Waverly's husband died years ago—crushed in a mining collapse. Back then, she was heavily pregnant, and she went into early labor when she heard the news.

Damian stayed by her side, running around the hospital to help her. It was understandable—just one neighbor helping another during a tough time.

However, no one expected that, right after her husband's death, Waverly would set her sights on Damian.

Ever since her kid was born, every little thing became Damian's problem. If the baby needed formula, if the clothes were too small, if the kid got sick—it was all on him.

Out of Damian's 500-dollar paycheck each month, 400 dollars went straight to Waverly and her child.

Our own home did not even have a single decent appliance. The old, rusty bike out at the front was part of my wedding gift.

I tried talking to him about it once, but he just sighed and called me heartless.

"You're a woman too. Why can't you show some empathy for Waverly? She lost her husband while pregnant, almost died giving birth, and now, she has no one. If we don't help her, who will?"

However, everyone in the neighborhood knew that Waverly had received a large payout after her husband's death. Meanwhile, in our home, I was the only one actually contributing to the household.

The old me would have lost my temper and caused a scene, but not anymore. I packed my suitcase, placed the divorce papers on the living room coffee table, and waited for Damian to come home.

He came back late, but I did not bother asking where he had been. The moment he saw me sitting on the couch, his eyes flicked to the documents on the table, and he tensed.

He asked, "Maisie, can we just stop fighting? I know my attitude's been bad lately, but divorcing over something this small? Isn't that too much?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Small? That kid is already calling you 'Dad', and you're still calling it a small matter? Damian, this divorce is happening—no discussion."

He instantly lost his temper. "Maisie Hale, stop being so unreasonable! The kid likes me because I'm a good person! What's so wrong with me being his godfather?"

I retorted, "A good person? Please. Is it really the kid who likes you, or is it his mother who's after you?"

His face darkened. "Maisie, you're impossible to talk to! I can't explain anything to a woman like you!"

I laughed softly. "Perfect. I'm giving you the chance to be with the kind of woman you can talk to. When I married you against my family's wishes, I thought you'd be good to me, but now? How could you expect me to sit back and watch you dote on another woman?"

I shouted, "Look around, Damian! The apartment belongs to my company. All the major appliances were part of our wedding gifts. I pay for the groceries, the water, the electricity—everything. Even the clothes you're wearing right now were bought with my money.

"What about your paycheck? You've been spending it on toys and snacks for Waverly's kid, on salon visits and pretty outfits for Waverly.

"Even when we visit my mom during the holidays, you never bring her anything, but Waverly's kid always gets a new coat or holiday gifts, courtesy of you."

I exhaled deeply, finally letting out the frustrations I had held inside for so long.

"Damian, your heart isn't here with me, so why drag this on? Let's end this. After the divorce, you can marry her properly and have that kid call you 'Dad' for real."

I stood up and walked to the bedroom. "This divorce is final."

Damian stood there for a long time, frozen. Then he followed me into the bedroom, his voice low and pleading. "Maisie, don't do this. Let's not get divorced, okay?"

I did not understand it. If his heart was already with Waverly, why did he insist on staying married to me?

Not that it mattered. In a week, I would be on a plane out of there. Whether or not he divorced me, Damian would eventually end up with Waverly.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of clanging pots and pans in the kitchen.

We had been married for five years, and in all that time, Damian had never once cooked for me—though he made soups and stews for Waverly when she was recovering from childbirth.

I ignored Damian and went to wash up. Then, I grabbed two hard-boiled eggs from the table and shoved them into my bag.

"Drink some hot soup before you go," Damian said softly, his tone unusually gentle.

However, it was too late for that. "No thanks. We're practically divorced—no need to sit down and share a meal."

I placed my bag over my shoulder and walked toward the door. "Oh, don't forget to leave the grocery money later. All the pots, pans, and groceries were bought with my money. If you want to eat here, pay up."

In our five years of marriage, Damian never spent a cent on me. I supported him, which meant I was, in fact, supporting another woman's household all along.

Just as I placed my hand on the door handle, I heard a knock from outside. I opened the door to see Clara Wilson standing there with a bright smile.

She said, "Maisie, these are fresh eggs from my family's farm back home. I thought you could use some extra nourishment."

I could tell Clara did not come just to drop off some eggs. She clearly had something on her mind, so I invited her in."Come on in, Clara. Have a seat."

Clara stepped inside and immediately caught sight of Damian at the dining table. She frowned and shook her head.

She told him, "Damian, I'm telling you, a married man shouldn't worry about another woman. Taking care of your own wife should be your top priority."

Damian kept his head down, silently shoving food into his mouth. Nonetheless, when he sneaked a guilty glance my way, I caught it.

I brought Clara a cup of tea, but she waved her hand. "I just came to say a few words. I have to send my kid to school soon."

I thanked her with a smile and walked her out. However, the moment I stepped outside, I noticed Waverly hovering nervously near the entrance.

"Damian, Waverly's out here waiting for you!" I called out, loud enough for him to hear from the living room.

I heard the clatter of utensils hitting the floor. Meanwhile, Waverly's face went pale, and she quickly whispered, "Maisie, please don't misunderstand. Damian and I are innocent. Nothing is going on, really…"

Hearing the word 'innocent' come from her mouth almost made me laugh.

I gave her a cold, sharp glare and spat, "Waverly, save that innocent act for Damian—he might fall for it, but I won't."

I continued, "You've been living off our money for years. I'm giving you three days to pay it all back. If you don't, I'll make sure the whole town hears about it through the broadcast station."

Waverly's expression turned stormy. "That money was just Damian being nice. He was just helping me out with groceries and the kid's stuff. What's the big deal?"

I retorted, "Has Damian actually told you how much he actually spent on you? Before we got married, he could spend whatever he wanted on you. That was his business. After our marriage, our income became shared property. Every month, he spent at least four hundred dollars on you and your kid. Over five years, that's around twenty-five thousand dollars."

I continued, "Either you pay me back, or I'll go straight to the police."

That number hit her like a punch to the gut.

Her eyes filled with panic, and she turned toward Damian, who was still sitting inside. "Damian, say something! Please!"

Damian did not even look up. His voice was weak and reluctant as he mumbled, "Waverly... Just pay her back. I-It's a lot of money."

Waverly was stupefied by his response. Suddenly, she collapsed onto her knees in front of me, sobbing.

"Maisie, I beg you, please... I'm raising a kid alone. I don't have that kind of money. Please have a little compassion..."

I was not in the mood to entertain her theatrics. Without another word, I turned and walked out the door.

After that, I headed straight to Damian and Waverly's workplace and found their manager, Simon Grande. I sat across from him and got straight to the point.

"Mr. Grande, I don't need you to mediate or take sides. I just want the money back—that's all. Whatever else happens, I don't care anymore."

Simon sighed and slid a cup of tea across the desk toward me. "Maisie, I've seen how much you've sacrificed for Damian over the years. He's the one who's in the wrong here, no question. I'll make sure you get your money back, but divorce... that's a big decision. Are you sure about this?"

I replied, "I've already applied for a study abroad program, Mr. Grande. I'll be leaving next week, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. Divorcing him and letting him marry Waverly is better for everyone involved."

He stared at me in surprise. I could tell he had not expected that from me, the woman everyone had pegged as the dutiful wife.

Nonetheless, Simon was sharp. After a moment, he gave me a nod.

"Studying abroad is a good choice, Maisie. This training will open new doors for you. Stay safe while you're out there.

"As for Damian... Well, he was on track to get the 'Employee of the Year' award, but I didn't realize he was this clueless about his priorities."

Just then, the office door burst open. Damian rushed in, his face flushed with anger. "Mr. Grande, don't listen to her! She's making things up. We're not getting divorced!"

Damian turned to me and added, "Maisie, you can't just decide something this big without talking to me! You're leaving the country? I don't agree to that!"

Before I could respond, Waverly stumbled in right after him, crying loudly.

She threw herself onto the floor and wailed, "Mr. Grande, please help me! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money? How will my child and I survive?"

Their dramatic entrance drew a crowd of curious coworkers, who gathered outside the office to watch.

I crossed my arms and spoke clearly, so everyone could hear me. "If you two don't mind embarrassing yourselves, go right ahead, but this divorce is happening. As for that money, I want every last cent of it back."

Waverly's sobs grew louder.

"Twenty-five thousand dollars... I'll never be able to repay that! How am I supposed to live after this? I might as well just die!"

Suddenly, she lunged toward the window.

The moment Damian saw Waverly lunge toward the window, he rushed forward and grabbed her, holding her tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably. He whispered reassurances to her while she clung to him like a lifeline.

Simon slammed his hand on the desk, his face twisted with irritation. "You two have no shame at all! This is a workplace! Look around—everyone here is watching! Do you realize how ridiculous you both look right now?"

He turned toward me with a softer expression and said, "Maisie, go home and get some rest. I promise I'll handle this situation."

I gave him a nod, turned around, and left without a second thought.

As I walked away, I heard footsteps behind me. Damian was trying to catch up, his hand reaching for my arm.

However, before he could touch me, Waverly latched onto him, crying as she begged him not to leave her behind.

I did not stop or say anything. Instead, I walked straight home, grabbed my documents, and went to buy my plane ticket.

When I returned, I spotted Damian marching furiously down the street, with Waverly trailing nervously behind him.

I did not care what had happened after I left the office, nor did I want to know. I stuffed the ticket into my coat pocket, pretended not to see them, and made my way home.

Perhaps ten minutes later, I heard a commotion outside my door. I opened it to find Damian and Waverly standing there, along with a pile of random items scattered in the hallway.

Waverly's face was full of resentment, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Damian cleared his throat and spoke first. "Maisie, I got everything back. Can we... Can we forget about the divorce now?"

Before I could respond, Waverly burst out, voice sharp and shrill. "Maisie, you got your stuff back! I didn't take anything from you! Are you happy now?"

She turned to Damian, wiping away fake tears. "Fine! Don't worry about me or my kid anymore! We'll just starve, I guess!"

I crouched down and sifted through the pile they had brought back. There were broken appliances, worn-out clothes, and even a carton of eggs Damian had just bought for her two days ago.

I clapped my hands and laughed.

"Waverly, seriously? Damian spent five years helping you raise your kid. He paid for your food, your clothes, everything.

"Your late husband left you a pretty generous settlement, didn't he? I'm guessing you've been saving it all while living off my household.

"Starving? Yeah, I think you're exaggerating just a little."

The hallway was packed with curious neighbors, all craning their necks to watch the scene unfold. They had been waiting for the drama ever since I confronted Damian and Waverly at their workplace.

Damian's face turned beet red as he glanced around at the gawking crowd. "Waverly, enough! I helped you when you needed it, but stop making a spectacle of yourself. I might not care, but I'm embarrassed for you!"

Clara squeezed through the crowd and tried to calm the situation. "Maisie, dear, let it go. The more you fight, the harder it'll be for everyone. At the end of the day, you still have a marriage to protect."

I appreciated Clara's good intentions. People from her generation grew up believing that we should not air our dirty linen in public, but I did not care about appearances anymore.

I was done playing the dutiful wife, especially since I did nothing wrong. Soon, I would have nothing to do with Damian and Waverly, that shameless couple, anymore.

I squeezed her hand. "Clara, I've made up my mind. I'm divorcing him, no matter what. In five days, I'm leaving the country to study abroad. I've already bought my ticket."

I gestured toward the pile of junk in the hallway and added, "Look, if you see anything your grandson could use, go ahead and take it. I'll just sell the rest to a scrap collector."

Clara hesitated, glancing from me to Damian and back again. "Oh, I don't know... It feels a bit awkward."

I picked up a toy car from the pile and handed it to her. "Here, your grandson will love this. These clothes are unworn too. I'm pretty sure they'll fit him."

I held up the carton of eggs. "Take these eggs home and make him some breakfast."

Clara smiled gratefully and whispered, "Maisie, are you really leaving? I mean, won't that just give those two exactly what they want?"

I met her eyes and nodded. "I am, Clara. I've wasted enough time on Damian already. He never appreciated what I gave him, but with my education and my career, my country will appreciate me more than he ever did."

Clara could tell I was determined, eventually supporting my decision. As she turned to leave and passed Damian, she shook her head and muttered under her breath.

"You had a good woman and threw her away. What a damn shame."

Damian stood there, rooted to the floor, not daring to lift his head under the weight of the neighbors' judgmental stares.