Beyond the Divorce

"Chlo, this is reality. It's too late, even if he stands by me or even promises to marry me now. That one sentence, that one action, represents everything. It hurts my pride." "I understand," I said calmly.

"Taking him back will mean that I choose to discard my dignity. Therefore, I must climb out of his hell. Only then can I truly be myself. I'll no longer be that lowly woman clinging to him." "I'm here for you," I told her seriously.

"So, you get me. Please help me. There's no turning back for me. It's not that I want to hurt Oliver, retaliate against him, or abandon him..." Lauren seemed to be explaining herself to me, afraid I wouldn't understand.

She was very anxious, looking at me with splayed hands. "He pushed me into an abyss, took away my dignity, and left me stranded on the moral high ground. Then he could casually say, without hesitation, that he wouldn't marry me!"

She burst into laughter suddenly, an unsettling laughter.

"Oh damn! What the hell am I? It feels like I've been taken advantage of!"

She leaned against the back of the sofa, unable to contain her sobs. After a while, she steadied her emotions and spoke slowly.

"I won't compete with a dead person anymore. She's quite a skilled player. I admire her."

You've already started facing it. I'll be by your side. It will get better. Everything

and sobbed for a long time. Then, she finally

hate me. If

let him hate that woman who dug a pit for me to jump into willingly. She's the truly clever one Even until her death, she didn't forget to bury me. I didn't die. If I had died, Oliver would

accomplice."

clear-headed. I secretly felt relieved, but I didn't know if

From a beautiful young girl accompanying him to almost middle age, battered and with nothing. What more

third of Lauren's life was truly

turn back! I just really want to have a child of my own! I have a notorious reputation. He

if I understood her, yet I didn't at all. It felt

you. He's a true gentleman, and

the future. I'll just treat all of