I let out a cold laugh, "Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?"
Then I turned my head and looked straight at the old man, saying neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I have already proposed a divorce, but it's your grandson who won't let go.
If you really have the ability, then tell him to let me go quickly and stop pestering me."
Perhaps, just as Luna said, without him, my life might be even more wonderful.
For the past three years, I had been restrained by the Jiang family's outdated rules and my disabled body.
I had no job, no income, and even needed someone by my side to help with basic daily life.
Ethan thought I couldn't leave him, and he was right about that.
But he didn't expect that once a person has made up their mind to leave, no one can stop them.
The old man was so angry from my words that he felt short of breath.
He glared at me and scolded, "Get out of my sight!"
That was exactly what I wanted.
I didn't want to stay in this suffocating place either.
I left the ward without looking back.
After venting inside just now, I felt much more refreshed at the moment.
Remembering that I had a follow-up appointment today, I went to find my attending physician.
After all, before installing the prosthetic hand, I still needed to check the recovery of the wound.
After a long time of hassle, I finally returned to the parking lot to find my best friend.
Luna happened to be on the phone, and seeing me come out, she hurried over.
"You finally came out.
Any later and I would have rushed in.
They didn't give you a hard time, did they?"
"We live in a society ruled by law now.
They can't do anything to me."
I comforted her with a smile and said casually, "Don't worry, Ethan and I are completely done."
Luna patted my shoulder sympathetically and said with feigned lightheartedness, "It's okay.
Losing anyone won't kill you.
There are plenty of good men out there.
We don't lack this one!"
I smiled at her.
She was right.
I still had a bright future ahead of me.
There was no need to be trapped in that prison and suffer.
In college, I studied ecology and had been engaged in wildlife protection research before the accident.
After losing my right hand, both field surveys and research work were greatly affected.
Plus, Ethan didn't want me to work too hard, so I quit and stayed at home.
But now, Luna suddenly had an inspiration, "I have a friend who works at the Nature Conservation Association.
They are currently recruiting docents.
Do you want to give it a try?"
Although I hadn't worked for a long time, I insisted on studying and learning every day.
My abilities shouldn't be much worse than before.
Thinking of this, I decisively accepted the job.
Being a docent may not be as respectable as a researcher, but it would allow me to support myself again.
I didn't want to miss the opportunity to work again.
Once it was settled, I threw myself into work wholeheartedly.
Gradually, I even put Ethan's matter out of my mind.
Until two days later, after taking a shower, I wanted to scroll through my social media to help me fall asleep.
I unintentionally caught a glimpse of Roxanne's post from three minutes ago.
In the photo, Ethan was sleeping on the desk at the research institute, and Roxanne draped a coat over him, a smile on her lips, looking intimate and inseparable.
The caption read, "No matter where you are, I will always accompany you as before."
These words were clearly announcing their relationship.
A hint of cold mockery flashed in my eyes, and I liked and commented, "Please remind your man to finalize the divorce procedures as soon as possible.
After all, you don't want to be called a mistress forever, do you?"6.
Late at night, I was sleeping soundly when my phone on the bedside table suddenly rang urgently.
I groggily reached for my phone and answered with a mumbled "hello."
Ethan's deep voice came from the other end of the line, "I have a stomachache.
Where is the medicine at home?"
As soon as he said this, I was instantly awake.
I glanced at the time; it was already two in the morning.
Suppressing my anger, I pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Ethan, don't go crazy."
This was a phrase he often said to me before.
Every time he got too close to Roxanne and I questioned him, he would always say carelessly, "Olivia, don't go crazy."
At this moment, he seemed to realize that this phrase sounded a bit familiar and fell silent.
I let out a long sigh and said calmly, "In the future, don't contact me except for matters related to the divorce.
Ethan, I don't owe you anything."
Ethan pondered for a long time and muttered to himself, "There are still some of your things at home.
Come and get them when you have time."
I had packed everything clean when I left, so I shouldn't have left anything behind.
Just as I was trying to recall, he added, "The jade bracelet that Mom and Dad gave you at our wedding, I still have it here."
I suddenly realized.
That jade bracelet was a wedding gift from my parents, originally intended to be kept as a family heirloom for our children.
I acknowledged and said, "I'll come to get it tomorrow afternoon."
With that, I hung up the phone without waiting for his response.
Three minutes later, he sent me a message.
It only had two simple words: "Good night."
My finger paused for a moment and subconsciously opened the screen.
Scrolling up, the screen was filled with messages I had sent him, with very few replies from him.
The last message I sent him was: "Come back early.
I made porridge.
Come back early to drink it."
He had a poor stomach, so I often prepared medicinal meals for him.
No one had thought that would be the last time I cared about his stomach problems.
I was filled with melancholy and didn't respond to his message.
Instead, I added him to my blacklist and deleted all his contact information.
It seemed that by doing this, he and I were truly severed.
The next day, I went to his house.
Since I hadn't informed him in advance, only the housekeeper, Auntie Li, was home when I arrived.
She said with a beaming smile, "Oh, little Mo, you've finally come back.
We were just..."
Before she could finish, Roxanne, dressed in a white dress, came downstairs.
Seeing me, she froze for a moment, and her face instantly darkened.
I glanced at her and turned to instruct Auntie Li, "Auntie Li, please help me pack up the room."
Auntie Li was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, "Alright, I'll go right away."
I softly said "mh."
and then called a few movers.
As soon as Auntie Li was out of earshot, Roxanne immediately tore off her disguise and said with a look of disgust, "Didn't you move out? What are you doing back here? Don't tell me you still want to cling to Ethan?"
I laughed coldly, "Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a mistress who can't see the light of day.
What right do you have to talk to me like this?"
Roxanne was so angry that her eyes widened, and her face turned ashen.
"Come on, you just met Ethan a few years earlier than I did.
If we had met earlier, the one marrying him now might have been me!"
As she spoke, her gaze fell on my mutilated right hand, and she sneered disdainfully, "With you being disabled, you can only hold Ethan back.
He has complained about you behind your back, saying that you're just a burden."He can't stand the disgusting scars on your hand, that's why he doesn't want to come home."
Roxanne viciously mocked me, looking smug and complacent.
So that's how it was.
No wonder he had been staying out late recently.
No wonder when I brought up having children, he made all sorts of excuses.