Chapter 3

3

My family had pleaded with me countless times.

Born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I could have enjoyed endless luxury without lifting a finger.

Why did I choose to suffer in poverty?

Because he was Hayden.

He was the boy I fell in love with at first sight, the man I wanted to protect with my life.

Because Hayden claimed he suffered from severe marriage anxiety, our wedding was delayed year after year.

"Rowena, I am sorry. I want to give you a real home, but I am terrified of commitment. I can't overcome this mental hurdle."

"I know it isn't fair to you."

Over seven years, Hayden repeated that exact excuse dozens of times.

Every single time, I simply hugged him tightly, feeling nothing but sympathy for his pain.

"It's okay. As long as we are together, a piece of paper and a ceremony mean nothing."

Back then, I was foolish enough to believe I was the luckiest woman alive.

That illusion shattered when Clara returned to the country.

Hayden started reconnecting with her immediately.

At first, I didn't think much of it.

Soon, everything began to spiral out of control.

"Clara isn't feeling well. I'm staying over at her place tonight."

"It's Clara's birthday. She has no friends here, so I'm taking her to dinner. Don't wait up."

"Clara has an out-of-town business trip. She can't manage on her own, so I'm going with her for a few days."

Hayden spent fewer and fewer nights at home, treating me with growing indifference.

Every other sentence out of his mouth revolved around Clara.

I tried confronting him, begging him to keep his distance from her.

Yet the moment Clara's name left my lips, Hayden blew his top.

He pointed his finger directly in my face, yelling:

"Clara and I grew up together! She has been through so much tragedy, what is wrong with me helping her out?"

"Rowena, I am a human being with the right to have friends! Stop being so damn controlling!"

My mother-in-law was always quick to back him up:

"Rowena, you are just venomous. Clara is a sweet girl I watched grow up. She and Hayden are practically brother and sister!"

"Besides, Clara has a thriving career and can actually help Hayden. Unlike you, completely useless and narrow-minded!"

"If Hayden had married Clara back then, our family would be living in absolute luxury right now!"

Useless? Narrow-minded?

A bone-chilling cold settled deep in my veins.

Hayden, I gave up everything to be with you.

I walked away from my family and turned my back on a multi-billion-dollar dynasty.

If I hadn't stayed with you, I would be running a corporate empire worth billions in Manhattan.

I wouldn't be scrubbing floors like an unpaid maid, serving you and your demanding parents every single day.

And after all that, I was mocked as useless just for questioning another woman's presence.

What was it all for?

It was all because I loved you.

Because I loved you, your needs were placed above everything else in my world.

Yet time erodes all gratitude.

Hayden had forgotten every sacrifice I made, leaving only endless disappointment and ceaseless accusations.

I was completely drained.

Gradually, I stopped fighting back.

Between constant screaming matches and silent withdrawal, I chose the latter.

I yielded step by step, enduring everything in silence.

At the beginning of this year, Hayden suddenly changed his attitude.

He finally proposed that we hold our long-overdue wedding ceremony.

I was overjoyed, genuinely believing that my patience and obedience had finally paid off.

Only now did I realize how delusional I had been.

My compliance had only fueled Clara's arrogance and made me utterly worthless in Hayden's eyes.

He dared to abandon me on our wedding day for Clara.

He dared to take family portraits with another woman and her child, flaunting it to the world.

I would never forget standing alone in that empty church, bearing the pitying stares of the guests.

I would never forget the suffocating humiliation when I saw his social media post.

Hayden, this time, I am truly letting you go.

After deciding on the divorce, I dialed my father's number for the first time in years.

"My sweet girl, now that you have finally seen the light, come home."

My father immediately had his executive assistant book my private flight back to New York.

I returned to the apartment to pack my bags.

The moment I pushed the door open, I found Hayden sitting on the couch, holding a crying infant.

"Where the hell have you been? You didn't pick up your phone! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"

He barked aggressively, looking ready to interrogate me.

The loud noise startled the baby, making him wail even louder.

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping Clara company? What are you doing here?"

I asked with absolute calm.

"Rowena, don't play dumb with me!"

"I already explained that these past few days were the anniversary of Clara's husband's death. She has nobody here, what is wrong with me being there for her?"

"I only came back to drop the baby off with you. Clara is unwell, and I have to take her to the hospital. I don't have time to babysit!"

He issued the commands without missing a beat.

Before I could react, Hayden shoved the screaming infant straight into my arms.

A wave of utter disgust washed over me.

Love had blinded me for seven years, but now I saw him for what he truly was: a shameless parasite.

He abandoned his own marriage just to cater to another woman.

Seeing me stand frozen, he clicked his tongue in irritation:

"Hurry up! Can't you hear him crying? Check if his diaper needs changing!"

"After you change him, make some slow-cooked chicken broth for Clara. Make sure the meat is tender. I'll take it to the hospital later!"

Even though my heart had turned to ash, hearing those demands still stung.

For seven years, I had treated him like an emperor.

I handled every chore, never letting him step foot in the kitchen.

Just two weeks ago, when I took a nasty fall down the stairs and broke my leg, he showed no remorse.

"Rowena, I'm craving homemade pot roast! Go make it right now!"

"You hurt your leg, not your hands. Hurry up, I'm starving!"

With my leg wrapped in a heavy plaster cast, I had stood at the stove cooking for him.

I had been stupid enough to think he was just spoiled and didn't know how to care for others.

Now I knew the truth.

It wasn't that he couldn't care for someone. He just never wanted to care for me.

My eyes welled with tears.

Seeing my red eyes, Hayden lost his aggressive posture and softened his tone:

"Rowena, look, I know ditching the wedding was wrong. If that upset you, I apologize."

"But you know I had an unavoidable emergency."

"How about this? We will redo the wedding anywhere you want. Didn't you want a beach ceremony in Maui? We'll go to Maui!"

"We have been together for seven years. How can you bring up breaking up over every little thing?"

"Alright, let's just turn the page. Go make the chicken broth."

Seeing that I remained completely unresponsive, panic flashed across his face, quickly morphing back into irritation:

"My own skin allergy is flaring up like crazy, and here I am begging you! Who do you think you are?"

"Rowena, this is the last time I will ever lower myself to coax you. Don't push your luck!"

"Are you completely blameless? What malicious motive did you have when you left that comment under my post?"

"I haven't even held you accountable for that yet, and you're already throwing another tantrum?"

I stared at the pathetic man before me and spoke quietly:

"I don't need your coaxing. We are over."

I set the baby down on the sofa, walked into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut.

Hayden pounded on the wood outside, shrieking in fury:

"Rowena! You are going to regret this!"