Suzy's POV
As soon as I said that, the entire room fell silent for two seconds.
I could see the fleeting joy on their faces as if they couldn't wait to kick me out of the house the very next second.
Franco's look was resigned, as if he'd expected this moment all along, his eyes nearly cold, though I could still see the faintest trace of something I couldn't quite identify.
"Alright, fine. You said it yourself. Don't regret it, Suzy," he warned, his voice colder than it should have been.
I didn't flinch.
"Oh, I won't regret it," I replied, my voice calm, almost detached.
I didn't expect him to be surprised by how quickly I agreed, but Franco was. His face twitched, his confidence faltering, like a weight had suddenly fallen on him. He couldn't quite understand it, but I could.
After all, I had already made my peace with this.
Of course, he already had a plan. He took a divorce agreement from the drawer, gave it to me, and instructed me to sign it, as if it were a business deal. With their hopeful expressions fixed on me, I leaned down and signed, feeling the full force of their gaze.
Franco followed suit without hesitation, his signature almost a reflex.
Then, he spoke, and the words felt like cold metal.
"This is just a fake divorce. Over the next month, I'll use all my resources to fix Maxwell Group. I'm divorcing you to spare you the downfall. You have to understand. I have good intentions. After a month, we'll remarry."
'Good intentions?' I repeated inwardly.
I wanted to tell him that there was no such thing as a fake divorce, only a real one.
But what good would that do?
The truth wouldn't change anything. I could see it in Franco's eyes.
This wasn't about saving me. It was about saving him.
As I turned to head back to my room, I heard Tommy's excited voice from the door.
"Great! Now, Grandpa and Aunt Ingrid can finally get married! Aunt Ingrid will be our grandma from now on!"
His words immediately quieted, and I knew why.
Andrew probably held Tommy's mouth shut to prevent him from speaking further.
I smiled, but tears suddenly slipped down my cheeks without warning.
For thirty years, I had sacrificed my dreams, set aside any career ambitions, and poured everything into being Franco's wife.
I had raised our kids, and when they were too busy to care for their children, I had raised my grandchildren, too. I never took a day off. I thought my efforts, my heart, my endless giving would somehow earn their love, but now it hit me—how foolish I had been.
In their eyes, I was just the lazy woman who never did anything but hang around the kitchen.
Why should I keep trying?
Why should I keep investing myself in a family that preferred Ingrid?
If they wanted her, then fine. They could have her.
In a week, I'd be gone.
Forever.
...
The next morning, I quit all my jobs, except for the cleaning position at the music hall.
My manager told me a big-time client had reserved the entire venue for a private concert to celebrate his wife. He needed everyone working, and since I was the one he trusted, he asked me to stay for the day with the promise of three times my regular pay. I couldn't refuse, so I agreed.
What I didn't expect, though, was that the man who had rented out the entire music hall was none other than Franco.
It turned out Ingrid had an interest in music and wanted to hold her own concert.
Franco spared no expense to make it happen. He even invited hundreds of prominent figures to witness her 'big moment.'
Years ago, I stumbled upon an online post about one of my handmade bags.
To my surprise, it went viral, and people begged me to open an online store. I felt such pride knowing others were loving something I'd poured my heart into.
So that night, I talked to Franco about it, eager to finally pursue something I cared about.
But instead of excitement, his face turned red with anger.
"Suzy, you're thirty years old and have a family! Can you stop thinking about yourself? If you spend all your time on this, who will take care of the kids and me?"
Then, Franco even said, "Don't be so selfish. You're my wife and the kids' mother. You need to take responsibility for this family."
And so, my dreams of doing something for myself were once again crushed.
Now, months later, as I watched them hand in hand at the music hall, the crowd was buzzing with excitement.
"Mr. Maxwell never brings a partner to events. This must be Mrs. Maxwell, right? She's so beautiful."
"And she's also a famous musician, truly a strong woman!"
"I heard Mr. Maxwell and his wife never had a wedding. He recently proposed to her again, and they're flying to Grandshire soon for their wedding."
I could hear their voices all around me, and every word hit me like a slap in the face.
I had repeatedly asked Franco to take me to events like this, to meet his friends, and to show the world we were a couple. But he always refused.
"It's our life. What's the point of showing off our love to others? Don't you know that the more you flaunt it, the quicker it fades? Stop being so vain, Suzy."
So, all this time, he didn't dislike bringing a partner to events. He just didn't want to bring me. The difference between love and indifference was huge, and I finally saw it so clearly.
Then Ingrid saw me and called out, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Suzy, what are you doing here?"
Franco turned to look at me. His face, once warm and gentle, now froze into something cold and distant.
"Suzy, are you stalking me?" Franco sneered. "You really can't change, can you? I told you before that nothing is going on between Ingrid and me. She's my sister. Why can't you let us go after the divorce?"
I wanted to say something, but before I could even open my mouth, Ingrid stepped in front of me, grabbing my hand and looking up at me with her best-injured expression.
"Suzy, you don't lack food or clothing at home," Ingrid castigated. "Why are you working as a cleaner? Are you trying to make people think you're being mistreated, living a hard life, while letting us live comfortably?"
Her voice was full of grievance, and the guests around us started to whisper. I suddenly became the focus of everyone's attention, and for the first time in my life, I felt embarrassed and exposed.
Ingrid didn't stop there.
Twisting the narrative, she continued, "Suzy, don't treat yourself like this. Come back home with me. If you're upset, take it out on me. Don't ruin your health, okay?"
Her tone was mockingly sweet, but her grip on my arm was firm, digging in and causing me to wince.
I shook her off, not with much force, but enough to send her stumbling backward.
As a result, she collided with a nearby table corner, and blood flowed down her forehead.
"Ingrid!"
Franco rushed over to her, shoving me aside in the process. I wasn't prepared, so I stumbled and fell five steps, twisting my foot at an awkward angle.
But Franco didn't even look at me.
He picked Ingrid up and carried her out like I wasn't even there.
I watched them leave, my lips curling bitterly.
It didn't matter. I was leaving soon, and whether he cared or not, it was all irrelevant.
In six days, I would be gone for good.
