jewelry? Do they think that you’ve never seen money before?” Yvette cursed indignantly.

The comments on the internet were speculating that Nicole was kicked out of the wealthy Ferguson family because of her bad character.

Those netizens spittled so much hate and even dug out Nicole’s social media account. Her only happy memories during the past three years that she posted on her social media were all spun into twisted stories by those spiteful netizens.

[Peaceful times? I think she’s just pretending!]

[She deserves to get kicked out of the family!]

[They should just call the police. She’s not only a clown but also a thief!]

There were many other hateful comments about Nicole.

Nicole had seen that set of jewelry once. Eric kept it locked in the safe and she did not know the password, nor did she ever ask for it.

‘Haha! Eric Ferguson doesn’t even have the basic decency after our divorce and wants to hurl mud at me? Does he think that I’ll put up with this crap?!’

Nicole immediately dialed Grant’s number. “G, I remember that K’s entertainment company is under my name. Who is managing it now?”

Grant paused for a moment and rubbed his brow. He had also just learned about this news. “Dominic Young. I’ll get him to handle that viral hashtag right away.”

“No need. I’ll handle this myself.”

Nicole’s tone was indifferent. ‘Don’t they want a confrontation? Do they think that I’m scared?’

This viral topic spread like wildfire after one night. Nicole became a rat that everyone mocked.

At 8:00 am, Nicole logged on to her social media account and posted a photo with a statement.

After that, she looked at the nice weather outside and smiled bitterly in self-derision.

‘I was really so blind to marry Eric Ferguson…’

The photo Nicole posted was the one of Wendy Quade and Eric Ferguson sleeping together. Their intimacy was self-evident.

What was originally a sharp weapon used to hurt Nicole became a shield for her to protect herself.

Nicole’s statement was as follows:

[Dear Mr. Ferguson,

I was deeply sorry to hear that ‘Daydream’ was stolen, so I hired a private detective to track it down overnight. The detective found the jewelry across the Atlantic Ocean in Germany, at the hands of Ms. Ingrid Ferguson. It seems that Ms. Ferguson is quite a world-class gambler.

I hope that you will investigate this thoroughly before jumping to conclusions.

Regards,

Nicole.]

Nicole also attached the well-known private detective’s investigation report as well as another photo of “Daydream” that was on a gambling table with Ingrid Ferguson.

In an instant, the already viral gossip became even more turbulent. Eric Ferguson’s divorced ex-wife, Nicole, was put in such a vulnerable position, yet she hired a reputable private detective agency and even cleared her name during the day without disturbing anyone’s rest. Her statement was also justified and concise.

Moreover, that photo of Eric Ferguson and Wendy Quade together implied the reason for their divorce - adultery.

Who was the unprincipled one in this relationship?

The netizen’s voices instantly changed directions. Needless to say, Nicole’s innocence was proven. She was blatantly accused without reason. Everyone started sharing her post. All of a sudden, the Fergusons became the subject of this scandal.

Eric Ferguson had a few drinks with some friends that night and did not expect that so much had happened overnight. Even their stocks began to plummet by the morning.

Early in the morning, Eric’s face was extremely glum as he sat in his office. He exuded a chilly air that his assistant, Mitchell, only stood there with trepidation and dared not breathe too loudly.

“Who authorized the use of our company’s main account to post such a statement?” Eric gritted his teeth. His eyes were cold and stern.

“Madam Quinn ordered this last night, saying that she has already informed you.”

Eric swept everything off his desk, which clattered all over the floor.

The man’s gaze was harsh and piercing. “When has this company ever listened to the Madam’s orders? Fire everyone in the PR Department!”

Mitchell’s heart trembled. “Y-Yes, sir.”

“Get rid of that news on the internet immediately!” An abysmal storm was brewing under the man’s dark eyes.

Mitchell bowed his head and spoke stiffly, “President Dominic of Falcon Entertainment has already given word to lock this news for 24 hours. No one can remove it.”

Falcon Entertainment was the top player in the entertainment industry, so no one dared to go against them.

Eric’s face was stormy. ‘Ha! I didn’t know that Nicole is so capable! Dear Mr. Ferguson? Does she think that this was my idea and at my behest?’

The man’s face was tense. His eyes were cold and stern. Suddenly, his phone rang. When he saw that it was from his mother, he hung up the call without thinking.

‘I didn’t allow her to call the police, so she made such a big scandal?! If Nicole didn’t find the whereabouts of ‘Daydream’, would she have taken the blame for this?’

The thought of this made Eric even more enraged.

His phone rang incessantly. Eric looked at the caller ID again and frowned - Father.

“Get Nicole to delete that post immediately! Is this not embarrassing enough? Do it now!” Charles Ferguson’s voice was deep as he suppressed a huge wave of anger."

“Eric, bring that b*tch back. How dare she do this?! She must be taught a lesson!” Quinn grabbed the phone and roared.

Eric closed his eyes and said in a deep and cold voice, “Did she do anything wrong? It’s obvious that Ingrid took away ‘Daydream’, so why frame Nicole?”

He was mad at Nicole’s emotionless statement as if there was no way that they could reconcile.

‘Even if Nicole did not respond, would I just stand by and watch her get wrongly accused? Did she have no trust in me at all?’

However, he was more angered by the fact that his mother righteously accused Nicole without remorse.

Quinn was told off by her son, so she begrudgingly defended herself.

“How would I know that Ingrid took it? Hasn’t it always been in your safe? Who else would’ve taken the necklace but Nicole?”

“It’s not too late to apologize to Nicole now.” The man’s gaze was dark.

This was a PR crisis, and they needed to solve it within the golden hour.

“What? Apologize? That b*tch is the one who should apologize! She’s just an ungrateful gold-digger with unknown origins and even dared to put our family in a crisis?! Bring her back and watch how I’ll teach this b*tch a lesson!”

“We’re already divorced…”

Eric Ferguson hung up the phone and rubbed his temples. His face was glum and he felt extremely irritable.

He dialed Nicole’s number, but as expected, she did not answer and even blocked him.

Eric slammed his phone so hard on the desk that it made a loud clang.

He looked at Mitchell coldly.

“Go find out where Nicole is. I want an answer in fifteen minutes.”

Mitchell felt like he would lose his job and hung his head even lower.

“Mr. Ferguson, I had someone check Ms. Nicole’s whereabouts. She doesn’t seem to be in Atlanta. There’s no trace of her anywhere.”

Eric’s thin lips were pursed, and his face grew darker.

Half an hour later, the Ferguson Corporation deleted the statement involving Nicole and issued an apology, stating that it was a misunderstanding. However, they did not clarify a word about the marriage between Eric and Nicole.

Even so, the effect of this move was still very minute. Eric browsed through Nicole’s social media page and found her posts about their life together. It was so close to him, yet so foreign.

[Hubby came back early today! *smiley face* ]

[It’s raining...I wonder if Hubby has an umbrella with him…]

[Hubby picked me up from work~]

[Breakfast especially prepared for my hubby!]

......

Eric unconsciously scrolled to the bottom and suddenly felt that their three years of marriage were not completely blank, but filled with this woman.

He noticed that he had never understood her and had never participated in her happiness.

Every one of her posts was about him, and the latest statement she released at 8:00 am today was emotionless, unlike her previous posts.

It was as if this was the end of their marriage.

He suddenly felt as if a piece of his heart was missing. His chest felt empty.

Eric wanted to continue scrolling, but the page suddenly stopped moving. When he refreshed it, all those posts he had just read suddenly disappeared. They were all deleted, leaving only the cold statement from this morning.

The number of likes, comments, and retweets kept increasing.

‘This was her stance. She just deleted everything like that? She wants to pretend that these three years never happened?’

Eric’s heart sank and his gaze was gloomy. His heart felt like it was being squashed.

‘I will find her even if I turn the whole country upside down!’

......

A month later.

Those who attended Atlanta’s business banquet were dignitaries and the elites of society. Almost all of the upper class were present.

The banquet was not open to the public. Bodyguards were also stationed a few blocks away from the venue to stop paparazzi from secretly snapping pictures.

A luxury Mercedes Benz sports car slowly stopped at the entrance of The Waldorf. Eric Ferguson looked incomparably noble and was undoubtedly the focal point as he made his grand entrance with his female companion, Wendy Quade.

When Wendy learned of Eric’s divorce, she was excited and knew that her opportunity had come.

However, after all this time, Eric did not visit her once even when she was really sick.

Wendy was only able to attend this banquet as Eric’s female companion because her uncle had sent her an invitation.

Her pitiable face and expensive custom-made dress would move any man.

“Welcome, Mr. Ferguson…” The organizer went over to shake hands with Eric but suddenly heard a commotion at the door.

Someone said, “Grant Stanton from West City is here…”

A luxury custom Rolls-Royce came up to the entrance. Grant Stanton was truly worthy of being a legendary big name on Wall Street. His aura was extraordinary and had a natural high-born bearing. Grant Stanton and Eric Ferguson were both legends that were comparable in strength.

As soon as Grant appeared, people around him were already waiting to shake his hands and exchange pleasantries with him.

However, Grant did not leave immediately after getting out of the car.

Instead, he walked to the other side of the car, took over the position of the porter, and opened the car door. He then extended his hand modestly, which attracted the attention of the crowd.

Who did Grant Stanton, who had never been close to women, bring with him tonight?

“Nicole!” Someone shouted out her name.

The woman was wearing a custom handmade gown from a European royal family. The dress was studded with diamonds and was sparkling with grandeur. It outlined her slender figure flawlessly.

Her makeup was extremely meticulous and highlighted her features perfectly. It made her look even more beautiful.

Eric narrowed his dark eyes as he watched the woman take Grant Stanton’s arm and walked inside the hotel with a bright smile.

Nicole was getting closer to him with each step she took.

The glorious banquet hall was filled with important people. Every guest present was at the top of their field.

Nicole was mentally prepared to see Eric Ferguson again. Her heart did not fluctuate when she saw him because she had already let him go.

Although everyone knew that Eric Ferguson had an ex-wife, Eric had never brought her to any formal occasions. Even when the last statement went viral online, everyone had only heard of her name.

When Nicole saw Wendy Quade beside Eric, she laughed lightly and thought, ‘She took my place so soon?’

Grant Stanton sensed her emotions and thoughtfully patted her arm.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m with you.”

Nicole’s smile deepened. “I’m not the one who should be afraid.”

‘I don’t have any worries anymore. What should I be afraid of? I’m invincible!’

Grant walked up to Eric. The two men were equal in popularity and were similar in all aspects.

“Mr. Ferguson, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Mr. Stanton, so have I.”

The two men shook hands and parted immediately after. Eric’s eyes were fixed on the woman next to Grant.

Nicole stood beside Grant and smiled radiantly. Her eyes were glistening and clear, and her bespoke dress made her fair skin look flawless. She looked like a completely different person from before, and Eric could not take his eyes off of her.

This radiant Nicole in front of him was unfamiliar and dangerous with a fatal attraction. Eric could only stare at her unmovingly while a complex emotion stirred in his heart.

‘Did she go to Grant Stanton the day she vanished into thin air? What is her relationship with Grant Stanton?’

At that moment, the emotions surging in Eric’s heart were so complicated that he did not even know how to describe them. Anger started to brew in his dark eyes.

Wendy Quade also noticed the flash of shock in Eric’s eyes the moment he saw Nicole. She secretly gritted her teeth and said in a shrill voice,

“Nicole, why are you here? Do you think this is a place you can come as you please?”

She was reminding Nicole not to forget her lowly status.

Eric’s brow furrowed, but before he could stop her, he heard Grant’s cold rhetorical question.

“And which family are you from, Miss?” His tone was aloof and interrogative.

Wendy froze and forgot that she had a companion, so she hastily tried to remedy the situation. “Sir, you may not know this, but Nicole just divorced Eric…”

She thought that Nicole had found herself another sugar daddy and felt the need to expose Nicole’s divorced status to him.

Grant’s indifferent attitude was oppressive. “Is there a rule that divorced people can’t attend? Isn’t Mr. Ferguson also here?”

Wendy awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at Eric to plead for help.

However, Eric just stood there silently without the intention of relieving her from this awkward situation.

Nicole lowered her head slightly and scoffed.

“Ms. Quade, do I need to report to you whoever I’m with? Don’t you think that you’re overstepping your bounds?”

Wendy was stirring up trouble, so there was no reason for Nicole to back down in this tit for tat.

Although the scandal between Eric and Wendy had been suppressed, it had already spread like wildfire on the internet. No one believed that Eric and Nicole had an amicable divorce.

There were so many people at the party, but Nicole did not even glance at Eric.

Grant swept a cold glance at Wendy and said unceremoniously, “It seems that the quality of this banquet has dropped because of Ms. Quade’s attendance. Mr. Ferguson, you need to improve your standards in selecting female companions.”

After he said that, Grant did not intend to continue wasting time with insignificant people and led Nicole to the other side of the hall.

Wendy was ridiculed by such a dignified person and felt humiliated. She pouted her lips pitifully.

“Eric…” Her voice was forlorn and cautious.

Eric looked at the two departing backs with a cold and dark expression.

He was not in the mood to think about anything else at the moment.

‘We haven’t been divorced for long, yet that woman was living in style and pretended not to see me? She even ran into the arms of another man?’

A few business partners came over to greet Eric, so Eric ditched Wendy and mingled around by himself.

......

A large swimming pool was right outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

This corner was secluded and unoccupied. Nicole held a glass of red wine and seemed to be admiring the moonlight that reflected in the water.

Wendy thought, ‘Why should an abandoned wife that was kicked out of the Ferguson family be able to attend such an exclusive banquet?’