Inhibitors aren't working
Inside Tianyou Private Hospital, Stella lay on the bed, her gaze lost in the chat window with Nathan.
"Honey, I'm in estrus, and the inhibitors aren't working."
This message, sent at ten last night, felt like a distant memory. Her estrus had arrived unexpectedly, and unlike previous times when the inhibitor had quelled the heat, this time it had failed her completely. She felt as if fire coursed through her veins, her heart racing painfully with each beat.
It wasn't until she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by family servants that she finally saw Nathan's reply.
"Don't lie, I'm socializing tonight and won't be back.”
Stella's heart sank at his words. It seemed Nathan had become numb to her messages, always preoccupied. She knew he was out, but her message had been a genuine plea for help during an unbearable moment.
For three years of their marriage, she relied on inhibitors to manage her estrus. It felt like their connection revolved solely around physical needs. But with the inhibitor failing this time, her desperation deepened. Why was he so indifferent? Why couldn't he even offer a temporary mark of comfort?
Tears threatened to spill as she contemplated this, but a flash of color caught her eye. It was a post from her sister-in-law Eleanor. Hesitant, she clicked on it, revealing a photo that made her heart skip.
In the image, a man lounged on a sofa, gazing lovingly at a woman beside him. Their intimate posture suggested a closeness that felt all too familiar. They looked utterly in love, the kind of couple everyone dreams of being.
Stella's heart raced with dread. Was this what Nathan meant by socializing?
The caption from Eleanor was even more painful to read: "I'm so touched! I can't believe Sister Grace is alive! Seeing my brother so happy is the sweetest thing."
The timestamp showed it had been sent eight hours ago—precisely when she had reached out in her time of need, just as Stella had been fighting her own battle with the heat and dizziness. Grace—Nathan's first love, the woman who had haunted their relationship even after her supposed death—was alive.
Stella felt her throat constrict. Had they spent the night together? When she needed him most?
Comments flooded the post from mutual friends, all gushing over the reunion, blissfully unaware of Stella's anguish, each one a reminder of her own isolation.
"Wow, Grace is back! They look perfect together!"
"They were the ideal couple in college—finally reunited!"
"Is it just me, or does that woman's gaze look strikingly similar to Grace's...?"
That woman? Is her? Was she merely a stand-in for Grace? Stella's face paled as anxiety tightened her chest. She called Nathan, her heart racing with a mix of hope and dread.
"Hello?" His voice was laced with irritation.
"Where are you?" she asked, her throat tight.
"At the office. Stella, it's six in the morning. I was out until three. Can't you let me sleep?"
A flicker of hope ignited within her. "Who were you with? Do I know them?"
There was a pause, then he replied, “No, they're all men."
His tone sharpened, "Stella, are you interrogating me?"
The more he tried to deflect, the clearer it became. Any hope she had began to fade. Disappointment and frustration swelled within her, suffocating her.
"Enough." Tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Am I just a substitute for her?" she finally asked, her voice breaking.
He hesitated, the silence hanging heavy, then snapped, "What are you talking about? Why are you always so jealous?"
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. "Nathan, it's over."
"Divorce." She ended the call, her heart pounding.
Nathan stared at the screen, disbelief washing over him. Did she really just say that? Divorce? How could she want to leave him? Everyone knew Stella adored him. Besides, their family was in ruins—how could she even think of abandoning him?
He shook his head, thinking he must have misunderstood. Exhausted from his late night, he locked his phone and drifted back to sleep. After all, he had only managed five hours of sleep before his next meeting.
......
But Stella's decision wasn't impulsive; it had been festering for a long time. Her father had once told her, "I can give you wealth, but I hope your Alpha mate treats you like I treated your mother."
But where could she find an Alpha like her father?
When Nathan was lost in grief over Grace's death, it was Stella who reached out, trying to revive his spirit. She thought an Alpha who could love would be preferable to one who remained emotionally distant. She believed that warmth could thaw his cold heart. But reality hit hard after their marriage: Nathan's affection was forever tethered to Grace, and Stella was left feeling like an outsider. And she would never be his Luna.
For three years, she fought to warm his heart, only to realize he wouldn't even mark her during her estrus. With Grace back in the picture, Stella felt her resolve shatter.
Stella's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by her phone buzzing. She glanced at the screen—her mother's name flashed back at her.
"Mom."
"Stella! Your brother's tuition is due tomorrow—two hundred thousand dollars! You need to ask Nathan to pay it right away. The school is pushing us!"
Stella's heart sank. "Mom, what's the latest deadline for payment?"
Her mother's voice grew louder, disbelief coloring her tone. "What do you mean? Nathan can't refuse to pay! Before we lost everything, he took so much from us—how dare he not pay?"
Stella replied softly, "No, he will pay."
Since their family's fall from grace, her mother had clung to old habits, still indulging her son in an elite education to maintain appearances. "Mom, I'll handle it. Don't worry about it."
"Just don't forget to make the payment quickly! We can't have your brother humiliated!"
As she hung up, determination flooded through her. She quickly typed a message to a friend.
"Ava, do you know a good divorce lawyer?"
