After his elder sister-in-law
became a widow, my husband
wanted to divorce me.
Chapter 1
My husband’s stepsister became a widow,
and he told me, five months pregnant, that he
wanted a divorce.
He looked me dead in the eye, all serious and
apologetic.
“Her kid’s tiny, and nobody will look out for
them. I just can’t stand by and do nothing.”
I didn’t scream or make a scene. I just calmly
said okay.
See, last time around, I fought him tooth and
nail. I even dragged my pregnant self down to
But in the end, Debby, the stepsister, got
treated like dirt in town because she was a
widow. Some real lowlifes even came
knocking. She killed herself.
Mark blamed me for it. He spread rumors that
I’d trapped him into marrying me out of guilt,
that I wasn’t even a virgin when we got
hitched.
The brass investigated me. They shipped me
off to some nowhere farm. I died in a
goddamn barn, giving birth.
This time? I was done. I’d cut my losses, get
rid of the baby, and finish my degree.
- 1.
く
I barely put my pen down when Mark
snatched the divorce papers right out from
under my nose.
His fingers, all long and neat, were shaking as
he handed them to the supervisor.
The supervisor took them, frowning a little.
He sighed.
“Divorce…what a waste. You can pick up the
decree when it’s finalized.”
Mark actually cracked a smile.
I just sat there, staring out the window.
Groundhog Day, the day of spring, but it was
snowing like crazy.
く
Stepping out of the office, the sky was dark,
and the air was thick enough to choke on.
Mark stopped, turning his head slightly. He
was all business.
“Lisa, thanks for understanding.”
“Don’t worry about Debby. We can get
remarried later, after the kid gets older.”
He sounded so serious, like I should be
grateful.
But there was an edge to his voice, a subtle
warning:
“Listen, keep this divorce quiet, okay? It’ll
cause problems if people find out.”
I blinked, then just said, “Sure.”
He was scared my dad, a Major General,
would screw up his career, right?
We were married, after all. I could give him
that last bit of decency.
He nodded, like he was relieved, and picked
up his pace.
As I headed for the car, he stopped me.
“Gotta go get Debby. Walk back yourself.”
And with that, he peeled out.
Snow stung my face, so cold.
My skin went numb so my lips were stiff
く
My skin went numb, so my lips were stiff
when I tried to smile.
There was no way a pregnant woman could
walk five miles in this weather.
I spent the whole day holed up in the motel,
waiting for a ride to the village the next day.
As soon as I hit the edge of town, I heard the
rumors, the same ones from before about
how I’d trapped Mark and I was loose.
The woman was practically glowing, not even
noticing I walked right by her.
I didn’t stop to argue. As I walked away, I
heard her say, “Mark’s such a good guy, and
he got stuck with her.”
く
When I got home, my chest hurt, and my
stomach felt tight.
I couldn’t understand why, even though I’d
agreed to the divorce, these lies were
happening anyway.
Mark didn’t come home until after midnight.
I wanted to talk to him about the gossip, but
the stabbing pains in my stomach were
getting worse.
Just as I was about to lie down, the front
door finally opened.
He didn’t turn on the lights. He stomped
inside, bringing a gust of freezing air with
him.
I could smell perfume on him. Roses. He’d
been with Debby.
He saw me on the couch, and he looked
annoyed and cold. “We’re divorced. You don’t
get to tell me where I can and can’t go, Lisa.”
He used to get home late, I’d ask him where
he’d been, worried about him.
He’d say I was a nag, too controlling.
Now, he was acting like he had every right.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
“Do you know what people are saying about
me? Was marrying me really not your
choice?”
He wouldn’t look me in the eye, but he said, “I
don’t listen to gossip. You shouldn’t care
what people say.”
The more he avoided the question, the more I
knew.
He was the one spreading the rumors.
Anger and humiliation mixed together. I
choked back tears.
“Mark, you know that’s not how it happened.
Why are you dragging me through the mud?”
“What do you want from me? Everyone’s
talking about Debby, saying awful things. How
do you think she feels?”
“Besides, I always wanted to marry Debby.”
“If you hadn’t gotten yourself into trouble, I
never would have married you out of pity!”
His words cut like whips.
I clenched my teeth, but I still lost it.
“Debby’s brother almost raped me! You held
me and told me you’d marry me. You didn’t
want me calling the cops!”
Even now, it felt like a nightmare.
After it happened, he only came to comfort
me because he wanted my dad’s connections
in the army, and wanted to protect Debby’s
brother.
He promised to protect me.
Г
“Don’t worry. No one will ever know. Marry
- me. I’ll love you.”
“If you call the cops, your life is over.”
He kept promising he’d love me after we got
married.
I believed him. I had to drop out of school,
got pregnant.
He got promoted fast, thanks to my dad.
A year later, he’d broken every promise. He
threw me away for Debby.
He froze, his mouth pressed into a thin line.
But he quickly recovered.
Г
“I just didn’t want you to ruin your life.”
“Besides, if you weren’t such a slut, nobody
would have tried anything!”
I stared at him, at this stranger.
How could he say such cruel things?
“You’re right. It’s all my fault…‘
It was my fault for trusting the wrong person.
For thinking a snake was a good man.
“Enough,” he snapped, not even looking at
- me.
“Don’t bring up the past. Debby and her kid
<
are moving in in a few days. Pack up your
things.”
“Don’t make a scene. And don’t you dare
mess with them! Otherwise, get out!”
He turned and walked upstairs, not even
bothering to look back.
As soon as he was gone, a sharp pain
stabbed me in the stomach.
I broke out in a cold sweat, my back stiff as
ice.
I tried to call out, “Mark!”
“I…my stomach hurts…”
He stopped, glanced back, but didn’t come
く
“Go to the doctor. I’m not a doctor. What do
you want me to do?”
“Mark, I think I’m…”
My voice was shaking. I could barely stand.
“What are you trying to pull? Trying to trap
me with the kid?”
His voice was even colder. “Don’t be stupid.
It’s not going to work!”
He watched me for a few seconds, then
walked to his bedroom.
“Don’t forget to move your stuff out of the
bedroom. That’s all the compassion you’re
getting from me.”
He disappeared.
I grabbed the couch, trying to pull myself up.
The pain spread.
“It hurts…”
I tried to save myself, hugging my stomach.
I fell to the floor, the world turning black.
