Chapter 13
Elsie gazed at the phone, now disconnected, and after a moment of ence, turned her eyes to Bruce. Bruce, can you take me back to the villa? she signed.
Divorcing Ronald would be for the best, freeing her from all burdens allowing her to meet Cedric with a clear conscience.
Elsie’s face revealed no trace of vulnerability; her resilience was so palpable that it made Bruce’s heart ache for her.
Bruce nodded, not saying a word, and signed back, “Sure thing.”
They arrived at Ronald’s villa.
Elsie got out of the car, unable to muster a smile, and simply nodded at Bruce.
“Thanks, Bruce,” she signed.
Bruce looked at her with concern and grabbed her arm as she was about to leave.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go in with you?” he asked.
Elsie shook her head. Even now, she wanted to leave Ronald with dignity, without showing her vulnerability to Bruce. She also didn’t want Bruce to realize the lowly position she held in this unequal relationship…
Bruce reluctantly let go of her, signing, “If you need anything, I’ll be right out front.”
Elsie felt a warmth in her heart from Bruce’s kindness, a rare comfort in her desolate state.
“Thanks,” she signed again.
She pushed open the door to the villa and walked in. The smell of smoke in the air made her cough.
The lights were off, but in the moonlight, she could see a man sitting on the couch, a cigarette glowing intermittently in his hand.
Elsie turned on the light and sat down next to Ronald as she signed with a blank expression, “Where’s the divorce agreement?”
Ronald’s anger flared instantly. He yanked Elsie into his arms, his grip tight around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides.
His other hand gripped the back of her head, and he crushed his lips against hers, forcefully taking her breath.
He wanted to leave his mark on her.
Elsie’s struggles were as ineffective as a tickle to him.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally let her go, his anger still simmering. He smelled the smoke on her and demanded, “Did
that man caress you?”
“Did he kiss you?”
Did he hold you?”
“Did you two have sex?”
Elsie trembled, her eyes filled with tears of pain and suffocation that she stubbornly refused to let fall.
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Chapter 13
She glared at Ronald, not ever lifting a hand to respond.
Answer me he shouted.
Ronald flipped her onto her back, looming over her, his mind filled with images of Elsie smiling gently at another man.
A confusing emotion swept over him.
“You’re my wife. I’m not sick of you yel. Remember your place!
“You want to be with another man?”
“Don’t even think about it!”
Elsie’s tears finally fell uncontrollably. Her hands were pinned, unable to express herself.
But she didn’t plan to argue with Ronald anymore.
She was utterly disappointed in him.
Ronald was taken aback by her tears.
He suddenly leaned in gently, kissing away her tears, his voice hoarse and low, like a secret cello melody.
“You’re still upset about Missy, aren’t you? There’s nothing between me and Missy. I just see her as a sister and want to take care of her. Can’t you understand that?” Ronald’s voice was pleading, but his eyes were hard.
“Be good. Haven’t I treated you well?”
“You’re making a spectacle of this divorce, bringing disgrace to both families. Does that make you happy?”
“Please, just behave.”
Elsie laughed coldly, her face showing a hint of mockery as she looked at Ronald.
At that moment, she wanted to ask how he could say the word “sister so shamelessly.The sister he slept with?
The sister who was pregnant with his child?
He just wanted to keep a mistress openly, using all these excuses.
Taking care of Missy? In bed?
Elsie felt a wave of nausea, disgusted by Ronald’s touch.
Summoning strength from an unknown source, she suddenly pushed Ronald aside and swiftly ran back to the bedroom. From the bedside table, she retrieved the divorce agreement Ronald had prepared at their wedding, and then hastened back downstairs.
She signed it and threw it in Ronald’s face.
Her hands moved quickly, her anger evident in her gestures.
She signed, “Divorce!”
The simple sign made Ronald’s eyes turn red.
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Chapter 13
You prepared this?
Elsie, you’re something else! So eager to divorce me and fun to that han?
Elsie’s eyes were full of scorn, her tear–filled gaze piercing Ronald.
Elsie signed, “Did you forget? You prepared this when we got married
“You were thinking about divorce from the start. Now I’m tired of you and want a divorce.”
“What’s your problem with that?”
Elsie’s hands were red from slapping them together, the sharp sound making Ronald’s expression freeze.
This was the divorce agreement he had prepared?
His pupils contracted as he remembered he had signed it in advance and now Elsie had signed it too.
Did this mean they could proceed with the divorce?
Before he could think further, Ronald tore the agreement to pieces.
He looked at Elsie, expressionless, taking a deep breath, unable to understand the pain in his heart.
He gritted his teeth and said coldly, “This agreement doesn’t fairly divide the assets. You’ve been with me for years; you deserve
more.”
Elsie watched as Ronald tore up the agreement, her eyes filling with tears again, her nose stinging.
Her eyes were full of heartbreak.
“Do you think I care about the money?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t have given you everything!”
Elsie’s slow, painful gestures made Ronald’s heart skip a beat.
He suddenly remembered how he had treated Elsie indifferently and dismissively when they first got married.
Forced into marrying Elsie and breaking his vow, he harbored deep resentment towards her before ever laying eyes on her, so he had prepared this humiliating divorce agreement early on.
He used it to mock her, to show that even if she married him by any means, she wouldn’t get anything from him.
Ronald suddenly realized how cruel he had been to Elsie.
