I smiled. “Thank you, Miss Davis.”
The day the verdict came was a beautiful sunny day.
Miss Davis called me.
“Miss Miller, the judgment is in. The court has ruled in our favor. The divorce is granted. In terms of assets, you are awarded the entire balance of the joint account, plus half the value of the property your ex-husband purchased abroad. Furthermore, he is ordered to pay you $75,000 in damages for emotional distress.”
Listening to the news, I began to cry—not out of joy, but out of relief.
I was finally free.
“Thank you, Miss Davis. Thank you so much,” I said through my tears.
“You’re welcome. You deserve it,” she said. “Now go live your life. Forget the past and start anew.”
“I will.”
After hanging up, I sat in my office and looked out at the sky.
Five years of marriage had come to an end. I thought I would be devastated, but at that moment, all I felt was a profound sense of release.
That night, I went out for dinner with a few good friends.
“Hannah, congratulations on your freedom,” my best friend Sarah toasted.
I raised my glass and clinked it with theirs. “Thank you guys for being with me through all this.”
“That scumbag got what he deserved,” another friend, Emily, said angrily. “After everything you did for him, he betrayed you like that.”
“Let the past be the past,” I said with a smile. “From now on, I’m going to live for myself and not waste any more time on people who aren’t worth it.”
“That’s right,” Sarah said. “Here’s to Hannah’s new life.”
We clinked our glasses and drank.
Life after the divorce was different from what I had imagined. I thought I would be sad, crying myself to sleep every night.
But in reality, I felt liberated.
Without Mark, I no longer had to worry about when he would come home. I no longer had to walk on eggshells to please him. I no longer had to hand over my entire paycheck.
I redesigned my life.
First, I completely redecorated the condo, getting rid of anything that reminded me of Mark. I bought new furniture and painted the walls. The place felt fresh and new, just like my life.
Second, I signed up for a yoga class. I went after work every day. It was great for both my body and my mind.
I also learned to cook different cuisines. When Mark was around, I always made the American comfort food he liked. Now I could make whatever I wanted to eat.
I also started traveling. I packed a bag and went to all the places I had always wanted to see, but never had the chance. I met interesting people, heard fascinating stories.
I realized the world was so much bigger than my failed marriage, with so many other things worth pursuing.
Six months later, Mark’s mother found me.
“Hannah, can you please forgive Mark? He knows he was wrong,” she said, holding my hand. Her eyes were red.
I gently pulled my hand away. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Evans. I can’t.”
“But you were married for five years. You had such a deep connection. How can you just end it like this?” she pleaded.
“A relationship can’t be sustained by one person’s effort alone,” I said calmly. “Mark cheated on me. That’s a fact. I can’t forgive him.”
“He was just confused for a moment. He was seduced by that harlot,” she said, agitated. “He’s already broken up with her. He wants to come back to you.”
I laughed coldly. “He broke up with her. Is that because the court ordered him to pay me and now he’s broke?”
Her face paled.
“I know you’re hurting and I know you pity your son,” I said. “But please try to understand my position. Mark and I are divorced. We are not getting back together. Please don’t come looking for me again.”
With that, I turned and walked away.
I could hear her sobbing behind me, but I didn’t look back. I knew I was being cold, but I didn’t regret it. I had given Mark his chance. He was the one who threw it away.
A few months later, I met a man at work named Ben Carter.
He was the new manager in the marketing department, a couple of years older than me—mature, stable, and very charming. We got to know each other through a work project.
He was very kind to me, often helping me with work-related issues.
Leave a Comment