After Divorce, I Saw My Worth at Last

Synopsis

"Ms. Lane, Mr. Carter's schedule is packed today. He asked you to sign the papers and leave," the secretary said. The words pricked a numb, raw spot inside her, sharp as a fine needle. Only three days ago, she'd still been Mrs. Carter. But the second she signed this agreement, she'd no longer hold that married title. The divorce agreement was spread out on the table, the black printed words so densely packed it felt like an impenetrable wall. On the last page, there was a blank signature line, and next to it was a check with an enormous sum written out. Charlotte Lane stared at the check and suddenly laughed. She remembered the day she married into the Carter family three years ago. Vivian Shaw had sized her up in front of everyone, her lips curled in that always-perfect smile. "Ethan, you picked a good wife. She seems quiet and well-behaved." The words sounded nice, but the tone told a different story. It meant her family background was nothing special, not good enough for them, but at least she was docile. Back then, Charlotte stood in the middle of the living room, wearing a new light pink dress, holding a bouquet she'd arranged herself, smiling with grace. She thought if she was sensible enough, considerate enough, and worked hard enough, she could earn her place in this family. Three years on, she finally understood the truth. If a person held no love for one, all of one's sensibility and compromise only made one feel more insignificant.