Chapter 2 I Don\u2019t Want This Anymore\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett slipped the pregnancy test into her pocket and walked into the living room. The sound of Amanda and Vincent\u2019s voices died instantly-like they\u2019d been caught talking about something they didn\u2019t want her to hear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t bother greeting them. Not like she usually did-with a smile, a \u201chow was your day, an offer to make coffee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For years, she\u2019d tried to be the perfect wife-kind to her in-laws, quiet when they criticized her, always putting Vincent\u2019s needs first. She\u2019d thought if she just tried hard enough, he\u2019d notice. He\u2019d care.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But reality had slapped her awake. Even if she gave them her whole heart, the Stewarts would just step on it. Five years of giving and getting nothing in return? That was enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent knew clearly he\u2019d come back to take care of their \u201cmonthly business\u201d, and he glanced at her, then nodded at Freya. \u201cFreya, see my mom to the door.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stood there, silent, but there was a new coldness in her eyes-something Amanda and Vincent had never seen before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone loved Vincent. He ran the family business like a genius, was polite to his elders, loyal to his friends, fair to his employees. People always said Scarlett\u2019d been lucky to marry him\u2014 like she\u2019d won the lottery. But only Scarlett knew the truth-all that kindness, all that charm? It stopped the second he walked through their bedroom door. To her, he was just cold. Distant. A\u00a0<\/p>\n
stranger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And she was done with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Amanda turned to leave, she paused when passing by Scarlett, and then she snapped, \u201cIf you can\u2019t give the Stewarts a grandson, how do you plan to face the family ancestors?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once, Scarlett would\u2019ve bowed her head, mumbled an apology, let Amanda\u2019s words sting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But not now. She turned to look at Amanda, her gaze sharp. \u201cAmanda, we\u2019re both women. You know having a son isn\u2019t just my responsibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amanda\u2019s eyes widened in shock. She was used to Scarlett being meek-easy to push around. But this? This was defiance. Amanda didn\u2019t back down either-she raised her hand and slapped Scarlett hard across the check, the sound echoing in the quiet room. \u201cIs that how you talk to your elders? Apologize!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She glared at Scarlett, sure she\u2019d back down. Amanda knew how much Scarlett loved Vincent- knew she\u2019d do anything to keep him, even humiliate herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:25 Sat, Jan 3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 21 Dont Want This Anymore\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f21\u0f23\u00a0<\/p>\n
But now, she no longer wanted to swallow her pride and compromise. Since none of them had ever valued her efforts or her life, she refused to comply with anyone anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t apologize. She didn\u2019t even rub her cheek. She just stared at Amanda, her jaw tight, then stepped forward, her hand raised to hit back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she could, though, a strong hand grabbed her wrist-hard. Vincent\u2019s voice was low, angry, in her ear. \u201cScarlett, are you done acting out?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked up at him. His face was handsome, the same face she\u2019d fallen in love with eight years ago\u2014but now, it just made her sick. The coldness in his eyes fell on her and stung her like a needle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How could he be so cruel?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t love her, he cheated on her, and he treated her coldly-those were already bad enough. But how could someone be so cruel as to treat her like a mere baby-making machine?\u00a0<\/p>\n
What\u2019s worse, he even demanded a second child, completely disregarding the risk of amniotic embolism she faced during her first pregnancy. Wasn\u2019t that practically trying to kill her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just thinking about all this, Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but feel a sickening wave of nausea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She opened her mouth to speak, but Vincent shoved her wrist away. \u201cI don\u2019t have time for this today,\u201d he said, cold as ever. \u201cWe\u2019ll talk about the baby next month.\u201d He took Amanda\u2019s arm and started for the door, like Scarlett wasn\u2019t even there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amanda looked over her shoulder, a smug smile on her face\u2014as if to say, \u201cSee? My son\u2019s on my side. You\u2019re just an outsider.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once, that smile would\u2019ve made Scarlett cry. Now, it just made her tired. She\u2019d gotten used to Vincent choosing everyone but her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVincent,\u201d she called out, before he could reach the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u2019d made up her mind, and she wasn\u2019t backing down. When she\u2019d fallen for him, she\u2019d jumped in with both feet, even when her family told her not to. Now, she was jumping out-for good. Eight years of loving him had drained her. She had nothing left to give.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He saw no value in her and never invested in their marriage. He only wed her out of a sense of obligation when she got pregnant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their union was a grave, but Scarlett was the only one buried there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was long past time for her to see things for what they were.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent stopped, but he didn\u2019t turn around. Scarlett thought he was listening to her and took a\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:25 Sat, Jan 3 \u2191\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 21 Don\u2019t Want This Anymore\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
deep breath, her voice steady. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be married to you anymore. Let\u2019s get a divorce.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Saying it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then Vincent\u2019s phone rang. He answered it, his voice softening-something he never did for her. \u201cYeah, I\u2019ll be right there,\u201d he said, then hung up. He didn\u2019t even glance at her, just led Amanda out the door, leaving Scarlett standing alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her big \u201cliberation\u201d speech? It hadn\u2019t meant a thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only when the door shut behind them did Scarlett let out a bitter laugh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freya came back a minute later, after seeing them out, and found her standing there, looking distracted. \u201cMrs. Stewart?\u201d she said, gently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett shook herself out of her daze and walked to the sofa, sinking into it. \u201cFreya, can you make me something to eat? I\u2019m starving.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once, she\u2019d cooked every meal herself, hoping Vincent would stay for dinner. Even when he only showed up a few times a year, she\u2019d spent hours in the kitchen, making his favorite dishes. But he never cared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, she just wanted to eat-something for herself, not for him. She remembered who she\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
used to be a girl spoiled by her parents and brother, someone who never had to cook or clean, someone who was loved for just being herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After dinner, Scarlett went upstairs to the study and pulled out a sheet of paper. She was going to draft a divorce agreement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t need Vincent\u2019s money-her family was comfortable, and she was a pediatric surgeon, good at her job. She could give Vanessa a great life on her own.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But five years of being quiet, of not fighting for herself? That had only gotten her hurt. So this time, she was fighting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the agreement, she wrote-Vincent would split half of his post-marriage income with her, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
pay two million dollars a month in child support for Vanessa. But then she paused. Vanessa was four years old-who did she want to live with? Scarlett hadn\u2019t even asked her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She folded the unfinished agreement and put it in her bag. She needed to see her daughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Vanessa was born, Vincent had bought a small villa, Ravenshade Villa, for them, away from Oakland Villa. Scarlett had stayed home with her for four years, then gone back to work at the hospital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Six months ago, she\u2019d taken a training position at a big hospital in Oakridge-so she\u2019d been even farther from Vanessa. The last two times she\u2019d seen Vincent, she\u2019d been so desperate to fix\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:26 Sat, Jan 3 t\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 21 Don\u2019t Want This Anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
47\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
their marriage that she\u2019d focused all her energy on \u201ctrying\u201d for a second baby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u2019d swapped shifts with coworkers, pulled three all-nighters in a row, just to get a few days off to see him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u2019d never stopped to think-if he really cared about having another baby, he could\u2019ve come to her. But he\u2019d been too busy with Sabrina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett hailed a cab to Ravenshade Villa. It was just after nine, and she couldn\u2019t wait to hug her daughter. As she got out of the cab, her phone pinged-a notification from the video app. \u201cRina, someone you follow, has posted a new video.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her heart sank. Even now, even when she\u2019d made up her mind to leave, that woman\u2019s posts still found a way to hurt her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u3002\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
H\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:26 Sat, Jan 3\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2191\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife. Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 2 Chapter 2 I Don\u2019t Want This Anymore\u00a0 Scarlett slipped the pregnancy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27366"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27366\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}