Chapter 2
Claire slowly stood up, brushing the stains off her pants. Her face was expressionless. The tears had long since dried, leaving only a hollow calm. She looked at Ethan, speaking word by word, clear and firm. "Ethan, let's get a divorce."
Ethan was stunned for a moment, thinking she was throwing a tantrum. He frowned and scolded, "Claire, don't be ridiculous. Divorcing over something so trivial? Have you no shame?"
Margaret scoffed, crossing her arms with a look of disdain. "Divorce? Do you even have what it takes? If you leave the Chambers family, you'll be out on the street.
"Claire, what else can you do besides housework? Don't push your luck. Clean up this mess and get back in the kitchen to make a new meal."
In Margaret's eyes, Claire was utterly dependent on Ethan and the Chambers family. Divorce was only something she said in anger, a bluff to scare them.
Claire let out a bitter, almost relieved smile. She turned and headed into the bedroom. In less than five minutes, she came back out, holding a divorce agreement she'd already printed, and set it down on the coffee table.
She said, "I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm dead serious. The divorce agreement is ready. I don't want a single dollar from what we've built together. I'll move out my stuff tomorrow, and first thing in the morning, we'll file for divorce."
Her voice was steady, not a trace of hesitation. The cold resolve in her eyes left Ethan and Margaret completely stunned.
They never expected that the woman who always put up with everything, never fought back, never talked back, would actually have the guts to ask for a divorce so decisively.
Ethan stared at the divorce agreement, a strange unease creeping into his chest.
But with his pride at stake and Margaret right there, he gritted his teeth, picked up the pen, and signed his name, saying coldly, "Fine, let's get divorced. I'd like to see how you manage without me."
Margaret cheered, clapping her hands. "Alright, sign it. Even better if you leave. My son is so outstanding. He'll find a young, pretty girl who can give him a strong, healthy child in no time. You'll regret it."
Claire looked at the signed divorce agreement, feeling no regret at all. She grabbed her bag, stepped out into the rainy night, and didn't look back.
The rain drenched her hair and clothes, but she felt a freedom she hadn't known in years. The heavy burden she'd carried for three years finally slipped away.
It wasn't that she couldn't walk away from the Chambers family. She was just attached to the love and effort she'd invested over those three years.
But when all that love was gone, and her heart was stomped on, leaving was the only way to truly save herself.
Claire thought, 'Ethan, Margaret, just you wait. You act like I don't matter now. I'll make you regret it afterward.'
*****
After leaving the Chambers family, Claire didn't go back to her family. She didn't want her parents to worry, and she sure as hell didn't want to be anyone's punchline.
With what little savings she had, she rented a tiny apartment downtown. It wasn't big, but it was clean and cozy, and it was a space that was all hers. No more tiptoeing around, no more serving anyone, no more biting her tongue.
The day the divorce was finalized, the sun was shining bright. Claire looked at the divorce certificate, and there was no sadness in her heart but only pure relief.
Ethan watched her calm demeanor, feeling a strange emptiness inside. He wanted to say something, but all he managed was, "If you ever need anything, you can come to me."
Claire gave a faint smile and shook her head. "No need. From now on, we owe each other nothing. Let's stay out of each other's lives."
With that, she turned and walked away, her steps steady, not looking back for a second.
*****
After the divorce, Claire finally shook off all the pain and bitterness from her past and threw herself into her career with everything she had.
She quit her previous admin position, and with her strong design skills and impressive portfolio, she sent out applications to several top design firms.
She was just testing the waters, but to her surprise, more than a few companies came knocking with job offers.
Even though she'd put her career on hold for three years for her family, she never stopped learning. Whenever she had a spare moment, she was deep into design, constantly updating her portfolio.
She just never really got to show off what she was capable of, stuck in a marriage and tangled up in all the family drama with Margaret.
In the end, Claire landed a job at one of the top interior design firms in the business, stepping into the role of lead designer. Her salary was three times what she used to make, with project bonuses and year-end dividends on top.
On her very first day, her boss was so impressed by her creative vision and talent that he handed her the model unit design for a luxury development.
Claire threw herself into her work, staying up late every night, constantly revising her plans, running between the site and the office, and working closely with clients. She poured all her emotions into her job, turning pain into motivation.
Her design style was unique—blending beauty and practicality, perfectly matching the tastes of young people while still meeting the needs of families.
As soon as her proposal was unveiled, both the client and her boss gave her high praise.
In only six months, Claire shot to fame in the industry with this project. She snagged the company's annual Best Design Award, became their star designer, and her schedule was booked solid.
Even top real estate companies were reaching out, eager to have her as their exclusive design consultant.
Her income skyrocketed. She paid off all her old debts, built up a solid savings account, upgraded to a bigger apartment, and bought herself the car of her dreams. Her whole vibe changed.
Back when Claire was living with the Chambers family, she was always bare-faced, dressed in plain clothes, and spent every day stuck in the kitchen, buried in chores.
Her skin looked dull, and her eyes looked lifeless. She'd become the frumpy housewife she always dreaded.
But now, she was rocking a flawless natural look, dressed in stylish business wear, standing tall with bright, confident eyes. She was the embodiment of a strong, independent woman. Wherever she went, all eyes were on her.
She was surrounded by plenty of high-quality suitors—from coworkers to clients, all successful and considerate. But Claire politely turned them all down.
Fresh out of a failed marriage, she wasn't about to rush into anything new. She just wanted to focus on her career, love herself, and finally live the way she wanted.