Chapter 6
Cordelia finally reacted after getting over her initial shock.
She shrieked, "You've been living off my daughter and enjoying the salary she paid all this time. Now, you're planning to freeload even more? Do you really have no shame?"
I ignored them and looked at Ruby.
As expected, she had no intention of asking why I had resigned.
She merely glanced at me with disdain and said matter-of-factly, "Francis, let me make this clear. You can resign if you want, but I'm not going to support you. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself."
I laughed out loud at that.
Just as I was about to say something, Wilbur hurried out of the bedroom. "Ruby, what's going on? Am I hearing things, or did Francis resign?"
I'd been mentally prepared, so seeing Wilbur here didn't surprise me at all. Instead, it gave me a sense of clarity that things were just as I had expected.
A slightly diffident look flashed across Ruby's eyes for a moment as she explained, "Wilbur lives very far away from the airport. He's been exhausted these past few days, so I let him rest here first."
"That's right, Francis," Wilbur said. "Sorry for disturbing. I know you're angry at me. I brought you some gifts as an apology. I hope you'll let it go and not hold it against me."
As he spoke, he took out a bouquet of white lilies from behind him and handed it to me.
I glanced at it indifferently. These were the exact same flowers I had seen in his Instagram post earlier. I had seen him put it on his deceased family member's grave.
I found it rather amusing. "Does your family have the habit of giving people flowers you have offered to the dead?"
Ruby snapped immediately, "What's your problem, Francis? Why are you being so crude? And what do you mean by that? Wilbur picked these out especially for you."
Wilbur stepped forward and gently patted her back to comfort her.
He sounded aggrieved as he said, "Don't be mad, Ruby. It's understandable that Francis doesn't like what I brought. It's just that I'm not that rich. Actually, I wanted to get him something more valuable…"
"Why give him anything at all? A snob like him doesn't deserve it," Cordelia said, glaring at me.
She took the lilies from Wilbur and smiled kindly at him as she said, "It's fine. I like your gift. I'll take it. These flowers are beautiful."
Asher had a stern expression on his face as he said, "I'll be straightforward with you, Francis. You haven't improved at all over the years. You're no longer worthy of Ruby. I think you should let her go."
A calculating glint flashed in Wilbur's eyes, but he quickly put on a regretful expression. "Mr. and Mrs. Irving, don't say that. Francis and Ruby are such a perfect match. It's such a pity if they get divorced. Ruby, say something."
Ruby let out a long sigh and walked up to me. "Francis, you've gone overboard this time. Still, we've been married for seven years, so it's not like I must divorce you. As long as you apologize to Wilbur and lend this house to him for a while—"
"That won't be necessary," I interrupted calmly, having already guessed that she would say something along those lines.
Then, I handed the divorce certificate to her and announced, "We're already divorced."