Chapter 2

At the hospital getting bandaged, I stared in distress at the bill for two hundred sixty-three dollars.

I said apologetically, "I'll borrow it right away."

The window clerk's jaw dropped.

Ethan's wife could easily buy the entire hospital, yet she needed to borrow money for medical bills.

I contacted old friends before paying the fee.

As soon as I left the hospital, Ethan texted me. Demanding I return everything.

When I brought the "valuables" I'd bought over the years to the company, the employees whispered around me.

"They say money follows love. Who knew Mrs. Shaw would be so cheap?"

"If she had even half of Miss Lucia's ambition, she wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Her first night was only worth five thousand. This pile of junk is worth more than she is."

...

I forced myself to stay calm and not lose control.

Lucia arrived with a group of department employees.

She glanced at the bag in my hands and fanned herself in disgust.

"Mrs. Shaw, you spent so much money on just these things? I don't believe it."

The black plastic bag contained a few pieces of jewelry worth less than a thousand dollars, bought to match Ethan for banquets.

The rest were clothes washed until faded and high heels with broken heels.

Besides that, there were adult diapers for my in-laws and empty medicine bottles.

This was what my years were worth.

I handed over the house keys as well.

"If you don't believe me, you can search."

Lucia eagerly took the keys and treasured them in her bag.

Then she examined the clothes I was wearing.

"You bought these with Mr. Shaw's money too, right? They're designer brands. Mrs. Shaw, please take them off too."

Instantly, employees burst into laughter.

I tried to calm my emotions. "I can't possibly-"

"If Lucia tells you to strip, strip. It's not like you haven't done it before."

I looked up in shock.

When I realized the voice came from Ethan, all the blood in my body seemed to flow backward.

In college, I'd stumbled into a nightclub where three or four drunk men threatened me with knives to strip or they wouldn't let me go.

I'd only exposed half my shoulder when Ethan arrived with a bottle, smashing them blind on the spot.

"Look at her one more time and you won't see tomorrow's sunrise!"

Now, he was telling me to strip in front of all the employees.

I laughed with my eyes closed, then bit my teeth and removed my scarf.

Then I unbuttoned my shirt. My bra was faintly visible underneath.

Everyone gasped.

But my movements didn't stop.

Until only one piece remained on my body.

"Enough!" Ethan frowned with a complex expression and roughly threw his jacket over.

"If you're not ashamed, I am!"

Ignoring the mocking gazes around me, I handed over the divorce papers I'd prepared.

"I've returned everything I should. Let's get divorced."

Ethan's form froze, then he signed his name with a grand flourish.

"Don't think this trick will scare me. I'm giving you three days-I'll wait for you to crawl back begging me!"

Leaving those words, the man turned and went back to his office, slamming the door shut.

Lucia used the tip of her heel to hook all the clothes I'd taken off and flick them into the trash.

I grabbed the agreement papers, half-naked, and walked into the elevator under a hallway full of stares.

As I left the building, my mother called, her voice shaking.

"Aurora! Ethan auctioned off my only house!"