Our Loveless Marriage

My dad urgently requested that I bring Jeffrey back as he was rushed to the emergency room following a car accident.

I nodded, holding back tears, but deep down, I knew Jeffrey harbored resentment toward me. He blamed me for his shattered relationship, my inherited wealth, and for coming between him and his first love.

Nothing could deter him from pursuing her, not even me.

"Evalyn, today is Melinda's birthday. Can you just be reasonable for once?" He spoke these words amidst the familiar sounds of laughter before abruptly ending the call.

Moments later, my dad took his last breath, his eyes wide open in a final, stark gaze.

As I fulfilled his last requests, organizing everything as he had instructed, I decided to let Jeffrey go.

It was only then that he began to regret everything…

——

To Jeffrey Hood, I had always been a plain, straightforward, and utterly unremarkable woman. My only notable attribute was my wealthy father.

But now? I didn't even have that. My dad was gone.

The day we met, Jeffrey had come to the Levine Group seeking investment. I happened to be visiting my dad at the company that day, and from the moment I saw Jeffrey, I was smitten.

He secured the investment he sought, and not long after, I became his wife.

However, on our wedding night, he vanished without a trace.

I later found him in a hotel room, intimately embracing another woman, whispering tender nothings into her ear.

For the next five years, that devastating scene replayed itself weekly in our own home.

It didn't stop there; he seized every chance to belittle and mock me, demanding that I leave him.

I understood his bitterness; he had never wanted this marriage. It was a union of convenience for him, and one I had initiated at that.

Even though he was a proud man, he suffered greatly.

I did everything to win his affection, hoping that my efforts would eventually endear me to him. Instead, he used my attempts as an excuse for his continued betrayal.

After settling everything at the hospital for my father, I was drained. There had been no time to properly mourn. So, I returned home to pack my belongings and leave.

Jeffrey and I resided on the top floor of our apartment building.

As I stepped out of the elevator, a bodyguard barred my way. "Mrs. Hood, Mr. Hood is inside," he informed me, his tone respectful yet firm.

Through the door, I could hear Jeffrey and Melinda Stuart talking. Whatever they were discussing seemed to delight her.

Summoning all my strength to keep my voice steady, I declared coldly, "Jeffrey, let's get a divorce!"

At that instant, the door swung open, revealing Jeffrey in an embrace with Melinda, looking at her with deep affection.

"Evalyn Levine, what's this all about now?" Jeffrey asked irritably.

"Do you really want a divorce just because I celebrated her birthday? Besides, do you think you can actually go through with it?

"If you're so eager to leave, good luck, because I'm certainly not giving you the money your dad needs!" he added scornfully.

I sneered.

He was still oblivious to the fact that my dad had passed away, accusing me of manufacturing drama. The irony was almost laughable.

My mocking laughter got on his nerves.

"Are you finished?" he spat. "You lied about your dad's car accident just to stop me from going to Melinda's birthday. All this for money? You don't need to put on such a dramatic act."

"Your dad has always looked down on me," he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. "And now he wants to borrow money from me to keep things afloat!

"You people used your filthy money to ruin my love life back then, and it caused Melinda to fall into depression. Now, it's your turn to feel the misery of being trapped by financial troubles!"

Mockery glinted in his eyes, his lips twisted in a sneer.

Overcome with anger, I lost all control. My fists clenched, and I stormed over and slapped him hard across the face.

"You could have refused back then!" I shouted, my voice quaking with rage.

He was stunned, unable to react for a moment. He clearly hadn't expected that the one person who had always been so submissive to him would dare strike him like this.

As I descended the stairs with my suitcase, Melinda was nestled against Jeffrey, her face flushed. When he saw me, panic flickered across his face, and he hastily pushed her away.

He rushed to me, seized my arm, and asked grimly, "Where do you think you're going with that suitcase?"

I smirked. "If I don't leave, how will I make room for the two of you?"

His voice was strained as he questioned, "You're leaving the money behind? Won't your dad be worried sick without it?"

Will You Really Not Save My Dad's Company?

To prevent further damage to the company, the news of my dad's death was kept strictly confidential.

Yet, I had told Jeffrey. A simple glance at our chat would have revealed that something was amiss. But predictably, he never checked.

"If you really cared, why didn't you answer my calls? Why didn't you reach out on your own?" I asked, my voice dripping with indifference.

"I… I've been busy with the company," he stammered.

"Busy meeting your lover?" I dismissed his excuses and turned to leave.

But he quickly grabbed my wrist, his grip firm. Leaning close, he whispered insistently, "Melinda is sick. What are you fighting her for? You're already my wife."

"Melinda is ill? Then, she should seek treatment. What does that have to do with me?" I laughed bitterly, finding it amusing.

As I pulled my arm free and my resolve to leave hardened, his tone became colder, more urgent.

"Don't forget, I'm the only one who can save your dad's company now!"

I stopped and faced him with unwavering calm. "If I begged you to save it, would you even consider it? My dad's accident happened because he was trying to reach you for help. The drunk driver has paid for his crime, but the true culprit… is you!"

Melinda, who had been smirking from the sidelines, let out a mocking laugh. "Your dad's still recovering from that accident? Maybe I should send him some chicken soup to speed up his recovery.

"Jeffrey married you out of necessity, not choice. The company needed him. Do you actually believe he loves you? He's always been mine, so if you came here for money, don't bother—"

I cut her off with a sharp slap across her face, my anger boiling over.

"There's no need for chicken soup, especially not when it's filthy, stinky, and rotten. Only Jeffrey could stomach such garbage!"

Melinda staggered back from the force of my slap. Before she could say anything, Jeffrey was already by her side.

"Evalyn, have you lost your mind? Attacking people like this? What, am I showing too much deference?

"Can't you talk without being passive-aggressive? Are you seriously putting on such a dramatic show just for money?"

As I moved to confront her again, Jeffrey blocked my path.

"Jeffrey, get out of my way!"

"I just mentioned chicken soup? Did I hit a nerve?" Melinda taunted.

She then called out frantically to the bodyguards by the door. "What are you waiting for? Restrain her!"

In an instant, Jeffrey's bodyguards pinned me down, pressing my face against the cold, hard floor.

"Tell them to let go of me!" I demanded, glaring up at Jeffrey with all the fury I could muster.

He returned my gaze with a chilling indifference. "Evalyn, you're in the wrong here. You struck her. Apologize to her now!"

"In your dreams! She's nothing more than a sewer rat. Apologize to her, huh? She's not worth the breath," I retorted vehemently.

Ignoring my comments, Melinda patted Jeffrey on the shoulder, acting as if she hadn't heard a word. "Jeff, just forget about it. Divorce her immediately. You've seen her true colors now."

Jeffrey's eyes lingered on me for a long moment. "Evalyn, just apologize now, and we can pretend this never happened."

"Absolutely not! And I will divorce you!" I responded icily.

Throughout this exchange, Melinda wore a facade of dejection, but upon hearing the word 'divorce,' her demeanor shifted.

"Divorce!" she echoed, her eyes flashing with sudden interest.

I couldn't help but laugh sarcastically. "Congratulations, Melinda. You've finally gotten what you wanted. Are you satisfied now?"

A brief smile flickered across her lips, quickly masked yet revealing her internal victory.

I tried to struggle, but it was useless.

"Do you think you can just marry into the Hood Family and leave as you please?" Jeffrey taunted. "You were the one who demanded this marriage! You promised to love me forever. Have you tired of me so quickly?"

Pulling out his phone, he gave me a cold, mocking smile. He looked as if he was ready to threaten me again.

He had done this before, vanishing for a month and giving me the silent treatment for two months just to force me into an apology.

But this time was different. I no longer cared. His power to intimidate me had evaporated.

"Andrew, hold off on gathering the funds for now," he spoke into the phone.

I met his gaze with a calm defiance.

When I first learned of my dad's company's troubles, I swallowed my pride and sought Jeffrey's help.

He had always known how much it meant to me. Unfortunately, he never shared my concerns.

"Evalyn, apologize to Melinda, and I'll arrange a financial bailout for your dad's company."

I laughed bitterly. "Jeffrey, if I don't apologize, are you really going to let my dad's company fail?"

A heavy silence fell between us before he finally answered, "Yes."

Jeffrey Receives Shocking News

But Jeffrey was oblivious to the shift in fortunes. His opportunity to play the hero had vanished.

Cameron Walker, a childhood friend with whom I grew up, had stepped in to save my company.

Quiet, reserved, and usually a man of few words, Cameron had always had a knack for caring for others.

On the day we graduated from university, he revealed his long-held feelings for me. He confessed that he had reserved his heart for me, not allowing any other to claim a place.

However, I had just fallen for Jeffrey days before and gently rejected Cameron.

Devastated by the news of my relationship with Jeffrey, Cameron had left the country without a goodbye. Yet, at my lowest, he returned.

He found me in the hospital, pulling me into a tight embrace with a sob in his voice, "Eva, I've finally found you!"

I attempted to wriggle free, but he clung tighter as if he were trying to fuse me into his soul.

I never imagined that I would meet him again in such a miserable state.

Cameron knew my dad's company had been struggling, giving our rivals the perfect opportunity to ensnare us in corporate warfare.

As the company teetered on the brink of collapse, none of my father's business associates came to our aid. Many simply watched, eager to see us fail.

Even Jeffrey, the son-in-law my dad had trusted and supported, had abandoned us when we needed him most.

I watched in despair as my dad's life's work—everything he had poured his heart into—was on the brink of being destroyed. The devastation was complete and heart-wrenching.

Then, Cameron wired a massive sum of his company's funds into my company's account. It was a lifeline that pulled Levine Group back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Presently, Jeffrey noticed my distraught state and a trace of guilt flickered in his eyes. He gestured for his bodyguards to release me.

However, Melinda, seething with jealousy, interrupted him before he could speak. She detested any sign of his concern for me.

As I stood to leave, Melinda's foot shot out, tripping me.

Caught completely off guard, I tumbled to the floor. A glass ornament nearby toppled over, shattering into pieces all around me.

Her eyes burned with undisguised malice as she pressed her heel into the back of my hand, driving shards of glass into my palm. The intense pain nearly caused me to lose consciousness.

Amidst my agony, Jeffrey's angry voice jolted me back to reality.

"Evalyn! How long will you keep up this act? Are you staging this pathetic scene just for money now?"

As pain overwhelmed me, my vision blurred, and darkness threatened the edges of my sight. Breathing became a struggle, each breath more laborious than the last.

"Evalyn! How long are you going to keep acting? Are you pulling this pathetic stunt just to get money now?"

My vision blurred, and darkness swirled at the edges of my sight. It was getting harder to breathe.

"You're nothing but a thief," Melinda hissed, her voice seething with disdain. "The title of Mrs. Hood was always meant to be mine, and it's only fitting that your dad's company went under. He deserved it, really.

"I thought you were so devoted to your dad. But all you've done is play the victim, using his name to garner sympathy."

Her tone grew even crueler as she added, "Honestly, it would have been better if your dad had just died in that car accident like you claimed!"

I didn't know where the strength came from, but I somehow managed to get to my feet. Without thinking, I lunged at her, intent on striking her.

But before I could reach her, Jeffrey pulled her into his arms.

My Dad's body still lay in the funeral home, yet even in death, he found no peace. Cursed by others, his memory was tainted.

In the ensuing scuffle, I managed to scratch her hand, leaving vivid red marks. Jeffrey's frown deepened as he inspected the injury.

Without missing a beat, Melinda shoved me to the ground and ground her heel into my fingers. "Look at you. Pathetic and hysterical! What right do you have to still call yourself Mrs. Hood?" she commented maliciously.

Jeffrey, standing by her side, echoed her sentiments without a hint of regret. "Evalyn, have you seen yourself lately?"

His next words were laced with scorn. "Calling you a dog would be a compliment."

I gasped for air as Melinda's triumphant smirk loomed over me.

I recalled our wedding day; he had held me close, portraying the doting husband before the flashing cameras. Yet, the moment we were alone, he cast me aside like refuse.

I had been so naive.

I thought I could survive by playing dumb, that time would eventually erase certain people from his life.

I was tragically mistaken. The one erased was me.

My dignity was crushed beneath their feet, and I had lost everything.

Suddenly, Jeffrey picked up his phone. "Andrew, cancel the funds for the Levine Group."

There was a pause on the other end before Andrew finally responded, "But, Mr. Hood, the Levine Group has just announced a partnership with the Walker Group. Also, Mrs. Hood's father has passed away."

The news struck everyone like a thunderbolt.

As the reality sunk in, a wave of agony overwhelmed me, as cold and relentless as a winter storm, consuming my spirit.

Overcome by grief and pain, my legs gave way.

Everything faded to black.