Chapter 5
After hanging up, I boarded the plane.
Twenty hours later, I arrived in a city entirely unfamiliar to me.
My aunt picked me up. She had grown older, preferred peace and quiet, and lived alone in a sprawling estate on the city outskirts.
Looking out over the endless grounds, she waved her hand with a smile. “Hailey, don’t be sad. It’s just a man you’re leaving behind. Everything you see here, one day, will all be yours.”
Her words eased the tight knot in my chest, and I slowly began to relax.
During this time, my phone had remained off. I had been communicating with my lawyer through a backup device.
The lawyer told me that the divorce proceedings were encountering difficulties—mainly because James refused to cooperate.
“If he won’t cooperate, I can offer him a larger share of his personal assets,” I said.
“Miss Davis, it seems Mr. Bennett isn’t concerned about the assets. He keeps asking about your
whereabouts and why you’re avoiding him.”
I frowned, momentarily at a loss for words.
After hanging up with the lawyer, I picked up the phone I hadn’t touched since boarding the plane.
The moment I turned it on, countless messages flooded in.
Several messages from my subordinate, Lily, caught my eye. She had been the one to inform me about the welcome party James had thrown for Susan, and back when I chose to stay home to try for a child, she had been the first to voice her disapproval.
I opened her messages to find a secretly recorded video.
In the video, James stormed into Susan’s office, holding a contract in his hand.
He demanded, “What do you mean, tricking me into signing a divorce agreement with Hailey? What are you trying to do?!”
“Wait, what divorce agreement? I didn’t know! This contract was just for you to sign at Ms.
Chapter 5
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Davis’s request. I had no idea it was a divorce agreement…”
Her voice shook with fear.
James kicked over a nearby stool in
anger.
“Enough! Did you say something to her that day that you shouldn’t have? Otherwise, why would she want a divorce? And trick me into signing this agreement?”
He glared at Susan. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s in your heart! If Hailey truly doesn’t want me, don’t imagine you can remain at Crescent Heights!”
The video cut off abruptly there.
Lily followed up with a few thumbs–up emojis:
[Ms. Davis, getting a divorce just like that—truly a role model for us all.]
I didn’t reply and deleted the chat without a word.
James’s contact was still pinned at the top. He had sent more than ninety messages, but I ignored them all and deleted everything.
Once you’ve made up your mind to let someone go, there’s no reason to drag yourself back in.
Chapter 5
