A light drizzle drenched her frail body. She trudged, aimless and aimless. Each step felt heavy, as if even the earth refused to accept her presence. The wounds all over her body bore silent witness to a life filled with violence, humiliation, and betrayal.

There is no place to go home. There is no hand outstretched to help. The world had swallowed her whole, tearing apart the remains of hope she once held.

Anne Beilynn... Once, her name was the epitome of luxury and perfection. A top actress, adored by the media, adored by the public, and living a flawless life. No scandals. No reproach. She even married the most powerful and richest man in the country—a fairytale dream of millions of girls.

But the fairy tale did not last long.

One by one, her film projects flopped. Advertising contracts stopped coming. Her once-glorious reputation began to fade, slowly but surely. As the spotlights moved away, reality hit her mercilessly. Her family went bankrupt. The media turned against her. Those who once adored her now sneered in cruel whispers.

How could someone who had everything end up this devastated?

Is fate punishing her now? But what crimes has she committed? Looking back on her life, Anne has never done anything that violates the norms of life.

If someone had asked her a few years ago, Anne Beilynn would probably have laughed, unable to believe that her life, which was almost perfect, could collapse so quickly.

Now, with her body wrapped in a shabby coat and a blank stare sweeping the city streets, she was just a shadow of her own past.

Suddenly, a luxury car slowed down beside the sidewalk where she was standing.

The soft sound of an engine broke the silence of the rain. The window slowly rolled down, and behind it, a figure appeared that should no longer have anything to do with her.

"Leonidas..." Anne called softly, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Their eyes met. Silence. The world seemed to stop for a moment.

That name, the man who had captured her entire heart in her youth, the first love who had destroyed her life. For ten years, they were bound in a marriage that, in the end, felt like a soulless contract.

They don't marry for love.

The marriage came about because of one unexpected night—the night Anne, then just 19, became pregnant.

At the time, her career was just beginning to take off. She had a loyal fan base, commercial projects, and a foray into film. Anne Beilynn was being called the brightest rising star on the small screen. But everything changed when two red lines appeared on a pregnancy test. And when the baby was declared stillborn, due to insufficient nutrition for the exhausted young mother.

After that, Anne closed her heart. She no longer thought about anything but her career. Gossip about the breakdown of their marriage, about a third party, circulated in the media. But Anne remained silent. She was not a woman who liked to create drama. She had never cheated, and if anyone deserved to be accused, there was only one name: Leonidas.

It wasn't that Anne didn't want to love. She always tried. She tried to understand him, to open herself up again, to find a way to get closer. But Leonidas only responded with harsh sneers and a piercing coldness.

Anne was tired... And the most painful thing was, she realized that her first love was not as good as she had imagined.

Ten years of marriage... Can it be called a marriage?

When her family was destroyed by the man who was supposed to protect her.

When her career collapsed not through her own fault, but because of the backstabbing of those closest to her. And as a husband, Leonidas did nothing. He simply stood by, allowing Anne to be the subject of insults across the internet, without a single word of defense.

Ah... Anne almost forgot. They're divorced.

That man is no longer her husband. It's no longer appropriate to be called that.

"Come in." Leonidas' voice was cold. It wasn't an invitation, but a command. Just that two word, as if everything that had happened could be erased in an instant.

Is it still right for Anne to obey all the orders of the man who destroyed her?

How ridiculous.

####

Stay loyal with me and I will prove you that not everyone leaves - Anne Beilynn

Anne smiled sarcastically. "I'm too dirty for this fancy car you're riding in, sir."

"Anne Beilynn!" Leonidas said, his voice rising. His gaze was dark.

His tone held a great threat and anger.

"Bring her in. Force her." Leonidas's words were cold, without any emotion.

It didn't take long. Two men dressed in black, his personal bodyguards, immediately approached and grabbed Anne's hands mercilessly.

Anne didn't fight back. Her tears hung, but they wouldn't fall. Why should she fight? Anne had no power. No one to turn to. Whatever Leonidas wanted... Anne would find out later.

Her body was pushed into a warm and luxurious car, a world that had once been hers, now felt foreign and suffocating.

The journey ended in silence. There was no room to breathe, only silence that embraced her tightly.

When Anne opened her eyes, her head felt heavy. She was sitting in an unfamiliar room, on a plush chair, her body tied up neatly. A dim light hung from the ceiling, quivering slightly from the breeze from the air conditioner.

Anne chuckled softly, as if numb. So this was the plan? she thought bitterly.

The almond eyes that once captivated millions now looked cloudy, clouded with tears.

Water droplets fell one by one from the corners of his eyes.

Test, test, test...

"Anne Beilynn."

The voice was soft, almost a whisper. But that's precisely why it sent shivers down anyone's spine.

Anne froze.

Her voice was too familiar, too hard to forget.

With hrr breath starting to hitch, she looked up.

"Inuella," Anne hissed coldly. Sharply. As if the name was hatred on the tip of her tongue.

"haha, Anne. Long time no see," Inuella greeted cheerfully, as if nothing had ever happened between them.

Anne lifted her face, staring at her blankly. "So... the mistress the media was referring to is you?" she asked dismissively with a raised eyebrow.

So this is Leonidas' taste now?

If Anne was once called the goddess of men's first love, a figure who captivated the screen and the hearts of the audience, how could Anne lose... to Inuella?

Inuella simply smiled triumphantly. "A mistress?" She chuckled softly, then leaned back gracefully. "Soon, I will be Lady Habsburg."

Anne snorted softly, indifferent. "Whatever." She didn't care about that status anymore.

All Anne wanted to know now was one thing, What did Inuella really want from her?

Inuella took out a knife from her bag—sharp, slender, and gleaming. She looked at Anne with a sweet smile.

"Anne... you have no idea how much I hate it every time the person I like chooses you," she whispered softly. Her gaze glinted with madness. "And now, I've managed to steal Leonidas, your first love. How does that feel, huh?"

Anne was silent. But her eyes spoke volumes of pain, betrayal, and sadness.

The knife flashed.

"Ugh!"

A mouthful of blood escaped her lips. Her breath hitched. A chill began to creep up from her stabbed stomach.

Inuella approached, swiping the tip of the knife across Anne's cheek. A long scratch appeared, leaving a red trail across her skin.

"This face..." she said softly. "This face has always made me jealous. But look at it now... your face will be destroyed."

"Anne," Inuella's voice came back, calm but cruel.

"I'll give you one last secret before you die."

she leaned in, whispering words that shattered Anne's world in an instant.

"Your child... didn't die," Inuella said sarcastically, "I traded him, then sold him to a remote village on the west coast."

Anne's eyes widened.

"Seeing him being tortured every day, it was the greatest satisfaction in my life. Not to mention seeing Leonidas blame you is my greatest happiness, Anne." Inuella smiled like a devil.

Anne closed her eyes. Her body trembled. The pain in her stomach was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

The child is alive...

The child she was carrying was almost nine months.

A child thought dead... turns out to have been sold! Tortured!

"No, no, no!!"

Anne shook her body as hard as she could, but the straps on the chair were too tight.

Tears and blood mixed on her cheeks.

"Cough!" Blood came out of her mouth again. Her breath hitched.

Anne regrets it ...

If only I wasn't so busy pursuing my career...

If only I didn't believe in this devil woman...

If only I could find out the truth about my son...

"Your child must be waiting for you... go, Anne," Inuella whispered with satisfaction.

The last knife stabbed straight into the heart.

Anne gasped. Her breathing slowed. The world around her began to blur.

Dimly, she saw a tall figure in a suit enter the room with calm steps.

Leonidas..?

His face was blurry. She could no longer see clearly.

So... he came just to watch me die? Her tears fell unconsciously in the silence. Her voice was hoarse, barely audible.

"Leonidas... if I were given another chance, I would never love you again." She said softly.

Dark. Lonely. And everything... disappeared.

####

I will look for you in every lifetime, until we finally stay - Leonidas Georg Habsburg

"The meeting is over," Leonidas said coldly, his voice flat but undeniable.

As soon as those words were spoken, gasps could be heard from all corners of the room. The company executives, dressed in expensive suits and neat ties, immediately bowed their heads politely—or perhaps... fearfully.

No one dared speak first. Every time he intervened directly in an internal evaluation, everyone knew that one small mistake could end a career, and if a fatal mistake were made, their lives could be at stake.

Before them sat Leonidas Georg Habsburg—the youngest and most feared CEO in the history of the Habsburg family.

"You will be leaving for Japan this afternoon, sir," reported Ariel, his loyal secretary, handing him the itinerary. "The main agenda is an inspection of the latest generation car factory. Your hotel and all your needs have been arranged."

"Hm," Leonidas muttered briefly without taking his eyes off his tablet screen.

Ariel swallowed, then said carefully. "Currently, Mrs. Anne is in-"

"Next," Leonidas interrupted.

The air in the room suddenly changed. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Ariel quickly changed the subject, not daring to look his boss in the eye.

Leonidas said nothing more. His fingers simply moved across the screen, flipping through document after document, financial data, and strategy reports, with a serious, flat expression.

"You will be returning to the Habsburg residence after a business trip from Japan," Ariel said cautiously. "And... Madame Carmila asked that you bring... Madame with you."

The last word was almost a whisper.

Ariel lowered his head slightly, then continued, "Sir, would you like me to contact Madam immediately to arrange a leave from the shooting schedule?" Ariel asked a little stuttering.

Leonidas' gaze sharpened.

Ariel almost regretted bringing up the topic.

Without answering directly, Leonidas turned his office chair slowly, facing the large window that displayed the majestic and cold cityscape that reflected his own reflection.

"Call her," he said simply. There was no emotion. There was no pause.

"Yes, sir." Ariel immediately dialed Anne's cell phone number, then pressed the speaker button so the voice from the other end could be heard clearly.

"Hello?" the woman's voice greeted. It was soft, yet sounded lazy.

"Madam, you are required to come to the Habsburg residence next week. Please submit a leave request to your manager immediately-"

"Who is this?" the voice interrupted, flat but cold.

"I... I am Mr. Leonidas' secretary."

Ariel replied, confused, did Madam not save his number?

A moment of silence.

Then, a sound was heard that made Ariel's hands break out in a cold sweat.

"Tell him I'm busy. Filming has just started, and I don't have any vacation time," Anne said dismissively, as if she were declining a casual lunch offer, not a call from the Habsburg household.

Ariel stared at his phone in panic, then turned to his boss.

Leonidas remained silent. The look in his eyes remained unwavering, but the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

Leonidas picked up his phone, his cold eyes turning calm and dangerous. There was no trace of emotion on his face.

"What do you want?" he asked, straight to the point. His voice was flat, but it carried an undeniable tension.

For a moment there was just silence.

Then Anne's voice came through. "If you ask me what I want, I'll answer it now. Don't interrupt my filming schedule. You usually come back alone, don't you? I'm really busy."

Leonidas's hand gripped the phone tighter. His jaw clenched.

"Okay," he answered briefly, like a knife being swung slowly.

He was about to say something, maybe a threat, maybe an order... but the dial tone had turned silent. The call has ended.

Ariel took a deep breath. He knew full well that Mrs. Anne had loved Mr. Leonidas for the past four years. He had heard that she had secretly learned to cook, trying to make Mr. Leonidas's favorite dishes and sending them to the office. But those dishes... just ended up in the trash.

Ariel couldn't bear it. So from then on, he always pretended to accept it, lying that the food had arrived and that his master liked it.

Two years have passed, and their relationship has grown increasingly strained and distant. Now Mrs. Anne is busy pursuing her own career, no longer expecting much.

From his point of view, Mrs. Anne was a beautiful, gentle, caring... and incredibly kind woman.

But why... why would a woman like that fall in love with a man as harsh and cold as Mr. Leonidas?

In fact... there are many men out there who would be happy to give her happiness.

Including himself....

####

I will build my walls better this time, you either keep me or lose me for good - Anne Beilynn