He Let Assistant Manage My Wealth, I Left Him

Chapter 4

I looked down at my hands, roughened by years of work.

My eyes burned. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Whether I eat is none of your business!"

"Odette! Watch your mouth!"

The car braked hard.

Griffith turned around, his brows drawn low.

"My wife is not some foulmouthed shrew! Apologize. Now!"

His shouting left my head ringing.

I felt pinned in place. Even breathing was difficult.

"Mr. Renshaw, let it go.

"She didn't mean it. I forgive her."

Annika's soft tone made her forgiveness sound like charity.

It took me a long time to recover my voice.

"Griffith, I haven't done anything wrong.

"Why should I apologize?!"

My throat was so dry it hurt, distorting my voice.

Griffith gave a cold snort.

"So you won't apologize?

"Then get the hell out!"

The rear door flew open, and the downpour swept into the car.

Griffith threw me out.

Icy rain pelted my face and body. He lowered his window, his expression grim.

"Odette, I'll ask you one more time. Are you going to apologize?"

"No..."

Before I'd finished, the car shot away.

Cold, foul-smelling muddy water splashed over my head and face.

I stood in the rain, bedraggled and utterly dazed.

My phone rang again.

"Ms. Peverell, are you coming or not?!

"It's been 1 hour! Even if you lived in the suburbs, you should be here by now!

"Is the woman in that room even your mother?!"

The nurse's anger almost burned through the phone.

I gripped it hard, unable to answer a single word.

In the end, I called a taxi and stumbled desperately into the hospital.

Mom was out of danger by then.

She took my hand, her eyes reddening.

"Odette, what have you done to yourself?

"You used to... smile so much...

"Has Griffith been treating you badly?"

Her words kept circling in my ears.

I looked at my reflection in the hospital window. I was so worn down I barely recognized myself.

The tears suddenly started, and I couldn't stop them.

After returning from the hospital, I sat on the living room couch until dark.

Then the door opened.

Griffith came in smelling of alcohol.

Annika was beside him, her cheeks flushed and a vivid red hickey at the base of her neck.

"Mrs. Renshaw, please don't get the wrong idea.

"At his family dinner tonight, the relatives insisted we weren't really married and asked us to prove it.

"So Mr. Renshaw..."

She lowered her head, feigning embarrassment, and tugged her neckline even lower.

A sharp ache hit me in the chest.

Griffith walked toward the bedroom, loosening his tie as though nothing had happened.

"You don't owe her an explanation."

My fingers dug into my palm. I pulled the divorce agreement from my bag and was about to speak.

But Griffith emerged again, carrying a suitcase.

"Mrs. Renshaw, some of our business partners are taking their spouses on an out-of-town inspection trip.

"Mr. Renshaw and I are going together. For about... 2 months?"

Annika couldn't hide the triumph in her eyes.

I looked away and put the divorce agreement back in my bag.

Then I spoke calmly.

"Griffith, let's get divorced."

"What did you say?!"

He sounded stunned. Anger quickly gathered in his face.

"Odette, I work myself to death for this family. All I've asked is for you to learn to declutter.

"And your answer is to demand a divorce?!"

He yanked his tie loose and stormed back and forth across the living room.

Finally, he kicked the suitcase over.

"Fine! You want a divorce! You have two months. Get the household finances in order, and I'll sign!"

He forced each word through clenched teeth.

Then he strode out.

I stood silently for a while. Then, all at once, I laughed.

I was getting that divorce.

I wasn't going to be his unpaid maid and punching bag anymore. Before I married him, I'd earned 1 million dollars a year. Why should I spend my life juggling his 3,000 dollars?

*****

2 months later.

Back from his business trip, Griffith hurried home.

He kept picking up his phone to check it.

There wasn't a single message from me.

"Mr. Renshaw, there's no way your wife's figured out how to manage a household. But Mr. Winslow's secretary just called. Apparently he's only free tonight —"

Annika held her phone, sounding conflicted.

Griffith's brows drew together.

After a few seconds, he spoke coldly.

"Turn around."

The car changed course for the Winslow family's dinner party in Bellwick.

Annika walked in on his arm, looking pleased with herself.

A moment later, she stopped dead.

She murmured in disbelief.

"Is that... Odette?

"How is she wearing a couture gown and all that jewelry? I only gave her 3,000 dollars. Did she take out a loan?"

Griffith followed her gaze.

The instant he saw me, he froze.