Chapter 1 Gabriel, Let's Get Divorced
At 2 AM, Arabella Wentworth was jolted awake once again by the babies' crying, having barely fallen asleep.
Exhausted, she sat up and took Isabella from the nanny's arms, fumbling to unbutton her nursing top in the dim light.
The room fell quiet again. Just as she was dozing off with her eyes closed, she heard movement at the door.
Expecting to see Mary Scott, the nanny, bringing in Henry, the male twin, Arabella instead found herself face-to-face with a familiar silhouette.
Her heart tightened as she met her husband's handsome but cold gaze.
2 AM. Gabriel Sterling, her husband, had finally come home.
Today marked their second wedding anniversary. Obviously, he'd completely forgotten.
Gabriel's eyes met hers briefly before they both looked away in practiced avoidance.
His tall, lean frame entered the bedroom, bringing with it the sharp scent of alcohol.
Arabella wrinkled her nose in distaste. She couldn't stand drunk men.
Gabriel approached, glancing at the empty crib.
"Where's Henry?" he asked in his low, measured voice.
Without looking up, she replied coolly, "Mary's soothing him to sleep."
The silence that followed was deafening, though Arabella's tired mind was now fully alert.
Standing nearby, Gabriel said nothing more. He loosened his tie with one hand, his long fingers methodically unbuttoning his dress shirt.
He wasn't deliberately looking at her, but the sight of her exposed skin while nursing seemed to glow in the dim light, drawing his unwanted attention.
The sound of Isabella's enthusiastic suckling filled the quiet night, somehow making him think about how satisfying her meal must be, making him wonder what it would taste like.
Realizing where his thoughts were heading, Gabriel felt a surge of irritation, cursing himself for being such a pervert. He turned toward the bathroom.
Suddenly, the bathroom door slammed shut with such force that it startled not only Arabella but also little Isabella.
Arabella stared at the closed door, frowning coldly. What's his problem? Nobody even provoked him.
Her phone chimed, diverting her attention.
Probably spam at this hour.
But when she checked the message, her head buzzed with fury, and she nearly lost her composure.
[Gabriel had too much to drink. Make him some hangover soup, or he'll have a terrible headache in the morning.]
[Sender: Emily Davis.]
Arabella stared at the screen for a long moment, her grip on the phone tightening until her knuckles turned white.
This was a blatant challenge and humiliation from her romantic rival, essentially saying: Look, your husband was with me tonight.
The commanding tone made it even worse, treating her like hired help while positioning herself as the lady of the house.
After a moment, Arabella composed herself, swallowing her rage, and replied: [Maybe I should step aside and let you have the title of Mrs. Sterling?]
No response came. Emily was probably just as furious—after all, she was married, too.
Arabella tossed her phone aside, her expression blank.
Though she'd scored a point, her chest still felt heavy with resentment.
On their second wedding anniversary, her husband had been out drinking and reminiscing with the woman he truly loved until the early hours.
What had they talked about? Was Emily's husband there too? Or had they been alone together?
Questions flooded her mind.
In the bathroom, Gabriel stood under the steaming shower, hot water cascading over his lean, muscular frame, washing away exhaustion and alcohol—but somehow awakening an unwelcome desire.
Eyes closed, face tilted toward the spray, he couldn't stop replaying the scene from moments before. Despite knowing she was calculating and two-faced, in that moment, she'd radiated an almost divine maternal glow.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Gabriel's expression darkened as he turned the temperature dial.
Ice-cold water suddenly poured down, instantly extinguishing any trace of frustration, confusion, or hunger, leaving only cold detachment.
He deliberately lingered in the bathroom, hoping the woman outside would be asleep by the time he emerged.
But he'd underestimated how demanding it was to breastfeed twins simultaneously.
When the bathroom door finally opened, Arabella had just finished feeding Henry, while Isabella had long since been taken to her crib by Mary.
She didn't even glance at Gabriel, gently settling Henry on the bed beside her.
Gabriel approached with an aura of cold moisture and imposing presence, his tall frame casting shadows as he moved toward the bed.
The mattress dipped under his weight.
Her heart fluttered involuntarily.
Though they'd been married for two years, their intimate encounters could be counted on one hand. She was always this nervous when they shared space.
Their union was devoid of love, and their families were hardly a perfect match in social standing.
She'd only been able to marry into this wealthy family due to a decades-old debt between their grandfathers.
Years ago, Gabriel's grandfather, William Sterling, and her grandfather, Robert Wentworth, had served together in the military. Robert had saved William's life in combat, losing a leg and becoming permanently disabled in the process.
After discharge, the two men lost touch.
It wasn't until Robert was hospitalized with a serious illness a few years ago that William finally found his old comrade. Sadly, Robert passed away just days after their reunion.
William was consumed with guilt, believing he could have repaid his debt if he'd found Robert sooner.
This guilt transformed into deep affection for Arabella, and William began treating her like his own granddaughter.
Unfortunately, two years ago, William was diagnosed with stomach cancer and didn't have long to live.
His dying wish was to see his old friend's granddaughter settled with a good man.
So he orchestrated the match between Gabriel and Arabella, determined to see them together.
Through a combination of emotional manipulation and family pressure, their marriage was arranged.
But Gabriel's heart belonged to someone else, and Arabella knew she was completely out of his league.
They'd planned to play along until William passed, then quietly divorce.
But they'd end up sleeping together by accident, and that she'd conceive twins from that single encounter?
Divorce suddenly became much more complicated.
Where this marriage was heading, nobody knew.
Every time Gabriel came home, Arabella braced herself for him to mention divorce, always feeling on edge.
But in reality, he couldn't be bothered to speak to her at all.
Like tonight—though they shared a bed, the frigid atmosphere was cold enough to freeze the air in the entire room.
In the suffocating silence, Arabella made sure Henry was sound asleep before gradually stopping her gentle patting.
Her nursing top had gotten damp during feeding, so she reached for tissues to adjust it, then turned off the bedside lamp.
Gabriel, still affected by alcohol, had already lay down, flat on his back with his eyes closed, breathing deeply.
Arabella sat back down, stealing a glance at him. Seeing he was asleep, she quietly began adjusting her damp sleepwear in the darkness.
Just as she was almost finished, Gabriel's irritated voice cut through the quiet night, "What are you still fussing with? Go to sleep!"
She was startled and quickly explained, "Almost done."
Since Henry was sleeping on her other side, she instinctively moved toward Gabriel's side of the bed to avoid crowding the baby. In her nervousness, she misjudged the distance, and when she lay down, her hand accidentally pressed against his arm for support.
Gabriel hissed.
Arabella froze in panic, immediately apologizing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Gabriel was furious. "The bed's huge. Do you have to crowd right next to me?"
Though startled by his sudden anger, Arabella quickly regained her composure and explained again, "I was just trying not to squish Henry. Since you find me so repulsive, you could sleep in another room."
It was a reasonable suggestion.
They had no feelings for each other anyway—why share a bed?
The house had plenty of bedrooms. Where couldn't he sleep?
Hearing this, Gabriel radiated such intense displeasure that she could feel his fury even in the darkness. "Arabella, what gives you the right to kick me out? Think having twins makes your position secure?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
It was nearly 3 AM. Arabella had been up several times during the night feeding babies and was physically and emotionally drained. She had no energy to fight with Gabriel, so after a moment of silence, she suddenly said, "Gabriel, let's get divorced."