Chapter 3

Ethan let out a cold, angry laugh.

Looking at my indifferent face, he nodded through gritted teeth.

"Fine! Fine!"

"Naomi Miller, you’ve got guts! You want a divorce? Fine. We’ll go sign the papers tomorrow morning. And you can pack your bags and get out of my house tonight!"

"Don’t ever expect to see Lily again! You brought this on yourself!"

I only nodded blankly.

After all... Lily probably didn't want to see me either.

Ethan drove like a maniac, speeding all the way back to our villa.

He dragged out a battered, half-empty suitcase from God-knows-where and threw it at my feet. Standing by the doorframe, he watched me coldly.

"Pack. I’m going to watch you pack every single thing."

"You wanted this divorce. Go on, go back to your pathetic, poor life!"

"But don't you dare take a single penny’s worth of stuff from this house!"

I looked at Ethan and shook my head, amused by his pettiness.

Even if he hadn't said it, I had no intention of taking anything.

For the past ten years, I knew Ethan loved me, but I also knew he secretly looked down on my adopted status. When I married him, I willingly signed a prenuptial agreement. I never cared about his family's money.

Right in front of him, I packed a few cheap, casual clothes.

The suitcase wasn't even half full when I zipped it up. I stood up and walked out.

As I passed the living room, Clara was just walking through the front door, holding Lily’s hand.

Lily looked exhausted from playing. In her arms was a brand-new, luxury designer doll—the kind of expensive toy I could never afford to buy her.

Clara took one look at my suitcase and Ethan’s furious face behind me.

She understood immediately.

A smug smile played on her lips, and she asked mockingly, "It's so late. Where are you going, Naomi?"

Before I could say the word 'divorce,' Ethan stepped forward and grabbed my suitcase.

He forced a weary smile.

"It's nothing. She's just throwing a little fit. She wants to stay at her old apartment in the city for a while."

"Let her go. She’ll get over it in a few months."

I didn't argue.

Lily was still here. Even if she didn't want me as her mother, discussing a divorce in front of a child was still something I wanted to avoid.

Clara nodded, giving Lily a subtle look.

Lily got the hint immediately. She wrapped her arms around Ethan’s leg, whining.

"No, Daddy, let her go by herself."

"You promised you'd tell me a new story tonight. You can't break your promise! You're a bad daddy! A liar!"

Seeing Ethan not responding right away, Lily screwed up her face, getting ready to throw a tantrum.

I sighed softly.

I took the suitcase back from Ethan’s hand.

"Don't worry, I won't stay where I'm not wanted."

"I'll have Thomas drive me. Thank you."

With that, I dragged my suitcase and walked out the door without looking back.

Behind me, I could hear Ethan lowering his voice to soothe Lily.

By the time he ran outside, I was already in the car, pulling away.

My phone buzzed twice in my hand.

[Naomi, if you dare leave tonight, don't ever think about coming back!]

[Tomorrow at 9:30 AM, meet me at the City Hall courthouse!]

I glanced at the screen and shut it off.

I looked at our driver. "Thomas, don't go to the city apartment."

"Please take me to the hotel near the airport instead."

Thomas looked at me through the rearview mirror, confused. "Are you taking a trip, ma'am?"

I watched the villa shrink into a tiny dot in the distance.

I smiled bitterly. "Thomas, don't call me ma'am anymore. Ethan and I are getting divorced."

"I think... I'm going back to my hometown."