My husband would go out for food delivery every day after work to help cover household expenses and pay for our child’s tutoring classes.

He worked so hard, rain or shine, until his skin grew dark from the sun.

Watching him exhaust himself like this, I decided to ask for a divorce.

Margaret Miller glared at me, scolding me for being heartless:

“Jason is doing this for you and the child. He risks himself out there every day delivering food, and yet you want a divorce? You’re nothing but an ingrate!”

“Say whatever you want. I’m getting a divorce!”

I sneered. “Since he loves food delivery so much, let him do it for the rest of his life.”

Jason worked 365 days a year delivering food. He never let me walk him out.

Every time he left, he was secretive, going alone, refusing to let me call him. If I did, he’d get angry and say I was distracting him, that he might get fined for being late.

In the end, he even blocked my number and got a new phone. He said having two numbers made delivering food easier.

Facing this “widow-like” marriage, I decided to file for divorce.

But his family questioned me:

“Jason is doing this for you and your child. He could’ve just relaxed at home after work, but instead he chose to deliver food. And you want a divorce? Do you even have a conscience?”

I laughed coldly. “I don’t have a conscience? Ha.”

Pointing at Jason, I said icily:

“If you don’t want your secret exposed, then you’d better come with me to the County Clerk’s Office and file for divorce!”

My words stunned everyone in his family. They had no idea what I was talking about.

Jason and I had been married for years. Our child was already grown. We had always appeared respectful and harmonious. Jason worked tirelessly, taking extra delivery shifts to cover the tutoring fees, sometimes coming home at dawn. Neighbors who saw his exhausted figure were touched to tears.

Everyone praised Jason as a good man, a model husband.

So even the neighbors watching didn’t understand why I insisted on divorce.

“Rachel, stop it. You’ve been married for years. Why divorce now?”

“Even if I neglected you because of food delivery, that’s no reason for divorce.”

“At worst, I’ll cut down on a few deliveries and come home earlier. You won’t have to sit alone every night. Isn’t that enough? Please, don’t divorce me!”

Jason tried to coax me, and suddenly everyone seemed enlightened. Even his family showed disdain toward me.

“Oh, so that’s it!”

“You’re divorcing him just because you’re lonely at night?”

“What a reckless woman!”

“Exactly! It’s not like he doesn’t come home, just a bit later. What’s the big deal?”

“You’re making a fuss over a couple of hours?”

“What, coming home at 1 or 2 a.m. still isn’t good enough for you? Still not satisfying?”

“What kind of shallow woman are you?”

The neighbors whispered, giving me disdainful looks, as if I were a woman who couldn’t survive one night without a man.

Faced with their slander and misunderstanding, I couldn’t be bothered to explain.

I only had one word: Divorce. Nothing else.

“Enough talk. I’m getting a divorce. He insists on delivering food every single day!”

Suddenly Jason fell to his knees before me.

“Rachel, I’ll come home earlier, okay? Please, let’s not divorce!”

“I used to deliver food until 2 a.m. every night. From now on, I’ll come home by midnight to be with you, okay?”

The moment he said that, everyone thought it was reasonable.

“That’s enough. This young man is sincere and responsible. He works hard for his family. Where else would you find a man like this?”

“Exactly, girl. He’s promised to come home two hours earlier. Even if you have needs, that should be enough.”

“Honestly, even the wildest woman would be satisfied with that.”

But I still shook my head. “No. Either you stop delivering food, or we get divorced!”

Everyone gasped, thinking I was unreasonable.

“She’s crazy! Does she need her husband by her side all night?”

“Never seen such a woman.”

“Her husband works so hard, and she despises him? My man wouldn’t even feed the dog after work.”

“Right! Mine too. All he does is eat and sleep, both ends of the day.”

“How can she complain when her husband is this hardworking? I’d envy her if it were me.”

“She won’t accept him unless he quits his job? Ridiculous.”

The neighbors’ chatter nearly drowned me in insults.

But I stood my ground.

“No. I want a divorce! Tomorrow morning, meet me at the County Clerk’s Office. If you don’t show, bear the consequences!”

I stared at Jason with eyes that saw through him.

His eyes turned red as he knelt, begging:

“Rachel, at least tell me what I did wrong. Why do you want a divorce? You can’t just ask for it out of nowhere!”

“I deliver food for you and our child, for this family. Why must you divorce me?”

He wrapped himself around my legs, refusing to let me leave, crying desperately.

“Let go. It’s disgusting! I’m done with you, can’t you see?”

He clung to me like a pathetic dog, but I still wanted a divorce.

I yanked my leg free, disgusted as his tears and snot smeared my pants. I wiped it off with a tissue and tossed it to the ground.

A young college girl nearby couldn’t stand it any longer. She shoved me down and pulled Jason up.

“We’re all neighbors. I can’t watch you treat a loving, responsible man like this.”

“Jason works food delivery until 2 a.m., then gets up at 8 a.m. for his day job. We’ve all seen his hard work. Meanwhile, you stay home with the kid and do nothing else.”

“If you can’t appreciate his effort, fine. But to pour cold water on him and demand divorce? Do you even have a heart?”

The college student was furious, standing up for Jason.

I sneered at her. “What, are you sleeping with my husband? Is that why you’re defending him?”

“If you feel sorry for him, then after I divorce him, you can have him. Isn’t that the perfect solution?”

My words struck her deeply. She shook her head and slapped me hard.

“Insult me again, and it won’t just be one slap.”

The neighbors murmured disapprovingly.

“This woman is insane, accusing everyone she sees.”

“She slanders her husband, demands divorce, and now bullies a kindhearted college girl? We’d better stay away.”

“Exactly. She’s trouble. Whoever gets involved will regret it.”

But Jason stood up quickly and grabbed the girl’s wrist, saying:

“Don’t hit my wife. If you hurt her, I’ll be heartbroken. She’s the only woman I’ll ever love. Even if you’re my neighbor, even if you have a crush on me, I’ll never betray her. I’ll only love Rachel Evans for my whole life.”

His righteous declaration instantly brought the college girl to tears. The neighbors, even Margaret, widened their eyes in shock.

“So this pretty college student once confessed to Jason but was rejected? Really?”

Jason then turned to me:

“Rachel, don’t slander me and Emily. There’s nothing between us. If you’re trying to use this as an excuse to force a divorce, forget it.”

“I can tell you this: even if Emily stripped naked in front of me, I’d feel nothing. I’m only devoted to you.”

His words sickened me. Suddenly, I kicked him hard between the legs. Jason doubled over in pain.

“Rachel, why… why would you do this to me?”

“My God, this woman is insane! She’s ruining her own husband!”

“Jason, are you okay? Jason!!” Emily rushed to comfort him, but even in pain, Jason pushed her away.

“Don’t touch me. My wife will misunderstand.”

“I’m begging her not to divorce me. If you interfere, I’ll never be able to explain. If she leaves me, I’ll hate you forever!!”

The crowd of onlookers and his family couldn’t take it anymore.

“That’s enough, Rachel Evans, just look at yourself!” Margaret scolded bitterly.

“There’s a pure, decent young woman right here who’d marry my son, but he still chooses you. Why on earth do you want a divorce? Are you crazy?”

I stayed silent.

Just then, Jason fainted from the pain of my kick.

“Call 911! She hit him in his most vulnerable spot—he might be ruined for life!”

“That’s deadly! I once got hit there with a soccer ball and was out for a week. That kick could kill a man.”

Margaret and Emily hurried to help Jason onto a stretcher, glaring at me furiously.

“If my son ends up with any permanent damage, I’ll never forgive you!”

“Forgive me or not, I don’t care. As long as he signs the divorce papers.”

I never wavered.

Even with Jason unconscious, his family wanted to tear me apart. But I didn’t care.

Fortunately, he woke up the next day, safe though still weak.

The moment his eyes opened, he grabbed my hand.

“Rachel, don’t leave me. You’re my wife, the only woman I’ve ever loved. I can’t live without you. Don’t divorce me, please.”

“I’ll work hard, make money with food delivery, rise above. If you don’t want me out all night, I’ll cut back and come home earlier, okay?”

Emily and Margaret were nearly moved to tears, exasperated with me.

“Even after you nearly destroyed him, Jason still clings to you, refusing to divorce. Do you really have no heart?”

I laughed softly.

“Oh? Is that why, when he fainted, he leaned toward you? And you reached into his pockets so naturally? Looks like you’ve done that before, haven’t you?”