Marked By My Ex-Husband's Rival

Unbearable Torture

ARIA POV

“Selena, leave,” the chief ordered. “This is not something for you to witness.”

Selena hesitated.

For the briefest second, I thought she would argue.

But then, she turned and left without a word.

And I was alone.

The first touch of the scorching iron against my skin sent blinding pain through my entire body. A scream tore from my throat, raw and desperate, but no one flinched. The burning sensation seared through my nerves, like my flesh was being peeled away inch by inch.

I sobbed, begged them to stop, but the chief remained indifferent.

Each time the iron was removed, a healing potion was applied—only for them to press the iron against my flesh again. Over and over, the process repeated. Five times. Five unbearable, torturous times.

The pain was unbearable, unlike anything I had ever imagined. My mind begged for an escape, but even when I fainted, they would force me back to consciousness.

I wanted to die.

Anything—anything would be better than this.

“I’ll leave,” I sobbed. “I’ll never come back—I swear. You don’t have to do this. Please… just let me go.”

No one answered.

I lost track of time, lost track of my own body. All I knew was pain.

Then, finally, it stopped.

My body collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat and blood. My vision blurred as I felt the weight of their stares on me—cold, detached, as if I were nothing more than an object.

The chief crouched before me, his voice sickeningly calm.

“This is for your own good,” he murmured. “So that one day, another man may claim you without issue.”

Darkness swallowed me whole.

CALEB POV

I watched as Aria picked up the divorce papers, her fingers steady as she flipped through them. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t question it—just read every word in silence.

Then, she signed.

Just like that.

She placed the papers back on the table, her face calm, her eyes void of the storm I had expected.

Something twisted inside me.

I had imagined that she would cry, that she would scream at me, demand answers, or even throw the papers in my face. But she did none of that. She just… let go.

Had she stopped loving me long before I made this decision? Was our bond that weak?

An unfamiliar frustration burned in my chest.

I had told myself that I didn’t care. That I had chosen Selene, that Aria was no longer in my heart. But seeing how easily she was able to sign those papers—how quickly she accepted everything—made me feel… something I didn’t want to admit.

Annoyance.

I clenched my jaw, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

“They’ve found a way to remove the mark. It doesn’t require us to sleep together.”

For the first time since she signed the papers, she looked up at me, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.

“Selene and the chief will take care of it,” I continued, leaning back against the chair. “And I’ve already arranged a place for you to stay.”

She didn’t ask where. She just waited.

I should have just ended the conversation there. But instead, I continued, as if I wanted her to react—wanted to see if she still cared at all.

“You’ll live in your parents’ house.”

Her lips parted slightly, and I saw the hesitation in her expression.

The house in the third village. I knew what it meant to her. She had never stayed there, always keeping it as a memory of her parents. But now, she had no choice.

I expected some resistance, maybe even an argument. But instead, she simply nodded.

“I understand,” she said softly.

That was it. No fight. No pleading. Just quiet acceptance.

Something in me snapped.

I didn’t know why it angered me. Maybe it was the fact that she was handling this so easily, that she wasn’t making this harder for me. It should have made things simple. Instead, it made me feel… unsatisfied.

I stared at her, at the woman who had once looked at me as if I were her entire world. But now, there was nothing in her eyes.

And I hated that.

Watching Aria leave for the guest room without a word left a strange, hollow feeling in my chest. She had signed the papers so easily, without hesitation, without a fight. It was almost as if she had never truly loved me.

I clenched my jaw, brushing away the irritation creeping into my mind. It didn’t matter anymore. The past was behind us, and my future was with Selena.

Just then, the main door creaked open, and Selena stepped inside.

"You're a little late," I said, relaxing at the sight of her.

She walked over, her gaze searching mine. "Yes. It took time to set everythnig. Dad is ready for the procedure."

I gave a nod, relieved that this would finally be over. "Good. Take care of it. I want my mark on her gone and her settled into her parents' house by the time I return. I will back in about 2 days."

Selena hesitated. "You’re leaving? And it takes 2 days?"

"I need to finalize our divorce registration with the pack's marriage and divorce council," I said, already gathering my coat. "Once it’s official, there won’t be anything left tying us together. I want everything settled before I take my place as village chief, even our marriage."

Selena bit her lip, something unreadable in her expression. "Caleb… are you sure about all this?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing. I’ll handle things here."

"Good."

Without another word, I walked past her and stepped out into the cold night air. I didn’t want to dwell on Aria any longer.

She had been nothing more than a part of my past. And I had no intention of looking back.

ARIA POV



Pain. That was the first thing I felt as my body stirred awake. Every inch of me ached, my skin raw, my limbs heavy. The world around me swayed, making my stomach churn.

Where was I?

I forced my eyes open, only to find myself inside a moving carriage. The dim light filtering through the small window revealed nothing familiar. Panic crept into my chest as I struggled to push myself up, my body screaming in protest.

With great difficulty, I shifted forward and reached for the partition separating me from the driver. My fingers barely brushed against the wooden frame before my strength gave out, and I collapsed back onto the seat, breathing heavily.

For a moment, I simply lay there, letting the dizziness settle. That was when I noticed a bag beside me. With trembling hands, I reached for it and found my clothes inside—along with a neatly folded piece of paper.

I swallowed, my throat dry, and unfolded the letter.

"Aria,

Your ex-husband did not want to see you. He simply wanted you to be settled before he returned from registering the divorce. I had no choice but to send you away immediately, even though it pains me."

My breath hitched. My fingers tightened around the letter as I read further.