Ten Thousand

Dollars I turned away without another word and rushed outside.

People looked at me with similar expressions of pity and sympathy. I hastened my pace, feeling dizzy with every step I took

My words just now had been full of false bravado. Though I knew very well that I couldn't be with Shane anymore, I'd be damned if I just stood aside and gave way. After subjecting me to such misery, it was only right that I returned the favor.

I had to move forward, no matter how difficult my future days might become.

I had to learn to live without a man, to stand on my own two feet.

I headed to the director's office on the fifth floor to report after my leave of absence. Miscarriage or not, I still had to return to work. Now that my so-called spouse had abandoned me, I had no one else to rely on. I need money to support my needs as much as my mother's. The doctor had said that there was still a chance she would wake up, after all.

The moment I stepped into the director's office and saw Vivien, I immediately felt the urge to turn around and flee. But I took a deep breath and braced myself, and then I calmly walked inside.

She sneered at me as I drew closer, even as she strode across the floor to get some water from a side table.

I walked up to the director and said my piece, explaining my situation and sharing my plans. He seemed to mull this over for a good while. When he finally spoke, his reluctance was evident. "Here's the thing, Eveline. A few days ago, we received a slew of complaints about you from the patients. They said you have an unpleasant attitude and dubious work ethics. As per the hospital's policies, I'm afraid we're going to have to fire you on these grounds." I was stunned speechless.

I hadn't even been working here for long. How could a bunch of patients possibly have complaints about me from out of the blue?

"Here, Dad. Drink some water." Vivien placed a glass on the director's desk.

Leroy Gentry, the director of Virtue Hospital, was indeed Vivien's father. He might not be able to fully separate his private life from his professional one, but I'd expected him to uphold some integrity at least. Now, it would appear that I had been far too naive.

"You should know that the hospital has its rules we should all abide by. We can't make an exception for you, now, can

we?"

Despite his words, Leroy truly looked to be in a dilemma. His daughter, on the other hand, leaned against his massive chair and smirked at me.

'I see. So that's how itis."

I slowly turned around, my temples

pounding. Still, I clung to my dignity and held my head high.

I was walking away not because I didn't want to fight for my job. I simply refused to humble myself in front of my husband's mistress.

To my utter chagrin, I found Shane standing right outside the director's office. It looked like he already knew that I was terminated. I wouldn't be surprised if he had actually conspired with Vivien to make it possible.

Ignoring him, I walked past him, as if he was air.

Just as I was about to turn the corner at the end of the hall, someone grabbed my arm and stopped me.

'Take my advice, Eveline. If you want to

just leave and disappear without a fuss. Shane is the father of my child. We are going to be a family, so you shouldn't keep pestering him so shamelessly."

I looked down to find a hand closed around my arm, five nails painted with a sleek, deep black. All at once, every nasty_deed these two adulterers had done just swam into my mind. I shook the hand away in disgust.

"Don't push me too far, Vivien." A handful of nosy passersby gawked at the little scene we were making.

Before I knew it, Shane had sidled up next to Vivien and pulled her back. He shot me a blank look and pulled out a bank card from his pocket. He held it up to me.

'This has ten thousand dollars. I will give you the password as soon as you sign the divorce agreement and move out of the house."

The bastard had even prepared a bank account for when he sent me away. He had apparently taken great efforts in planning everything,

It was ridiculous how I had never-not even once-doubted his loyalty. I must be the biggest idiot in the world.

I gritted my teeth and glared at them the bank card. There was no chance in hell I was taking his money.

To my surprise, however, Vivien snatched the piece of plastic from Shane's hand and threw it directly at my face. It definitely caught me off-guard.

I wasn't able to dodge, and the sharp edge of the card managed to scratch at the corner of my eye. The pain was great and immediate.

I held up a hand to cover my hurt eye and lowered my head. My gaze drifted over to the bank card on the floor. For some reason, the sight of it made all my anger disappear. Instead, my heart was overcome by an unexpected wave of sorrow

I knew why they could afford to be so ruthless and arrogant, even in the face of their own wrongdoings. It was just as Vivien had said earlier in the restroom-I didn't have a background to speak of. Without a power backing me, the only options I had were to suffer losses in one way or another.

When Shane proposed to me, I had told him to be careful with his decision. My mother had already been in a vegetative state then, and she needed constant care. But he had talked big, saying that he was determined to create a happy future with me. He had told me he would always be by my side as I waited for my mother to wake up. He was so devoted then, so resolved in marrying me.

And now, he was just as resolved in divorcing me.

I had been deeply moved in the past.

This time, I was brokenhearted.

I stared sadly at the man I had been calling husband in the past two years.

"Tell me, Shane, are you honestly trying to alleviate your guilt and silence your conscience with a measly ten thousand dollars? Your principles may be cheap, but do you think you can compensate for my lost youth with this?"

I tried my best to maintain my composure. If I gave in to my emotions now. I would only lose this battle. Even so. I couldn't help the slight tremor in my voice.

To his credit, Shane showed some semblance of shame and regret over my words. He knew he was the one in the wrong. He had nothing to refute what I had said The same could not be said about Vivien, though. She let out a loud, scornful laugh. "Your lost youth? Don't be absurd, Eveline.

A woman like you can't even bring a man any pleasure."

I swung my head in Shane's direction after hearing this. His face was flushed with embarrassment. I was right Vivien's remark was something that had come from his own mouth.

I frowned at him in sheer disappointment before looking at Vivien again.

"Yes, I didn't bring him pleasure, but he is just like a pile driver when having sex with you."

These were probably the most revolting words I had ever said in my entire life.

I could see itin Vivien's face, how they had driven her to uncontrollable anger. She lunged at me like a maniac and pushed me to the floor.

I was quick to brace my hands to support my weight as I fell, but in doing so, I pierced my palms with littered shards of broken glass left lying on the floor. My back, as well as my legs, did not escape the sharp fragments, either.

I swallowed and did my best not to make a sound

Our audience had grown bigger at this point.

Vivien raised a hand, presumably to beat me further, but Shane hurriedly pulled her off me.

"Enough, Vivien! Don't do anything else."

He didn't want to make this an even bigger issue than it already was. He had always been particularly sensitive about his public image.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sorry for her now?" Vivien jeered.

Shane said nothing, but her question forced a laugh out of me.

"Regardless of your relationship, I am still his wife. I've been his wife these last two years, so isn't it only natural for him to be concerned about me?"

"Shame on you, bitch!" Vivien struggled out of Shane's hold and raised her hand again.

I was still on the floor. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, prepared to take the slap.

But it never came. When I looked up again, I found that her wrist was trapped in someone else's vice-like grip.