Chapter 16
”
Antonio’s eyes reddened instantly. He stared at me with a trembling mouth. “Grace, I’m your husband. Why are you slapping me for someone else?”
I kept my eyes calm. “Didn’t you hear what Valda said? I do have feelings for Chad. So I won’t allow you to hurt him.”
Antonio’s reaction was unexpectedly intense. “You’re lying! I know your schedule inside out. You’re just saying this to upset me. Grace, how much longer are you going to stay mad at me? I…”
The moment he saw Chad and me holding hands, Antonio fell silent in
rage.
He couldn’t understand why I, who had done so much for him out of love, could stand here shamelessly with another man.
Valda, seeing Antonio’s fury, seized the chance to join in, but Antonio unexpectedly shoved her to the ground.”
Ignoring Valda’s tears, he stood there like a mannequin, his heart heavy with despair.
After what seemed like an eternity, he said, “Grace, I finally understand how you felt before. I’ll spend my life making it up to you. Let’s go home, okay?”
His words struck me as the most absurd joke I’d ever heard. I chuckled. “Antonio, if I don’t receive the signed divorce papers by tomorrow, I’ll have my lawyer file for divorce.”
With that, I took Chad’s hand and returned to the cafe with Carly to
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continue our afternoon tea.
I felt no qualms about holding Chad’s hand in public, as he had confessed his feelings to me a few days prior.
Though I hadn’t accepted them then.
I immediately apologized to him.
Chad, rubbing his nose bashfully, accepted my apology and invited me to an art exhibition the following weekend.
As for Antonio and Valda, who remained ignored on the ground, no one paid them any mind.
The next day, I didn’t receive the divorce papers from Antonio, so I proceeded to file for divorce through my lawyer without further delay.
During the rainy season, when the countryside was shrouded in mist. I returned home with my parents.
On the second day, Antonio’s car appeared before our house.
Having warned that any relative, including my parents, who dared to let him into our house would face estrangement, I was determined to stand my ground
For three days, Antonio stood in the rain outside my house
by day and slept alone in his car by night, while everyone else turned a blind eye.
It wasn’t until Uncle Reynolds from next door discovered him unconscious on the way to the village’s only grocery store that things took
a turn.
Antonio ran a high fever throughout the night. Despite taking medication, my parents kept checking on him every half hour.
