All Chapters of Left to Sink, I Chose to Rise: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Married life turned out to be unexpectedly uneventful. There were no power struggles like those found in soap operas about wealthy families, and Jack's father had long since retired to Clarida.Strangely, this place gave me the freedom I never had in the Montgomery household. I kept my habit of studying. As such, the study was filled with journals and papers that the Northbridge Institute of Technology continued to send. Even though I had taken a leave of absence, my advisor continued to email me about my research progress. I had never given up on my academic dreams.In the first few months, Jack was like a ghost. He left early, came back late, and more often than not, didn't come back at all.We lived under the same roof, yet we were like strangers sharing an apartment. That all changed on a stormy night. He came home drunk, helped through the door by the driver. His suit was wrinkled, and sweat glistened on his brow."My leg… hurts…" he muttered.I helped him to bed, watching

Not long after I ended the call, my phone rang. I didn't check the caller ID before answering."Claire! How could you file for divorce without discussing it with the family?" Mom's shrill voice pierced my eardrum. "Do you know how this will affect the cooperation between the two families? Have you thought about the family's interests at all?"I rubbed my temples. "Enough!"There were a few seconds of silence on the other end before the scolding intensified. "Claire Montgomery! Is that any way to talk to your mother? Who do you think we're doing all of this for?""Are you trying to say it's for me?" I snorted. "Don't make me laugh, Mrs. Montgomery.""What's that supposed to mean?""What I mean is that both of you have never treated me as your daughter." I took a deep breath before asking, "You're just worried the divorce will make you lose the Harrisons' backing, aren't you? Why are you even worried? You've still got Sophia. You've done everything you can to get her close to Jack.

When I woke up the next day, my phone was flooded with missed calls from Maria."Oh my god, Claire! You practically dropped a nuclear bomb last night!"My tweet got over a million retweets overnight, and the truth came gushing out like a dam finally bursting after years of pressure.The Northbridge Institute of Technology Alumni Association was the first to speak out. "Claire Montgomery is not only the youngest person to be pursuing a PhD in the history of Northbridge Institute of Technology, but she also has an IQ of over 150."Her research has been cited more than 500 times. Does a genius like her even need to steal a man in order to rise in society?"My former classmates came forward. "Her mother showed up at school and forced her to take a leave of absence to marry someone right in front of everyone! Claire was crying as they dragged her away. I'll never forget that!""She helped us finish a project that won a National Science and Technology Award, but her name couldn't even

However, I underestimated Jack's persistence.Three months turned into six months before turning into a year, and he was still there. When it rained, he'd just stand there without an umbrella. When it snowed, he'd be wrapped in a thick coat. But no matter the weather, he was always there.My colleagues began to talk about him. Some pitied him, others thought he'd gone mad.Then, one day, I had had enough."Jack." I walked up to him. "What exactly do you want from me?"He looked up, eyes full of hope. "You're finally talking to me.""I want you to stop this.""I can't, not unless you forgive me," he replied stubbornly."I forgive you. Now, can you leave?""You're lying." He gave a bitter smile. "Claire, I know you. You haven't forgiven me.""Then what do you want?""Just one chance," he pleaded. "I just need a chance to prove I've changed.""Jack, don't you get it?" I stared into his eyes. "Whether you've changed or not doesn't matter. I just don't love you anymore."My wor