All Chapters of Just a Kiss? Time for Divorce: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

I rubbed my stomach, still sore from the miscarriage, and thought, 'I'm sorry, little one. You came at the wrong time.'Swallowing both physical and emotional pain, I replayed Melanie Jacobson's video.Her flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes, and overflowing affection filled the screen. Below, comments were already flooding in.[I was there! I swear, Steven and Melanie were full-on French kissing!][Wow! Steven's got moves. No wonder she looks so dazed. Did you see Lanie's face?][Still stands: women outside smell sweeter than the wife at home!]The video ended as they finally pulled apart, after what felt like forever.More teasing comments piled up, and Melanie selectively replied to a few.Melanie: [Come on, guys, don't start rumors! Steve and I are just bros—good pals!]Melanie: [Keep saying things like that, and Roly-Poly might get mad, lol!]The "Roly-Poly" she referred to? That would be me, Anya Rouse.When I was a kid, I had to take steroids for a medical condition, which

Chapter 2

Right, Steven and I dated for seven years and were married for five.Back in school, my pursuit of him had been practically the talk of the campus.After getting married, we moved into my parents' unused villa.I had handed over my savings to help him start a business, and my father had pulled every string he could to make it a success.Within five years, Steven became the sought-after Mr. Cobham.At our wedding, he had vowed in front of everyone, "Anya, I swear to love and cherish you forever."I believed him so much that I quietly stepped out of the spotlight, giving him full control of the company.However, his newfound wealth had brought along his high school crush, Melanie, whom he hired as his personal assistant.In the past, I might have thrown a tantrum, screamed, or cried. Every time I did, Steven would look down on me, scolding me for being unreasonable and insecure.What he didn't know was that while he had been busy kissing Melanie today, I had bled while drinking

Chapter 3

The string in my mind suddenly snapped. At that moment, everything became clear.Seven years of love couldn't compete with a single sweet sentence from Melanie.My soul felt drained from my body. Exhausted, I collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep.When I woke up the next morning, as expected, Steven still wasn't home.My stomach growled, so I opened my phone and searched for a restaurant I'd always wanted to try. If my heart couldn't be full, at least my stomach could be.…After driving to the restaurant, I walked in and froze.There they were—Steven and Melanie—leaning close to each other, like a pair of love-struck teenagers.Steven noticed me first, his expression souring with irritation."Anya, are you stalking me now?" His voice was sharp, cutting. "How pathetic can you get?"I sighed, weary beyond words. It felt like a cruel joke that I had to witness this scene."No, I'm just here to eat," I replied.This restaurant was a famous romantic hotspot I had mentio

Chapter 4

When I arrived at my parents' house, my father looked surprised and asked, "Sweetheart, what brings you home?"I kept my head down, saying nothing.My mother's face darkened when she noticed my puffy, tear-streaked eyes."Annie," she asked, "tell me—did Steven hurt you?"A lump formed in my throat, and I fought back tears."Mom, Dad… Steven cheated on me. I want a divorce," I said.My mother pulled me into a tight hug, her voice trembling. "Then that's what we'll do. If you've made up your mind, we'll support you."Back in my old room, I noticed my phone had been on silent.Dozens of missed calls lit up the screen.Before I could ignore them, the phone rang again.Steven's angry voice barked on the other end, "Anya, where the hell are you? Do you think divorce is a joke? I'm giving you one hour to get back here! You still have 59 minutes…"I rolled my eyes at his audacity."The papers are on the table. Don't forget to sign them," I said.Without waiting for a response, I h

Chapter 5

I stared at the photo for a long time, lost in thought.My mom approached quietly, patting my shoulder. "Annie, Tracy's son, Liam, just returned to the country. Let's have a meal together soon."She hesitated, watching me closely.I knew what she was trying to do—introduce me to someone she thought would be a good match.She worried I'd reject the idea outright, given my lifelong stance as an advocate for "free love."I gave her a faint, unreadable smile. "Okay."Maybe it was guilt—knowing I still caused my parents to worry even at my age. Or maybe I had realized that my taste in men had been disastrously poor.The "true love" I believed in had turned out to be a sham. Perhaps love built on shared values and equal footing would last longer.My mom lit up, relieved I wasn’t opposing her plan, and rubbed her hands together in excitement. "That's great. Really great!"I glanced at my father. "Dad, can you lend me some money? I want to start a new business."Without a word, he tr

Chapter 6

Upon hearing this, a wave of disgust washed over me.I recalled one particular day when Steven mentioned he wanted barbecue ribs. Braving the scorching sun, I had bought fresh ribs and prepared a beautiful plate of sticky, savory goodness, delivering it to his office.I had been overjoyed, hoping he'd savor my cooking. Instead, Melanie had sent me a photo of her "puppy" eating the ribs.Melanie: [Anya, Steve doesn't like salty food. Go lighter on the salt next time, okay?]The memory stung, but as I looked at the disheveled man before me, all I felt was contempt.Steven had relished the thrill of chasing Melanie, basking in her playful charm and the emotional validation she offered. Now, he wanted the comfort and reliability I once provided.He wanted it both ways.Unfortunately, the world didn't work like that.I laughed coldly, raising my voice. "Steven, you're shameless. When you kissed Melanie at the wedding, did you think about my feelings? When you took her on the Ferris

Chapter 7

Not long after, I received Melanie's texts.Melanie: [Don't think you can use divorce as a threat to steal Steve's love!]Melanie: [He loves me. Steve's company, his money, his house—everything will be mine.]Melanie: [I'm about to become the boss's wife!]I replied to her calmly.Anya: [Well, the truth is, you're just a mistress.]Melanie shot back.Melanie: [Only the one who isn't loved is the mistress.]Oh, the poor fool. She probably didn't even know the house was in my name.Speaking of the company... I created a group chat with a few trusted former colleagues from my old workplace—those who were competent and reliable.I told them about my new venture and extended an invitation. The pay would be the same, and commissions would only get better.The response was overwhelming.[Anya, we've had enough of the chaos caused by that woman Mr. Cobham brought in!][She acts like she owns the place, demotes anyone who used to have a good relationship with you, and makes life un

Chapter 8

Hearing Steven's words, I felt nothing. No anger, no sadness—just nothing.It was true. Once you stopped loving someone, indifference was all that remained."Steven, I called you over ten times that day, and you rejected every single one," I said coldly. "And what were you doing during that time? Oh, right. Making out with Melanie."Standing nearby, Melanie blinked innocently and approached with a glass of red wine in hand.She said sweetly, "Anya, I really didn't know your situation was so urgent back then. Can't you forgive Steve?"Look at you—you just divorced him and immediately found a replacement. But unlike you, Steve's heart has always belonged to you. Let's let bygones be bygones. I'll toast to that."Everyone turned to me, waiting for my reaction.I took the glass from her hand and then... I poured it directly over her head.The red wine streamed down, smearing her makeup and leaving her utterly humiliated.Melanie froze, then burst into tears and ran to Steven. "Ste

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