Chapter 2

However, a thought flashed across my mind. Since she was so eager to run into a fiery pit, why should I stop her?

I could play along if she wanted to.

I took a deep breath, putting on a helpless, frightened expression as I picked up the pen with trembling hands.

“Fine. I’ll agree to the divorce for the sake of our family.”

The pen touched the paper, and I signed my name, Ethan Johansen.

I could see Lisa let out a sigh of relief. She snatched the divorce agreement and stuffed it into her bag.

“Honey, don’t blame me. I’m doing this for you.”

Lisa said she was sorry, but her body language spoke differently. She rushed into the bedroom to pack.

She claimed she needed to lie low to avoid being caught at home by the police.

However, I caught a glimpse inside her open suitcase. It was stuffed with bikinis, sunscreen, and several sets of sexy lingerie.

Once she finished packing, she dragged her suitcase towards the door.

She did not even spare a glance when she passed her mother’s room.

All she left behind were a few cold words. “Don’t tell Mom the truth. Just say that I’m going on a business trip.”

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Silence filled the house.

…

Early the next morning, Lisa called to urge me to go to the courthouse.

Since it was a mutual divorce with no real disputes over property, the process was quick.

The moment she got the divorce papers, the joy in her eyes overflowed.

Lisa did not even bother to say goodbye. She turned around and got straight into a taxi, heading for the airport.

I stood at the entrance of the courthouse, looking at the divorce papers in my hands, and felt nothing.

As soon as Lisa left, Kevin updated his Instagram post.

A photo of two people with fingers tightly intertwined at the airport, with the international departure’s security gate in the background.

The caption below the photo was: [Let’s flee to the ends of the earth and never part again.]

In the photo, Lisa was smiling brightly. On her finger was a diamond ring I had never seen before.

I went back to that old house, which was soaked with the smell of medicine.

My mother-in-law, though paralyzed and slurring her words, was still mentally sharp.

She lay on the bed, staring straight at the ceiling.

When she saw me come back, she struggled to turn her head and asked in a slurred voice, “Is Lisa… abandoning me?”

So, she knew.

With all the noise Lisa made packing last night, there was no way she had not heard a thing.

Feeling sad for her, I walked over and tucked the blanket around her.

I picked up the bowl of millet porridge from the table, blowing on each spoonful before feeding her.

“Mom, she’s on a business trip. Somewhere far away.

“From now on, it’s just the two of us. I’ll take care of you.”

Cloudy tears slid from the corners of her eyes, tracing the lines of her wrinkles and into her ears.

She gripped my hand tightly, with surprising strength, letting out muffled sobs as if trying to speak.

At noon, I wheeled her outside to get some sunlight.

Suddenly, the sound of brakes came from outside.

A black sedan pulled up at the gate of our shabby courtyard.

Several people in uniforms stepped out, carrying briefcases and surveying equipment.

A middle-aged man in the lead walked over politely.

“Excuse me, who is the owner of this old house?”

I paused, then pointed to my mother-in-law in the wheelchair. “She is. I’m her… son-in-law.”

Ex-son-in-law, now technically, but I did not correct myself.

The man nodded, his face breaking into a wide smile.

“Congratulations. This area has just been included in a key municipal development plan. The official document was just issued.

“There will be demolition soon, and a subway station will be built here. It’s a major project.”

My mind buzzed.

This house had been passed down through my mother-in-law’s family for generations. It was so run-down it leaked when it rained, and the walls were peeling everywhere.