Chapter 1
After six years of marriage to Charles Lawrence, I walked away with nothing.
After the divorce, Charles and his close friend made a bold prediction.
Charles said, "Alice can't survive without me. She'll be back before long.
"Just wait and see."
But what he got instead was news of my wedding to his close friend, Alex Carter.
Charles panicked and went frantic, searching everywhere for me.
Little did he know, I was already on a plane, heading off on my honeymoon.
*****
After six years of marriage to Charles Lawrence, I walked away with nothing.
On the day of the divorce, his buddy tried to talk some sense into him.
"Charles, just apologize to Alice. You were in the wrong here," his buddy said.
Charles sat there with a proud look, refusing to budge.
But then Charles's mom, Rebecca Lawrence, jumped in, her finger practically poking my nose as she raged.
Rebecca said, "Apologize? Not a chance.
"She needs to be taught a lesson today.
"Unbelievable. My son barely gave her a little shove, and she called the police, accusing him of domestic violence.
"Now the whole neighborhood's laughing at us. She's completely ruined our family's reputation."
Before I could even defend myself, Charles chimed in, piling on the blame.
"Mom's got a point, Alice. You really crossed the line this time," he said.
I stared at the so-called high and mighty mother and son, letting out a mocking laugh.
I asked, "Just a little shove, huh? Is that what you call breaking my rib and leaving me stuck in bed for over a month?"
It was a weekend just over a month ago, and I had been stuck at work for a last-minute overtime shift that didn't end until nine at night.
Before I could even grab a bite, Charles called, urging me to hurry home.
I rushed back, helped my five-year-old twin daughters, Emma and Mia, with their homework, and gave them baths. By the time I was done, I was so hungry that I could barely see straight.
I asked Charles to put the girls to bed while I went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat.
Charles was sprawled out on the couch, gaming on his phone. He said he would take care of it, but just kept lounging there, not moving a muscle.
I called him again and again, but he didn't even bother to look up. Finally, I lost my patience and snatched his phone away.
I never expected him to snap like that. He suddenly shoved me so hard, like he completely lost it.
I was caught off guard and crashed right into the solid wood coffee table next to me.
There was a loud crash, and I ended up sprawled on the floor, unable to move.
Charles, the one who did this to me, just ignored my cries for help. He didn't even glance my way, just grabbed his phone and went right back to his game.
I was shocked and furious, so I called the police on the spot.
That night, after getting my injuries checked out at the hospital, I walked out, feeling numb.
I looked at Charles, who showed not a hint of remorse, and calmly told him I wanted a divorce.
"So what? Isn't this how every woman gets by?" Rebecca said, hands on her hips, acting all self-righteous. "Mrs. Wilson next door has been beaten for most of her life and never uttered a peep. You're just making a fuss."
Her attitude was so absurd, I couldn't help but laugh. I blurted out, "If Mrs. Wilson is such a champ at enduring abuse, why don't you have your son marry her instead?"
"Alice, how dare you talk to Mom like that?" Charles said.
His expression changed instantly, clearly rattled by my words.
Charles said coldly, "Apologize to Mom right now, and I'll drop it. Otherwise, we're done."
Here we went again. I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
Whenever I clashed with Rebecca, Charles would always claim he was being fair.
He kept siding with Rebecca, and I just kept putting up with it, time after time.
I already lost all hope in him.
My silence made things awkward. Rebecca couldn't keep up her composure and started acting all pitiful.
Rebecca said, "Oh, what a miserable life I have. I struggled to raise my son, thinking I could finally enjoy some peace, but he ended up marrying a daughter-in-law who doesn't even know how to respect her elders.
Her hands trembled. "Charles, you have to get justice for me today."
Rebecca had pulled this stunt countless times before, and it always worked like a charm.
This time, even Charles's buddies tried to smooth things over.
"Alice, for the kids' sake, just give in a little."
"Yeah, Alice, you shouldn't hold a grudge like this. There's no need to take it all the way to divorce."
"Besides, the kids are still so young. Can you really bear to let them grow up without a father?"
Father?
The pain lingered inside me.
In six years of marriage, from the pregnancy to the girls turning five, the number of times Charles actually took care of them could be counted on one hand.
To him, the kids were like stray cats or dogs.
He would play with them when the mood struck, but most of the time, he just saw them as a nuisance.
Emma and Mia had been in kindergarten for two years, and he couldn't even recognize the entrance to their school.
At first, the girls waited for his attention with hope. Now, they had learned to stay quiet, no longer expecting anything from their father.
The journey from hope to disappointment didn't happen overnight.
Reality made these five-year-olds grow up way too fast.
Every time I saw how grown-up they acted for their age, it broke my heart.