3
“I
It turned out getting a divorce was more complicated
than I thought. There was a mandatory one–month cooling–off” period. If either party changed their mind,
the whole process had to start over.
As we left the municipal building, I asked him, “You’re
not going to change your mind, are you? Because starting the cooling–off period all over again would
be really inconvenient for me.”
Blake’s face, which had just regained some composu-
re, turned crimson with rage again. I had stolen his
line.
“Zoe! You are unbelievable! I can’t wait to see how
you survive without me.”
He pulled out his phone and sent a voice message to
Chapter 1
09:00
He pulled out his phone and sent a voice message to his group chat. “Boys, time to celebrate! I’m getting a divorce! Let the pre–bachelor party begin!”
I was in that group, too. It was the one Phoebe had made last night. All his friends and the hostess, Han-
nah, were in it.
Hannah was the first to reply with a fireworks emoji.
The others followed suit.
Only Phoebe sent a question mark. guys serious?】
【Wait, are you
Blake replied: [Zoe insisted. I’m just giving her what
she wants.】
Phoebe immediately tagged me: [Zoe, they were just joking yesterday. Why are you taking it so seriou- sly? Just apologize to Blake and let it go! Where wou- ld you even go without him, honey?】
Blake stood beside me, preening like a peacock. His expression said it all: See? You have no friends. Even your best friend is on my side. Just apologize, and we can call this whole thing off.
I pressed the record button. “I get half his assets. I can go anywhere I want. And I can find any man I
want.”
The silence in the group chat was deafening.
Blake stared at me, stunned. “Zoe,” he finally manag-
ed, “I dare you.” He threw the words at me like a
gauntlet and stormed off.
Despite his temper, Blake had never been stingy. He
gave me a three–million–dollar monthly allowance, which I barely touched and deposited into our joint
Chapter 1
09:00
account. He had seen the divorce agreement and signed it. He had agreed to the terms, which clearly stated the division of assets. When the day came, he would give me my share.
Phoebe, probably feeling guilty, came to my house to talk me out of it. “Blake isn’t cheating on you. At his level, women throw themselves at him. Hell, even at my level, young guys hit on me all the time, and I can ‘t always resist. But Blake just flirts a little. He never crosses the line! You’re being ridiculous. He gives you three million a month and he’s faithful to you. What are you complaining about? Are you seeing someone else?”
That was her conclusion.
What Phoebe didn’t realize was that I had stopped wanting to hang out with her a long time ago. When-
ever she asked, I’d make excuses. We used to be
inseparable. But after we got married, things chang- ed. Phoebe’s husband was an underachiever from a
poor background who couldn’t handle his wife’s suc-
cess. She was always complaining about how useless
he was.
And after complaining, she’d always say, with a sigh of envy, “I wish I were as lucky as you, finding a man like Blake. If I had a husband like that to go to bed with every night, I’d be smiling in my sleep.”
She said it to my face, and she said it in front of Bla- ke.
Over time, it made me more and more insecure. I was always afraid he would leave me.
Blake was my high school sweetheart. He went to a state college, then started his own business after
Chapter 1
09:01
graduation. I was in my sophomore year at an Ivy
League school. Blake told me that even the best
education just leads to a life of corporate slavery. It
was better to be your own boss. He asked me to
drop out and join him.
The day I left school, my parents‘ world collapsed.
They locked me in my room to keep me from him. I
climbed out the window and took a bus to the city
that night.
During those early years, we lived in a basement, slept on park benches, and collected cans and bottl- es to survive. Life was hard, but I never once thought
about leaving him.
Later, when his company took off, he came back with me to see my parents. He knelt before them, offeri- ng them sacks of cash. He built them a luxury villa and donated generously to our hometown. At every donation ceremony, he would proudly declare, “This is my wife’s hometown, which means it’s my homet- own. Without my wife, I wouldn’t be where I am tod-
ay.”
My parents were so proud. They thought I had marri- ed the perfect man. The whole town held me up as an example. “Marry a good man like Zoe,” they’d tell
their daughters.
Back then, Blake gave me all the respect and recogn- ition I could ever want. I could see the love for me in
his eyes.
But now, he just sat there and laughed while his frie- nds made a mockery of me. He had become arroga- nt, always looking down on me from his pedestal, as if I were nothing more than a kept woman.
Chapter 1
He didn’t respect me anymore.
Maybe… he just didn’t love me anymore.
And love, it seems, can disappear.
09:01 (
After Phoebe left, my parents came. “What is all this nonsense? Is Blake not good to you? You’re a house- wife with no degree, no skills, no career. What will you do without him? Phoebe told me he’s not even cheating on you. He’s done nothing wrong. For som- eone with your qualifications, a man like Blake is the best you can do. You’ll never find anyone better if
you divorce him!”
They were the ones who had tried to stop me from marrying him all those years ago. Now they were the ones trying to stop me from divorcing him. I really
didn’t understand.
