Two days after the takeover of Wijaya Construction, the office atmosphere was still far from calm. Aris had completely overhauled the company's operating system. Strict efficiency was enforced, corrupt managers were purged, and reckless old policies were tossed into the trash.

Yet, on Aris's desk, a brown envelope remained untouched. It was the divorce agreement handed to him by the Wijaya family. Aris had read it countless times, but he had no intention of putting his signature on it just yet.

"Sir, the Wijaya family's lawyer keeps contacting us," reported Andi, his loyal assistant, setting a tablet on the desk. "They're demanding an answer regarding the divorce papers. They want the process finalized before next week."

Aris stared at the document with an unreadable expression. "Tell them I won't sign it through a middleman. If Bella wants a divorce, she must come to my office herself and say it right to my face."

"But Sir, they will certainly try to pressure you," Andi replied with a hint of hesitation.

"Let them," Aris answered coldly. "I want to see if she has the courage to do it herself, or if she'll just continue hiding behind her mother's skirts."

Meanwhile, in a cramped apartment—the Wijaya family's new residence after their mansion was seized by the bank—the mood was chaotic. Bella looked exhausted, her eyes swollen from lack of sleep. Her thoughts were entirely consumed by Aris—or the man who looked just like him—at Nexus Global's headquarters.

"Bella, what are you doing?!" snapped Mrs. Ratna, who was busy packing the few belongings they had left. "Why haven't those divorce papers been signed yet? That bastard is stalling on purpose! He's playing games with us!"

"I can't, Mother," Bella replied softly. "He said he won't sign them until I talk to him face-to-face."

Mr. Wijaya, sitting in a chair with a haggard face, let out a harsh grunt. "Fine then! Go! Find him, get him to sign it, and make sure he never bothers our family again. If he demands any compensation, just give it to him! We need to be free of him right now."

Bella had no choice. With mixed feelings of resentment and an overwhelming curiosity, she decided to head to Nexus Global's headquarters. She needed to confirm one thing: was the man there truly her husband, or was she simply trapped in a delusion brought on by the crushing stress?

The Nexus Global building was a towering monument of power. Floor-to-ceiling glass reached into the clouds, and its lobby was far grander than any five-star hotel. Bella stepped inside hesitantly, her simple clothes standing in stark contrast to the crowd of suit-wearing executives bustling past her.

She walked toward a reception desk that spanned across the far side of the lobby. A female receptionist with a haughty expression looked Bella up and down, clearly assessing her ordinary appearance.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked in a voice that was strictly formal yet condescending.

"I... I would like to see the head of the company. Aris," Bella replied, her voice trembling slightly.

The receptionist frowned, letting out a small, mocking chuckle. "I'm sorry, Miss. Do you have an appointment? And by the way, our Chairman's name isn't just 'Aris.' He is Mr. Aris Wijaya—I mean, Mr. Aris, Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Global."

"Yes, that's him. Please tell him Bella is here to see him," Bella requested politely.

The receptionist typed lazily on her computer, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Miss. Mr. Aris's schedule is completely packed today. He's in a meeting with international investors. And besides, without an official appointment, I cannot allow anyone up to the executive floors. Especially someone without a clear purpose."

"Please, this is extremely important. He... he knows me," Bella tried to press, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Everyone always claims they know Mr. Aris," the receptionist replied in a bored tone. "Please leave, Miss, before I call security to escort you out of the lobby. We maintain strict guest standards here."

Bella took a step back, her face burning with embarrassment. She was the wife—or at least the ex-wife—of the man who ruled this very building, yet she couldn't even make it past the reception desk in the lobby.

As she turned to leave, a middle-aged senior security officer approached the desk.

"What seems to be the problem here?" the officer asked.

"She wants to see Mr. Aris, sir. No appointment, and her appearance... well, you can see for yourself," the receptionist mocked quietly.

The security officer looked at Bella. "I'm sorry, Miss. Regulations here are absolute. Without an appointment, no one goes up to the executive suite. Especially since Mr. Aris is extremely busy today."

Bella tried one last time, her voice pleading. "Please, just five minutes. Just tell him Bella is here."

"Miss, don't make this difficult for us," the officer interrupted firmly, yet professionally. "If you continue to force your way in, we will have to escort you out. Please respect our corporate privacy."

Bella finally gave up. She turned around, her feet feeling impossibly heavy as she walked out of the grand skyscraper. Outside, the scorching midday sun beat down relentlessly, contrasting sharply with the freezing numbness in her chest.

Just as Bella reached the sidewalk, a sleek black luxury sedan pulled up to the main entrance. The door opened, and a figure she knew all too well—a man in a tailored suit exuding an overwhelming aura of authority—stepped out.

It was Aris.

Bella froze in her tracks. She raised her hand to call out his name, but in an instant, a sight unfolded that shattered her world completely.

A stunning woman wearing a high-end designer dress stepped out from the other side of the car. She intimately wrapped her arm around Aris's, and Aris... Aris smiled down at her.

It wasn't the cold, distant smile she had seen in the office yesterday. It was a warm, gentle smile—the exact same smile Aris used to give her every morning.

Bella stood paralyzed on the pavement. Was that... his mistress? Had Aris been with another woman all this time? Or had he simply started a brand-new life where Bella was no longer part of the equation?

Bella's chest tightened painfully. The ache inside her was now fueled by an uncontrollable surge of jealousy. She hadn't just lost her husband; she felt as though her entire future had vanished in the blink of an eye.

Across the entryway, Aris felt a pair of eyes watching him. He cast a brief glance toward the crowd near the lobby doors. His eyes narrowed slightly as he caught the silhouette of a woman he knew all too well, standing there with tears streaming down her face.

Aris didn't stop. He didn't greet her. He simply turned around and walked into the building with the other woman by his side, leaving Bella standing alone under the scorching sun—realizing that the gates to her husband's heart might now be locked forever.