Chapter 2

"Don't you know if he's home or not?"

"Caroline, are you still mad at me after all these years? I swear I'm not here to mess up your family."

"Emily, don't you feel guilty saying that? Your mom Clara wrecked my family and framed my mom. And now you're here to take Raymond away."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Take Ethan and leave. This is my house."

Emily looked at me with an innocent expression.

"Ethan is Raymond's child, Caroline. If you can't even tolerate that..."

I didn't give her a chance to finish and slapped her right across the face.

"Caroline, you!"

"What?" I casually dusted off my hand. "I've wanted to slap you since yesterday, you hypocrite."

I sneered. "Get lost, or I'll call security."

Ethan, standing beside her, immediately started crying.

"Mommy."

I looked at his face, which bore a resemblance to Raymond's, and thought about how Raymond and Emily used to be in love. Bitterness welled up inside me, and I turned away.

"Caroline, I don't want custody. I just don't want Ethan to suffer with me..."

I slammed the door shut, cutting her off.

Memories of the past flashed through my mind.

Diana was now lying in a hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread. Why should they get to enjoy the benefits while I lost everything? I couldn't accept it.

When the housekeeper told me Emily had left, I nodded and asked the driver to take me to the hospital.

My mother Diana lay in the hospital bed, her faint breathing the only sign she was still alive.

I leaned over, pretending she was never in a vegetative state.

"Mom, I'm planning to give up on Raymond."

"Emily is back. After all these years, I still lost to her."

"Am I useless? They bullied us back then, and now I still can't beat them."

"Mom, I miss you."

Thinking about everything that happened with Raymond, I couldn't hold back my tears.

Flora found me at the hospital soon after. Seeing my swollen eyes, she scold me for being too weak.

"There are plenty of men in the world, not just Raymond. Good men are everywhere. If you ask me, Raymond has money, right? Just take more from him. With money, who needs him?"

"You were a victim back then too. Did he believe you? Why would you love a self-centered man like Raymond?"

I swallowed my bitterness and shook my head.

"You're right. There are plenty of handsome guys. I'll use his money to support one."

"Let's go to a bar and find some hot guys."

Flora smiled and linked her arm with mine.

"That's the Caroline I know."

The nightclub was hot and intoxicating.

I rarely came to places like this, trying to please the Brown family.

After what happened back then, I deliberately kept a low profile to avoid bringing up old issues.

But now...

I was getting a divorce. Fuck it!

I hoped Raymond got annoyed to death.

I drank until I was dizzy, and Flora pulled me onto the dance floor.

In the crowd, a guy blushed as he looked at me.

"Hey, beautiful. You're gorgeous. May I have the honor of dancing with you?"

His awkwardness amused me, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"Sure."

Maybe I drank too much. I tied my shirt into a knot at my waist, revealing my slender figure, and danced wildly, letting out all my emotions.

"Come on, keep going."

I watched as the hot guy stopped, I felt a little dissatisfied and reached out toward him. Just as I was about to touch him, someone grabbed my wrist.

"Caroline, are you drunk?"

Was it my imagination?

Why did I hear Raymond's voice?

I turned around, annoyed, and there was Raymond, looking icy.

"What do you want?"

I yanked my wrist free.

Raymond clenched his jaw, his eyes filled with anger.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? Why didn't you let Ethan stay?"

Five years, and he still loved Emily that much?

Loved her enough to come to a bar to confront me.

My anger flared up, and I glared at him defiantly.

"I did it. So what? If you care so much about your illegitimate son Ethan and Emily, why don't you marry her? You want me to be Ethan's stepmom? Dream on!"

I could see Raymond's displeasure.

He was dressed in a tailored suit, looking out of place here.

That face of his, one that could charm countless women, remained striking even in anger.

Raymond held back his temper, frowning. "You're drunk. I'm not arguing with you. Come home with me."

"I won't!"

Maybe I was really drunk, or maybe five years of marriage had suppressed all my negative emotions.

I sneered, poking his chest. "Mr. Brown, I want a divorce. I'm not joking."

"And don't stand in the way of me finding my next husband."

As I turned to leave, Raymond's eyes turned icy. Without a word, he hoisted me over his shoulder.

"Say that again."

Alcohol stripped away my control.

Tears streamed down my face as I vented everything I had held in.

"I'll say it a million times. I want a divorce. Raymond, you're a jerk. You're old, your dick is short and small, and you're terrible in bed. Do you think I want you?"

"Put me down. Do you think you're a king? That I have to obey you all the time?"

"Why should I raise Ethan for you?"

I cursed all the way, but Raymond ignored me. He finally opened the car door and threw me inside.

I slumped in the back seat, my head spinning. It took a while to recover.

Raymond loosened his tie with one hand, looking down at me.

"Caroline, do you think you have the right to ask for a divorce?"

His words cut like a knife, leaving me bleeding.

I laughed bitterly.

"I'm making room for your precious Emily, isn't that what you want?"

"When this marriage ends isn't up to you. Caroline, you have no right to negotiate with me."

Raymond shut the car door and knelt on the back seat, leaning over me. His shirt buttons were undone.

"And my dick is short and small? I'm terrible in bed?"

The atmosphere turned intimate. Raymond lifted my chin with his long fingers and a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Looks like you really want this."

I sensed danger and sobered up.

Raymond had a high sex drive. Even though we were estranged, we had sex frequently.

Every time left me completely drained.

What was I thinking, saying something like that?

I was doomed!

I tried to get out of the car, but Raymond wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back.

"Caroline, you talk a lot. Keep going."

Raymond's large hand rested on my waist. When he saw my exposed skin, his eyes darkened.

He bit my neck hard, like he was venting his anger.

At that moment, I felt like a lamb to the slaughter.

His hand moved to my most sensitive spot.

"Keep talking. Why did you stop? Huh?"