He Regrets, She's Done Hiding Her Light

Two in the morning.

Michael Johnson's calloused hand suddenly slipped beneath her clothes, jolting Aurora awake from her sleep.

Before she could react, he pinned her wrists down. As he roughly kneaded her breasts, he thrust into her without warning.

Sharp pain came first, followed by an overwhelming wave of pleasure. The sensations layered upon each other until she nearly lost consciousness. Yet he still had the audacity to whisper in her ear, "Why so quiet? Guess I'm not trying hard enough?"

With those words, he pounded into her even harder.

"Mmm..."

A soft moan escaped Aurora's lips. Her eyes caught sight of their daughter Julia sleeping beside them, and a wave of shame washed over her.

"Don't... not here, let's move..."

Aurora struggled to speak, but tonight Michael was different.

He acted as if he couldn't hear her, holding her tightly in his arms as he claimed her again and again, as though trying to merge her into his very bones.

By the time it ended, Aurora was drenched in sweat.

She collapsed weakly against the bed. Behind her, Michael had already gotten up, casually dressing himself and returning to his usual cold, detached demeanor.

"Sign it."

He placed a document in front of Aurora.

Aurora instinctively looked down. Her eyes landed on the words "Divorce Agreement," and her pupils contracted sharply.

"Why?" she blurted out, forcing herself upright to look at him. "We..."

"No reason." Michael's expression remained indifferent as he looked down at her. "You know exactly how this marriage started."

Aurora's heart clenched painfully, followed by a bitter, silent laugh.

Right. This marriage had been an accident from the start. For the past three years, Michael must have been counting the days until it ended. Now he'd finally said it out loud.

Even though she'd known this deep down, Aurora's throat felt stuffed with cotton, suffocating her.

In a daze, she heard him say, "Look over the terms. If there's anything you're not satisfied with, speak up."

Though Michael didn't care for this scheming wife, she had given him a child. He didn't mind being generous with the property settlement.

Aurora remained frozen in place.

She didn't need to look to know the terms would be extremely generous.

Throughout their marriage, Michael had always been liberal with money.

As a husband, Michael was perfectly adequate—except for one fatal flaw: he didn't love her.

Aurora took a deep breath, her voice trembling beyond control. "I don't want anything. I only want Julia."

Michael frowned. "Julia is my child. She must stay with the Johnson family. Besides, you can't provide her with the best education."

"But she's my child!" Aurora burst out.

She'd carried her for ten months, raised her with her own hands from infancy. She'd watched her grow from a crying newborn to a babbling toddler.

Through every feverish night of illness, she'd been the one keeping vigil at the bedside without rest. Michael couldn't—and shouldn't—take her daughter away!

But compared to her agitation, Michael simply stated calmly, "You can't afford to raise her properly."

That single sentence fell like ice water over her head.

Cold seeped in from all directions. Aurora's lips moved, but she couldn't argue back.

An accident during pregnancy had caused Julia to be born prematurely. Over the years, Julia had been frailer than other children and suffered from a congenital heart condition.

Eventually, she would need cardiac catheterization surgery.

The cost would be astronomical—far beyond what Aurora could currently afford.

"I can get a job," Aurora said through gritted teeth. "Besides, you all despise Julia and me, don't you? You should be happy I'm taking her away."

Michael's tone remained even. "That's none of your concern. Or are you planning to keep Julia around as an excuse to cling to the Johnson family?"

His probing words cut like sharp blades into Aurora's nerves.

She jerked her head up, glaring at Michael with blazing eyes. "Michael, don't you dare slander me! Whether you like it or not, Julia is young and needs her mother. Any judge would award her to me!"

The room fell abruptly silent.

Michael's sharp gaze locked onto Aurora, as if trying to see through to her soul.

Inexplicable anger churned in his eyes. After a moment, he said slowly, deliberately, "So you've already researched this. You've been planning to divorce me?"

His oppressive presence bore down on her, making it hard to breathe.

Aurora's lashes trembled slightly, but satisfaction bloomed in her chest. "That's right. After all, Julia and I don't need an incompetent husband and father. I've been sick of this marriage for a long time!"

"Aurora!"

Michael suddenly grabbed her throat, his gaze mocking and cold. "You schemed your way into my bed just to marry into the Johnson family. Now you're willing to leave?"

He sneered. "Don't tell me you think playing hard to get will work on me?"

It's not like that.

Aurora protested inwardly, but she'd lost all desire to explain.

Years ago, at a Johnson Group reception, she and Michael had ended up together due to an accident. Reporters had captured photos and video of them.

To cover up the scandal, the Johnson family announced they'd been engaged all along and forced Michael to marry her.

After the wedding, Aurora had tried to explain multiple times, but Michael always cut her off.

Gradually, she stopped trying to defend herself against his accusations.

Aurora laughed softly. "Mr. Johnson, your charm isn't worth that much effort." She paused, her tone deliberately casual. "I'm just bored. It's gotten old."

She looked at him. "I'll give up my position as Mrs. Johnson, but Julia comes with me."

"Impossible."

Michael ground out the word, his gaze burning into her like flames.

Aurora dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to stay calm. "If I'm not mistaken, you're rushing this divorce because your first love has come back. If you keep Julia with the Johnsons, won't that affect your relationship?"

"Or is it, Mr. Johnson, that you can't bear to let me go and want to use our child to keep me around?"

That made Michael laugh coldly. "Delusional. If you want to leave, go ahead. No one's stopping you."

He picked up the divorce agreement, made several modifications, then tossed it in front of Aurora. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Once you leave with the child, your lives have nothing to do with me anymore."