Chapter 2

After half an hour, Gregory deliberately provoked me by sending me a photo of him and Amelia soaking in a bubble-filled bathtub. They were holding their hands tightly together. There was also a faint mark on his ring finger where his wedding ring had been.

I stared at the screen, but to my surprise, I felt nothing. Instead, I found it hilarious.

After all, this was not the first time Gregory had cheated on me.

Two years ago, I caught him cheating on me for the first time.

I trembled in anger and shouted through gnashed teeth, “Divorce!”

At that time, I loved him wholeheartedly, and I was obsessed with him. I could not tolerate even the slightest betrayal.

He knelt at my feet and cried till dawn. He repeatedly swore that it was just a mistake.

I cried throughout the night, but I never backed down.

Gregory tried different ways to earn my forgiveness in the following month.

He took me to the restaurant where we had our first date. He flipped through the photo album of our university days and recalled details from the first time we met to the day we tied the knot. He even waited outside my office the entire day.

I eventually gave in when I saw how exhausted he looked.

To be fair, he really did do well during that time.

He even wrote me a letter of guarantee and kept me updated on his schedule, down to the minute. He also turned down business dinners to come home for meals.

Unfortunately, it did not last. In just less than half a year, I caught him cheating again with a company intern.

At that time, Gregory defended himself by saying that he was drunk and had mistaken the intern for me.

I said nothing. I merely looked at him with a cold smile. He flew into a fit of rage out of humiliation and slammed the door on his way out.

Ever since then, Gregory had become unrestrained with his cheating.

He stopped hiding it and did not even bother to make up any excuses.

He openly dated his mistresses and brought them home countless times.

I fell into self-doubt for a long period.

When I looked at myself in the mirror every morning, I would inevitably scrutinize my increasingly haggard appearance.

I began to notice loose skin and the fine lines around my eyes.

I wondered if I had lost all my charm.

I wondered if I was so boring that Gregory had to seek pleasure elsewhere over and over again.

Those thoughts were like serpents sinking their poisonous teeth into my every nerve.

I started to suffer from insomnia. Clumps of hair even gathered on my pillow and filled the sink.

The psychologist diagnosed me with severe depression. Those words stung.

I felt like I had been trapped inside a maze without an exit. Whenever I thought that I had finally found a way out, I would eventually bump into Gregory flirting with another woman.

Those memory fragments ran through my head so many times that I felt suffocated and wanted to scream in the middle of the night.

Worst of all, despite knowing that my marriage was hopeless, I still could not break free from this disgusting prison. It was as if I had been cast under a spell.

Whenever I made up my mind to leave Gregory, he would casually say this to me, “Dear, I’ll be home for dinner.” I would pathetically become hopeful again.

We fought many times. During the worst bout, I even used a knife on him.

I grabbed a fruit knife and pressed it against his neck. My voice was hoarse as I said, “Gregory, since you can’t keep yourself in check and stay faithful to me, we’ll get a divorce! You can enjoy your life while I can be free.”

I knew I was sick. Gregory drove me mad to the point that I was not myself anymore.

He sighed in exhaustion and gently pushed the knife away.

“Melody, stop making a scene. It won’t do you any good.

“I promise you that you’ll always be my wife. You’re my only legal wife.”

The most ridiculous part was that even my friends tried to talk me down.

“Gregory’s great at earning money. You should be grateful. He gives you all his money and keeps you in his heart. What more do you want?”

“It’s true that he flirts around with other women, but you’re still the one who matters the most to him. As a woman, you need to be more big-hearted. There’s no need to cause such a fuss over it.”

“Those are meaningless flings. None of the women surpasses you. Why must you keep picking a fight with him and making things hard for yourself? You’re not a kid anymore. Stop being obsessed with the idea of faithful love.”

Those words cut like a dull knife and slowly made me feel accustomed to my humiliating married life.

It took me a long time to finally admit the truth that Gregory did not love me anymore.

He was not the young man who used to make me blush or the one who held my hands tightly during our wedding while tearfully delivering his vows. That man was long gone. The man whom I had loved so deeply had already died the night he cheated on me the first time

Since then, Gregory was no more than just a stranger in his old skin.

The next morning, I called my former mentor, Professor Fiona.

“Professor Fiona, are you still looking for people to join your research expedition team? I would like to join your team.”

The person on the other end of the line fell silent for a few seconds.

When I graduated, Professor Fiona strongly encouraged me to join her research expedition team. It was one of the top research teams in the country. But it required year-round assignments at remote and harsh field bases.

Gregory held me in his arms and said, “Melody, I don’t want you to go so far away.” He swayed my arm playfully like a child. “Stay at home. I can take care of you.”

“Melody.” Professor Fiona’s voice brought me back to reality. “Have you considered this carefully? Life will be harsh in the team. Besides, there may be long stretches where you won’t be able to contact anyone.”

Professor Fiona paused for a moment.

“What about Gregory? Does he agree to let you go—”

“Professor Fiona,” I interrupted her and firmly said, “I’ve decided to file for a divorce.”

“What happened? Did you two have a fight?”

I nodded with a smile before shaking my head.

“Gregory cheats on me.”

“Are you sure you can give up your ten-year relationship?”

“There’s nothing I can’t give up.” I wiped my face. “Professor Fiona, I need to go as far away from here as possible.”

“Okay. You can come with me, Melody. I’ve been saving a spot for you all this time!”