Trapped Like A Caged Bird

Irene Anderson was momentarily stunned before she immediately looked annoyed.

“Why are you here over a stupid birthday? This isn’t the right place for your tantrum!”

“I’m saying that I want to divorce you,” I repeated.

Once she realized that I was not joking, her expression slowly froze. No one at the memorial dared to move. The next second, Irene tugged Zac Reid behind her back and forcefully flung my wedding ring away.

She looked as though she understood everything.

“Are you using the ring to declare your identity?

“I’m only calling Zac that for his dead mother’s sake. Are you really going to be jealous over this?”

She always said we had to respect the dead.

Every year on my birthday, I did not receive any sunflowers, which were my favorite flowers. Instead, there were a lot of white chrysanthemums. There was not a cake that I would like to eat. Instead, there were fruit baskets meant for the memorial.

She never wished me a happy birthday; she would not even grace me with a smile on that day.

Every time my mother called to wish me a happy birthday, I had to hide in the washroom to answer her call, as if celebrating my own birthday were a crime!

Irene had never thought that I was not obliged to participate in Mary Reid’s memorial at all.

I gaped, but no voice came out.

When Irene noticed that I was silent, she softened her tone and passed me a few stalks of chrysanthemums.

“It’s good that you’ve learned from your mistakes. I’ll find time to celebrate your birthday. Since you’re here, you should pay some respect to Mary. She treated you very well when she was alive.”

Everyone knew that Mary had hated me and had wanted to shun me.

Irene knew that too. Mary had once made me a bowl of poisoned chicken soup, saying that she was concerned about my health. I had ended up in the hospital.

She had done that so Zac would be able to spend some alone time with Irene.

I suddenly sneered and tossed the flowers onto the ground.

Everyone gasped.

Irene stared at the scattered flowers and lost her patience completely.

“That’s enough, Theo!”

She kicked forcefully, and one of the candles toppled over and fell onto my leg. A blister appeared almost immediately. I bent down in pain as cold sweat appeared on my forehead.

Irene’s breathing hitched, but the hatred in her eyes was still there.

“Zac has just joined the company, and he doesn’t know much. You should guide him. If you can’t do that, you can leave the company.”

Her gaze fell onto the work card that I cherished as she threatened me.

I pursed my lips and pretended to be nonchalant. “Alright.”

A hint of shock flashed in Irene’s eyes. Then, she was called over by Zac to resume the memorial. I looked at how close Zac and Irene were, and I understood everything.

I walked out of the cemetery and called someone that I had not called in a long while.

“Prepare a divorce agreement for me.”