Divorce

Richard's hands trembled as he struggled to comprehend the situation. "Divorce?"

He uttered the disbelieving question aloud. "You want a divorce?"

He felt like he was dreaming or probably was hallucinating. What's Chloe talking about?

"Did he offend her? Was there something that he wasn't doing right? Why would she suddenly mention divorce? Could it be a prank or he probably has developed problems with his ears?" Lots was going on his mind, rendering him mute.

Chloe's eyes remained unaffected by Richard's reaction. "Yes, I no longer want this marriage. It suffocates me... Phillip is the one for me," she stated bluntly, facing her lover as she mentioned the name 'Phillip'.

Richard asked, bewildered, "How... why?"

The man holding Chloe's hand stepped forward, dripping with contempt. "Isn't it obvious? Your financial situation is reason enough for any woman to walk away immediately. How do you expect a woman as beautiful as Chloe to stay with you when she could be with someone like me, wealthy and capable?"

Richard was momentarily shaken. He observed as Phillip approached him. Despite Richard being taller, his shock and disbelief were evident.

Choosing to disregard Phillip, Richard turned his attention back to Chloe. "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me?"

Chloe sneered. "What exactly have you done for me? Do you believe those insignificant and cheap gestures you make are worthy?”

Richard's feet quiver. He remembered anytime he gets something for Chloe, she would always fawn happily; were they all pretense?!

He didn't want to imagine that all his relentless effort was nothing, but pretense to Chloe, however Chloe words says it all.

He wanted to hold some tiny hope within him, however Chloe's next words shattered everything completely.

“Our marriage from the very beginning has been a sham. Fine, I married you but it wasn't because of love, rather it was because I had no option! I wasn't able to get a wealthy man to marry me, so I married you. Now that Phillip is here, I need you no more!”

Option! He was nothing but an option?!

His legs weakened further and his heart was shattered at this discovery. How could he expect that the person he was working tirelessly to treat him as an option. How… he didn't want to accept it!

Richard retreated. All he needed to confirm was all said out by Chloe. However he was devastated, he was completely shattered within. His face seems pale without coloring.

Phillip on the other side smiled, with contempt on his face. He felt satisfied, seeing the dejected expression on Richard's face. “Poor man!” He smirked.

Richard clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. "You said what?!" he demanded through gritted teeth.

Phillip's heart raced in response to Richard's icy inquiry, yet he refused to betray his fear. "I said you're nothing but poor..." He faltered under the weight of Richard's intense gaze.

Observing the tense exchange, Chloe pushed Richard away, while shouting. "Richard, what do you think you're doing? Threatening him won't change the fact that you're struggling financially and can't afford to give the life that I desire!"

Unlike Richard, Chloe didn't hesitate to speak her mind. She was confident Richard wouldn't retaliate against her.

"Hmph!" Richard scoffed before regaining his composure. "Too bad I never knew this was your true nature." With a final glance at Chloe's impassive face, he turned away.

He knew he had to leave immediately. He couldn't bear to witness Chloe's unaffected and innocent expression any longer. He dreaded what he might do if he stayed.

Just as he began to turn, a hand grabbed his shoulder. Startled, he saw it was Phillip. However, the look on Phillip's face indicated his intentions were far from benevolent.

Phillip's fists were clenched in anger. "Haha, where do you think you're going? You deserve a beating to make your poor looking self better!" With those words, he swiftly drew back his fist and aimed a punch at Richard's face.

Richard wasn't prepared, so he couldn't avert that punch on time. He held his blue cheek which was drastically swollen.

Blood drips from the side lip of Richard. Richard quickly cleaned off the blood, despite being in immense pain. He restrained his anger and got up from the floor, with the intention of leaving.

He would have taken action, but Chloe's betrayal plus her heart-shaking words had left him utterly weak and useless at that moment.

Also, he knew if he let out the anger of Chloe's betrayal, the restaurant wouldn't be able to contain it and might end up getting blamed for everything since his opponent was a rich person.

While trying to get on his feet, Phillip saw through his plan and quickly moved forward. He raised his legs and smashed it onto Richard's face.

“Argh!” Richard inwardly screams in pain. He couldn't cry out aloud. 

Those customers walking the scene, all laughed hilariously at the mocking situation, thinking Richard had done something worth the beating since Richard's clothes were old and worn out. 

“Oh my, Phillip, you did well.” Chloe praised sweetly, while ignoring Richard.

“Of course, I'm aware of my actions. I did well obviously.” Phillip smiled, proudly, after being showered with praises. 

Richard used all his strength to get up from the floor. He glared hard at Phillip, before throwing a more devastating punch at Phillip.

“Ahhhh!” Phillip screamed echoed through the restaurant building. He wasn't as endurance as Richard, so he couldn't control his screams.

Richard faced Chloe sternly, with his swollen face and bloody lips “Fine, I'll leave, but mark my words, you'll regret it!” 

With those last words, he dragged his weak body stubbornly to the door. 

Out in the streets, Richard struggled to contain his emotions. He yearned to channel his rage to ease the overwhelming pain and heartache gnawing at him, yet his efforts proved futile.

He trudged along aimlessly, devoid of any clear destination. 

Being a live-in son-in-law, he found himself unable to return to any home, since he had no house in the first place.

Abruptly, a wave of dizziness swept over Richard. Confusion clouded his face, and before he could comprehend, darkness encroached upon his vision.

He didn't even realize when figures clad in black approached. 

Beneath his heavy eyelids, he discerned only muffled voices.

"It's the young master. Will he be alright?"

"The heir to the Dixon company must be fine, or we're in serious trouble!"

Amidst the haze, Richard's brow furrowed with a faint pallor on his face, inwardly questioning, "Young master? Who could they mean?!" 

His confusion deepened as the voices persisted beside him.

Struggling against the drowning darkness, he managed to croak, "Who is this young master?" 

Despite expecting no response, he still find himself asking due to the curiosity weighting on him 

Just before succumbing to unconsciousness, he was jolted by their revelation: "You're our young master, the heir to the Dixon company!"

"What—how could this be possible?