Gordon looked at the woman in front of him. Ashlyn was drenched from the previous night’s rainstorm, and her almond-shaped eyes looked weary, but they couldn’t conceal her determination.
He was a little put off by her stubborn gaze. “Are you willing to admit your mistake now?”
Ashlyn was stunned and her eyes widened in disbelief. She suddenly realized that her kneeling in the cold all night was a big joke.
She had knelt all night to prove a point. Her point couldn’t just be erased like this.
“I didn’t push Arabella into the water. She jumped into the pool by herself.”
As she spoke, she slowly got on her feet, which felt both pain and numbness. When she was finally able to stand, she locked eyes with him and continued, “But I know you don’t believe me. Let’s divorce, Gordon.”
Gordon had expected to hear Ashlyn’s apology, but instead of admitting to her mistake, she declared that she wanted to divorce him.
Without giving him a chance to respond, Ashlyn turned around and started to walk away. Her steps were slow and pained because her knees were swollen after a whole night of kneeling. Worse yet, the rains had worsened her fever, and she felt hot and cold at the same time. Every step she took was harder than the last, but she still kept her back straight.
Soon, Ashlyn made it back to her room. She gritted her teeth and texted Jessie Walker, her best friend. After hitting send, she quickly packed up her few belongings.
Just as she was about to go downstairs with her luggage, Gordon happened to be going upstairs. Without looking at him, Ashlyn walked past him and left.
Ashlyn’s sickness was taking a toll on her. The second she walked out of the house, her vision began to blur.
Fortunately, before she fainted, Jessie arrived.
Seeing that Ashlyn was about to faint on the side of the road, Jessie was shocked.
“Where the hell is Gordon?”
She bounded out of the car, took Ashlyn’s luggage, and stuffed it into the trunk. As soon as she shut the trunk, Ashlyn’s knees buckled and she fainted.
“Ashlyn!”
Jessie hurried to support her. The moment she touched Ashlyn, she was stunned by how warm she was.
This made her feel both distressed and angry. Jessie carefully led Ashlyn into the passenger seat of the car and said, “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
But by then, Ashlyn had blacked out and didn’t hear her. Her face was as pale as a ghost, which made Jessie feel sorry for her.
For the time being, Jessie didn’t have time to confront the Jones family. She stepped on the gas and sped to the nearest hospital.
Ashlyn had a high fever and slept throughout the entire afternoon.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw that Jessie had fallen asleep on the edge of her bed.
Almost all at once, Ashlyn remembered what had happened. Everything was still vivid in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.
She didn’t want to wake Jessie, so she gritted her teeth to prevent herself from crying out. In the dark room, tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
She was wrong about Gordon. She should never have believed that she could change him. He still loved Arabella. Over the past three years, Ashlyn was nothing but a joke to him.
No wonder Arabella said she was stupid. Now that Ashlyn thought about it, she thought she was more than just stupid.
She was probably the stupidest woman in the world.
By the time Ashlyn woke up again, it was already seven o’clock in the morning of the following day. She had been sleeping too much yesterday, so this morning, her whole body felt weak.
Just then, Jessie came back with breakfast. Seeing that Ashlyn was awake, she ran to her bedside and asked worriedly, “How are you feeling? Any better?”
Ashlyn nodded and smiled slightly. “Much better.”
“I brought your favorite food. Freshen up first. We’ll leave after breakfast. The weather in Mauritius is perfect. My friend wants to take me there. Let’s all go together.”
“Where’s my phone?”
As soon as Ashlyn woke up, she groped around the bed for her phone but couldn’t find it. Jessie must’ve taken it.
Jessie pursed her lips and asked “Why?”
“The news must be all over the Internet by now, right?” Ashlyn asked.
Ashlyn knew Jessie all too well. Ashlyn had left the Jones family yesterday, and yet Jessie didn’t ask what happened nor did she even mention the Jones family. Ashlyn knew that what happened must’ve spread on the Internet.
“There’s no need to care about what people say. They just followed the story blindly and drew their own conclusions before figuring out the truth!” Jessie averted her gaze guiltily.
Ashlyn took the phone and smiled wryly. “In that case, what are you worried about?”
After a slight pause, she added, “Besides, I have been used to it over the years.”
Thinking about how Ashlyn had spent three whole years with the Jones family, Jessie was so angry that her face turned purple. “They’re a family of fucking idiots! If you hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve sworn at them!”
Ashlyn didn’t answer. She was busy reading the news on her phone. The trending topic was the news that she had pushed Arabella into the swimming pool on the birthday party.
People all cursed Ashlyn and supported Arabella. They all thought that Ashlyn was a shameless woman who had married into the Jones family by devious means. The Internet had painted Ashlyn as a vicious, resentful woman.
It seemed that Ashlyn received nothing but rebukes and abuses after she and Gordon got married.
Smiling wryly, Ashlyn excused herself. “I’m going to freshen up.”
Jessie looked at her worriedly. “Ashlyn, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Jessie sighed. “Go and wash up. After all, you’ll only have the energy to feel sad on a full tank.”
Hearing this, Ashlyn smiled helplessly.
It was true that she felt bad, but this wasn’t the first time she was wronged. No matter how terrible she felt, she was able to control herself.
In the past, she was like a child who was eagerly waiting for candy. Every failure to get what she wanted chipped away at her hope until none of it was left.
The cold running water helped to clear Ashlyn’s mind. Recalling how Gordon had forced her to kneel, she felt that something in her heart was broken.
Three years had passed and nothing came out of their marriage. It was time to end this relationship.
Jessie was right. Only when she was full could she have the strength to deal with this matter.
Ashlyn and Jessie were eating breakfast when two nurses passed by the door to their ward. The corridor was very quiet. Although the nurses were speaking in hushed voices, Ashlyn and Jessie heard them clearly.
“Poor Arabella. That Ashlyn is such a bitch! Arabella’s husband passed away in an accident and now their only baby is gone!”
“This is why men should marry women from an equal social rank. Ashlyn was born into an ordinary family, so she probably put on airs since she was able to marry a rich man. But she doesn’t even begin to compare to Arabella! I don’t know what Ashlyn’s problem is. She couldn’t even let a baby live. That woman is pure evil.”
“Ashlyn, I’m going to put a stop to this. Those bitches didn’t see what happened yet they’re gossiping about you!” Jessie cried indignantly.
Ashlyn glanced at the door and said indifferently, “Just let them say whatever they want.”
“Why? Since when have you become such a pushover?”
“I have a way to clear my name.” Ashlyn winked at her friend.
“What? How?”
Ashlyn leaned over and whispered something in Jessie’s ear. Jessie was stunned for a while. Then she clicked her tongue and said approvingly, “This is the Ashlyn I know!”
“Can you help me with the hospital discharge procedures? I have to get divorced.” Ashlyn smiled.
When it came to the topic of the divorce, there was no expression on Ashlyn’s face. Her tone was calm and serious.
Jessie wondered if she had misheard. She tilted her head to the side questioningly until Ashlyn said, “The divorce agreement is in my luggage. Help me find it please.”
It sounded like Ashlyn was serious this time!
Jessie almost burst into tears of joy. Ashlyn had finally figured it out. All the idiots of the Jones family would have nothing to do with Ashlyn from now on!
“Okay, wait for me. I’ll take care of the discharge formalities right away! You get that divorce agreement signed as soon as possible! You’re done with the Jones family!”
“Yes. Thanks, Jessie.”
Jessie had been wanting Ashlyn to divorce Gordon since the beginning of their marriage. In fact, she had never been optimistic about their marriage.
Jessie had known Ashlyn since they were little, and she and Ashlyn were best friends. She didn’t have the heart to tell Ashlyn outright to divorce Gordon. Instead, she hoped and waited for the day Ashlyn would finally understand that their marriage was a mistake.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply