All Chapters of MY CRUEL HUSBAND : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Anne's POV I left him at the cafeteria the day after he proposed to me. On our way home, Eleanor bombarded me with questions, her curiosity spilling over. I could tell she had been wondering what he wanted to talk about—and she was right.She nudged me on the shoulder. “What did Crystal say?” She asked me, fixing her eyes on mine, awaiting my honest response.We were almost close to the university gate at that time, still striding as we were chatting.“He proposed to me.” I replied to her, who jumped up for excitement, her hands flying up to her open mouth for covering. She stopped, as if her legs were pinned to the ground.“Wow!” She gasped, her voice tinged with admiration. “You mean he plainly confessed his feelings to you? That is beautiful Anne. Crystal is a nice guy.”I shot her a cold look. “What’s so special about him that you even admire? He wasn’t that perfect.”I tried to sound indifferent, pretending I didn’t care—but every time I thought of his tenderness and that quiet

RESISTING ANOTHER CHANCE.Anne's POV I stared at him, words lost on my tongue. What did he mean? Start over? Forgive him? Pretend nothing ever happened.I closed my eyes briefly, willing it all to fade. This can’t be happening again, I told myself. It’s just a dream. A trick of memory.The air grew thicker. He waited. I inhaled slowly, my heart trembling with memories I thought I had buried.“Crystal,” I finally said, opened my eyes, my voice shaky. “You can’t just walk in and say things like that. You broke me once.”He swallowed hard, his eyes softening with guilt. “I know,” he said quietly. “But maybe… I can fix what I broke.”My chest tightened. Memories of laughter, stolen glances, and whispered promises began to crawl back into my mind, uninvited but unstoppable.He fixed his gaze on mine, not even a blink breaking the intensity. He lowered his head more, bending his head to mine, giving me a few inches between us. I blinked twice as diverse thoughts crept into my heart.I shoo

IMMINENT BETRAYAL.Eleanor POV.I burst into laughter barely a moment before the pain relieved me. I bent slightly as my laughter echoed through the kitchen. I stood there, half-angry, half-amused.“You think you’re funny?” I said, trying to hide my own smile.“Worked, didn’t it?” I faintly heard Anne's voice and chuckled. I wiped tears of laughter from my eyes.I shook my head, finally smiling. “You’ll still tell me about Crystal,” I said firmly, wagging my finger.I laughed again, but deep down, my words stirred something she was trying hard to hide.The pain finally declined and turned off the cooker. I initially followed her, dashed out of the kitchen to confront her tricks and the effects on my trembling fingers. “Anne!” I yelled, my voice thundering across the room, oozing urgency and confrontation. I quickly stepped forward, and I found her, turning her back to me, with the remote control on her hand flipping through multiple channels to watch movies.“Eleanor, I'm busy as you

WALK OUT AGAIN. Anne's POV After days of uncertainty, of replaying his words and my hesitation, I had finally decided to stop fighting what I felt. Maybe he really means it this time, I told myself. Maybe he’s truly changed. The corners of my lips lifted slightly as I imagined his reaction when I’d tell him yes. I could already hear Eleanor teasing me when I got home, could see her smile when I’d admit that I’d finally agreed to give Crystal a chance. Everything was going to make sense now. Everything would fall into place. Or so I thought. The moment I reached his door, I hesitated — something in the air felt… strange. I could hear faint movement, muffled voices, and a soft laugh. I frowned. My fingers hovered over the doorknob. Maybe I should knock. The sound became clearer to me each second. I could hear the moaning of a lady. I grew nervous, and pushed the door open. My eyes widened with shock when I saw them having sexual intercourse on the bed. Crystal was serious

A SUDDEN COLLAPSEAnne's POVThe next morning, after a long night of little sleep, I made a decision that I was going to get myself busy with work, not having in mind any relationship from any man.I stood before the small mirror in Eva’s guest room, brushing my hair and staring at the face that looked back — pale, tired, but resolute. I had lost love, trust, and peace, but not myself. Not entirely.That afternoon, I set out to find work.The sun was bright but not kind; its heat clung to my skin as I walked from one street to another. My shoes gathered dust, and my body ached, but I refused to give up. I entered a few stores, asked politely, waited for replies — mostly rejections.Then, at the corner of Maple Street, I saw a small restaurant with a handwritten sign that read “Now hiring-waitress.”I paused, staring at it for a long moment.Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside. The air smelled of freshly cooked food — warm, homely, alive. Behind the counter, a woman in her forties w