Chapter 3
“Ashton was too tired last night. He’s still not awake. Jenny, come in and sit for a bit.” Cecilia said.
Funny enough. This was Ashton’s home, and I had already lived here for three years.
Ever since our secret marriage, I moved in. I even designed all the decorations in the house.
I looked at the wind chime hanging at the door.
Whether intentionally or not, Cecilia noticed how much I cared about that wind chime. When she closed the door, she used extra force, shattering it on the ground.
The engraving inside was revealed.
It was the initials of Ashton and Cecilia, with several hearts carved between the names.
I silently lowered my head, a chill spreading through my chest.
That wind chime had taken me two months to make. Ashton took it after I finished it, saying he wanted to engrave names–so the love would last forever.
Back then, we had been married for less than a year. Naturally, I thought he meant our love, his and mine. I even placed the chime in the most
noticeable spot.
But in the end…
For the past three years, every time I touched that chime, I was ringing the bell for Ashton and Cecilia’s love.
The loud crash brought Ashton out. He caught sight of the shattered pieces on the ground with the names carved in.
His expression changed. In a few quick steps, he came to stand in front of me, blocking my view.
Behind him, the main bedroom door was wide open.
Used condoms littered the floor along with a mess of clothes–enough to imagine how intense last night had been.
Under Ashton’s guilty gaze, I spoke.
“Ashton, your birthday’s coming up. I’ll get you a few extra boxes of contraceptives.
“You love Cecilia so much, but you can’t bear to force her into marriage- then you’d better make sure to take precautions, right?”
I set the things down and turned to leave.
Ashton was just about to come after me.
The next second, Cecilia cried out in pain behind him–her hand had been cut by a shard of glass.
Without a second thought, Ashton gave up on me.
He scooped Cecilia into his arms. As he passed me, he snatched the car keys from my hand and ordered without looking back, “Jenny, walk back on your own. My car’s restricted today, and Cecilia’s hand can’t be left with a scar. I’m taking her to the hospital first!”
Ashton’s figure disappeared down the corridor.
The door was left wide open. The wind blowing through the corridor made me feel chilled to the bone.
I lowered my head, prepared the divorce papers, and took one last look at the home I had lived in for three years.
Honestly, I wanted to be like the heroines in angsty dramas–throw away everything that was mine. But after searching high and low, I realized that Ashton and I never even took wedding photos.
I couldn’t do what they did. I couldn’t throw the wedding ring in the scumbag’s face because when Ashton and I got married, we didn’t even buy one. In the end, I took a cab back home.
On the way, I sent the divorce papers to Ashton.
The next second, he sent me a voice message, scolding me angrily.
“Jenny! Can’t you be reasonable? Just because I took Cecilia to the hospital, you’re threatening me with divorce?
“Cecilia’s hand is precious. It can’t have any flaws!”
I stretched out my right hand, looking at the small scars on my palm.
He said Cecilia’s hand was precious.
But did a teacher’s hands really need to be flawless?
Even during the three years of our marriage, as soon as Cecilia said something. Ashton would drop everything and go cook for her.
And me? I am a surgical doctor, yet he’d beg me to do laundry and cook.
I lowered my head and typed again.
“Ashton, let’s get divorced quickly. My junior has already started
arranging our wedding.”