Chapter 2
“Please… just sign it.”
Ethan collapsed in front of me, his pride long gone.
He gripped my arm, his face etched with desperation, refusing to let me walk away.
Nina stood off to the side, livid and panicking, yelling at him to get up before he embarrassed himself even further.
Even at our worst, no matter how ugly the fights got, Ethan had never fallen apart like this.
They say a man should hold his dignity close–but now, here he was, unraveling in front of everyone over a child who wasn’t even his by blood.
Ethan, did you truly love her that much?
I turned my head and looked at the little girl nestled
She was beautiful. Obedient.
So much like her.
I let out a bitter laugh and bent down,
“Stop this nonsense.
in
Julia’s arms.
URTEA Prying Ethan’s fingers from around my arm, one by one.
His eyes filled with tears, red–rimmed and glistening
I looked around the room.
frustratio
The quiet, understanding child. Nina, shaking with rage. Everyone else, silent and still.
And my husband, unraveling in front of everyone.
Somehow, I had become the villain. The heartless woman willing to throw away three years of marriage over a birthmark the size of a
pea.
“I’ll say it again–divorce.”
I turned and walked away without hesitation.
I went home alone and immediately contacted my lawyer to draw up the divorce agreement.
The rest of the family didn’t return until late that night.
They came in laughing, arms full of gifts and shopping bags.
Lily was at the center of it all, surrounded like a little princess.
Then Ethan stepped inside and saw me sitting alone in the living room.
His smile disappeared instantly.
“Babe, the director said it’s okay for her to stay with us for a few days”
“I know you don’t like her, and don’t worry–I’ll send her back soon.”
He looked at me cautiously, trying to read my face. I avoided his eyes.
“No need. Let her stay.”
“Really? You’ve changed your mind?”
I slammed the divorce papers down onto the coffee table.
Chapter 2
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“Sign it.”
Ethan shook his head, begging.
“Please, sweetheart, I’m sorry. If you don’t want to raise her, we won’t. Just don’t leave me. I can’t live without you. Why, Daisy? Why do you have to divorce me?”
Nina pulled Ethan aside and exploded.
“Are you cheating on him? Is that what this is about? You think pulling something like this is going to cut us off for good?”
“You became part of this family–have we ever treated you unfairly? When you couldn’t get pregnant, I never said a word. I tiptoed around you, terrified I’d hurt your feelings.”
“I’m old now.
I just hoped for a grandchild to love–to hold, to laugh with, to hear call me Grandma. Is that really so wrong?”
She sobbed as she accused me, growing more emotional with every word.
Julia cradled Lily in her arms as she crouched beside me, her voice trembling.
ཇ་
“Daisy, I know we were never good enough for
family’s nothing special.”
#
”
“You’ve never had to experience what it’s like to be homeless, but I have. I know the pain of having nowhere to go. It nearly killed me.”
“I can’t bear to see her go through the
I know you look down on kids like us–unwanted and abandoned. I know you’ve told
Ethan plenty of times you don’t like r If you’ll take her in, I’ll leave this house for good.”
Her voice trembled, her words painfully sincere
I slapped her hard.
My voice was sharp and cold.
4777
“Don’t act like you don’t know why I refused to take her in.”
Ethan shot up and slapped me back.
The blow sent me tumbling off the couch. My forehead slammed into the sha
A wave of dizziness hit me. Warm blood trickled down the side of my face.
“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to–I didn’t mean it…”
corner of the coffee table.
Ethan stared at his hand in disbelief and immediately rushed to my side, trying to help.
I shoved him away, grabbed my purse, and headed for the door.
Rosen’s voice thundered behind me.
“You walk out that door, and don’t bother coming back–ever!”
“If you divorce him, don’t expect see a single penny from us!”
Chapter 2
