He shouted, "Kirsten, I think you've gotten too comfortable living as a full-time housewife! Have you earned a single cent since we got married? If I hadn't supported you, would you be living this rich lady's life now?"
"You want to leave? Fine! But you're not taking a single thing from this house!" he threatened.
Back then, during his career's rise, he had persuaded me to quit my job to hold down the fort at home and I had agreed willingly. Now it all ended in mutual disgust.
The deep love from our youth had eventually turned into a dagger that stabbed me years later.
My hand holding the suitcase trembled and my voice choked slightly, "You want me to open the suitcase for you to check?"
Bobby raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze scanning over my body, "Even what's on you, I'll have to check it all."
He said again, "Kirsten, do you think I'm the only one who made mistakes? You know exactly whose baby you lost back then! If your dad hadn't knelt down and begged me, you would've walked away with nothing!"
"Of course, I'll allow you to regret it. As long as you kneel and apologize to me, I'll pretend none of this happened. You can go back to being your rich lady self, the respected professor's wife."
He was referring to that accidental pregnancy five years ago.
Because of a misaligned photo, he suspected I had cheated on him and even doubted the baby in my belly was his.
He hadn't believed a single word of my explanation and had forced me to abort the child. In the end, my father had knelt and begged him and only then did he agree not to divorce me.
They said misunderstandings can be cleared up over time, but once fate is broken, it was truly over.
I had thought that as long as I behaved and endured, one day I'd get the chance to explain everything. But looking at it now, that had all been wishful thinking.
Some misunderstandings can never be cleared, because some people never want to understand.
"Fine, check it then." With a loud swish, I opened the suitcase.
Everything spilled out onto the floor. Aside from a few clothes, I hadn't taken anything. A crystal ball rolled to Bobby's feet.
It was the gift he'd given me when we were dating in college, his token of confession. Technically, he had bought it.
As he bent down to pick it up, I swished undid my clothes, "Bobby, if you're going to check, do it quickly. My cab is still waiting outside."
This was the first time since that incident that I had spoken so harshly to him.
His hand holding the crystal ball trembled slightly and his eyes turned red, layer by layer, "Kirsten, you've got guts!"
"If you're so bold, strip completely and walk out of here with nothing on!" He hurled the crystal ball at me and the sharp shattering sound filled the entire hall.
That crystal ball, just like our love, shattered into pieces.
The people around us finally realized something was seriously wrong and wisely dispersed.
I felt a scorching gaze burning into my back, but when I turned, there was nothing.
The hall emptied out in an instant. The older female students had all returned to their rooms. Only Anita stood uneasily at Bobby's side.
"Then I'll strip for you." In just a few moves, I had taken everything off.
Anita screamed and covered her face, hiding in Bobby's arms.
I sneered, "Professor Brooke, please sign the divorce agreement. Even if I walk away with nothing, I accept it."
When Bobby heard the words walk away with nothing, he burst out laughing, "Kirsten, do you really dare leave with nothing? You've long lost touch with society. You can't even land a job that pays three to five thousand."
He said again, "Who's going to pay for your paralyzed brother's rehabilitation? And what about your dad's gambling debts? Who's going to repay them? Did you forget how your dad knelt in front of me, crying like a dog, begging me not to divorce you?"
