[CHAPTER 1]
KYLE.
“Sign the agreement. We’re getting divorced.”
I froze when I heard Joenathan’s words. On the table in front of me, Joenathan placed a document. I could read the words “Divorce Agreement” and the signature underneath bearing the name Joenathan.
“What do you mean?” I asked, staring at Joenathan in disbelief.
“Was I not clear? I want a divorce from you,” Joenathan said firmly.
My heart felt instantly slashed open. My chest tightened as my heartbeat raced. I never expected Joenathan to put divorce papers in front of me.
“Why, Joe? We’ve been married for two years,” I replied, my voice beginning to tremble.
Joenathan seemed indifferent, even after realizing how pleadingly I was looking at him.
“Zeeva is back. I’m not going to waste the chance to be with her after she disappeared for so long,” Joenathan replied with absolute conviction.
A bitter smile curved across my lips. That name, Zeeva—I still remembered it. I knew Joenathan loved Zeeva deeply, his fiancée who had disappeared for the past two years.
My marriage to Joenathan had never been based on love. Two years earlier, Joenathan had come to me and offered me a proposal: I would replace Zeeva as his wife.
At the time, I accepted Joenathan’s proposal because I needed money for my mother’s medical treatment. Of course, we didn’t love each other. But as time passed, I fell in love with Joenathan, while he never loved me at all.
“Why are you doing this? No, Joe. You can’t just sacrifice our marriage like this,” I replied firmly.
Joenathan sighed, sounding annoyed with me. His expression showed how little he thought of my words.
“You’re talking as if our marriage was based on love. Don’t you remember our agreement? I would return to Zeeva if she ever came back.”
My chest tightened even more as I listened to Joenathan. All this time, I had been in denial about the fact that Joenathan would never be able to forget Zeeva.
“But I gave you everything, Joe. What about the night you asked for my body?” I asked.
From the beginning of our marriage, Joenathan had never touched me. Even so, I tried to understand him and give him time. Until a month ago, when we shared intimacy for the first time.
I thought Joenathan had finally fallen in love with me. I thought that after that night, our marriage would be filled with love.
“Just consider that night a mistake. I couldn’t control myself,” Joenathan said, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
“You can’t just let go of our marriage like this, Joe. We’ve already—”
“Kyle! Try to understand how I feel! I’ve never loved you, and I never wanted to marry you in the first place!”
I let out a bitter, hollow laugh when Joenathan raised his voice. For several seconds, I could only sit there in stunned silence, staring at him in disbelief.
It hurt so badly. Reality slapped me in the face: I was not important to Joenathan. He had never considered me his wife.
“I won’t accept any refusal from you, Kyle. My decision is final,” Joenathan said emphatically.
“Kyle, you’d be better off divorcing Joenathan and letting him be with the woman he loves.”
That voice made me turn my head. Catherine approached us, radiating intimidation. Beside her stood Liam—Joenathan’s father.
“You know Joenathan has never loved you. So why are you two still together?” Catherine asked.
I saw the contempt on Catherine’s face. That woman, Joenathan’s mother, had never approved of my marriage to him.
I had never been treated properly here. I was always dismissed and looked down on.
“Mrs. Catherine, I don’t believe marriage is something to be toyed with,” I retorted.
Catherine laughed coldly. “You sound awfully determined to be Joenathan’s wife. Don’t forget that you come from a poor family. You’re not worthy of becoming a daughter-in-law in this family.”
My chest tightened. Though it wasn’t the first time Catherine had said something like that, her words still hurt. I had no one here to defend me.
“She’s right. We’ve suffered enough humiliation knowing that the daughter-in-law of this family is you—the daughter of a poor family,” Liam chimed in.
“Why are you saying such cruel things to me?” I asked, holding back my anger.
I saw not a trace of pity in Catherine’s, Liam’s, or Joenathan’s eyes. They all seemed determined to show me that my existence meant nothing.
I knew my position might be threatened when Zeeva returned. That was why I had tried to make Joenathan love me and accept my place in his life.
“Looks like all my efforts to make you love me failed, Joe,” I said quietly.
Joenathan clicked his tongue. “Of course I’m never going to love you. What makes you think you’re special? Sign those divorce papers already!”
“Don’t you feel anything for me, Joenathan? We’ve been together for two years—”
My body jerked when Joenathan suddenly seized my hand. He was strong as he roughly forced me to bend over the divorce papers. Then Joenathan handed me a pen.
“Here. Sign it. I don’t need you anymore, Kyle. Our marriage is over,” Joenathan declared yet again.
I felt like I had no hope left of saving our marriage. Even when I resisted, Joenathan’s grip was powerful as he clutched the back of my neck and forced me to bend down.
Joenathan truly wanted me to end this marriage. He was willing to give up our marriage just to be with Zeeva, the woman he loved.
In the end, I was forced to sign our divorce papers. A single tear slipped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away so no one would see. Then I stood and set the pen down angrily.
“Fine. Our marriage ends now. I’m leaving, and we never need to see each other again,” I said without hesitation, even though my heart was breaking.
Joenathan didn’t stop me. He let me walk away to our bedroom.
The moment I reached the room, my tears spilled over. I felt the pain of knowing that all my efforts had been for nothing. Still, I forced myself to pack some clothes into a suitcase. I also contacted my best friend, Angela.
[MESSAGE] [Angela, I’m coming to the city where you live. I got divorced from Joenathan.]
After sending Angela the message, I happened to notice a folder containing my documents. I picked up the folder I had deliberately hidden and opened it.
Behind the documents were my ultrasound results and a pregnancy report.
I had kept them for the past two weeks and still hadn’t told Joenathan. Should I take this baby with me now?
I thought Joenathan had fallen in love with me and would be happy to learn about my pregnancy. But Joenathan’s attitude made me feel as though my pregnancy wouldn’t change anything.
I put the folder into my suitcase, then gently stroked my stomach.
“I’m sorry, baby, but I have to take you away from your father,” I murmured to the unborn child inside me.