Chapter 2

After signing the papers, I let out a sigh of relief. Just thirty more days, and I'd finally break free for good.

Three years ago, my grandpa accidentally found the love letter I'd written to Benjamin.

He went straight to the Pierce family to set up a marriage for me. He even gave up some of our family's interests just to make it happen.

Once the engagement was set, I was so happy that I couldn't stop dancing around the house. I wanted to shout from the rooftops that I was about to marry the guy I'd always liked.

But on our wedding day, Benjamin showed up more than an hour late.

Everyone there was just waiting to see the joke, whispering that Benjamin was late on purpose.

Still, I was just glad he came at all.

When it was time to exchange rings, his hands shook so much that I had to try a few times before the ring finally went on.

But I just kept telling myself that the best things were always a little hard to get.

He ghosted me the very next day, not even bothering with a goodbye.

Everyone in our circle had a field day mocking me and my family.

When I thought about it now, I realized that maybe being late and fumbling with the ring were all red flags to remind me that this marriage was doomed.

But at first, I was just drunk on that tiny bit of happiness.

Well, at least now, I had my freedom and scored a pile of cash on the way out.

*****

My family lost everything. Bankruptcy hit, Grandpa died, and my parents just fell apart.

I was constantly running back and forth between the hospital and home.

When the company first started going under, I begged Benjamin for help, but he completely ignored me.

That's when it hit me that Benjamin really did despise my entire family.

My mom lay there in a coma, and I carefully cleaned her cracked fingers, trying to make her a little more comfortable.

I whispered, "Mom, I'm finally getting divorced. You'd want this for me, wouldn't you?

The silence was suddenly broken by a loud racket. Someone was smashing things around in the room next door.

I caught a glimpse of a man in a suit as he hurried past the doorway.

Almost like I was bewitched, my feet moved on their own, and I followed him out.

The room entrance was crowded with people, and I could only peek through the gaps to see what was going on inside.

A skinny girl was leaning against the window. Her face was covered in gauze.

Benjamin stood across from her.

"Benjamin, they said my face can never be fixed," she choked out. I don't want to go on anymore."

Benjamin rushed to reassure her. "Trust me, I'll find the best specialists, no matter where they are. I promise, you'll recover."

His voice was firm, but there was a nervous edge to it.

Her anxiety faded, and she asked, "Really? But now I'm useless to them. They don't want me anymore."

As she moved to climb up the window again, Benjamin, panic written all over his face, reached out and shouted, "No, I'll marry you. If I marry you, they wouldn't dare mess with you then."

She looked at him, hope shining in her eyes. But before she could react, Benjamin grabbed her and pulled her away from the window.

She buried herself in his arms, her eyes slicing through the crowd and landing right on me.

And in that instant, I finally remembered. She was Benjamin's true love, the girl he could never let go of, Emily Nolan.

It was like someone took a blunt knife to my heart, tearing open a scar that had barely started to heal.

All my courage was drained the day my grandpa died.

Now, whenever something happened, all I could think about was running away. The farther, the better.

When Margaret saw me dragging my suitcase out, she frowned and demanded, "What drama are you pulling today?"

"Benjamin and I are divorced," I replied.

"What?" she gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

She snapped, "Something this huge, and nobody thought to talk to me?"

I didn't do anything wrong, so I wasn't about to let her take it out on me.

I just let out a sigh and said, "If you want the specifics, ask Benjamin."

I gave her a deep bow and left without so much as a backward glance.

Margaret wasn't exactly a bad person, but in my eyes, she was far from being a good one.

She never liked me from the start. After the engagement ended up driving Benjamin away, she pretty much resented me even more.

She was just a pitiful woman whose husband was never around, so for the past three years, I tried my hardest to fill in for everything Benjamin was missing.

I thought she'd be happy to hear we were divorced.

But to my surprise, she looked genuinely angry.

*****

The next time I ran into Benjamin was at a party. I was just there trying to move some unsold stock for my family.

Benjamin had Emily with him, and her face looked pretty much back to normal.

I did my best to avoid looking their way, but my nerves went haywire as soon as Benjamin came near.

"Ms. Taylor, I'm actually pretty interested in this partnership, but I can't make the call on my own," a middle-aged man said.

"How about we talk it over tonight?" he added, his tone dripping with sleaze.

The guy had a piggish face and big ears, and his greedy eyes swept over me, making my skin crawl.

I was just about to turn and leave when someone grabbed my wrist.

Benjamin stepped in. "Care to tell me what business you want to talk about with my wife?"

Benjamin's voice was icy, with a barely contained anger.

The middle-aged man immediately bowed, apologized, and then scurried away.

Wife? Was he actually sticking up for me?