Chapter 1
On our seventh wedding anniversary, my husband Richard Bennett's assistant, Emily Grant, sent me a photo.
It showed Richard and her naked, hugging and kissing.
I replied with a simple blessing.
She recalled the photo immediately and called me in tears.
"Mrs. Bennett, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I sent the wrong picture accidentally. Please don't be mad. And please don't fight with Mr. Bennett over this. He's really busy."
Right then, I heard Richard's gentle voice in the background, comforting her.
I couldn't hold back and told him, "No matter how busy you are, find time to divorce me."
He went cold. "I've supported you all these years. You want a divorce? Fine. Let's settle the accounts."
*****
It was our seventh wedding anniversary with Richard. The restaurant we'd booked was about to close, but he still hadn't shown up.
I begged the manager to stay open a little longer.
The manager hesitated. "Miss, we've already delayed closing for two hours. It's almost midnight. Please understand."
I knew it was a big ask. But this was where I proposed to Richard. It meant a lot to me.
Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Richard.
I smiled brightly at the manager, "That's my husband. Just a little longer, please. I'll pay extra."
As I spoke, I opened his message. My smile froze instantly.
In the photo, Richard and Emily were naked, wrapped in each other's arms, kissing, their eyes locked together.
My mind went blank, my hands shaking as I typed back: [Hope you have a wonderful night.]
The photo was quickly recalled, leaving only my message alone, looking painfully awkward and sarcastic.
I told the manager, "Never mind. I'm leaving."
With that, I got up in a hurry and fled the suffocating place.
It was pouring outside. The rain hit me hard, stinging my skin.
I didn't call a ride, walking numbly through the rain.
Just then, my phone rang. It was Richard.
When I answered, I heard Emily's tearful voice. "Mrs. Bennett, I accidentally sent the wrong photo of Mr. Bennett and me. Please don't be mad. And please don't argue with him. He's been really busy lately."
I knew Richard was busy. He'd been fighting for a big project in Riverdale.
But today was our seventh anniversary.
Emily kept sobbing, and soon I heard Richard comforting her gently.
His voice cut into my heart like a knife. Still, I listened to it all the way home.
Soon, I reached our building. I looked at the dark apartment, a tiny spark of hope flickering inside me.
Could this all be Richard's idea of a joke? Maybe he'd be there when I opened the door.
The call was still connected, and Richard was soothing Emily softly.
I opened the door, and the darkness swallowed me whole like a monster with its mouth wide open.
Looking at the empty house, I couldn't take it anymore. "Richard, no matter how busy you are, you need to make time to divorce me."
Richard paused, only then realizing we were still on the line.
He let out a cold laugh. "Fine. But I've been supporting you all these years. If you want a divorce, we'll settle our accounts first."
I couldn't stop shaking, like I'd been dropped straight into an abyss.
When Richard didn't hear a reply from me, he scoffed, "One mention of settling accounts and you go quiet. Charlotte, why are you being so unreasonable? How did I ever end up married to someone like you?"
With that, he hung up.
Staring at the screen that said "Call Ended," I felt hopeless for the first time ever.
Richard and I were childhood sweethearts. Our marriage had been decided since we were little.
Growing up, my family always told me Richard would be my future husband and that I should treat him well.
All my life, I'd stayed by Richard's side. Protecting and caring for him had become my instinct.
Once we were old enough, with our parents' support, Richard and I went and got our marriage license.
Just as we were getting ready for our wedding, my parents were in a car accident while they were out.
Even though they received immediate treatment, they ended up in a vegetative state.
After that, our large family business was targeted by people with bad intentions. They acted sorry for me, but each of them was crueler than the last.
Luckily, I had Richard.
He pushed through his grief over my parents and used everything he had to protect my family's business.
Those times were incredibly hard for us. We didn't dare to drown in sorrow or trust anyone; we only had each other.
At our lowest point, we almost lost everything and even fell into debt.
Luckily, Richard was tough and decisive. He took back what belonged to us from those vultures.
He always said, "Charlotte, hold on for me. I'll protect you, like you protected me before."