Chapter 1 Let's Get a Divorce
Every woman in Harbor City said Randy Hall was the ultimate romantic, the kind of man who turned me into the most envied Mrs. Hall anyone had ever seen.
Only I knew what it actually cost me to live that life.
Day after day, I watched him bring home woman after woman like it was nothing. At some point, he even fell for a so-called top-tier house manager and let her run the entire household like she owned the place.
She canceled all my credit cards, threw out my clothes and bags, and put me on a ten-dollar-a-day grocery budget. I wasn't even allowed to step outside after 8 p.m.
Even when I got a critical notice from the hospital at 8:01, she still had the bodyguards block me at the door.
I tried to stay calm. "My mom had a heart attack. I need to get to the hospital right now."
Jade Allen didn't even blink. "House rules, ma'am. No one leaves after 8. Even if your mom dies, it doesn't change anything."
My whole body was shaking with anger. I turned and went straight to Randy, begging him to let me go.
He looked at me like I meant nothing. "As long as you're still Mrs. Hall, you don't get to break Jade's rules."
I stared at the man I had loved for ten years, and he felt like a complete stranger.
Fine. If that's the case, I don't need to be Mrs. Hall anymore.
The front door was completely blocked off by guards.
My legs went weak from panic as I dialed the hospital with trembling hands.
"Please, start treatment for my mom first. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"But..."
Before I could hear the rest, my phone was slapped right out of my hand.
"House rules. No yelling inside."
My phone hit the ground and shattered into pieces. The screen wouldn't even turn on.
I knelt there, holding the broken phone, tears falling nonstop.
"Who are you crying for?" Jade rolled her eyes, pouting like she was the one offended. "Don't like the rules I set or something?"
She turned like she was about to leave. "If your wife can't stand me, I'll just go."
"Don't be ridiculous." Randy pulled Jade into his arms and kissed her a few times. "My sweetheart. Who in this house would dare not listen to you?"
Then he grabbed my chin with one hand, his voice turning cold.
"Della, smile."
I was still thinking about my mom. I didn't dare upset him. I forced a smile that looked worse than crying.
"My mom's in really bad shape right now. Randy, please, just let me go see her. She got into a car accident last year trying to save you. You can't just ignore her now…"
For a split second, something flickered in his eyes.
Guilt, maybe.
Randy glanced at Jade and asked carefully, "Just this once?"
"No!"
Jade shook off his hand and sat down on the couch, arms crossed.
"She's just sick, not dead. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? You were the one who said when you brought me here that everyone in this house would listen to me. I don't care. If you side with her, don't even think about touching me tonight."
"Alright, alright. You win."
Randy sighed helplessly, pulled her onto his lap, and started tickling her.
Jade burst out laughing, then shot me a look full of smug satisfaction.
Randy brought his mistress right into the house like it was nothing, trampling all over me, the so-called wife.
I'd lost count of how many times scenes like this had played out in this house.
The servants looked at me with pity. And all I felt was this overwhelming, suffocating helplessness.
I clenched my hands and finally found the courage to speak.
"Randy, let's get a divorce."
As long as we were divorced, I wouldn't be Mrs. Hall anymore. And then I could leave.
The temperature in the room dropped instantly. No one dared to make a sound.
