Zoe Sanders wasn’t sure if every cheating man had two phones. Mason’s lover sent a picture to him while he was in the bathroom. She was a delicate young lady, but she was dressed in elegant attire that didn’t exactly fit her age. So, she looked a little out of place.

“Thank you for the birthday present, Mason.”

Zoe stared at his phone for a long time. Then, her eyes welled up. She knew Mason had kept a lover on the side, but she didn’t think she’d look like this. Aside from the obvious heartache, Zoe was surprised at her husband’s taste in women as well.

She felt sorry that she saw his secret. Then, she heard the bathroom door opening. Mason wrapped a towel over his defined muscle and sturdy chest. He was tall and sensual.

“How long are you going to look at it?” He took the phone away, glanced at her, and started getting dressed. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed over the fact that she caught him cheating.

Zoe knew very well that he was able to act this way because he was the breadwinner in their family. It didn’t matter that she used to be a renowned violinist. She was a homemaker now.

Zoe didn’t press him about the picture. She couldn’t afford to do it. She said hurriedly when she saw that he was heading out, “I’ve something I need to say to you, Mason.”

He took his sweet time fastening his belt and looked at her. He probably thought about how meek and submissive she was on the bed earlier, “Up for another round?”

It might’ve sounded like they were intimate, but he was just toying with her. He had never cared about her. He had to marry her because of an accident. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

He took his Patek Philippe watch from the night table and said nonchalantly, “You have five minutes. The chauffeur’s waiting for me downstairs.”

Zoe could just guess where he was headed. She said tentatively, “I want to go back to work, Mason.”

Go back to work?

Mason finished fastening his watch and looked sideways at her. Then, he took out a checkbook, wrote a figure on it, and tore it off, “Isn’t it nice being a homemaker? You’re not suited for work.”

With that, he got ready to leave. Zoe chased after him and said humbly, “I’m not afraid of hardships! I want to go back to work. I can play the violin…”

He didn’t have the patience to let her finish. The way he saw it, Zoe was like a vine that grew on a plant. She was used to relying on him. So, there was no way she could take on any hardships.

He checked his watch and said, “That’s all the time you have!”

Mason left without any hesitation. Zoe knew she couldn’t stop him. All she could do was talk to him when he gripped the doorknob, “My dad’s birthday is this Saturday. Can you come by?”

He halted for a second, “No promises!”

The door closed. Zoe could hear the car leaving as it veered off into the distance. The servants came upstairs in a few seconds. They were aware that the mister and the missus weren’t close. So, it was their duty to pass on messages.

“Mr. Mason said he’s going to Hucksburgh for a few days. It was an important matter, he said. Also, the company had sent over his laundry. Do you want to send them to the laundry service or take care of them yourself, Ms. Zoe?”

Zoe slumped onto the couch. She paused for a while and said softly, “I’ll do it myself.” Mason didn’t like the fragrance from dry cleaning. That was why Zoe hand-washed and ironed all his attires, including his suit jackets.

Aside from this, Mason was hard to please in other aspects as well. He didn’t like eating outside and he couldn’t tolerate the slightest messiness in his bedroom. Zoe went on to learn how to cook, tidy up their home, and floral arrangements. She was almost a perfect homemaker.

Her life revolved around Mason. Be that as it may, he didn’t love her. Zoe lowered her head and stared at the cheque.

Disasters befell her family last year. Someone pressed charges against her older brother and he was detained. The sudden onset of her father’s illness meant they were bleeding more than a hundred thousand dollars every month. Her stepmom, Mia, grumbled about how she should’ve gotten more money from Mason every time she went back.

“Mason’s the director of Lockwood Pharmaceutical Group. His net worth is more than hundreds of billions of dollars. You’re his wife. Doesn’t that mean his money’s as good as yours?”

Zoe smiled bitterly. Why would it be hers? Mason didn’t love her. He treated her coldly. There was only sex in their marriage life. He wouldn’t even allow her to carry his baby. She had to take a pill every time they had sex.

That’s right. She had to take a pill now. She opened a drawer after she was done eating the pill. A thick diary was in there. She opened it and started reading. She loved him so much back when she was eighteen years old…

Six years! That was how long she had loved him! Zoe closed her eyes abruptly.

…

It was a Friday night. Something bad happened in the Sanders house. Mason still wasn’t home. They received news that the eldest child in the Sanders family, Noah, might be facing a ten-year sentence because of the Sanders Group’s financial case.

Ten years imprisonment was long enough to ruin someone’s life. Her dad was hospitalized due to a brain hemorrhage. It was critical and he needed to undergo surgery immediately.

Zoe stood in the hospital hallway and called Mason non-stop, but he didn’t answer. Just when she was about to give up, he sent her a text via WhatsApp. It was brief as usual.

“I’m still in Hucksburgh. Find Ava if you need anything.”

She gave him a call again, and he answered this time. Zoe said at once, “Mason. My dad is…” Mason cut her off abruptly. He sounded a tad impatient, “Is this about the money? I told you. Just look for Ava. She’ll hook you up… Are you even listening, Zoe?”

…

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Zoe was raising her head and looking at a screen with a blank expression. It was broadcasting a piece of news.

‘The director of Lockwood Pharmaceutical Group rented the entire Disneyland and made a lady’s day.’

The fireworks were exploding throughout the entire sky as a young lady sitting in a wheelchair was smiling widely. Mason was standing right behind her, holding his phone.

Zoe blinked and said painfully after a long pause, “Where are you, Mason?” He paused for a while, seemingly unhappy that she was checking on his whereabouts. He said, “I’m busy. I’m going to hang up now. You should get in touch with Ava.”

He didn’t care enough to realize that she was about to burst into tears, but he lowered his head and looked at the young lady affectionately. Zoe’s vision was blurred by tears… She didn’t know that he could be this affectionate toward somebody.

Her stepmother, Mia, said, “Did you manage to call Mason? You have to get him to help us, Zoe…” She stopped abruptly when she saw what was shown on the screen.

She said after a pause, “Did he go to Hucksburgh again? I refuse to believe it, Zoe. Mason was unconscious back then. Are you telling me that Lilith actually brought him back with her violin? Let’s assume that it’s true for a second. Is this an appropriate way to repay her, though?

“He doesn't even remember your birthday!”

… © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

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Mia was getting pissed off. She couldn’t help but shed a tear when she thought about the predicament the Sanders are in, “With that said, you have to keep a cool head. Don’t pick a fight with him now, Zoe.”

Zoe clenched her fists so tight her nails were digging into her flesh, but she didn’t feel pain at all. Pick a fight with Mason? She wasn’t about to do that. However, it wasn’t because she was focusing on the bigger picture. Instead, it was because she didn’t have the right to start a fight.

Her husband didn’t love her. Her status as his wife was virtually nonexistent!

She stared at the fireworks and said, “I’m sure these fireworks cost him a lot of money!” Mia didn’t catch her meaning. Zoe lowered her gaze and called Ava.

It was midnight. So, it was understandable that Ava wasn’t pleased that Zoe woke her up. She had worked with Mason for a long time. She enjoyed a privileged position. Furthermore, she knew his master didn’t care about Zoe at all. Naturally, she sounded cold and sharp.

“You’ll have to go through the usual procedure and get Mr. Mason’s signature to secure the cheque. It’s like the jewelry you’re wearing now. You need to register before you can use them. Do you know what I’m getting at, Ms. Zoe?”

…

Zoe hung up the phone. She kept her head lowered and stayed quiet. Then, she looked at herself in the mirror and raised her hand. Her wedding ring was fitted tightly onto her slim finger.

It was the only thing that didn’t require any procedures or signatures… How pathetic! Zoe blinked and said, “Get me someone so I can sell off this wedding ring!”

Mia was stunned, “Are you out of your mind, Zoe?”

She turned around and left. The hall seemed desolate in the dark of night, mirroring her loneliness… Zoe walked a few steps, stopped abruptly, and said firmly, “My eyes are opened, Mia! In fact, I’ve never looked at myself with such clarity.”

She was going to divorce Mason.

Mason went back to Brookesville three days later. It was already evening when the black RV rolled into the villa and the chauffeur killed its engine. Then, he opened the car door for his master.

Mason got out of the car. He saw that the chauffeur was about to take his luggage and said, “I can do it myself.”

The servants rushed at him as soon as he entered the living room. “Something happened to your father-in-law a few days ago, Mr. Mason. Ms. Zoe is in a bad mood. She’s upstairs now!”

He knew what had happened to the Sanders family. Irritated, he took his luggage upstairs and opened his bedroom door. Zoe was tidying up the dresser.

He put down his luggage, loosened his tie, and studied her. Zoe had loved doing the house chores, cleaning up, and making snacks ever since they had gotten married. If it had not been for her outstanding looks and graceful physique, she would have been no different from a nanny.

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Zoe did not say a word for a long time. Mason was quite worn out from the trip. He could not be bothered to take note of her unusual silence. He took the necessities and went to the bathroom.

Zoe was soft and weak, he thought as he was taking a bath. He was sure she would have calmed down, unpacked his luggage, and gone back to the way she was by the time he was done bathing.

He was sure of it…

Mason walked out of the bathroom and saw that his luggage was left untouched. It looked like he was going to have to talk with her.

He sat on the couch and took a magazine casually. He said after a while, “How’s your father holding up? I heard about what happened that night… I’ve given Ava an earful for it.”

He sounded indifferent and insincere. Zoe stopped her chores and looked at him in the reflection of the mirror. Mason was so stunning and elegant. He was wearing a simple bath towel, but he still wore it better than the average guy.

Zoe stared at him so long that her eyes welled up. Then, she said calmly, “We’re getting a divorce, Mason.”

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He was startled. He knew Zoe had been unhappy about his attitude that night. He sent Ava to the hospital the moment he learned about what happened to her family, but she would not accept his help. This was the first time she rebelled against him. She had been submissive all this time.

Mason took a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table and started smoking. Then, he said casually, “A few days ago, you said you wanted to go back to work, and now you want a divorce?

“Are you bored with your life as a homemaker? Is that why you want a different experience?

“Take a look at the world, Zoe. A lot of people have to work overtime and spend time with insufferable people to make a living. You’re my wife and you live in a mansion, Zoe. What are you unhappy about?”

…

He sounded cold and heartless. Zoe couldn’t take it anymore. She sneered, “Your wife? Is this your idea of a wife?”

She rose suddenly, dragged him to the cloakroom, and slid open the wardrobe door. There was a series of jewelry in there, but they were all locked behind a password. Zoe had no idea what the passwords were because Ava was in charge of them. Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.

She pointed at them and said mockingly, “What kind of wife needs to go through procedures with her husband’s secretary in order to use her own jewelry? What kind of wife needs to submit a form

to her husband’s secretary for any amount of money?

“What kind of wife doesn’t even have enough money to call a cab? Tell me, Mason. Is that what it means to be your wife?”