Both of my children had fevers, yet my wife left to check into a hotel with her lover.
Without a word of complaint, I took the kids to the hospital.
When I went home to grab clothes for them, I overheard my wife, lying on our marital bed, chatting flirtatiously with her lover.
"Do you believe me if I say I'll bring you home to sleep with me, and Jeremy won't dare say a thing?"
My heart sank.
Then, I heard her say.
"He's nothing but a stupid fool with money. The fact that I married him is a miracle!"
***
Standing at the door, holding my children's medical records and a bag of clothes, I felt utterly ridiculous.
This was the woman I had loved with all my heart for the past eight years.
Inside, my wife saw my shadow at the door but didn't even stop her video call with her lover.
"Hold on a sec, babe."
She said, wearing nothing but a silk nightgown that revealed everything. Right in front of me, she slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
The force of it felt like a slap across my face.
From inside, her lover's arrogant laughter echoed through the phone.
"Ava, aren't you afraid your husband will get mad, being this brazen?"
Ava chuckled dismissively.
"What's there to fear? He's just my little lapdog. The most he'll do is stop being my puppy for a couple of days, then he'll come running back on his own."
Her lover let out another burst of obnoxious laughter.
I couldn't bear to listen any longer and quickly walked away.
At the hospital, I helped the kids change out of their hospital gowns.
They looked up at me, alone, and asked.
"Dad, where's Mom?"
After getting them dressed, I knelt down and looked them in the eyes.
"Mom's not coming. It's just us now. Son, daughter, I want to talk to you about something. From now on, it'll just be the three of us. How about we live without Mom, okay?"
My seven-year-old daughter and six-year-old son exchanged a glance before saying in unison.
"Okay, we don't need Mom!"
My son added.
"It doesn't make a difference anyway. Mom spends less time with us than the nanny."
Chapter 2I didn't return home. Instead, I took the kids to my parents' house.
My parents could tell something was troubling me. After putting the kids to sleep, they came to check on me.
"Son, are you and Ava having some issues?"
I sighed deeply.
"Mom, Dad, I'm divorcing Ava. Dad, please take back all the connections and resources you introduced to her company. No point in helping an outsider."
My dad looked surprised.
My mom reached over to feel my forehead.
"Are you feeling okay, son?"
I took Mom's hand off my head and patted it to comfort her.
"Mom, you don't need to clean up Ava's mess anymore. Please send me all the evidence of her dabbling in those shady spiritual practices. I might need it for the divorce."
My parents exchanged glances. My mom even pinched herself.
"Ouch, that hurt! I'm not dreaming?"
"Mom, what are you doing? Why are you pinching yourself?"
Dad patted my shoulder with satisfaction:
"Son, you've finally woken up. Ava has no morals. She's never been a suitable wife."
Tears of joy filled my mom's eyes.
"All these years, Ava must've put some spell on you. No matter how awful she was, you were always hopelessly devoted to her. Nothing we said made a difference. Now you're finally seeing the truth!"
Watching the tears stream down my mother's face, my own eyes welled up.
Ava wasn't wrong — I used to be nothing but a hopeless fool, a lapdog beyond redemption.
Despite Ava's betrayal, humiliating me and trampling on my dignity, I still gave her access to all the resources of my family.
My parents didn't like her, and yet, for her sake, I even distanced myself from them.
One day after work, I came home to find my two children collapsed on the floor with high fevers, completely unattended. That terrifying moment snapped me out of my delusion.
After rushing the kids to the hospital, I received a notification on my phone — Ava had used my credit card to pay for a hotel room.
It was at that moment I fully realized just how much damage this leech had caused to my family.
I took a tissue and wiped away the tears from my mother's face.
I hadn't embraced my parents in so long, but this time, I hugged them both and said.
"Mom, Dad, don't worry. This time, I'm truly divorcing Ava. From now on, I will sever all ties with her. We'll focus on living our lives as a family."
This time, not only did my mother tear up, but my father's eyes also reddened.
"Good! Good! Your mom and I fully support you. This divorce is happening, no question!"
"Son, don't worry about the kids. They can stay with us. We'll help take care of them while you get your life in order."
Chapter 3Ava, after all, was still the mother of my children.
I wanted to leave her some dignity, so I didn't expose her dirty deeds. I simply had my lawyer send her the divorce papers.
Back when we got married, my parents had forced me into signing a prenuptial agreement with Ava.
At the time, Ava threw a huge tantrum, and I had to buy her a Porsche to calm her down.
Thinking back now, if it weren't for my parents, how much of my assets would Ava be entitled to? This divorce wouldn't be so easy.
To thank my parents, I booked a luxurious family vacation to Alderland.
In Alderland, our family was filled with joy like never before.
There was a genuine happiness on my parents' and kids' faces that had been missing for years.
During the day, I swam and surfed with the kids.
At night, my parents helped watch them while I relaxed at a bar, sipping drinks and listening to music.
For the first time, I realized that life without Ava could be peaceful and happy.
I thought Ava would fade from my life after that.
But two weeks later, I got an unexpected call from her.
"Jeremy, what's the meaning of this? Are you really divorcing me?"
I was speechless for a moment. It took her this long to notice the divorce papers?
"You even took our son and daughter! This was all planned, wasn't it? Do you really think I'm scared or going to beg for your forgiveness?"
I heard the sound of tearing paper on the other end of the line.
"Hah, you think using divorce to threaten me will make me behave? Look at yourself. If you know what's good for you, bring the kids back, or I'll make sure you're humiliated even more!"
Then, Ava hung up.
Without giving me a chance to respond.
Not that I had anything more to say to her anyway.
I had already given her a chance to leave gracefully — she just didn't take it.
I immediately blocked all her contact information and called my good friend and lawyer, Evan.
"Evan, Ava probably tore up the divorce agreement. Let's skip straight to filing for divorce."
On the other end, I heard the sound of a cup shattering in Evan's shock.
"Are you serious this time, bro? It's about time! I've been betting with others that you'd be blind to Ava's true nature for life. Finally, you're waking up?"
I chuckled bitterly, shaking my head.
"Don't make fun of me now."
But Evan wasn't joking.
"This is no joke! Don't you remember two years ago, when I helped you catch her in the act? I showed you evidence of Ava sleeping with her boss under the guise of a business trip, and worse, participating in some group orgies. And you still forgave her! I almost stopped being friends with you over that!"
Chapter 4Two years ago, Ava had claimed she needed to attend a company training, leaving for over half a month.
When she returned, she complained of severe back pain. I massaged her for a whole week.
I thought she had been sitting for too long in training.
I didn't expect that she had been staying in bed with someone else.
And besides her old lover boss, there are many other individuals.
When Evan presented me with the evidence, I was devastated, but I couldn't bring myself to act.
At the time, I thought the kids were still young, and I couldn't bear for them to grow up without their mother.
Little did I know, my constant compromises only emboldened Ava to take advantage of me even more.
The night my two kids fell ill was the last straw that broke my heart as a doting fool.
"Evan, I was blind before and couldn't see the truth, but now I know I was wrong. Tonight, I'll treat you to a great meal. Please help me out one more time!"
"You said it! You're paying tonight! Let's head to our usual spot."
That evening, I drove my brand-new Bentley to pick up Evan and took him to our regular restaurant.
Ironically, I had bought this car because I overheard Ava saying she wanted it, and I secretly placed the order.
Little did I know that by the time the car arrived at the dealership, I would already be divorcing her.
After parking in the restaurant's underground garage, I noticed a familiar white Porsche.
"Evan, let's go somewhere else. That's Ava's car, and I really don't want to see her."
Evan, however, wasn't having it.
"Jeremy, are you a man or not? She's the one who ruined the marriage, so why are you backing down?"
He got out of the car and headed straight for the elevator, leaving me no choice but to follow.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, there she was — Ava, heavily made-up, wearing a strapless dress and black stockings, arm-in-arm with her lover, Tobias. We ran into each other face-to-face.
Ava looked shocked at first, but then her expression quickly turned to disgust.
"Jeremy, are you following me? You're so disgusting!" she spat.
I rolled my eyes, refusing to dignify her with a response.
Evan, however, wasn't as restrained. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to confront them, but I grabbed his shoulder, trying to steer us away from this vile pair.
Just as we were about to leave, Tobias, with his chunky arm adorned with a flashy gold watch, smugly stepped in front of us, extending his hand for a shake.
"Hey man, I've heard a lot about you. I always thought you were a guy with a heart as big as an ocean, but cutting off all those business deals just because of Ava? That's a bit petty, don't you think?"
Tobias was Ava's boss, and I had told my father to pull all the connections and resources we had provided to their company. I guess it had hit their performance pretty hard.
But why should I care?
If Tobias were truly capable, would those clients have canceled contracts with just one word from my dad?
The deals were never because of his talents anyway. The clients were only indulging Ava's company out of respect for my father. Tobias actually believed he had earned those deals on his own?
Chapter 5I ignored his outstretched hand and tried to leave with Evan.
But Tobias continued his taunts, walking beside us.
"Jeremy, don't blame Ava for not loving you. She played me a recording of you two in bed — man, your performance is lacking, huh?"
His words dripped with malice.
I was stunned — Ava had recorded our intimate moments and shared them with this man?
Ava stood there with her arms crossed, completely unapologetic.
"Tobias is right. If you could satisfy me, why would I need to find someone else? If anyone's to blame for my affairs, it's you, for being an incompetent husband."
She looked me up and down, sneering.
"Don't act so calm, Jeremy. I saw the Bentley key you're holding. You bought me a car to win me over again, didn't you? Ha! This time, a car isn't enough. I need a house too — a nice one in the city center!"
Evan, unable to take it anymore, shoved me aside and pointed at Ava, shouting.
"You shameless woman! You parade around with your lover and still have the nerve to demand a house from your ex-husband? Who do you think you are? Do you think you saved the galaxy in your past life?"
Ava's face turned ugly from the insult.
She strutted over in her high heels and slapped me hard across the face.
My head turned from the force, and my ear began to ring.
My face was hit to one side, and my ears were buzzing.
"You just let another man insult your wife, and you don't even make a sound. Jeremy, are you even a man?"
"Gave me the key to the Bentley, and you, immediately, got out of my sight!"
Ava's arrogance was overwhelming, and she truly believed I would obey her like always.
After all, this had been our dynamic for years.
She was the queen, and I was her loyal lapdog.
When she said "go east," I never went west.
When our two kids were born, I was the one who cared for them. If they cried and disturbed her sleep, she made me kneel on a washboard.
Lipstick, bags, shoes — she demanded only the most expensive, limited-edition ones. If I couldn't buy them, she'd hit me out of frustration.
Back then, I loved her so much that I endured the pain in silence.
Now, she stood before me with that same hand, waiting for me to hand over the Bentley keys like a loyal dog.
But I was no longer the pathetic man I used to be.
She didn't deserve my loyalty anymore.
The cuckolded man fought back, and the unfaithful woman died.
I let out a snort of laughter through my nose and casually pulled out the Bentley keys.
Ava reached for them immediately.
I dodged her hand and handed the keys to Evan instead.
"Bro, the car's yours. Just make sure you help me win this divorce case."