Divorced? We won't, Darling!

"Is that smile a form of celebration, huh?" Landen's heavy voice suddenly sounded behind the wide-open walk-in-closet door. Darlene gasped. Her face instantly turned pale. She stood rigid. That man... must have misunderstood her. "You've managed to raise your family's status by deceiving me," he continued. "Then what, you plan to poison me and inherit my fortune, is that it?!" A loud voice echoed in the room, so sharp and accusatory. "M. Landen... you misunderstand. I-" Before she could explain Landen pushed her against the wall and gripped her cheek firmly. Their faces almost touched until their breath seemed to merge. The clinking sound of the stick he threw to the floor was so loud, it made Darlene's heart seem to stop for a moment. Her eyes widened as she realized one thing; Landen's leg was... fine. "So... it was all a lie?" whispered Darlene to herself. Landen grinned hatefully. "I'll show you how to properly celebrate a victory." In no time, Darlene was dragged in

"Darlene you need to get pregnant soon!" Violet, her mother, seemed to be pacing. "If you get pregnant, he won't divorce you." They had been married for a year, and in that time Landen had served the divorce papers. Marlon's family panicked and couldn't sleep well because they felt threatened. "If you can't get pregnant... just pretend!" Thomas said in a flat, sharp tone, like nothing was wrong. Darlene was choked up. "Pretend to be pregnant?" Landen, never wanted her at all. She was just his sexual outlet. Whenever they were done having sex, he always held out birth control pills and made sure she swallowed them in front of his eyes. And she... couldn't have told her parents this shameful secret, right? Darlene shook her head, she looked down in shame. "Impossible." "You can't get a divorce anyway, Darlene!" said Letta, Darlene's younger sister, who was sitting back and waiting for her nail art to be done. "My company still needs his money." Darlene looked at her sister with

Darlene never thought she would finally have the courage to make the decision she had been avoiding all this time: to divorce Landen.She had also cut ties with Marlon's family.In her heart, she had decided she would never go back to those who had hurt her.Darlene had no one left. She didn’t even have close friends, as the Marlon family had never allowed her to form close bonds with others.But Darlene stood firm and unafraid.Her savings in the bank were dwindling, but there was still enough to last her for the next week.The only place Darlene visited before she left the city was the Barclay Gallery.Since she was five years old, Darlene had been used to living alone. Thomas and Violet were very busy with work. If they went out of town, they would only take Letta, her younger sister.Darlene was very interested in pictures and paintings. She spent her free time learning to paint.Canvas, brushes, and paint were her best friends at the time.Due to her perseverance, she always won