chapter 2
Victoria looked at me in shock. "Divorce is no joke. What did Ian do wrong? Tell me, and we'll teach him a lesson for you."
I frowned and put down my fork. "Nothing, we just don't like each other anymore and don't want to waste time. Don't try to persuade me, I'm determined to divorce. I can't take it for another minute."
Ian's throat tightened, and his eyes instantly turned red. "What did I do wrong? Tell me. I don't believe you have no feelings for me anymore. Whatever you say, I'll change! If you don't want me to spend your money, I won't touch a single cent from now on, okay?"
Alistair and Victoria's faces instantly darkened at the mention of money.
Ian's elder brother's wife, Celia Blackwood, immediately stood up, grabbed my wrist, and led me to the room.
As she walked, she said, "Everyone, don't get upset. Some things are hard to say in front of everyone. I'll take Joyce to have a chat and talk some sense into her."
After entering her bedroom, she locked the door behind her, turned around, and looked at me with a face full of concern.
She said, "What's going on? Is there something you can't tell me? I know you're not someone who acts recklessly; you must be facing some difficulties."
Celia and I usually have a fairly good relationship.
Ian's eldest brother, Aaron Blackwood, passed away years ago. Celia has remained unmarried since and has been living with Alistair and Victoria over the years.
Thinking she might feel lonely, I often invited her to travel, shop, and do beauty treatments together, just to cheer her up.
At this moment, I was hesitating whether to tell her the truth, but my eyes accidentally caught a lifelike toy standing on a chair by the balcony.
It still had an unused condom on it, with traces of bodily fluids remaining.
Noticing my gaze, her face flushed red, and she hurriedly stuffed the toy into the bedside cabinet.
Perhaps she was too flustered, causing the clutter in the cabinet to topple over.
An opened box of condoms rolled out and quietly stopped at my feet.
She hurriedly picked it up. "Please don't misunderstand me. You know, Aaron passed away too soon, and all these years, I haven't been able to let him go. Though I'm a widow, I still have physical needs."
"I just bought some better-quality condoms to avoid infections. Please don't tell them, I don't want them to think I'm improper."
I looked at her shy yet honest face, unable to say a word.
After a while, I finally squeezed out a sentence. "Got it, let's go out."
She grabbed my hand and hurriedly asked, "Wait, you haven't explained it to me yet. Why do you have to get a divorce? Is there something that can't be resolved?"
I glanced at her and said, "It's nothing, I just don't love him anymore."
Outside the door came the cries of Alistair and Victoria.
"How did Ian marry such a greedy woman like you? You're divorcing just for some medicine money?"
"All these years, we haven't treated you badly. You said career comes first, and for five years of marriage, you didn't have kids. We never said anything about it!"
"You go on business trips for half a month at a time, and Ian takes care of everything at home and both sets of parents. When has he ever complained? When has he ever frowned?"
"His salary and bonuses are handed over to you every month. It's one thing not to care about his health, but now you want a divorce over medical expenses? How can there be such a heartless woman like you in this world!"
Ian couldn't hold back his tears either. He pressed his lips together and knelt in front of me. "I'm sorry, my love. Is it because the heart supplements I bought are expensive, and you're worried about my health dragging you down in the future, that you're divorcing me?"
"Please don't do this. I promise to take good care of my health and work hard to earn money. I won't be a burden to you. I'm begging you, please don't divorce me, okay?"
He tightly grasped my hand, his forehead pressed against the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Celia was shocked upon hearing this. "Joyce, you're divorcing him because of this? He's your husband! Not caring about his health is one thing, but now you even see him as a burden."