Don't Divorce Me

At Ryan Villa on Lakeshore, the early morning light filtered through the windows. After a wild and passionate night, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Regina Walker, now fully dressed, sat on the edge of the bed and stared blankly at her husband's lit phone screen. A message had just come in, accompanied by a selfie: Colt, thanks for the gift. I love it. In the photo, the girl playfully covered her eyes with her hand, while a pink diamond ring sparkled on her middle finger. It was the same ring Colt Ryan had spent 30 million dollars on at an auction just two weeks ago. The media had gone wild at the time, speculating that the ring was a gift for his mysterious wife. They even praised their marriage as “rock solid,” calling them a match made in heaven. But now, that very ring was on someone else's finger. Regina blinked back tears and forced a bitter smile. Regina and Colt had known each other for years. She'd been in love with him for seven of them. Both their families used to be equally well off, but Regina's family later fell from grace. It was only because of a drunken mistake two years ago—when she and Colt ended up in bed together—that she'd even gotten the chance to marry him. Regina had always known Colt never really cared for her. She knew about the women he kept outside. But this was the first time his mistress had challenged her so blatantly. The soft sound of the bathroom door sliding open pulled Regina from her thoughts. Colt stepped out with only a bath towel slung low on his waist. He was drying his hair with another towel, yet water still dripped from his hair, down his neck, over his chest, and disappeared beneath the towel. He was he embodiment of raw, unapologetic s*x appeal. Noticing Regina's eyes on him, Colt strolled over. Without a word, he plucked the phone from her hand, glanced at the screen with the briefest frown, and then tossed it aside. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he stroked her skin as he spoke in a low, teasing voice, "Why looking at me like that? Didn't get enough of it, huh?" Colt didn't bother explaining anything, and Regina knew why. The reason he could give a ring to another woman and still act like nothing happened was because he knew she was financially dependent on him. Bitterness welled up inside her. Gritting her teeth, she took his hand and asked, "Colt, I don't want to stay cooped up at home every day. One of my friends opened a shop... Can I go help her?" Colt gave her a careless smile and said, "What could you possibly help her with? You'll just end up asking me to sort it out if things go south. Isn't staying home and being a full-time housewife good enough for you?" He clearly didn't take her seriously. His tone was patronizing, filled with subtle disdain, as if it were a joke. With a dismissive laugh, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her back toward the bed. Regina's eyes dimmed as she bit down on her lower lip. Before they got married, she had been a well-known prodigy, a composer whose work could fetch millions. And now? Now, he acted like she wasn't capable of anything. Colt didn't seem to notice the shift in her mood. He leaned in, ready to kiss her, but just then, his phone rang. It was a call from his secretary. Annoyance flickered in his eyes as he let go of Regina and answered. He didn't bother stepping but just answered it right in front of Regina. She caught the faint mention of "Ms. Carlson" from the other end, and Colt's expression tightened ever so slightly. After hanging up, he didn't say a word to her but just turned on his heel and walked out. 'Ms. Carlson? Is that his latest fling?' Regina thought. Watching his retreating figure, Regina felt an icy chill settle over her. But what could she do? She had no choice but to keep her feelings in check. A few minutes later, she got up and started tidying the closet that Colt had left in disarray. She picked up his discarded clothes and took them to the bathroom. That evening, just as Regina was getting ready for bed, she got a phone call from the hospital. "Mrs. Ryan, your mother's condition has worsened. She needs emergency surgery. We need you to come down and sign the forms immediately." Panic gripped Regina's chest, and she immediately rushed out to hail a cab. At the hospital, after signing the surgery consent forms, she was left standing outside the operating room as the doors closed again. Looking down at the bill in her hand, Regina swallowed her tears and dialed Colt's number. Each ring felt like a stab, dragging out her anxiety. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he picked up. Regina spoke in an anxious tone, desperation clear in her voice. "Colt, can you transfer me some money?" "I'm not in Lakeshore right now. Contact my secretary." His tone was indifferent, almost bored. Regina bit her lip, her voice trembling. "But it's my mom, she—" Before she could finish, a woman's voice chimed in on the other end, "Colt, are you ready yet?" Regina's words instantly choked in her throat. 'He's with another woman now?' Colt didn't catch Regina's half-finished plea and hurriedly cut her off. "I've got stuff to handle now. I'll bring you back something nice." And with that, Colt hung up the phone. The dial tone buzzed in her ear as tears blurred her vision. But she didn't have the luxury to dwell on whether Colt was with another woman. Wiping her eyes, she dialed Colt's secretary, Phyllis. Her voice wavered, barely concealing the pleading tone. "Phyllis, my mom's in the hospital, and the surgery costs 200 grand. Colt told me to ask you for the money." "Mrs. Ryan, 200 grand isn't exactly pocket change. I'll have to run it by Mr. Ryan tomorrow. Once he approves, I'll get back to you." Phyllis was Colt's secretary and also his alumna. She'd always harbored feelings for Colt and thought Regina was nothing more than a pretty face living off his money. Her words might've been polite, but her tone was cold and dismissive. Before Regina could respond, Phyllis hung up on her, taking the decision into her own hands. Regina couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She was broke, with no way to pay for her mother's surgery. What was she supposed to do now? "Regina?" A familiar voice suddenly broke through Regina's despair. Startled, she looked up to see a face she hadn't seen in years. "Gavin?" Gavin Steve had just finished surgery when he spotted a girl sitting on the bench outside the operating room. It took him a moment to recognize it was Regina, the girl who used to live next door, back when the Walker family still had money. He hadn't seen her since they moved away. Now, here she was, crying her eyes out in the hospital. He sat down beside her, concern etched on his face. "What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?" Through choked sobs, Regina explained everything—her mother's hospitalization, the surgery, and her complete lack of funds to pay for it. After listening to her story, Gavin nodded in understanding. He then said without hesitation, "Don't worry about it. I'll cover the surgery costs for now." Regina blinked in disbelief, and her first instinct was to refuse. But Gavin cut her off before she could get the words out. He gave her a reassuring pat on the back, his voice calm and steady. "You need the money now, so just don't turn me down. Regina stared at him for a few moments before nodding, overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thank you, Gavin. I swear I'll pay you back as soon as I can." Gavin just smiled and waved it off. After settling the payment, he left to get back to work, while Regina felt some of the tension in her chest finally ease. Just then, a notification popped up on Regina's phone. It was a news alert, and Colt's name was in the headline. Almost by instinct, she tapped on it and read through the article. As she scrolled, her heart turned cold. So that was why Colt couldn't be bothered to answer her calls. While she was here, terrified for her mother's life, he was off attending some awards gala with another woman. He didn't love her, and even his secretary treated her like a nuisance. So why was she still holding on? A bitter smile tugged at Regina's lips as she stared at the screen. 'It's time to end the marriage,' she thought with a sneer.