He Rated My Marriage Failed, I Dumped Him

Chapter 4

It was pouring rain on the day of our divorce. I had forgotten my umbrella and was soaked to the bone. Now that the divorce cooling-off period was over, the paperwork was processed quickly.

Holding that thin divorce certificate, I watched expressionlessly as Damian and Bianca walked hand-in-hand into the City Hall. By the time they emerged, I was still standing under the eaves, waiting for the rain to stop.

Seeing my disheveled state, Bianca smirked. "Ms. Shaw, would you like me to have Damian drive you home?"

I shook my head gently. "No, thank you."

Her smile didn't waver, but her eyes filled with mockery. "That's why a woman needs a career of her own and financial independence. A housewife who isn't independent or clear-headed will only end up being eliminated, eventually."

I glanced at her calmly and smiled. "Well said, Ms. Frost. Then I wish for you, such a clear-headed and independent woman, that you won't be subject to rank-and-yank in the future."

She didn't seem to take my words to heart, linking arms with Damian as they walked away. Damian never looked at me once, as if I were nothing more than an insignificant pebble on the side of the road.

Yet, he hadn't always been this way. We were college sweethearts; he was the one who pursued me. He once said that my drive was brighter than all the stars in his eyes. In truth, I felt the same about him. We were both complete idealists. We would volunteer together and donate our savings to underprivileged rural communities. We promised each other that we would achieve greatness in our respective fields and rise to the top together.

When did everything start to change?

It was probably when his father had a sudden heart attack. The hospital said the surgery required a waiting list, but his father couldn't wait. He was frantic, seeking help everywhere, and only managed to schedule the surgery after pulling strings through a distant relative. That day, squatting in the hospital hallway, he smoked and said to me, "Sylvie, I finally see it clearly. Emotions, ideals, dreams. They're all empty. In this world, only money, interests and connections are real."

After that, he was like a different person, increasingly cold and selfish. He quantified everything, including himself. And now, even for his infidelity, he had his own set of justifications. How ironic.

A phone ring interrupted my thoughts. I answered and heard a familiar voice on the other end. "Sylvia, have you finished the procedures? The client specifically requested you. Shall I send a car to pick you up?"

I smiled. "Sure, thank you, Mr. Thornton."

What Damian didn't know was that I had never given up my career. For two years, I had maintained a remote working status. After all, my job involved tailoring service systems for clients. Even without being physically present, my coordination and integration abilities remained unaffected.

And that "marital system" of his? I was the one who built it from the ground up using my professional skills. I once thought that, as a service systems consultant, the family I built with Damian would be my proudest achievement. But now it seemed, it was my biggest failure. Damian, I'd like to see if you can maintain your polished, glamorous life without me.