Chapter 78

Paul's face turned pale, his lips trembling, his body shaking, as if his whole being was in sync with his violently beating heart.

Lucille squinted her eyes, calmly watching the myriad of expressions on his face, and she felt a bit satisfied.

Paul didn't speak for a long time, seemingly deep in thought.

But Lucille didn't want to wait any longer and decided to take the opportunity to finish what she had to say. "You should be clear about my determination to divorce you by now. If you still want to drag this out with me, that's fine, I don't mind spending a few days in jail. Those videos you're afraid of, I'll make sure all your relatives, friends, family, and colleagues see them!"

"Also, I have videos of you hitting me, and I will sue for divorce! Whether you agree or not, I am definitely not going back to that house. I will go back to my own home. If you still don't agree, we'll separate! After a year of separation, the law will determine that our marriage is irreparably broken. If you like dragging this out, we can drag it out. I'm not in a hurry. After all, a year goes by quickly, and I can achieve the result I want, while your reputation will be ruined, and it will be hard for you to find a wife in this town!"

"Of course, I don't like to be so ruthless. If you agree to divorce me now, I will delete all the evidence and videos you're afraid of! Think about it."

For the first time, Paul felt that Lucille was serious this time.

The bad advice his friends had given him before had undoubtedly driven his marriage further away.

He seemed to be really losing Lucille, who was so cold and distant in front of him.

Paul's voice suddenly softened, calling her name, "Lucille."

Lucille calmly looked at the unwillingness in Paul's eyes, mixed with a complexity she couldn't understand.

"Do we really have to come to this? Do you know that in our hometown, divorce is a very, very shameful thing? How will my parents face others in the village?"

"It's none of my business." She was about to divorce him, so these things were no longer within her jurisdiction.

"Lucille, can you really be so heartless to me? Why? We've been together for so many years, don't you have any fond memories of me? Do you only remember the bad things when we argue? Do you remember the good things? Those efforts weren't fake, right?" Paul said, "You're almost thirty, with such a bad temper and an ordinary appearance. If you divorce me, are you sure the next person will be better than me?"

Lucille felt a bit soft-hearted when she heard the first half of his words.

After all, they had been together for so many years.

But when she heard the second half, she laughed completely.

"You have time to pick on me here, why don't you think more about yourself? Look at yourself, I'm more than good enough for you. I really find it interesting, if I'm so ordinary and bad in your eyes, why are you with me? Why did you marry me? Oh, I get it, it's because you couldn't find anyone better than me, right? I was fooled by you, working as a free maid for your family for so many years. Didn't get any money, and had to be beaten by you every day. You must not have recognized your place, do you know how hard it is for someone like you to find a partner?"

"My efforts in the past few years, I'll just consider myself stupid, I admit I was at a loss, but fortunately, I'm awake now, I don't accept my fate, and I don't want to waste my precious time entangling with you for the rest of my life!"

Paul was silent.

He was stunned for a moment, suddenly not knowing what to say. Why was it different from what his friends had told him?

Lucille continued, "And who says women have to get married? Is it illegal not to get married? These days of cold war with you, I've been living so freely alone, not having to clean up after you, a bad man. You, just live with your pile of garbage in the future!"

Paul was silent.

Lucille became more aggressive, her calmness gone. "Divorce, or not!"

Paul looked at the fierce Lucille, and with people around watching the drama, if he didn't agree to the divorce, he would really lose all face.

"Divorce! We'll divorce when I get out of the hospital!"

Lucille got the answer she wanted and recorded his agreement to the divorce to prevent Paul from changing his mind.

Just as she was about to leave the ward, Paul called out to her again.

"What else?" Lucille turned back impatiently.

"Nothing, just that since we're getting divorced, we'll be strangers from now on! You have to return the salary I earned these months while staying with you! And pay my medical bills!"

Lucille thought, 'What a jerk.'

"Fine!" She agreed readily and went to pay the hospital bill.

To prevent him from changing his mind, she didn't say more and left the hospital.

Paul was finally going to divorce her. What awaited her was a brand new and free life.

Somehow, even though the sky was the same, she felt it was so vast at this moment.

It turned out that when you decide to start over. Everything around you becomes so new.

She thought of Zoey's words. 'As long as you want to start, it's never too late. Yes, my life is just beginning.'

Zoey hadn't replied much to Lucille's messages these days.

But she had seen all of Lucille's messages and was glad that she could start anew, choosing her future life.

She was too busy, as she was about to transfer from the police station to the criminal investigation department, so she didn't have time to ask Lucille.

The next day, just as she started work and hadn't even warmed her seat, she received a call from Lucille. "Officer Brown, I finally got divorced!"

Zoey wasn't surprised. If Lucille were a fool, she wouldn't have stayed in touch with her.

"Congratulations, Lucille!"

"I couldn't have gotten divorced so smoothly without your help!" Lucille flattered her and quickly said, "By the way, Officer Brown, I noticed you haven't replied much to my messages these days. When are you free? I'll treat you to a meal! Also, Big Baby might need to stay with you for a few more days. Once I sort out the housing issue, I'll come to pick it up."

"I've been a bit busy lately, too busy to eat. Let's talk when I'm not busy." Zoey subtly declined her, then changed the subject, "Are you planning to go back to your parents' place after the divorce?"

"I've developed quite well here in the past few years. If I go back, there's nothing much to do. I plan to stay. I can't give up my good job just because I didn't find a good husband. That would be losing a lot, wouldn't it?"

"What about your parents?"

Lucille replied, "I'm thinking, Officer Brown, once I save up for a down payment on a house, I'll bring them over."

"That sounds good."

Lucille smiled, "Yes, I've planned my future well. Officer Brown, if you're busy, we can arrange another time. I have to get busy now too. Wait for my call."

Then she hung up.