Chapter 5

The greasy-looking man appeared to be in his fifties. He smiled and openly looked me up and down.

Something felt off, but I exchanged a few words with him out of politeness.

His questions were anything but casual. He wanted to know my age and what kind of clothes I liked to wear.

When I answered coldly, Alan sent me to the kitchen to wash some fruit.

I had barely stepped into the kitchen when Alan followed me.

"Why are you acting so clueless? Do you really not understand, or are you pretending?"

I stared at him. "Understand what?"

"I'm opening doors for you! I went to all this trouble to introduce you, and you treat him like that? Drop the attitude. No wonder everyone in Texas walked all over you. In a few days, you'll go home with Mr. Smith and keep him company. Then you'll be able to..."

"Alan! You bastard!"

My blood ran cold. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I'm your wife! And you're telling me to sleep with some old man?"

"Not forever. Did you think you were going there to be pampered like some rich wife? If you leave, who's going to do the housework here? He's a successful businessman with a billion-dollar project. Marrying him would benefit everyone."

"Would you send Daisy to an old man like that?" I gritted my teeth and fought back tears.

"That's different. How could you ever compare yourself to Daisy?" Alan answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Something inside me broke. My ears rang, and I grabbed the counter to keep from falling.

I fought back tears and forced out each word. "I won't do it. I will not sell myself. I am a person, not a pawn you can trade for profit."

Alan frowned and opened his mouth to scold me, but Maria called from the other room, "Amanda, get the good bottle from the bedroom cabinet and bring it to Mr. Smith."

Disgust and humiliation washed over me. Before I knew it, I had slapped Alan hard across the face.

Alan clutched his cheek, staring at me in disbelief.

I gave him no chance to speak. I strode into the bedroom, grabbed my suitcase, and dragged it straight to the front door.

Daisy's sweet voice called after me. "Oh, what happened? Surely you can talk this out..."

I looked back at Alan one last time and said coldly, "Alan, the stupidest thing I ever did was believe your empty promises."

His face went pale. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but I had no interest in hearing another word.

Dragging my suitcase behind me, I walked out without looking back.

Maria threw up her arms and shrieked, "He just said a few words. How dare you walk out on us?"

"Let her go. Let's see what she can do without me."

Then Daisy noticed a document lying on the yoga mat. Something about it made her uneasy.

She unfolded it and screamed.

Alan and Maria crowded around her. The moment they read it, their faces went pale.

Two words were printed clearly across the page: Divorce papers.