Chapter 2
"What do you mean by leaving? Where are you going?"
I hadn't expected Garrison to return, let alone overhear my mumbling, so I brushed it off.
"It's nothing, you must have misheard."
"I love you so much, how could I bear to leave?"
Garrison believed Jolene was head over heels for him, and that without him, she'd surely be devastated.
Hearing the latter part, he didn't press further and instead turned to the empty dining table.
"Where's the chicken soup?"
When I used to live with Dane, I would make a bowl of chicken soup every night to keep.
The habit of loving someone made me maintain this routine for seven years after he left.
"I just finished tidying up the house, I haven't had the chance yet."
Garrison glanced at the now-neat house, deciding not to criticize further, and instead grabbed my hand.
"If you haven't made it, that's fine."
"Melody's been drinking and her stomach's upset. Come with me to make some for her."
He didn't allow for any refusal, forcefully bundling me into the car and speeding off to Melody's place.
"Jolene, I don't want chicken soup anymore. I'm craving salt-baked chicken."
"Oh, and I'm very sensitive to plastic smells, so make sure you don't wear gloves while cooking, okay? Otherwise, I won't be able to eat it!"Melody saw the injury on my hand and immediately changed her mind, deliberately making things difficult.
Now that I've retrieved Dane's last memento, I have no reason to indulge her anymore.
"If you want to eat, make it yourself."
I turned to leave, which shocked Garrison. He still blocked my way,
"Jolene, are you playing hard to get with me? What do you want this time?"
I let out a cold laugh, about to retort, when he continued,
"I've agreed to transfer that house in the West End to you, okay?"
Hearing this, Melody became upset,
"Garrison, that's the house we lived in during college. How can you give it to her!"
Garrison caressed Melody's face, full of affection,
"Compared to you, some old house doesn't matter at all."
"If that freak Jolene wants it, just give it to her!"
In reality, it wasn't a property transfer agreement at all, but a divorce agreement I had disguised.
I had prepared the agreement when I learned the cloning project was close to success, but Garrison had been constantly with Melody and never had time to come home and sign it.
This opportunity to sign it would be good to sever ties with Garrison.I sent my attorney over immediately.
Garrison didn't even glance at the papers before signing and tossing them back to me.
"Can we start cooking now?" he demanded. "If Melody goes hungry, you'll be hearing from me again!"
I carefully put away the signed divorce agreement, then tied on an apron and began preparing the meal.
Garrison, this is the last time. There's no future for us after this.
The coarse salt seeped into my wounds, feeling like thousands of ants gnawing away. The pain was so intense it made my face contort.
When I finished, I tried to leave with my swollen hands, but Melody started snapping photos of me with her phone. She even posted them to the group chat:
[Garrison is amazing! He's got her so well-trained. Look at her running over in the middle of the night to cook chicken for me!]
Seeing this, her pack of lowlife friends quickly chimed in to mock me:
[Coming over at midnight to cook chicken? Calling Jolene a lapdog would be a compliment!]
[Seriously! I can't decide who's more pitiful - her or the chicken!]
[Hey now, don't say that. Maybe Jolene's loving every minute of it. After all, you guys just don't understand the heights of supreme bootlicking!]
I didn't bother reading any further. I left the group chat and walked out.As I passed by Garrison, I caught a glimpse of his indescribably complex expression.
Suddenly, he grabbed my swollen hand and pulled me aside,
"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? I'll take you to the hospital."
Once again, his tone left no room for refusal as he prepared to drag me away.
But Melody couldn't possibly allow this to happen, immediately chiming in with a coy voice,
"Garrison, I want you to feed me~"