Back then, as long as Claire Miller understood me, I felt everything was worth it.
But now, her words—“Without the Miller family, you’re nothing”—stabbed into my heart like a blade.
Ever since Ryan Carter returned from the United States, the Claire who once had eyes only for me seemed to have become a different person.
Later, I learned the truth from a trusted business partner.
Years ago, when the Miller and Carter families were close, Ryan went abroad early with his father.
Later, the Carter family suffered an accident overseas, leaving only Ryan alive.
When he returned to the U.S., he was said to have developed severe depression and needed long-term hospitalization.
From then on, whenever Ryan had an episode, Claire would bring him home to care for him.
I voiced my discontent, but she brushed it off as me making a fuss.
And strangely, each time I went on a business trip, Ryan just happened to relapse.
At first, I forced myself to ignore these coincidences—until that day I came home from a trip.
Pushing open the bedroom door, I found Ryan tightly holding Claire in his arms on our marital bed.
Claire looked up at me, her eyes calm and utterly unapologetic.
“I only see Ryan as a younger brother. He was ill, and I was comforting him.”
Not even the effort to make an excuse.
In that moment, I finally understood—she had never cared about my feelings.
When I returned later, Claire had already gone out.
As I stepped into the bedroom, Ryan jumped up from the bed, still wearing a new pair of briefs Claire had bought for me.
“Ethan, I’m sorry. After my parents died, the only warmth I’ve ever felt is when I’m with Claire.
This morning, when she got a call from the lawyer, she cried and rushed to the firm. She still cares about you, deep down.”
I glanced at the wrinkled bedsheets—two pillows clearly indented.
Ryan kept rambling, but I couldn’t help sneering at his manipulative act.
“Drop the pretense, Ryan. Isn’t our divorce exactly what you want? If you feel like laughing, go ahead—holding it back must be painful.”
Years had passed since the Carter family’s downfall, and Ryan had fallen from a spoiled heir to just another wage earner.
Meanwhile, his childhood playmate Claire had risen to become the real power behind the Miller Group.
That disparity in status left Ryan scheming for any way to stay close to her.
He looked wounded.
“Ethan, I’ve always seen you as an older brother. I didn’t realize that’s how you thought of me.
There’s nothing inappropriate between Claire and me. I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”
Leave?
We’d quarreled so many times, and every time Ryan promised the same thing.
But when had he ever actually gone?
“Fine,” I said with a mocking smile. “If you truly disappear from our lives, I won’t bring up divorce again.”
His expression froze for a moment, then he forced himself to speak with a pained dignity:
“Alright, Ethan. Just don’t divorce because of me. I’ll leave right now.”
I watched him go and turned back to packing my luggage.
Not long after, Claire returned. The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up with joy, mixed with faint grievance.
“Ethan, you’re back.”
“What I said yesterday was in the heat of the moment. Don’t take it to heart.
I was just so afraid of losing you that I spoke recklessly.”
She moved toward me, as she had done countless times before when ending an argument, trying to embrace me.
I stepped back, slipped off my wedding ring, and held it out to her.
“Claire Miller, I’m tired. Let’s get a divorce. This time, I mean it.”
