I Divorced Him, Now He's Begging Me Back!

Chapter 7

Their faces darkened, but no one answered.

The Hawthornes were a prominent family. They could hardly admit to such a scheme and invite public ridicule.

Sienna found them laughable. They all knew about Vanessa, and her gifts were sitting right in front of them, yet not one of them dared admit what was going on.

Sienna almost wondered what Vanessa thought she was getting out of all this. After all the effort she'd put into winning them over, the Hawthorne family still refused to openly acknowledge her relationship with Ethan.

Sienna would be divorced soon. Before long, she would no longer be a daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne family.

She was grateful that Evelyn had given her the ring, and even more grateful for Evelyn's acceptance and care. She would always remember that kindness. Those memories were enough.

As for the ring that symbolized her status as a daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne family, she no longer wanted it. She refused to let that title bind her any longer.

Without the slightest hesitation, Sienna yanked the ring off her finger and flung it toward them.

Victoria stared at her in disbelief. "What's with that attitude, Sienna? I told you, the ring belongs to the Hawthorne family. You're only giving it back to its rightful owners! Now pick up the ring."

Sienna didn't move. If anything, the whole scene seemed even more ridiculous. "You wanted it. Pick it up yourself."

Everyone stared at her, stunned by what she had done.

While she was alive, Evelyn had always hoped Sienna and Ethan would spend a happy lifetime together.

Once, Sienna had wanted the same thing.

She had loved Ethan with her whole heart. Back then, she could never have surrendered the ring that symbolized her place as the head of the Hawthorne family.

But she had finally awakened to the truth. Neither love nor marriage could ever be sustained by one person alone!

She would not keep guarding an empty relationship by herself!

The ring was no different. They had not abandoned her. She had simply stopped wanting anything they could offer. Every one of them deserved to be erased from her life!

Having thought it through, Sienna didn't hesitate any longer. She picked Zoey up and turned to leave.

Victoria chased after her, scolding as she reached out to grab her. Sienna sharply swatted her hand away, and Victoria lost her balance and fell to the floor.

Victoria opened her mouth, ready to make a scene and humiliate Sienna, but Sienna didn't even give her the chance. With Zoey in her arms, she strode out without looking back.

The room fell silent. The others stared at one another, and no one dared say another word.

When had Sienna become this tough, this hard to push around?

Zoey nestled quietly in her mother's arms. Perhaps even she understood that the Hawthorne family had never treated them kindly. The little girl tightened her hand around Sienna's fingers, silently trying to comfort her.

She had not gone far when she encountered Ethan's younger brother, Dylan Hawthorne.

He had been standing outside the floor-to-ceiling windows and had naturally overheard everything.

He sneered at her. "You actually tried to turn my mother against Vanessa? My mom watched her grow up. We're the real family here. Do you think a few accusations will suddenly make everyone like you?"

When Sienna didn't respond, he continued his attack. "You couldn't even win my brother's heart. All you do is irritate people and make them despise you. No wonder he's spent all these years longing for Vanessa and never once considered you good enough. You're pathetic!"

Sienna's expression chilled at the malice in his words.

But he didn't provoke her.

In the past, she had yielded to the Hawthornes only because she cared about Ethan.

Once a person stopped caring, the weakness disappeared.

She gave Dylan a scornful smile. "And what about you? In what way have you ever measured up to your brother? You don't even dare admit that you love Vanessa. Do you think insulting me and advertising your own inadequacy will make her spare you a second glance?"

As Dylan's face darkened, Sienna covered Zoey's ears and struck directly at his weakest point. "She didn't choose you back then. Now she's divorced and back in town, yet she'd rather be Ethan's mistress than have you. She wants a married man and still doesn't want you. Surely you understand what that makes you, a loser!"

Zoey watched her mother's lips in fascination and copied her. "A... loser."

Dylan had never dreamed that the timid, submissive Sienna who once endured everyone's abuse would dare insult him this way.

He stared at her in disbelief before exploding. "Who are you calling a loser, Sienna? How dare you!"

Sienna showed no fear. She looked at him with open contempt. "Calling you a loser is generous. You're pitiful, a man who can only hide in the shadows, coveting Vanessa while watching her flaunt her love for your brother. You'll spend your entire life living in Ethan's shadow!"

The words left Dylan nearly senseless with rage.

No matter how viciously he had mocked her in the past, Sienna had always swallowed her anger or avoided him altogether.

Now she had a cutting answer for everything!

'More importantly, wasn't Sienna hopelessly in love with Ethan? How could she speak so casually about Ethan and Vanessa displaying their affection?'

Dylan raged. "You have the nerve to call someone else pitiful? Look at yourself. You know my brother has been staying with Vanessa, don't you? Sooner or later, he'll throw you out. I can't wait to watch you cry and beg him not to divorce you!"

'Beg Ethan?'

She no longer wanted him. Why would she ever beg him to stay?

Perhaps she had failed in the past. She had wasted all her love on a man who didn't deserve it.

But at least she still had enough dignity to cut her losses!

Sienna gave Dylan a pitying look. "You're right. I could never compare to you! Keep clinging to your ridiculous little fantasy and defending Vanessa. Perhaps one day she'll finally notice you exist. And Ethan isn't leaving me. I'm discarding him because he's filthy. Since you know where he is, do me a favor and remind him that I sent the divorce settlement agreement to his email. If he can't find it, he can ask his assistant. Tell him to sign it as soon as possible!"

Having delivered the final insult, Sienna refused to waste another word on him. She carried Zoey away.

Behind her, Dylan stared after them in confusion. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Sienna?"

'What did she mean by saying Ethan was filthy? Could she really be giving up on my brother? No. That's impossible.'

Everyone who knew Sienna believed she loved Ethan so desperately that she would never let him go.

To them, her words probably sounded like nothing more than an empty bluff.

Sienna held Zoey close and took her home, refusing to let Dylan's provocation affect her mood.

Losing the ring left her somewhat melancholy.

But she had no regrets. The divorce had to happen.

The only question was when Ethan would finally come home.

Long after Sienna left, Dylan remained rooted to the spot. Her sudden defiance had stunned him, and the revelation that she intended to divorce Ethan left him speechless.

At last, he shook off his shock, took out his phone, and called Vanessa. "Hello, Vanessa..."