All Chapters of Divorce Starts With One Missed Celebration: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

My daughter, Nora Cadwell, widened her eyes. "Really?"I smiled and nodded, patting the back of her hand reassuringly.She took a deep breath and stood up. The speech lasted only five minutes. After thanking her teachers, she thanked only one parent."I'd like to thank my mom. Without her, I wouldn't be who I am today."I watched her speak with quiet confidence. My heart swelled with pride, yet it also ached.My husband Samuel Cadwell's family, on the other hand, looked anything but pleased."She didn't mention her father at all," said Samuel's mother, Elizabeth Smith, with a sour look. "This is exactly why girls shouldn't get an education. They forget where they came from."Nora's aunt, Alice Cadwell, shot me a glance before adding sarcastically, "Don't just blame the kid, Mom. Her mother must've put her up to it."Before I could respond, Nora, who had always been quiet and well-behaved, spoke up."You keep talking about my dad, but where is he?"Elizabeth and Alice froze fo

Chapter 2

Nora froze, then stared at me in disbelief. "M-My friend's mom is a great divorce lawyer! I'll ask her for help!"The joy on her face made my nose sting.Nora had first asked me to divorce Samuel three years ago. That was right after Riley appeared in his life and moved into the unit directly below ours.Samuel was a mathematics professor. Whenever Nora asked him for help with a math problem, he'd frown and say that he wasn't good at teaching.Yet the moment Riley asked for his help, he tutored Raymond in math for free for three years straight. He never missed a single day.Over those same three years, he didn't attend a single one of Nora's parent-teacher conferences. But he never missed one of Raymond's.I argued with him. I fought with him. I even demanded to know if he still wanted to be in this family. Every time, he'd simply adjust his glasses and look at me as if I were the unreasonable one."Raymond's foundation is weak. A little extra help makes a huge difference. Nora,

Chapter 3

Samuel's composure finally cracked."Why do you always jump to ridiculous conclusions?"Irritation crept into his voice as he looked past me at Nora. "No wonder she's turned out like this! You taught her to react emotionally instead of thinking calmly!"I smiled faintly."We've stayed calm for long enough," I said, taking Nora's hand in mine. "If you won't leave, we will."Samuel slammed the door behind him as he stormed out."I'm sorry, Mom." Nora gripped my hand tightly. "You two fought because of me again."My heart ached. I immediately corrected her. "None of this is your fault. Let's pack our things today and move back to where I used to live, okay?"With tears in her eyes, she nodded.…Samuel didn't realize we'd left until the following morning.The only message he sent was a single question mark. He was as brief and aloof as always. He expected me to explain myself or apologize.I didn't bother replying to him.It wasn't until the third day that he finally lost pat

Chapter 4

By the time I reached the hospital, I was drenched in cold sweat. My hands were shaking uncontrollably.Thankfully, Nora had reacted quickly when the car hit her. Aside from a fractured leg and a concussion, she hadn't sustained any life-threatening injuries.The moment she opened her eyes and saw me, tears spilled down her face. "Mom, the money in my account is gone. All 200 thousand dollars…"My mind went blank.That money was Nora's academic award from the country for her outstanding exam results. She had rushed to the bank after discovering that the money had disappeared from her account. In her panic, she hadn't seen the speeding car.The only other person who knew the PIN to that bank card was Samuel.I went straight home and threw the bank card onto the table."I took the money," he answered without the slightest concern. "I bought Raymond a condo near his college. He's an art student. Dorm life doesn't suit him. He needs his own space. I was short on cash, so I borrowed

Chapter 5

We had well over a hundred missed calls and messages.Every single one of them was from Samuel."Mom, should I answer?" Nora asked calmly as she held out her phone to me.There wasn't a trace of hesitation or sadness left on her face. To her, the caller might as well have been a stranger."I'll take it."I took the phone from her and answered."Nora, where are you and your mother? Why aren't either of you answering your phones?"That was the fastest I'd heard Samuel speak in years. "What's this divorce agreement your mother left in my study? And what's this document about severing our ties?"He paused before continuing. "Your mother might've lost her mind, but you're an adult. Why are you going along with her?"I listened quietly while he vented before I finally spoke."The only one who has lost their mind is you, Samuel," I spat. "The divorce papers mean that I've decided to divorce you. All you have to do is sign them. The other document means Nora doesn't want you as her

Chapter 6

Samuel had no idea how he made it back home. Panic consumed him the entire way. After catching the earliest flight home, he went straight to Nora's high school.In the registrar's office, a teacher handed him an unclaimed college acceptance letter. The moment he accepted it, it felt as though the blood in his veins had frozen."Even though Nora decided not to attend that college, I thought she should still have it as a keepsake. I was going to mail it to her overseas," the teacher said with a sigh."When she came to collect her records, she was in a wheelchair because of the accident. I thought she'd need a few more weeks to recover, but I didn't think she'd leave the country so soon."An accident and a wheelchair.Samuel took a step back. He now knew that I hadn't lied that day. Nora really had been hurt, yet he hadn't even gone to see her."Oh, is that Professor Cadwell?"Another teacher walked into the office. The moment she saw him, she frowned. "You didn't go abroad with No

Chapter 7

Life overseas had settled into an easy and fulfilling routine for Nora and me.The day after we arrived, I used my savings to buy a small house near her college. From viewing the property to signing the paperwork and paying for it, the entire process took less than a day.Nora stared at me, stunned. She had no idea that I had that kind of money."You've been underestimating your mom," I teased. As a top actuary, I'd never have trouble finding opportunities, whether at home or abroad.Back home, I'd chosen a small company close to home so I could be there for Nora, even if it meant settling for an average salary. Now that nothing was holding me back, my career finally had room to take off.Nora was thriving at her college, too. She lived on campus during the week, and came home on weekends. We'd eat together, tend the garden, and slowly turn the house into a real home."Did you know what Samuel's first question was when I told him Nora was studying abroad?" One of Nora's high sc

Chapter 8

I had no idea how Samuel had found our house.All I knew was that he was standing by the gate holding a bouquet just as Nora and I came out of the kitchen, ready to have dinner."Mom… look outside," she said, tugging gently at my sleeve. "Is that him?"She couldn't bring herself to call him Dad.I simply stood up, walked outside, and opened the front gate."What are you doing here?" I asked.Samuel stiffened and held out the flowers. "I heard Nora finished at the top of her program this semester. I… wanted to congratulate her."He had never looked so humble. When I didn't respond, he reached into his pocket and took out a small gift box. "This is a late birthday present for her."I didn't take it. Instead, I looked at the tie he was wearing.It was the same one Nora had intended to give him before she left. She had thrown it away the day she saw Raymond.Somehow, he had found it, washed it, and was wearing it despite the wrinkles."Samuel," I began quietly. "If an apology co

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