Chapter 2

Everyone said I put up with Declan for his money.

But no one knew he controlled the finances. I didn't get a cent of his money.

My salary covered daily expenses, while his money managed the company and investments.

I never complained, but when I wanted to buy a limited edition Chanel bag, I found my money was almost gone.

For household expenses, I gave up on buying the bag and checked my spending at the bank.

Turns out my salary was almost spent by Declan.

He used my money to buy Lydia a gold necklace, luxury skincare, and dresses worth thousands.

But I never thought he'd use our meager remaining balance to buy Lydia birthday gifts and book a presidential suite.

For me, he was incredibly stingy.

He made me order meal kits, patch up clothes at the tailor, use cabs for work, and gave me gifts from street promotions for my birthday.

Whenever I was dissatisfied, he'd accuse me of being wasteful and a spendthrift.

When I fought with him about Lydia, he said I slandered him, claiming the things were for clients and told me not to be a jealous woman.

After finding just a thousand left in the bank, I called him, wanting my money back.

But he didn't answer for a long time, so I told the driver to head to the bank.

I withdrew the remaining money, quickly canceled the account, and cut off our financial ties.

Just after finishing, Declan called.

"My phone was on silent. What's up?"

"Pay me back. The money you spent on Lydia's bag and hotel, give it back."

Declan didn't expect me to demand the money, and he was speechless.

"That's marital property. Why can't I use it? You're being petty."

I spoke coldly, confronting him, "The money in the account was my salary. You shamelessly used it on your mistress. If you don't pay back, I'll sue you."

Declan was speechless, knowing he was in the wrong.

We built the business from scratch. During the toughest times, we asked Mother for money. She refused and told friends and family not to lend us any.

Mother called him a pauper, saying lending him money was like throwing buns to a dog, never to return.

Declan became gaunt and depressed. I secretly mortgaged our marital home and took a high-interest loan to solve the crisis.

When we overcame the difficulty, Declan found out and was furious, demanding I redeem the house quickly.

Declan was rendered speechless, fully aware of his own fault.

We built everything from the ground up. During the most challenging times of our startup, we turned to my mother for financial help, but she refused and even warned our friends and family against lending money to Declan.

She called him a poor man, saying lending him money was as good as throwing it away.

Declan became more withdrawn and despondent by the day. Without his knowledge, I used our home as collateral for a high-interest loan to tide us over.

Later, when we overcame the crisis, Declan found out and was furious, insisting that I redeem the home immediately.

But I had no money, so I had to ask my mother-in-law for help. She used the funds meant for her cancer treatment to reclaim our home.

Not long after, she passed away due to lack of treatment.

Declan blamed my mother, claiming her snobbery was responsible for his mother's death.

On the phone, Declan was silent for a few seconds before sighing.

"Adeline, I know you're not asking me to repay the money; you're just upset with me. But remember, your mother caused my mother's death. Spending a little on my assistant isn't asking too much."

"I'm just venting my anger at your mother's grave, so don't be so petty."

"I urgently need to send gifts to clients. Transfer the money to me right away. Stop sulking, or you'll ruin a big business deal."

"You have one minute, or I'll divorce you."

Declan feared I'd refuse, so he threatened divorce. This threat always worked on me.

Whenever he mentioned divorce, I would comply obediently. He took advantage of this and kept using it against me.

In the past, I didn't want to lose him and felt guilty about his mother, so I swallowed my pride repeatedly.

Now I finally understand. He would never appreciate my efforts; he would only demand more, always thinking I owed him.

Over the years, I've sacrificed for him and even lost my ability to have children. Whatever debt there was, I've long repaid it.

His future struggles are no longer my concern.

"I don't have any money left. You can ask the bank for a loan or use an online loan. Lydia can also pay for you first."

"You have a week to return the money to me."

I turned off my phone and took a taxi back to our home to pack my things.

The house was a gift from my mother, decorated in a style Declan liked, and he was very pleased with it.

I wanted to add Declan's name to the property title, but my mother strongly opposed it, saying that men were unreliable and that the house was my only security.

Because of this, my mother and I didn't speak for a month until Declan said he wouldn't insist on it, and we proceeded with the wedding.

Declan's resentment towards my mother had already started back then, but my love-blinded mind didn't notice.

I packed my belongings and listed the house for sale online.

That afternoon, I went to City Hall to submit the divorce papers. Declan had already signed his name.

Ever since I discovered Lydia's existence, I had secretly prepared a divorce agreement.

When I asked Declan to sign the sales contract, I slipped the divorce agreement inside. He didn't even look before signing.

Due to his trust in my abilities, he never scrutinized contracts, giving me an opportunity.

When I asked him to review the contract again, Lydia waved at him from a distance, and he was immediately distracted.

He patted my shoulder and said, "I trust you. A contract you've reviewed is surely fine."

I watched his hurried back, tears welling up in my eyes.

He didn't trust me; he was just in a rush to meet his mistress and had no time for me.

The staff at City Hall shook their head, saying the divorce needed personal confirmation from both parties.

I showed them the provocative photos Lydia sent, the spending records Declan had with her, and the recordings of him threatening me with divorce, but they were all rejected.

Why is getting a divorce so difficult?

"I'm about to clock out. Are you going to proceed or not?"

I grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Of course, I will. I'll call him right away, please wait for me."

I turned on my phone and quickly dialed Declan's number.

The emergency call went unanswered, and I knew he had blocked me.

I borrowed someone else's phone to call him, and he answered immediately.

"Declan..."

"Adeline? How dare you turn off your phone and contact me? This marriage is definitely over."

I hung up and asked, "Can I proceed now?"

The staff looked at me with sympathy, asking if Declan was abusive. I thought for a moment and nodded.

She sighed and didn't make it difficult for me, telling me to collect the certificate in a month.