With trembling hands and tears burning my eyes, I folded the half-burned diary page and held it carefully in my palm.
[Yoanne, you should know your place. In Heinry’s heart, I’m worth more than you. You’re just like this useless diary. And you dared to push me? Think carefully about how you’ll beg for my forgiveness later.]
After that, Wanda sent me another message with a photo.
In it, my husband's eyes were soft and gentle, just exactly the same way he once looked at Helena. His gaze was fixed only on the woman in front of him, leaving no space for anyone else.
[You’re nothing but a bar girl, Wanda. What right do you have to flaunt yourself in front of me? Heinry only uses you as a replacement of his past lover. You know better than anyone whose face he’s really seeing when he looks at you.]
Her reply came quickly.
[So what? I don’t care who he sees through me.]
[What matters is that he gives me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars every month, a villa on the mountain, endless designer bags and even your father’s gold watch. That’s enough for me.]
[Look at yourself. What do you have, Yoanne Wilson? He won’t even spend money on you. Haven’t you heard? A man’s money shows where his heart really is.]
Her words cut deep and I had no way to fight back. My hand shook around the phone. I closed my eyes, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.
All these years of marriage, I gave Heinry everything I had. But when I thought about it, aside from the wedding dress he once made me, there was almost nothing he had truly given me.
Even paying for our daughter’s tuition, I had to beg him.
The hatred in my heart swelled stronger than ever. I had never regretted marrying Heinry Lorrimer as much as I did at that moment.
I hated him for being so heartless. But more than that, I hated myself for being so submissive.
"Yoanne, the divorce papers will be ready in less than a week. Didn’t Heinry realize he already signed them?"
It was my mother calling, her voice full of worry.
"No. Wanda tricked him into signing. He doesn’t suspect anything. Thanks to her face, it looks so much like Helena’s."
My mother let out a long sigh of relief and reminded me of the deal we had made.
"You promised me that after divorcing him, you’d come to Hazelbourne to find me. You know well that Matthew from the Spencer Family has loved you for so many years. Without his financial help, my company wouldn’t have made it through this crisis so quickly."
"I won’t break my promise, don't worry. But you must keep your promise to me too."
"Don’t worry. Naomi’s transfer papers will be ready soon."
Hearing her reassurance, I finally felt the heavy weight in my chest begin to ease.
Not long after I ended the call, Wanda and Heinry came back. They acted as if I wasn’t even there, not a single glance in my direction.
After carrying her into the bedroom, he walked over to me, his face dark and cold.
Then, he threw a bank card at me.
"Wanda wants some fresh tomatoes from an old farmer. It takes about two days to make the trip. Go to this address and buy them. I’ll forget what happened today."
"Also, the company’s going-public celebration is in a week. Go buy yourself a decent dress. Don’t embarrass me."
With that, he shoved the card against my face. My eyes burned red as I looked back at him.
My chest was full of anger and despair, my voice breaking as I spoke.
"Your lover burned my father’s diary and now you expect me to apologize to her? Heinry, you only saw the scratch on her leg, but did you even notice my burned hand?"
I raised my right hand, the skin raw and blistered, my words sharp with bitterness.
"I know you hate me, hate my father, but what did he ever do wrong? He was kind enough to donate his bone marrow to Helena. Don't forget, I begged my mother on my knees for three days and nights just for you. And just because you wanted a child, I risked my own life giving birth to our daughter."
"I gave everything I had. Didn’t you see that? All those words of love and gratitude… You lied. Now that Helena is gone, you put all the blame on me and my father. Tell me, what exactly did we do wrong?"
My voice cracked as I shouted, the despair spilling out of me.
For a moment, something flickered in Heinry’s eyes. He looked at me with such a complicated, unreadable gaze.
