9
I bought a new house. The renovations took almost
two years. During that time, I traveled, ate, drank,
and had the time of my life.
Chapter 2
and had the time of my life.
09:03 C
Finally, it was finished. On the day I moved in, there was no celebration. My parents, who disapproved of the divorce, had practically disowned me and adopt-
ed Blake as their son. Blake was a dutiful “son–in–law,
visiting my parents more often than he visited his own mother. The people in my hometown still thou- ght we were married.
Someone knocked on the door. I opened it, and my
smile froze. It was Blake. He was holding a bouquet
of roses. “Are you happy to see me? It’s been a while, Zoe. I’ve been busy this past year. And I couldn’t find a reason to see you. But today is your housewarmi-
- ng. I came to congratulate you.”
His opening was awkward. I didn’t let him in.
“Okay. Congratulations received.”
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“No. I have a friend coming over. It wouldn’t be appr-
opriate.”
“What friend? Why wouldn’t it be appropriate for me
to be here?”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“I want to remarry you,” he blurted out.
I wanted to laugh. We had been separated for almost two years. The first year, he had gone through a stri- ng of women. The second year, he had become a
recluse, avoiding all women, focusing on his career
and on pleasing my parents.
“What, couldn’t find a suitable housekeeper?”
Chapter 2
09:03
“Zoe, those women were only after my money. You’re different. We built this together. You’re the only one who truly cared for me. Even if I went bankrupt, you would stay with me. I can’t live without you!”
I scoffed. “You just want a housekeeper who genuine- ly loves you and isn’t after your money. You couldn’t find one, so you came back to me. If you had found one, you wouldn’t be here. Blake, I used to love you. But you lost the woman I used to be. I don’t love you anymore. If I remarried you, I’d be just like all those other women, only after your money.”
“I don’t care. I’m willing to let you be after my money. Zoe, I just want to come home and see you cooking for me, washing my clothes, my underwear. When you do those things, I feel like you love me. Can’t we start over?”
1
I burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny? Don’t those other women wash your underwear? It’s fine. You can ask your mother. I‘ m sure she’d be happy to.”
Blake’s face tightened. “Do you have to talk like that? Haven’t I done enough? I got rid of all the people who caused our divorce! They ruined our marriage, and I made them pay! I did it all for you! Won’t you give me another chance? And your parents! You’ve ignored them for two years. I’m the one who’s been taking care of them!”
“My boyfriend is here. Could you please leave? I don’t want him to get the wrong idea.”
My boyfriend was indeed getting out of the elevator. The two men stood face to face.
“Babe, who’s this?” my boyf
Chapter 2
“Babe, who’s this?” my boyfriend asked.
“My ex–husband,” I said simply.
09:03
My boyfriend extended his hand. “Nice to meet you! Thanks for divorcing my girlfriend!”
Blake’s face went pale. “How old is your boyfriend? Is he even legal?”
“I’m nineteen, sir!” my boyfriend said cheerfully.
Blake nearly crushed the flowers in his hand. “Well done, Zoe. You really think this kid can give you a future?”
“Let’s not worry about the future. Let’s live in the present. Some people are just walking down the street and get hit by a car. Don’t think so far ahead, Blake. Not everyone gets a future.”
My dark joke turned out to be a prophecy. I’m sorry about that.
On his way home, Blake was hit by a car. He didn’t die, but both of his legs were amputated.
Even without his legs, he was still asking me to rem- arry him. I knew he was now even more desperate for a loving, devoted caregiver.
“I have no legs,” he said. “I can’t possibly cheat on you now. Zoe, come back to me. Please?”
“Blake, do you know why I was so determined to div- orce you? We were not equals. You didn’t respect me.
“1
“I was the one providing for you. How could we be equals?”
Chapter 2
09:03
“But we were husband and wife. I wasn’t your kept woman. We were partners. We should have been equals. If I were your mistress, I could trade my dign- ity for your money. But I was your wife.”
Blake sneered. “If you had married a poor man, you would have had neither dignity nor money! Zoe, can’t you be more mature?”
See? Even with two missing legs, he was still so arr- ogant. We were destined to never be equals. He had never, ever looked at me as anything more than a
subordinate.
A year later, Blake remarried. His new wife was hand- picked by his mother, a highly educated woman with a degree in finance. She was supposed to be good for his business.
The new wife was indeed brilliant. After only six mon- ths, she had transferred all of Blake’s assets offshore and disappeared, leaving him with a shell company and a mountain of debt.
By the time Blake realized what had happened, his mother was still in shock. They had no idea how she had done it. Blake’s mother cursed the new wife, call- ing her a gold–digging piece of trash.
The new wife retorted, “What, was I supposed to be after his money? Or was I supposed to be attracted to the fact that he’s a cripple with no legs? Or that he’s infertile and can’t even give me a child?”
Blake’s mother finally broke. Her precious son, utterly despised.
so
With no money left, Blake’s mother pushed him in his wheelchair to my door, demanding I give him back
مصحالممصمنللنط
Diake S mother finally broke. Her precious son, utterly despised.
SO
With no money left, Blake’s mother pushed him in his wheelchair to my door, demanding I give him back the billion dollars.
I booked a flight that night and left the country. I never heard any news of Blake again.
And me? Every night, I go to sleep in the arms of a 6’1 model. Life just keeps getting better.
[The End]
