Return, My Love: Wooing the Neglected Ex-Wife

Chapter 22:

Joelle knew it wasn’t just Leah, Amara, or Irene. These people seemed to care about her, but it was only because of her title—Adrian’s wife. Adrian’s wife was expected to be flawless, dignified, and graceful, lest she bring shame to him. Over time, people stopped calling Joelle by her name and only referred to her as Mrs. Miller.

At that moment, all Joelle wanted was to be herself again. “Amara, I’ve made up my mind to divorce Adrian. Once we’re divorced, he can do whatever he wants, and I won’t care.” Amara shot her a piercing look. “Divorce? Do you honestly believe that divorcing will free you from the Miller family’s grasp? Even if you do that, you’ll be known as his ex-wife. The moment you drugged my son and manipulated him into marrying you, you bound yourself to us forever.”

Amara rearranged her shawl and straightened up. “I’m giving you three days to get rid of the woman Adrian is involved with. If you can’t do that, I won’t mind intervening myself.” Joelle sensed her back against the wall. Amara offered no room for negotiation—only stern, unyielding commands.

She mustered all her strength and faced Amara. “I know I’m not the daughter-in-law you want. Wouldn’t it be better if Adrian were to divorce me and marry someone of your choosing? Please, I’m begging you, let me go.”

“Why are you such a coward?” Amara scoffed, frustration evident in her tone. “Countless women would kill just to marry Adrian. You may not be my preferred choice, but Irene holds you in high regard, so I have no choice but to accept you. Are you really going to back down just because of some woman? What man doesn’t fool around? Don’t be too hard on Adrian!”

Just then, Joelle realized something as a famous quote flashed through her mind: he merely made a mistake that every man in the world would make. Perhaps other wives could turn a blind eye to their husbands’ betrayals, but Joelle was not one of them.

“Amara, if you were in my shoes, and your husband had been unfaithful, would you have given him a chance?” Joelle asked, her eyes gleaming with sincerity. The moment those words left Joelle’s mouth, Amara’s face contorted with rage. Her gaze seared into Joelle, and her body shook with fury.

With a resounding slap, Joelle’s head whipped to the side. A ringing filled her ear, her sight blurred, and a wave of dizziness overtook her. “How dare you compare yourself to me?” Amara shouted, her voice seemingly echoing from a distance. “I grew up alongside Adrian’s father; our families were close, and we’d been together since childhood. We’d devoted ourselves to each other for decades. Even though he’s no longer here, my heart remains his alone. You schemed your way into marriage with my son, and now you dare equate your situation to mine?”

Amara’s piercing voice filled the car. Joelle hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Amara. She had only wanted Amara to put herself in her shoes and stop pressuring her. Amara hurled the groceries at Joelle. The long green onions lashed her face and body, inflicting sharp pain.

At first, Joelle tried to soothe her frenzied mother-in-law, but it was futile. Amara’s grief manifested in physical outbursts, leaving Joelle no choice but to shield herself and wait for the storm to pass. Suddenly, the car door swung open. The driver, having heard the commotion inside, approached to investigate.

At that moment, Amara kicked Joelle out of the vehicle, sending her tumbling onto the roadside. Groceries scattered around her as Amara tossed them out after her. “Get out!” The driver, unperturbed, quickly fetched a bottle of medication from behind the seat. “Madam, here’s your medicine.”

Amara clutched her chest, struggling for breath. “Honey, why did you leave me? Why didn’t you take me with you?” Her voice broke with the weight of her grief. Joelle was taken aback. Although she had always perceived Amara as cold and unapproachable, she had not underestimated the depth of Amara’s grief over her late husband.

The driver quickly shut the car door and collected Joelle’s scattered items. “Don’t let it weigh on you. They shared a deep bond. It’s been a decade since your father-in-law passed, and your mother-in-law still hasn’t come to terms with it. Try not to bring him up in front of her again.” Joelle lowered her eyes and nodded in understanding. “I see.” As the driver took Amara away, Joelle was left to stand up on her own. Each part of her body ached from the blows. The places where Amara had struck her were red and swollen.

With her head down, Joelle made her way back to her apartment, aware of the pitying looks from those she passed. Once she reached an empty hallway, she could no longer hold back her emotions and collapsed to the floor. She wrapped her arms around herself as tears overcame her. Amara’s outburst had shaken her.

Realizing she had inadvertently triggered the confrontation by mentioning Adrian’s father, Joelle silently cursed herself for her bad luck. After collecting herself, Joelle returned to her apartment and prepared a simple meal with the little food she had left. Just as she was about to eat, a knock sounded at the door. This was an old building, and everyone could come and go undetected.

“Who is it?” Joelle asked warily. “It’s me,” answered a deep voice, which sounded like Adrian’s. Joelle, whose hand was on the doorknob, hesitated. “What do you want?” “Open the door.” She knew all too well that provoking Adrian would only complicate matters. Therefore, she opened the door, even just a crack.

Adrian took advantage of the opening. He pushed the door wider and barged in. “You want to divorce me just to live in a dump like this? You’re ridiculous, Joelle.”

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