“Travis is a young, successful and kind man. He’s a much better man than you, Matthew. Instead of making trouble, you should learn from him.”

Rebecca’s mother started scolding me nonstop. I tried to argue, but there were no words coming out. It all felt pointless. Their careless tone made me look like a crazy person. Yet, they truly drove me mad.

Both Rebecca and I first met in college. It was the time when we fell in love crazily. We stayed together naively and without knowing the real world. But we held on for five whole years.

When we spoke of marriage, her parents refused to agree to it. They put the blame on me for being poor. They even threatened to make Rebecca disabled if she dared to marry me.

After Rebecca and I got married, I focused all my attention on my work to calm her parents. To win business for the company, I drank so much that I ended up in the emergency room because of gastric bleeding. When her parents came to see me, they had nothing kind to say.

“I never agreed to your marriage. You’re such a loser! You even land in the hospital just because of one deal.”

“Why didn’t you drink him to death? That would have been better. My daughter could still find someone else while she’s young.”

I kept their words in mind and worked without rest to pull the company back up. Still, they looked down on me. No matter what I did, it might not be good enough for them. I thought Rebecca would see my effort, but she only felt I ignored her. Even my son slowly drifted away from me.

Eventually, I stopped everything and tried to make things right with my wife and our son. But she pushed me away. When my daughter was born, she was the one who asked Travis to stay with her during the birth and even let him join the photos of our daughter’s one-month-old celebration.

It might be because Rebecca’s parents despised me, but they supported her actions without question. I had had enough. I understood it this time.

All I wanted was to end it.

“Sign the divorce papers, then we’ll both be free. After the one-month-old celebration party for our daughter, we can split peacefully. I’ll give you half of our things.”

“As for our daughter, the custody will be mine. I’ll place her in the best schools.”

Rebecca lost all patience.

“What do you mean by putting our daughter in the best schools? Matthew, are you trying to raise our daughter into a paranoid madman like you?”

“You asked me to marry you, was it just to torture me? Just to kill me slowly?”

My wife then grabbed the divorce papers from the table, tore them to bits like a crazy woman and threw them at me.

“Don’t you just want me to admit I was wrong? Fine, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. Can I leave now?”

Her words carried no regret. Rebecca was only pressing me, forcing me to give in. My son tried to cover her with his small body.

“You bad man! I won’t let you hurt my mom. I won’t let you take my sister away!”

After a pause, Rebecca patted his shoulder gently.

“Sonny, apologize to Dad, too.”

“Uncle Travis came with us for your sister’s one-month-old celebration photos, so Dad got angry. If you don’t say sorry, he’ll leave the house.”

My son pouted.

“Then let him leave! I don’t want to see this bad man ever again!”

“I won’t apologize! Get out of our house, you bad guy! I want Uncle Travis to be my dad!”

When I looked at Sonny’s stubborn little face, I almost cried. He once loved me so much, always waiting for me to play with him after I got home from work.

Then, Rebecca clicked her tongue sharply.

“Sonny, don’t talk to Dad like that! Say sorry now, or he really will abandon us.”

My son still held his fists tight, looking deeply wronged.

“I won’t say sorry. I won’t say sorry to this bad man!”

After that, Sonny pouted and suddenly burst into tears. Travis then bent down. He wiped Sonny’s face.

“Alright, don’t cry, Sonny! Little boys shouldn’t cry.”

“Hurry and say sorry to your dad. If you do, I’ll promise to take you to my secret base, alright?”

My son rubbed his wet eyes.

“Really?”

After hearing Travis’s firm reply, he unwillingly mumbled an apology to me.

“I’m sorry.”

Rebecca’s eyes were full of pain for her son.

“Is that enough now? Your son already apologized. Stop making a scene.”

Right then, my son hit me hard with his small fist.

“You bastard, let my mom go!”

“Mom, divorce this bad man! I just want Uncle Travis to be my dad. Grandma says this bad man only brings trouble. Mom will only be happy with Uncle Travis.”

I lost all control and gripped Rebecca’s hand harder without meaning to.

“Who told him to say that? Why would he say such things at this age? Tell me!”

“For so many years, I worked day and night outside to give you a better life. And you, Rebecca, how have you treated me? Do you even have a heart? Why would you teach our child this way?”

Rebecca stepped back in fear, struggling to pull her hand free.

“Go to hell, you bad man!”

My son grabbed a vase from the table before smashing it against my back without pause. Sharp pain spread through me. The pieces cut open my skin, while warm blood ran down.

I gasped and froze where I stood. In that instant, all my strength left me. Holding the bleeding wound, I turned back. My son’s face showed fear, but there was no regret in his eyes.

Tears poured down my face at that moment.

Even Rebecca had not expected him to do that.

“Sonny Melrose, what did you do? How could you hit Dad with a vase?”

With shaky courage, my son whispered, “Mom, I just didn’t want that bad man to hurt you.”

Rebecca stared blankly for a few seconds before rushing to hug him tightly.

I wiped my tears, opened the drawer under the table and pulled out another divorce paper.

“Sign it.”

Rebecca froze, not expecting me to push this far.

“Matthew, do you really want to end our marriage?”

“All men are the same. Now that you have money and success, you just want to walk away. Have you forgotten how you chased me, the promises you made?”

My wife knew the truth better than I did, but she refused to admit it. I nodded firmly. It caused her to get angry.

“Fine, think it through. If one day you regret it, don’t come crying to beg me back.”

“Even though I haven’t worked all these years, you still must give me half your property. And both our son and daughter belong to me.”

I gave a small smile. I had already said I’d give her half the property. If fighting for my daughter’s custody would only stop me from leaving, then I’d give that up too.

“Fine by me.”

“The two kids are yours, half the property and even this house.”

Initially, I had planned to keep this house for myself. After all, there were so many of our memories were made in this house.

This time, I had realized that keeping the house with me would only bring me more pain. Rebecca’s eyes glared with disbelief. Meanwhile, Travis stepped forward as he was trying to calm things down.

“Stop fighting, it’s all my fault.”

“I didn’t mean to disturb your lives when I came back this time. I didn’t think such small things would upset Matthew so much.”

“I crossed the line. If you mind, I can return abroad and never appear again.”

His voice sounded as if he were the victim. Rebecca’s heart ached for him. My son quickly ran over and hugged his legs.

“Uncle Travis, don’t go. You didn’t do anything wrong. I like you, not that bad man! I just wanted to take pictures with Uncle Travis. If you go, then you must take me, my mom and my sister too.”

I gave a cold smile.

“Rebecca, sign it.”

Seeing this, Travis spoke again.

“Matthew, don’t be angry. Kids talk carelessly. I … ”

I cut him off.

“Who are you to interfere? Aren’t you the one who wants us divorced the most?”

As if being provoked, Rebecca grabbed the papers from me and signed her name boldly on the empty space.

“Matthew, don’t you ever regret what you did now!”

She shoved both copies into my arms. At that moment, I finally felt a heavy weight lift from me.

“You’d better go quickly now! Everyone has arrived already. They must be waiting for you.”

Once I said that, I walked into the bedroom without looking back. After that, I took a look around. Everything inside was just personal items, nothing worth keeping. They were still waiting outside.

Rebecca’s eyes looked strange, but I explained calmly.

“I looked around, but there’s nothing I need. Ask your mother to throw away my things when the time comes.”

After that, I walked quietly toward the door.

Rebecca then stopped me.

“Aren’t you going to our daughter’s one-month-old celebration dinner party?”

I couldn’t help but sneer.

“If I go, wouldn’t that just ruin the fun of you four?”