Noticing Calla's downcast eyes and expressionless face, Mercer frowned slightly. Then, he turned away in disappointment.After seeing Mercer off, Jasmine returned and sighed at Calla's desolate demeanor. "Mrs. Garland, can't you lower your pride a little? How can you keep a man like this?"Jasmine shook her head and left thereafter. Calla watched Jasmine's retreating figure, wondering if lowering her pride would make him stay. If it could make Mercer love her, she would be willing to do it a thousand times, ten thousand times even. But she feared that no matter how much she lowered her pride, he would still look at her in disdain.…In the following days, Mercer didn't appear again. Carol visited now and then with homemade soup, always asking why she hadn’t seen her son-in-law. Calla always evaded the question, either saying Mercer was busy with work or that he was on a business trip.Fortunately, Carol didn’t press further. She had seen Simon bringing various groceries and
Half a month passed quickly, and Calla's complexion gradually improved. Although she was still melancholic, she had regained some of her vitality to some extent.One sunny afternoon, the winter sun was especially warm. Seeing Calla cooped up inside every day, Jasmine kindly suggested, "Mrs. Garland, you've been recovering for a while now. The weather is so nice outside, why don't you go out for a walk?""I still feel drained," Calla replied. She had been lethargic these past few days—lounging on the couch, her mind elsewhere. Today marked a month since what was supposed to be the birth of her baby.She also wondered if Mercer would come back to propose divorce?She both longed for and dreaded this day. She longed for it because she would finally be free. Yet, she dreaded it because it would mean they were truly over."The more you lie around, the worse you'll feel. It's better to go out and clear your mind," Jasmine advised.Calla frowned but finally heeded Jasmine's words. Aft
When Mercer saw Harlan and Calla together in the distance, his face visibly darkened.After a few seconds, he rolled up the car window and said to Simon in front, "Back to the company.""Yes, Mr. Garland." Simon didn't dare say more. Thus, he turned the wheel and drove off.Hearing Calla's self-deceptive words, Harlan frowned. He asked, "Is this what you want?"Calla knew this was the perfect chance to make him give up completely. Steeling herself, she smiled and said, "I live in a mansion. I ride in luxury cars and have ample pieces of jewelry. These are every woman's ultimate goals. Now that I'm the CEO's wife, what more could I possibly want?"Hearing this, Harlan released her shoulders. His eyes filled with hurt. Then, he sneered, "So you're such a shallow woman after all. I'm so sorry I ever thought you were different.""That's why you shouldn't think about me anymore. You deserve better." Calla gave him a faint smile and then turned to leave.She didn't look back, not wa
Calla stopped a few steps away from Mercer and Sophie. She watched as the smiling saleswoman behind the counter introduced their products."Sir, miss, are you choosing wedding rings? We house world-renowned brands, top-notch designs, and premium diamonds.""I'd like to see this one," Sophie said, pointing to a ring in the display case."Miss, you have excellent taste. This eight-arrow and eight-heart design symbolizes a perfect match. The main stone is 4.5 carats of pure quality. It's our store's treasure. "It's been here for over a year without a buyer because it's so expensive," the saleswoman explained while smiling brightly.Call understood they were here to buy wedding rings. It looked like they were already preparing for the wedding. Her days as his wife were numbered!Calla stared at Mercer's profile for a few seconds before quickly turning to Alicia.Alicia tried to console her, "Calla, let it go. He's not meant for you.""Don't worry. I have no feelings for him. Why w
Calla first had the cab driver drop Alicia off at her place before heading home herself. As soon as she entered the hallway, Jasmine ran over excitedly. She whispered, "Mrs. Garland, Mr. Garland is back and waiting for you in the living room!"Calla's heart skipped a beat at the news. Wasn't he supposed to be buying a ring with Sophie? Why was he back so soon? Maybe they were in a rush to get married and wanted to settle the divorce quickly.She changed into her slippers and walked into the living room. Her eyes met Mercer’s briefly before she went to the couch. Then, she tossed the package containing the diamond necklace onto the coffee table and sat down."Let's get to the point. What do you want?" Calla's face was cold."This is my home. Do I need a reason to see my wife?" Mercer frowned.Calla let out a cold laugh. "If I'm not mistaken, this wife hasn't seen her husband for a whole month, right?"Mercer was at a loss for words, which Calla took as him having nothing to sa
So, Mercer had seen Calla and Harlan. For a moment, Calla opened and closed her mouth, unsure of how to explain herself. She wondered if there was even a need to explain anymore.But her silence looked like guilt and helplessness to Mercer. He questioned her, "Are you planning to be with him after our divorce?""Don't you want to divorce me? You went to Sophie before we even split. Didn't you send me to that godforsaken place, Butterfly Hill, because I was in your way? If you want a divorce, just say it. "Do you have to push all the blame onto others and pretend to be the victim? When did you become so hypocritical? If you want to be with Sophie, fine—I'll let you. We didn't get together out of love anyway," Calla shouted, voicing the grievances she had kept hidden for so long.Mercer stared at Calla coldly. There was a hint of shock in his eyes. He probably never imagined that this was how Calla viewed him.After a moment, he nodded. "Fine, if you want a divorce so much, there's
At 8:30 am the next day, Calla arrived at the courthouse right on time. The weather was especially gloomy, matching her mood. She wore a black coat and had put on light makeup to look better, but it couldn't hide her slightly swollen eyes.When Calla arrived, Mercer was not there yet. She glanced at her watch. He was five minutes late, which was unusual since he was always punctual. She wondered why he was late today.A moment later, a black figure suddenly walked into the lobby, followed by Simon as per usual. Mercer looked stern, his black cashmere coat sharply tailored. There was a bit of stubble on his jaw, which only added to his rugged charm. He was still a man who women couldn't take their eyes off.Calla's eyes met his for a second before she lowered her gaze. Her heart was in turmoil but she was unwilling to let him see any sign of it.Mercer gave Simon a look, prompting him to greet Calla. "Mrs. Garland, have you spoken to a clerk?"Calla was bewildered. She had neve
The young man said to Simon, "Sir, are you here to get a divorce? I'm number three in the queue. Would you like to take my place?"Simon frowned upon hearing this. They had tried their best to delay the inevitable, and now this person suddenly appeared."I don't think that's necessary. You should keep it for yourselves," Simon said quickly, glancing at Mercer's ashen face."It's okay. We're not getting a divorce. We've patched things up!" The young man grinned, holding the woman's hand, and she looked just as happy.Simon was speechless. He had handled many tricky situations for Mercer, but he never encountered something so odd.While Simon hesitated, Calla looked at Mercer. His hands were in his coat pockets. His face was ice-cold, and his anger probably hadn't subsided yet.The next moment, Calla made up her mind. She took the number slip from the young man, and exclaimed, "Thank you!"Calla's action stunned Simon, and Mercer's brow twitched slightly."Number three, please pr