All Chapters of The Divorce: Happy Birthday to Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

Jackson Price left a cake and a prenatal report on the table, then strode out of the room arrogantly.My eyes lingered on the date of conception, and the silence weighed heavily on me.Three months ago, when Jarrett Group was at a critical stage in developing a new drug, my wife, Keira Jarrett, told me she had aborted our child for the sake of the company's future.Yet three months later, Keira was 12 weeks pregnant with another man's child.While I was chained to the lab night after night, working myself to the bone for that drug, Keira had been bringing Jackson into our home.Every corner of our home—the couch, the bathroom, the balcony, even under our wedding portrait—had become a stage for their betrayal.The home I once cherished for its warmth now filled me with nothing but revulsion.The entryway light flicked on. Keira stumbled inside, the stench of alcohol clinging to her.Her brow furrowed at the sight of the cake on the dining table, and she wrapped her arms around m

Chapter 2

I reached under the coffee table and pulled out the divorce papers I had prepared. My gaze fell on my fingers, which were slightly deformed from countless hours in the lab.I let out a carefree smile. I picked up my phone and called my mentor, Elias Vance."Dr. Vance, I was wondering if I still have a chance to get involved in that classified project you mentioned."There was a brief pause on the other end, then a voice came through, brimming with excitement."Of course there is! But this research is strictly confidential. Once you commit, you'll have to stay for at least five years. "Will your wife agree to that? Without you, the company you built together could take a serious hit."I signed the divorce papers, my voice unwavering as I said, "Dr. Vance, I'm getting divorced."A chorus of stunned gasps came through the line. To my surprise, they were from my lab mates."We've always known Keira was toxic. Liam, you lovesick fool! Now you finally see what a snake she really is,

Chapter 3

However, it didn't bother me. After all, if Keira could betray seven years of marriage, what was one more broken promise?As long as she signed the divorce papers, she was free to sleep with whomever she wanted.After the concert, I walked all the way home. I stopped on a familiar street and realized that the muffin shop Keira and I used to visit every day just to save a dollar was gone. It had been replaced by a sleek new bakery.It hit me that time had stolen more than just us. Even the sweetest memories we had shared had faded over the years.It was 1:00 am when I finally got home.The living room light was on. Keira was sitting on the couch, typing on her phone.The moment she saw me, she frowned and stormed over. "What's wrong with you? You didn't even answer my calls or reply to my texts. Were you planning to stay out all night?"I froze. Was Keira actually waiting for me?But for the past three months, I had been dragging myself home later than this every single night.

Chapter 4

"I can't wait for tomorrow's wedding. It'll be our perfect moment," Keira said, her voice filled with anticipation.Her words had barely left her lips before she turned and hurried off.I placed the divorce papers on her wedding dress and started packing my things. By tomorrow, I would be gone, and Keira would never see me again.Keira didn't come home that night, but I neither cared nor asked where she was.The next morning, the lab mate Elias had sent to pick me up arrived bright and early. Before leaving, I needed to make one last stop at Jarrett Group to grab the photo of Granny and me.After my parents divorced, Granny raised me single-handedly. That was the only photo we had together, and I couldn't leave it behind.The moment I walked into the office, I was met with a wave of strange looks from my colleagues. It wasn't until I reached my office that I finally understood the reason behind the tense atmosphere.Jackson was sitting in my chair, looking up at me with a challe

Chapter 5

The church had always upheld marriage as a lifelong, wholehearted commitment to one person. When I chose to be with Keira, we had nothing but each other. We huddled together in a leaky basement apartment with no home or car to our names.I could still hear Dad's voice, sharp with disapproval. "If she really loved you, why would she make you quit a well-paid job just to scrape by with her?"Back then, young and prideful, I snapped back without hesitation. "We just graduated. Nobody has money fresh out of college. "Keira's great to me. She's ambitious, and we're going to build our life from the ground up. We'll never end up like you and Mom!"When Mom cheated and Dad decided on divorce, the pain wasn't mine alone. It left a lasting ache in his heart as well.On the plane, I kept replaying our story in my head, trying to figure out how Keira and I had fallen apart, just like my parents.Maybe Dad had been right all along.When Keira was broke but still clinging to her dreams of

Chapter 6

By 7:30 pm, Keira was getting restless. The church rental wasn't cheap, as it was billed by the minute. By 8:00 pm, her patience had worn thin. Even so, she forced herself to wait another half hour, reminding herself of everything I had done for the company. But there was still no sign of me.In a fit of rage, Keira grabbed her phone and dialed my number."Sorry, the number you've dialed is unavailable…"Keira called again and again, but all she heard was the same cold, mechanical apology.Little did she know I had already snapped my SIM card in half and tossed it away. There was no way she could get through.She switched to texting, but all the messages failed to send. Her bottled-up frustration finally boiled over.Seething, Keira hurled her phone to the floor. She then turned to the guests and announced that the wedding was off.Outsiders might have seen her outburst as the fury of a bride abandoned at the altar, but I knew better. Her rage was fueled entirely by her pride

Chapter 7

Keira never treated Jackson like that before."Keira…" Jackson called after her, but before he could get the words out, she was already gone. As he watched her retreating figure, a wave of jealousy surged through him.The moment Keira slid into her car, her eyes caught the massive screen outside the mall, blazing with news about me.Elias arranged this specifically to welcome me. "Liam, it'll make you look impressive. Just follow my lead."I had wanted to keep things low-key, but all I could do was give a helpless smile."Announcing the New Member of Project 707's Research Team—Liam Miller!"Keira fell into a daze as she stared at my beaming, confident face on the screen. It was a version of me that she had only seen in her memories.Elias welcomed me aboard. Since the assignment was classified as a national secret, he didn't mention any project details publicly.Keira knew Elias too well. His projects always stretched on for years, and once they began, no one went home until t

Chapter 8

Elias feigned offense. "Look at you, rascal! I missed you so much I came all the way to pick you up, and here you are, making fun of me."Elias' playful scolding helped ease the awkward tension lingering between Beatrice and me.Back in college, there had been a misunderstanding between me and Beatrice, who was Keira's roommate. I had planned to confess my feelings to Keira and asked someone to leave an envelope on her desk. I had invited Keira to meet me at the auditorium. I never expected the messenger to mix up the desks and leave the envelope on Beatrice's. As luck would have it, Beatrice showed up. Early, no less.At the time, I was halfway through reading my love letter. Since Keira's name only appeared at the very beginning, there was no way Beatrice could have known the confession was meant for Keira.After my long, rambling speech, I finally reached the end. "So, will you be my girlfriend?"Beatrice, standing right behind me, answered without hesitation. "Yes."Her

Chapter 9

"Liam, what are you standing there for? Come have some fruit!"The voice of my senior, Richard Nixon, snapped me back to reality. I quickly headed back into the private room.Across the table, my eyes accidentally met Beatrice's, and heat rose to my cheeks. How had I never noticed how stunning she was?After the welcome party, Elias took me to Central Research Institute."The project kicks off in a week," he said. "In the meantime, I'll have Beatrice show you around and help you get settled.""Alright," I replied.As I walked away, Elias turned to Beatrice with a look of disappointment. "If you like him, you've got to make a move. "Are you really going to keep it bottled up after all these years? I've set things up for you. Now's your time to take the chance."Beatrice's lips curved into a faint smile that one could miss without a close look."Alright. This time, I won't let Liam leave me again," Beatrice said.Meanwhile, Keira lay sprawled on the couch, lifeless. It wasn'

Chapter 10

"I don't want a divorce, Liam." Keira pleaded, her voice desperate. "Can't you forgive me just this once? I'll change everything you're unhappy with. The company needs you, and I need you too."I looked at her pleading face, but felt nothing."When I needed you, you were with Jackson," I said coldly. "I don't love you anymore, and I'm done helping you. "If you keep following me, I'll call the police. I'm working for the state. I'm sure you know what the consequences of that would be."With that, I turned and strode away, unwilling to let anyone see the tears welling in my eyes.Over the ten years we were together, Keira had treated me with growing indifference. I made excuses for her, convincing myself she was just busy with work, only to find out she had cheated on me. My tolerance only left me with deeper wounds.Keira was dead set against the divorce. She petitioned the court, alleging she had signed the divorce papers against her will, bringing the divorce proceedings to a h

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