RESCUED

Chapter 1 "Come back here, you little brat!" Ray exclaimed, panting and shouting. He furiously threw the envelope as Lynette had offered him the divorce documents which she got from their family lawyer. "I'm not surprised by your actions. You've deliberately made my life miserable," She responded with a pained expression. "I don't see why you're in pain. Just sign the documents and let me be Ray! She continued. "I'm sick and tired of this, Ray. I'm not a happy woman. I have no time of my own..." Lynette trailed off, her voice filled with frustration. "Shut up!" Ray interrupted. "What have you ever wanted that I haven't given to you? We don't pay rent, and you only have to work for me to eat. Or is your laziness the reason behind the offer to sign the documents?" he sneered. "No, I'm not doing that. And don't ever bring up this issue again," Ray firmly stated. Ray slammed the door and left, leaving Lynette in a state of despair. She couldn't hold herself as tears ran down her eyes. Forcing him to sign those documents had always been a struggle, and it took a toll on her as she couldn't seem to come up with any other plans. "What have I done to myself? How did I get into this mess?" Lynette thought to herself, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of her marriage to Ray. Their relationship had started as a sweet love journey. They seemed like the perfect couple, sharing the same thoughts and being the envy of the town. But Ray's true character soon came to light. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing, lazy and manipulative. Lynette had resorted to working as a banquet server at the Binges Restaurant just to make ends meet. Even with her meager earnings, she had always made sure to meet all of Ray's demands. But his constant deceitful behavior had made life a living hell for her. She was even forced to pay off a hundred thousand debt that he had racked up, acting as his guarantor when he had signed the documents. The buzzing sound of her phone interrupted Lynette's thoughts. "Hello, Lynette! How are you doing?" her mother's voice came through the line, bringing some relief to her distress. Her mother had called to remind her of the medication that she had promised to get for her. "I'm coming to your place now, Mom," Lynette responded, wanting to dismiss her mother from making more requests. Her mother suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, and Lynette had always been the one to bear the cost of her medication. It had become a burden, but she couldn't bear to see her mother in agony. The distance to her mother's place was a short walk, as Lynette had insisted on having her live nearby. She took a deep breath and put on a smile, not wanting to worry her mother with her troubles. The persistent issue of rheumatoid arthritis has long plagued my mother, and I have always borne the responsibility of funding her medication. However, her condition has reached a critical point, and I can see the agony etched on her face as she confesses to me. The distance to her place was always a short walk, as I insisted on keeping her close to me. Suppressing my emotions, I put on a calm facade to avoid any questioning from her. "How are you, mom?" I asked softly, trying to hide my inner turmoil. She smiled, but the constant rubbing of her legs betrayed her true state. "Oh honey, I'm fine," she responded. Knowing her too well, I furrowed my brows, knowing that she was far from fine. The fear of losing her weighed heavily on my mind. "How's work going, Lynette?" she inquired, trying to divert the conversation. "It's fine, mom. Have you taken your daily medication?" I asked, concerned for her well-being. "Oh, you know me, I never miss a dose," she replied cheerfully. "How's your husband, Ray?" she asked, seemingly innocently. I knew where this line of questioning would lead, so I chose to ignore it. "More arguments at home?" she asked further. Shaking my head, I quickly replied, "No, mom. We're doing well." My relationship with Ray is always a source of conflict, which was why I had made the difficult decision to file for divorce. Mom was not surprised by my statement. Instead, she placed a comforting hand on my back and smiled. She had always known me to be a peacekeeper, even when it meant putting up with my troubled marriage to Ray. "Are you sure you want a divorce, Lynette?" she asked gently, knowing that I tended to second-guess my decisions. "Relationships are never perfect, dear. Perhaps you should think things over before making a final decision," she advised. Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and I turned to see who would come to our doorstep at this hour. To my surprise, it was Ray. "The scent of the rose spine flower and the bag caught my attention," I noted as he entered, carrying a bag full of goodies and a bouquet. I let out a sigh and opened the door, pretending that everything was fine between us. "Here's yours Mom," he said, placing the bag in my hands before walking over to greet her with a hug. "How are you doing, Mom?" he asked, his tone gentle and sincere. "I'm good, Ray," she replied, returning his smile innocently. As they chatted, I stood there, feeling the heaviness in my legs as I struggled to keep a composed front, burdened with hatred towards Ray. "I didn't expect to see you here. What are you doing here?" I finally asked, unable to hold it in any longer. The way he made a gesture towards my question, walking purposefully towards me, irritated me deeply. He then offered me a bouquet of flowers, but I quickly snapped at him. "We are settling this once and for all, Ray," I stated firmly. In response, he pushed me against the wall and planted a deep, passionate kiss on my lips. At that moment, I was completely taken aback. Ray had a way of turning things around on me, and this was no exception. Gently pulling away, I led him out onto the pavement. I had put up with a lot from him, but not this time. His soft voice broke the silence. "Lynette, what if we make love here tonight? Maybe we can finally have a child of our own," Ray proposed. I was speechless, caught off guard by his suggestion. It was a tempting thought, but I couldn't let myself fall for it. Not this time.