The Moment I Froze His Black Card Was More Satisfying Than Our Wedding Night - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

On our fifth anniversary, my husband ditched me to pick up his ex-wife.
Their airport reunion went viral—the famous Manhattan's coldest billionaire caught hugging his ex tightly like his life.
Then came the anonymous text:
[Victoria, you and him never had real love. But my daughter needs her father.]
I actually laughed.
I'm Victoria Whitmore, sole heir to a billion-dollar empire.
Fighting over men?
Please.
That's beneath me.
Photos from the party hit TikTok within hours—the Sterling heir's marriage drama trending at number one.
Before I could even react, the hashtag vanished.
Sterling Corp's official account posted a statement and slapped lawsuits on the worst offenders.
Ten minutes, tops.
Alexander wouldn't let anyone mess with the Sterling-Whitmore alliance.
I'd barely put my phone away when every billboard in the city lit up with my name—reminding everyone of my status as Mrs. Sterling.
But staring at those neon lights, I felt... empty.
Five years together, and this was a first.
Mr. Perfect—the guy who plans everything down to the minute—had blown off our anniversary.
The next morning, I was about to leave when Alexander's car pulled into our driveway.
He stepped out of the car, clutching a tiny cartoon backpack that clashed ridiculously with his polished image.
He crouched down and pulled a little girl into his arms, his expression softer than I'd ever seen it.
Behind them walked a woman in a white sundress.
I recognized her instantly—his ex-wife.
When he spotted me by the car, he froze for a second.
"Victoria, Emma needs to go to school here because of enrollment issues." His voice was careful, like he was explaining himself.
Before I could respond, the woman cut in.
"Mrs. Sterling, I'm sorry. It's just so hard managing everything alone with a child."
I stood there in my stilettos, looking down at her with obvious superiority.
"This is between me and my husband —why the hell are you butting in?"
Alexander frowned but didn't say anything.
The woman's face flushed red. I turned to my suddenly serious husband.
"Because of this morning's photos, Sterling-Whitmore joint ventures dropped ten percent."
My cold tone made the little girl cry.
"Go away! That's my daddy!"
Alexander quickly rubbed the kid's back, looking at me helplessly.
"Victoria, it was just a hug. I'm already handling the business crisis." His voice carried that familiar exasperation that made my chest tighten.
Same as the past five years.
He'd protect my dignity as Mrs. Sterling, but seemed to forget I needed actual love too.
I used to teach him how to make me happy.
Now I realized if I had to keep teaching him, this whole thing was already doomed.
"Get them out before I come home tonight." I left him with that and drove to the office.
As the Whitmore heir, I had better things to do than deal with home-wreckers.
I worked until midnight, confident that Alexander would handle things properly.
Yet the second I stepped through our front door, that delusion crumbled to pieces.
"Mrs. Sterling," Chloe appeared in some sexy pajamas, "you're home. I'll have the staff prepare dinner for you."
My eyes narrowed.
Playing lady of the house now?
I strolled over, a sardonic smile tugging at my lips.
I reached out and hooked my finger under her flimsy strap. "Love wearing my hand-me-downs?"
Chloe's face went stiff—clearly not expecting me to be so unbothered by her provocation.
"Can you just give him back to me? You two don't love each other, but my daughter needs her father."
I stopped on the stairs and turned around, eyebrow raised.
"Family heirs need benefits, not love." I gave her a condescending smile. "Your worldview is pretty limited, isn't it?"
My dismissive look clearly hit a nerve. Her face went white.
I was about to leave when she blocked my path, completely losing it.
"You know he was with me yesterday, but do you know what we did?" As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, opened the photo, revealing steamy bedroom shots - tangled sheets, clothes scattered across the floor, and two naked bodies intertwined intimately on the rumpled bed.
"Mrs. Sterling is so... generous, aren't you?"
I glanced down and immediately recognized Alexander's hand—the wedding ring I'd put on his finger myself.
My fists clenched involuntarily, but I kept my usual ice-queen expression.
"When you're stuck eating the same bland food every day, sometimes you crave a little junk, right?"
Chloe went pale, humiliated.
Back in our bedroom, I watched Alexander sleep, his usually perfect hair messed up.
I couldn't help touching my wedding ring, tracing my finger along his forehead, down his nose, stopping at his lips.
Alexander, don't disappoint me.
Or, you know what you have to pay.