chapter 2
Since my boss would not arrive for another three days, I had no choice but to stay at the Evelina Family's residence.
What I did not expect was for Leo to show up in my room that very night.
He sat across from me, stared into my eyes and said, "Myra, as long as you behave and wait until my company goes public, I'll divorce you."
"But when that time comes, you'll need to sign an agreement. I'll give you one hundred and fifty thousand and you'll take the money and leave quietly."
"Theresa and I are together now. We have a child. All of my assets will belong to them in the future."
I could not help but laugh at his words bitterly.
Six years ago, I gave up everything for Leo Evelina. I even sold all my assets back home just to secure his release.
I still remember how, before he left, he held me tightly and promised to raise the money to save me once he was back.
He swore he would wait for me, no matter what.
And yet, what did he do once he returned to our country?
He reunited with Theresa Quinn almost immediately.
Their eldest child was already five. That meant he never intended to rescue me after he returned home.
The truth was, he had already decided I was 'tainted' and unworthy of him.
But if it were not for him, would I have ended up in that situation?
He was the one who insisted we go on that trip. I did not even want to go.
And the ransom money that saved him? That came from selling my own home.
Now, facing him again, I scoffed. "Leo, I understand perfectly."
Just three more days. That was all I needed. I knew my boss had powerful contacts in this country. Once he arrived, everything would fall into place.
As for Leo Evelina? He meant nothing to me anymore.
"Fine. Sign this."
He handed me a document.
I glanced over it. The agreement allowed for our divorce and he would pay me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in compensation.
Without hesitation, I signed it. "I've signed the divorce papers, Leo. Can I leave now?"
I looked up and asked in a cold voice.
"Of course not. You'll stay here for the next few days. You can leave after my company goes public."
He looked back at me indifferently as he spoke.
After saying that, Leo stood up and walked out of the room.
The two bodyguards stationed at the door stepped forward and blocked my path, making any attempt to leave impossible.
I looked at Leo's retreating figure and shook my head in silent resignation.
I knew he would not let me go at a time like this.
Left alone in the room, I sat in silence, thinking about everything I had sacrificed for Leo. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
I had given this man my youth, only to end up abandoned and imprisoned like this.
After crying until I was exhausted, I realized I was starving and I had not eaten anything all day.
I opened the door, planning to ask for some food.
But the moment I stepped out, the two bodyguards stopped me again.
"I need something to eat," I said flatly.
They looked at me coldly and shook their heads, saying nothing.
They ignored my request completely, refusing to let me pass. At that moment, the chill in my heart deepened.
He had forced me to sign divorce papers and put me under house arrest and now he would not even offer me a single bite of food.
Just as I was about to argue with the guards, a woman entered the room carrying a basin. She looked at me with a bright, almost mocking smile.
Behind her stood two children.
The two kids stared at me with open curiosity.
Then the older one, Leo's son, pointed at me and asked loudly, "Mommy, is this the bitch you told us about?"
Hearing his words, I stared coldly at the little boy in front of me and said sharply, "I'm not a bitch. Your mother is."
"You're the bad one! You tried to steal my dad and now you're calling my mom a bitch!"
"I'll beat you up!"
As he spoke, he lunged at me, his small fists swinging toward my body.
I looked at the boy without a trace of emotion and pushed him away.
He fell to the ground and immediately burst into loud, pitiful cries.
Theresa's expression darkened. Without hesitation, she turned to the bodyguards and snapped, "Hold her down!"
At her command, the bodyguards forced me to the floor. Theresa stormed up to me and slapped me twice across the face.
Pain stung my cheek, but I glared at her, unyielding.
"Myra Grey, let me tell you the truth. Leo and I are the ones truly in love."
"Do you really think he ever loved you?"
"You don't even know the truth that the kidnapping was all a setup. Leo planned it with the kidnappers."
"He knew you would give up everything for him, so he used that to his advantage. Do you know what he did after you paid the ransom? He took back half of it!"
"That money became the foundation of his business empire today."
Theresa looked at me with an icy smile and said coldly, "Because, at that time, I was already pregnant with Leo's child."
At those words, my expression darkened even further. I had not expected that everything had been orchestrated by Leo himself.
So back then, every sweet word he said to me was a complete lie.
"Myra, you must've been sold countless times in a place like that, right? I bet you're excellent at serving men."
"Women like you are only fit to live like dogs."
As she looked at me and spat out those cruel words, a basin was placed on the ground before me.
I watched as she took out a bowl filled with dog food and poured it into the basin. Her voice was cold as ice as she spoke, "People like you don't deserve real food. You only deserve this."
Then, without warning, she slapped me across the face. Before I could react, she grabbed a handful of dog food and stuffed it into my mouth.
I struggled to spit it out, but she clamped her hand over my mouth tightly, forcing me to swallow.
At this moment, Theresa leaned close to me and hissed, "Myra, let me tell you something. Leo won't be back for the next two days. You'd better behave and stay right here."
"And as for food? This is all you're worthy of."
With that, she flung the rest of the dog food at me.
The little boy watched as his mother pressed me to the floor and shoved handfuls of dog food into my mouth. He burst out laughing, clapping gleefully.
"Serves you right, bitch! You should eat dog food!"
"You're just a stray and no one loves you! And you still want to steal my dad from my mom?"
Still unsatisfied, he ran up to me and stomped on my face with his tiny feet before turning and walking off proudly.
Theresa looked down at me one last time and said mockingly, "What? Can't handle this?"
"You should be used to it by now, no? In a place like that, serving men day in and day out. This is just your normal life, isn't it?"
"Hmph, maybe they let you go because you were too sick and even they didn't want you anymore."
I glared at her furiously, but she only smirked with satisfaction before turning on her heels and leaving the room.
I knew then Theresa would not be paying attention to me any time soon.