Chapter 2 On My Own
“What about it?” Kolton raised his voice slightly. “It’s just a few hundred thousand. I need your permission for it? You never cared about our money when your family took hundreds of millions from me!”
Although their marriage was a secret, the Bradshaw family took every chance to get business from Kolton. Cecilia was aware of that.
Still, she was confused. “The situations are different! We’re married! You can’t compare us this way.”
“No, you’re no match for her!” The disdain in Kolton’s eyes wounded Cecilia like a sharp knife. “The money I spent on Iris is just pocket change in comparison to the business she brings to our company! How could you compete with her?”
Cecilia’s heart broke into a thousand pieces.
She’d never seen Kolton act so cold.
The man had lost control and whispered sweet nothing into her ears when they had sex.
“Since she’s so perfect, you should’ve married her, not me!” Cecilia felt the pricks in her eyes, her voice shaking. “You married me because you loved me, no?”
Cecilia’s vision blurred. She could only vaguely make out Kolton’s figure. However, Kolton’s indifferent expression was still clear.
It seemed he was mocking her naiveness. Why would he like someone like her?
Kolton said impatiently, “Are you done?”
x000
He refused to talk to a woman who had lost her senses. Kolton walked past Cecilia to go upstairs.
Kolton’s dismissive attitude was the last straw. Cecilia snapped.
“Let’s divorce!” she shouted, her eyes subconsciously closed as it took all her strength to say the words.
A loveless marriage wasn’t what she wanted!
Kolton had kept Iris out of their argument, blaming everything on Cecilia being unreasonable. So, Cecilia didn’t want to bring up the video.
Kolton wasn’t going to admit the affair. If Cecilia had it out, she’d only get humiliated and abandoned!
“Your allowance is 85,000 dollars per month. All you need to do is tend to the house and sleep with me. It’s a great deal.” Kolton stopped, his brows knitting tightly. “Stop this ruckus.”
Cecilia was heartbroken because of him. But he only thought she was being unreasonable.
“A deal?” Hot tears ran down Cecilia’s cheeks as she looked into Kolton’s icy eyes. “Am I your wife or your sex toy?”
Cecilia didn’t think marriage only contained receiving his money and having sex with him.
If she only did that, didn’t it make her a hooker? The only difference was her marriage license. So, their deal wasn’t illegal.
Was this Kolton’s idea of marriage?
It couldn’t be. The surprise party he threw for Iris would make all women envy. Cecilia suddenly realized that in Kolton’s eyes, only Iris deserved a happy marriage!
A snide smile crept on Kolton’s lips, disdain glimmering in his eyes. “Am I wrong? What can you do after divorcing me? Your family won’t let you back! Cecilia, grow up! Know what’s best for you!”
“I’m a capable person and can live on my own.” Cecilia forced herself to stop crying and beat Kolton to their room. She dragged out a white suitcase from the dressing room’s corner and started packing.
A heartless father and a self–deprecating mother. Cecilia had enough of her family and didn’t want to go back!
With a gloomy expression, Kolton followed Cecilia upstairs. Instead of stopping her, he watched Cecilia pack coldly.
At 4 am, the sky was pitch dark. In the room, it was as bright as daytime. With a pale face, Cecilia zipped her suitcase and walked out of the dressing room.
Kolton stood and let Cecilia walk past him. “Cecilia, I don’t have the patience. I won’t go beg you to come home.”
“See
you at the courthouse at 9 am tomorrow.” Cecilia’s heart broke a little more over Kolton’s words.
Impatience, anger, and hate. She’d heard them all in Kolton’s voice.
“I’m busy. Call my assistant and make an appointment. For old time’s sake, if you regret it before we go to the courthouse, I can pretend this never happened.”
Kolton looked over his shoulder and saw a full suitcase.
Cecilia had packed her photo on the bedside table and her two plushy toys.
Kolton felt annoyed like an employee he valued was quitting. How ungrateful.
40%
Kolton would give Cecilia what she wanted. In the past two years, Cecilia could spend his money without restriction and he’d entrusted her with all the family things.
He didn’t understand what Cecilia was upset about. But he was sure Cecilia would come back.
The Bradshaw family wouldn’t let her divorce Kolton. She’d only get scolded and be sent back.
Although Cecilia claimed she could support herself, Kolton didn’t think much of it.
Cecilia had been spoiled since she was little. She couldn’t handle the life of an ordinary officer worker.
Despite what Kolton thought, he felt more annoyed as he watched Cecilia leave without looking back.
Kolton walked out of the bedroom and stood by the railing on the second floor. As Cecilia picked up the car key in the foyer, he said lowly, “I bought you that car.
It was a cheap one. Less than 30,000 dollars. And indeed, it was from Kolton.
Cecilia didn’t pick an expensive car because she just got her driver’s license at that time. And she was afraid of damaging the car. Kolton paid for the car after Cecilia picked it.
He gave Iris a six–figure present, but he wouldn’t let her have this 30,000- dollar car.
The wind in the fall was chilling. Yellow leaves scattered on the ground, making the scene look sadder.
Disappointed, Cecilia clenched the car key and took in a long breath
20
before throwing it down. She picked up her suitcase and walked out.
Outside, the night wind disheveled her long hair. Her slim figure was slowly engulfed in the dark night.
Kolton watched her leave until the door was shut with a loud sound. Kolton blinked his long eyes slowly and returned to the bedroom. Standing in front of the floor–to–ceiling window, he fixed his gaze on the lone figure under the street light.
Their mansion was in the suburb. There was at least an hour’s drive to downtown.
Without a car or a bus, Cecilia couldn’t even walk out of the neighborhood.
Kolton was convinced of that. But as time passed, his confidence started cracking. In this end, it shattered completely.
Carrying her suitcase, Cecilia walked in the cold wind. She walked and walked and eventually, disappeared from his sight.
Kolton scoffed. Besides being ungrateful, he found another character trait of Cecilia – foolishly stubborn.
***
Cecilia didn’t call Veronica Harrington, her best friend until she was outside of the neighborhood.
When Veronica found Cecilia, Cecilia had spent an hour in the chilling wind. Her curly eyelashes were coated in frost.
The hand she used to haul her suitcase was red and dry due to the cold.
Veronica jumped out of her car, shoved Cecilia into her car, and threw the suitcase in the trunk before returning to the driver’s seat.
On the phone, all Cecilia said was she was divorcing Kolton. Veronica had so many questions.
But when she saw a lost Cecilia, she didn’t know how to begin.
Veronica turned the heat up. Soon, the frost on Cecilia’s brows and lashes melt.
The mist clouded Cecilia’s eyes. Cecilia thought she could stay strong. But at that moment, she broke down, tears running down uncontrollably.
Fat tears landed on her red hands. They were scorching as if her skin were being burned by fire.
