Chapter 4
Before Michael could finish speaking, my dad returned with a bottle of water.
The moment he saw what was happening, his face darkened. He strode forward and yanked me out of Michael’s grasp, his voice laced with fury.
“Hey! Get lost! We don’t need you in our family!”
Michael’s face twisted in disbelief. His fingers trembled slightly as he pointed at me, still searching for words to
argue.
Before he could say anything, Susie suddenly collapsed to the floor behind him, her voice weak and pitiful.
“Michael… I feel sick…”
This time, he didn’t turn to her. His bloodshot eyes remained locked on me.
Dad didn’t waste another second arguing with him. Afraid the stress would take a toll on my recovery, he supported me as we walked back to my hospital room.
That evening, just as my mom finished setting up the homemade food she had brought, a knock sounded at the door.
The next second, Michael stepped inside.
“Patrick, Mandy, I came to see Diana.”
Dad’s face immediately turned stormy.
His voice was cold as ice when he spoke. “You must be joking, Mr. Meyer. We’re just a couple of nobodies. How could we possibly deserve such a grand visit?”
Shame flickered across Michael’s face.
Behind him, my in–laws, David Meyer and Kristen Tucker, followed in.
Kristen forced an awkward smile.
David, ever the peacemaker, sighed. “Diana, we heard everything. This was all Michael’s fault.”
“We gave him a serious scolding. He knows he was wrong. We’re so sorry you had to go through this,” Kristen continued.
Mom gave her a blank look, about to fire back, but I lightly grabbed her wrist, signaling her to hold back.
My voice was calm and distant as I addressed them. “Kristen, you both know how Michael has treated me all these
years.
“But I won’t bring up the past anymore. See you at the courthouse tomorrow at 9 a.m.”
Michael’s face went pale. He rushed to my bedside and, without warning, dropped to his knees.
“Diana, I was wrong. I didn’t know you were really sick.
“Please don’t divorce me. I can’t live without you.”
His voice cracked, tears rolling down his cheek.
I let out a short, mocking laugh.
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“Michael, you didn’t love me when you accused me of being narrow–minded on our wedding day. How about when you took Susie on our honeymoon? You didn’t love me, then.
“But now that I want a divorce, suddenly, you love me? If that’s your idea of love, it must be really cheap!”
Kristen’s face twisted in anger. She raised a hand but, at the last second, hesitated and merely reached for my wrist instead.
I dodged her touch, watching as she forced a guilty expression onto her face.
“Diana, I admit Michael made mistakes. But Susie is really just a sister to him.”
She sighed, adopting a gentle, persuasive tone. “You know what they say. Love is hard to come by, and it takes even more work for a marriage to succeed.
“It wasn’t easy for you and Michael to come this far. How about this? If you forgive him just this once, I promise that if he ever messes up again, everything will be yours.
“The house, the cars, the company shares. Michael will walk away with nothing.”
Kristen was the one with the most authority in their household. If she made a promise, it would be upheld.
Michael remained kneeling, his reddened eyes locked onto mine.
“Diana, I swear I’ll cut Susie off completely. I won’t even look at her from now on.
“Just… forgive me.”
My parents were about to protest, but I gently squeezed their hands, stopping them.
Then I reached into my bag and pulled out a folder.
Inside was a divorce agreement, though not the same one I had given him. This one stated that Michael would walk away with absolutely nothing.
“I’ll forgive you as long as you sign this.”
Kristen’s brows furrowed.
She reached out, but before she could touch it, Michael snatched the document away.
Without hesitation, he pulled a pen from his pocket and scrawled his signature across the page.
“Diana.
“I’ll sign. I’ll sign.
“So, can you forgive me now?”
He looked up at me with desperate, pleading eyes.
I gently took the signed papers from his hands and smiled.
“Okay, I forgive you.”
After they left, Mom turned to me, frowning deeply.
“Diana, you’re really getting back together with him?
“Are you afraid you won’t have anywhere to go after the divorce? You know your dad and I will take care of you, right?”
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Chapter 4
Her words warmed my heart. My eyes stung with emotion, but I still shook my head.
“Mom, don’t worry. I’m not getting back together with him I have my own reasons for doing this.”
She still wanted to argue, but seeing the firm determination in my eyes, she sighed and let it go.
She simply shook her head in exasperation.
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