Chapter 8

Back then, Silvia had been so deeply in love that she didn’t care how deep the fall was. She had always stubbornly insisted that their relationship would improve after marriage, even more so after she gave birth to his child.

'My parents, grandparents, and many other marriages started out this way. They worked out, didn't they?' That was what she told herself at that time.

'Many couples have fallen deeply in love and experienced many obstacles in their lives. But at the very end of it, most of them continue striving in their relationship just to raise their children well. Isn't that the case most of the time?'

However, she had no idea that Ryan's heart was made of stone. No matter how much she tried to love and please the man, he didn't reciprocate her feelings at all.

With Silvia hanging up on him again, Ryan got so angry that he slammed the landline phone back in place. Then, he flung himself backwards into his chair.

Pinching his nose bridge, he thought furiously, 'Just look at her attitude! How cocky is she? How dare she hang up on me over and over again?!'

'Looks like I've been too merciful towards her.'

Picking up the phone again, he gave specific orders to his lawyer. "Inform her lawyer that I'm willing to go through with the divorce. However, I definitely won’t let her have custody of our daughter!"

He wanted to see just how this woman could possibly continue insisting on the divorce when her daughter meant the world to her.

'Besides, didn't she also say that I meant the world to her, and that she won't be able to live a life without me? What's the point of insisting a divorce?'

After discussing further details with his lawyer, Ryan immediately started focusing on work instead.

As the CEO of a large company, he was in control of all the employees' fates as well. He didn't have much extra time to run this circus show with Silvia. The saying 'time is money' was incredibly accurate when it came to him.

Silvia was dumbfounded when she heard from her lawyer that the man had refused to give up custody of their daughter.

She couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't Autumn's primary caretaker. She had always been by Autumn’s side since the little one’s birth, and took care of almost everything in Autumn’s life.

If Ryan became Autumn’s primary guardian after the divorce, it meant that the mother and daughter would forever be separated. Thinking about this was enough to suffocate Silvia’s heart. She couldn't allow going further down that scenario.

‘I’ll go insane without my daughter! I won’t be able to live on!’

Her mind was now filled with a mixture of anger and panic. She paced around the house, her expression twisted.

Rosaline was still at home at the time. Since she worked at a beauty salon, her work hours were rather late. Seeing how anxious Silvia looked, she immediately dragged the latter to the couch and sat Silvia down.

“What happened? Tell me.”

Silvia was extremely emotional. “The lawyer said Pierce won’t give me primary custody. What should I do, Rosa? You know how important Autumn is to me! I can’t do this without her!”

She obviously hadn’t expected Ryan to fight for custody at all. She thought he had no bond with the child, and wouldn’t want custody of her.

Besides that, Autumn would get in between him and Mariah’s love story. Hence, she didn’t quite understand why Ryan just had to gain custody of her. He could’ve just handed Autumn over to Silvia and let her leave the city, and spend his eternity with Mariah without any other worries.

Hearing all about this, Rosaline narrowed her eyes in frustration as well. However, she composed herself and tried consoling Silvia.

“He’s still Autumn’s father, so it’s natural for him to fight for custody. Don’t worry so much though, I think you’d still have a chance if you just…talk to him.”

Silvia shook her head with a bittersweet smile. “No, Rosaline, you don’t know him.”

“I’ve announced my intent to divorce in front of everyone. I’ve humiliated and upset him.Fighting for custody is likely revenge on his end, and he just wants me to suffer.”

After calming down, Silvia was able to rationally analyze Ryan’s purpose.

She had been with Ryan for five years, after all; it would be hard not to understand his temperament. He might not hold a grudge with anyone else, but he had always resented her, which was why he wouldn’t let her off so easily.

Rosaline was only her friend, and wouldn’t know much about Ryan. Rosaline was slightly perplexed at the revelation, and asked, “So what are you going to do now?”

Silvia let out a long sigh, trying her best to cheer herself up. “What else can I do? I’ve already gone this far, so I don’t mind taking this to court.”

Rosaline stared at her, trying to come up with something. “Do you think… He actually doesn’t want a divorce, but doesn’t want to admit it? Is that why he’s purposefully giving you a hard time?”

No matter what, Rosaline still didn’t want to see her friend going through such a horrible experience. Being a single mother was very difficult in this day and age.

Silvia burst out in laughter after hearing that, but Rosaline had a feeling that her laughing sounded sadder than her crying.

Silvia then walked towards the window, crossing her arm as she observed the passing cars. A short pause later, she said, “Sommers has been back for more than two weeks now, right? Do you know where she’s been living this whole time?”

Rosaline seemed to have understood the situation entirely after this, so she decided not to add anything else. ‘Sommers is definitely living in one of Pierce’s properties. Why else would Silvia’s expression be this sad?’

Silvia didn’t turn around. “He hasn’t been home for half the time during the past two weeks. Do you know where he’s been?”

Rosaline had been through the same pains, and could only sigh at that.

Silvia turned around to look at Rosaline, her eyes were filled with absolute despair. “So, Rosa, why wouldn’t he want to divorce?”

In actuality, Silvia had no idea about any of this before she turned her phone on this morning. Her phone had been switched off for the entire night, and she later found text messages from Mariah Sommers the next morning.

Mariah basically thanked her for agreeing to a divorce and allowing them to get back together.

She even mentioned that she had been back for more than two weeks, and that Ryan slept over at her place whenever he wasn’t home during this period of time.

Reading all that made Silvia realize that she was a complete fool.

If she had known, she wouldn’t have tried to bear another child in hopes of improving their marriage. If she had known, she wouldn’t even let Ryan touch her in the slightest.

All she felt right now was sheer disgust.

Last night, she was actually a little doubtful about the divorce when she put herself in her daughter’s shoes.

However, those texts immediately killed any doubt she had inside her heart.