He glanced down at his phone and swiftly pressed the button to silence it, his movements practiced and smooth, as if he had done this countless times before.
wave of doubt washed over me.
During all those nights over the past four years when I worried about him coming home late, was this how he had silenced my calls?
The ringing stopped, but before he could even speak, the caller rang again.
I could see the familiar annoyance flash in Trevor’s eyes.
He took a deep breath and looked at me cautiously.
I remained expressionless and pointed dismissively, signaling him to leave.
As he turned to take the call, I seized the opportunity to slip away from him.
Once in the car, I set my phone to silent mode right away.
It wasn’t until after the interview that I noticed dozens of missed calls from both Emily and
Trevor.
On top of that, there was an entertainment news alert regarding the Abney family, which sent a chill down my spine.
I clicked on it and found photos of Emily and me in our cheap wedding dresses, waiting for the grooms on our wedding day.
The comments section exploded with accusations that we had used my father’s illness to blackmail the Abney family into a sham marriage.
Even my father’s death was being portrayed as a scripted act.
Some users had even dug up details about my family, and the stark contrast in financial
13:02
Fake Wedding. True Pain
Chapter 7
situations between me and Trevor led many to believe these claims.
Fury coursed through me, making my hands shake as I began to take screenshots to gather evidence for a lawsuit.
As I was preparing to call a ride home, Trevor’s number flashed on my screen again.
He opened with a sharp tone, “Didn’t you say you wanted a divorce? Why are you posting those photos? Do you know the wedding planning company is suing Selena because the
ontract wasn’t signed by the main party?”
“She was just trying to help! How can you act like this? You know my mom doesn’t like her; how can you be so manipulative?”
“Selena’s already let go of you hitting her. What more are you trying to make a fuss about? I thought you were serious about wanting a divorce, but it seems like this is just a game
you!”
I was so furious I nearly fainted.
There was no point talking to someone so shameless and clueless.
for
“Think whatever you want; your narcissism is your problem. Just let me know when you’ve
set the divorce date!”
I hung up before he could respond.
But as I stepped out, I found Trevor’s Maybach parked right in front of me.
My expression darkened instantly.
Before I could figure out how to respond, he put on a fake air of nonchalance and said, “If you don’t want a divorce, I can pretend nothing happened, but you must apologize to
Selena. You were in the wrong for hitting her.”
That was the final straw.
I shouted, “Are you out of your mind? Only an idiot can’t see who’s behind those online
posts!”
Chapter 7
“Do you have a brain? My dad was in such a bad state that day, and I still asked others to take photos? Only a beast would do something like that!”
He hadn’t expected me to confront him so openly in public, and his face flushed red with embarrassment.
Hearing my harsh words, he quickly turned an even darker shade of anger.
Just as he was about to respond, his phone rang again.
He glanced at me, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.
After answering the phone, he swiftly jumped into his car and sped off.
It was obvious Selena was on the line.
Only she could drive Trevor to such a frenzy.
I managed a self–deprecating smile as I took a cab back home.
As I opened the door, my phone rang–it was the company I had interviewed with.
“Ms. Brown, are you the woman in those photos online?”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t offer you the position.”
As the call ended, I forced a smile and walked inside.
Emily had prepared dinner and rushed over to take my bag from me.
“How did it go today? Cathy, you must be exhausted! Eat first; once I recover, I’ll start looking for jobs too!”
“Don’t worry! Even though I haven’t worked in four years, supporting you won’t be a
problem!”
I checked the time; it was time for Emily to change her bandages.
During dinner, I noticed her expression was a bit off, and she hesitated several times before speaking.
13.03
Fake Wedding, True Pain
Chapter 7
After a long pause, she finally said, “Stefan called me again.
I paused mid–bite.
I knew how much she liked Stefan; part of the reason she agreed to a secret marriage was because she truly loved him.
I thought her resolve to divorce might have wavered, but then Emily said, “Cathy, can’t we file for divorce? I don’t want to have any contact with him anymore.”
There was a determination in her eyes that I had never seen before.
In that moment, I realized Emily, whom I had always protected, had grown up.
I smiled at her. “Go get ready. You need to have your bandages changed. I’ll make the divorce quick.”
While Emily went get dressed, I washed the dishes and reserved a cab.
I spent the ride contemplating how to bring up the divorce timeline with Trevor.
At the clinic, the nurse helped Emily replace her bandages while I attempted to call Trevor multiple times.
But all my calls went unanswered.
Assuming he was busy with work, I decided to handle the payment first.
But there was a bunch of people blocking the way. I couldn’t reach the payment counter at
all.
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
