The End Of Mrs Montclair

“Are you sure you really want to end this, son?” Victor’s calm voice broke through the tension as his eyes landed on the divorce papers lying on the floor.

“Oh that’s enough, Victor! What exactly are you trying to imply? Hasn’t Caleb suffered enough already? He and Vanessa were always meant to be together. If it weren’t for this useless bitch, they would’ve been married by now with children of their own.” Caroline spat, her face twisting into disdain.

“Mother is right, father. Big brother should be with someone of his own class, not this worthless scum. Ever since he got married to her, my friends have started avoiding me. Even Jessy won’t talk to me anymore.” Beatrice added with a frown, her voice dripping with hatred.

“Beatrice is right, Caleb, you deserve to be with someone of your own class. Not some poor nobody. She’s nothing but a stain to our family’s name. A disgusting vermin that needs to be rid of. Throw her out of the house now!” Juliana, Caleb’s aunt joined in with a disgusted look. The hatred in her tone was unmistakable.

Victor remained where he stood, not contributing to the insults or stepping forward to stop his family from insulting Ashley. Although he had doubts about Vanessa’s claims on the events that had transpired, he still chose to remain silent.

And as for Eleanor… the matriarch stayed silent, her face unreadable, offering neither judgment nor defense.

Ashley stayed on the ground, the weight of their words crushing her. Her eyes darted to her husband, watching as he pulled his childhood sweetheart into his arms, stroking her hair softly.

That scene was the final straw. At that moment, Ashley finally understood something.

There was no future for her or her child in the Montclair family manor. And she would be damned if she allowed her unborn child to grow up surrounded by such wicked people.

Finally coming to a decision, Ashely wiped her tears with the back of her hand as she staggered to her feet.

Ignoring the insults Caroline and Beatrice continued to hurl at her, she turned and hurried upstairs.

Soon, she returned downstairs with nothing but an old backpack in her hand, her hand drifting to her stomach softly.

Without sparing anyone another glance, Ashley bent down and picked up the divorce papers lying on the floor alongside the pen. She didn’t even bother reading the contents. With trembling fingers, she signed her name.

“Here,” she muttered, dropping both the papers and the pen back onto the ground.

Her actions stunned everyone in the room. Although they desperately wanted her gone, none of them had expected her to give up so easily.

The most shocked person in the room was none other than Caleb. For several seconds, he couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. Couldn’t even breathe. He felt an unfamiliar tightness weigh down on his chest for reasons he did not know. This was what he had wanted for the past three years, wasn’t it? So why did it feel like something was slipping through his fingers?

“I don’t know why you signed those papers without reading them, but here’s a blank cheque… name your price… whatever amount you want, and I’ll make sure that the money is transferred to your account,” Caleb finally managed to speak, snapping out of his daze and throwing her a blank cheque.

But to his dismay, Ashley slowly lifted her hand, wiping the tears streaming down her face. Then she threw him the most dazzling smile he had ever seen in his life. The faint dimples that appeared on her cheeks made her look devastatingly beautiful, like a goddess standing amidst ruins.

Caleb froze once again, completely caught off guard.

Before he could process the strange feeling stirring inside him, Ashley spoke. “I may be a nobody compared to the great Montclair family, but when I saved your grandfather that night in the park, I did it out of kindness. I did not expect anything in return. It was your grandfather who insisted I marry you as repayment for saying his life.”

“So you can throw a dozen cheques at me and offer me all the wealth in the world, but I assure you, no amount of wealth will ever make up for the damage you have caused me.” Ashley spoke, her words cutting through the silence like a knife, leaving everyone in stunned silence. Then with a determined look on her face, she unzipped her bag, pulling out a single bank card from the inside.

“For three years, I did everything I could to fit into the family. I gave up on my position in the company because Caleb asked me to. Even when all of you treated me worse than dirt, I stayed silent. I endured everything… hoping that one day, you would finally see me for who I truly was.

“But now I realize just how foolish I was. Nothing I do will ever make you all recognize me as worthy of being Caleb’s wife. To all of you, I will always be nothing more than a homewrecker… a stain on the Montclair’s family name. The poor girl who entered your lives with nothing,” Ashley paused, rubbing her stomach softly as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

“You all saw me as a gold digger, the girl who married your son for money. You insulted me, humiliated me… even starved me when it pleased you. You wanted me out of your life so badly,” she paused again, taking a moment to look at all their faces.

“Well then, congratulations. I, Ashley Stone, have officially divorced your son. From this moment onward, I will disappear from your lives for good.” Ashely announced proudly, looking at all their shocked faces.

Without wasting a second, she walked towards a stun Caleb and placed the bank card into his hand.

“This card contains every single penny your family has ever given me. The monthly allowances, the company benefits, even the compensation Patriarch Gerald insisted on giving me after I saved his life. You can have it all back. I don’t want any of it.” She announced, smiling at the stun family.

Noting their shocked faces, Ashley slowly zipped her bag shut and gave them one last look before turning to face the matriarch.

The elderly woman shifted uncomfortably under Ashley's gaze, her heart pounding strangely in her chest. For the first time since Ashley entered the manor, the old woman felt something she couldn’t explain.

Shame.

“Mrs Eleanor, although you may not believe my words now, I promise you I’d never do anything to hurt you or your family, not even in my wildest dreams. Thank you for everything you did for me.“ with that, Ashley gave the old woman a small, respectful bow, her final act of courtesy toward the family.

Grandma Eleanor felt as though her words were like knives cutting through her very soul. She remembered the young girl who had saved her husband without hesitation.

The innocent smile Ashley once wore before entering the Montclair family. Tears strung from her eyes as the realization hit her.

But Ashley no longer cared. Even if Eleanor cried tears of blood now… it would never change what they had done to her.

Having said everything she needed to say, Ashley turned around and began walking toward the door.

“Don’t tell me you’re all just going to stand there and let her leave like that!” Beatrice suddenly exclaimed. “What if the card is fake?”

Ashley paused and turned back to face her with a cold gaze, causing her to shrink back in fear. It was the first time Ashley had ever looked at any of them that way, and truth be told, that look sent chills crawling down everyone’s spine.

She didn’t have to say a word, her silence spoke louder than any word she could muster. She held their gazes, her voice coming out like ice. “I may have entered your family with nothing, but unlike you who love money more than you love yourself, I am not a thief. If you doubt the authenticity of the card, feel free to verify it at the bank.” she said icily, stunning everyone in the room.

One thought ran through their mind as they stared at her. Was this truly the same Ashley they all knew? The poor, helpless girl who could barely speak a word? Why did she suddenly feel so… untouchable?

Drawing in a breath to calm her nerves, Ashley’s gaze traveled to Vanessa, who was all curled up in Caleb’s arms, her face wan and pallid. The moment their eyes met, Ashley’s heart almost leapt from her chest when Vanessa smirked at her.

In an instant, everything that had happened came crashing back like a violent storm.

The stabbing. The fall. The accusations. The divorce.

Ashley’s jaw clenched as fury surged through her veins.

That viper. How dare she? How dare she smile after orchestrating all of this just to force her out of Caleb’s life and drive her from the Montclair family manor?

Consumed by anger, Ashley turned sharply and strode toward where Caleb and Vanessa sat.

At the sight of her approaching, Vanessa immediately trembled and clung tightly to Caleb’s arm, as though terrified Ashley might attack her.

“What now?” Caroline snapped furiously. “Don’t tell me you suddenly regret signing the papers and want my son back. Well, it’s too late for that!”

But Ashley ignored her completely.

She stopped directly in front of Vanessa, staring down at her with eyes as cold as ice. Before anyone could react, Ashely’s hand lashed out at lightning speed, delivering two hot slaps across Vanessa’s face.