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?”

Jason Miller hurried to explain:

“No, Rachel, she’s just our neighbor. You know her too. I’ve always treated her like a kid—how could there be anything between us?”

“She was just worried about me. There’s no need to think like that.”

Emily Brooks scoffed. “Sure enough, people with a dirty heart see everything as dirty. I was only comforting Jason, but you twist it into something filthy.”

“Enough, both of you. As long as he agrees to a divorce, I don’t need to hear you two putting on this act.”

I was running out of patience.

“I really can’t stand this anymore.” Margaret Miller stepped forward, hands on her hips, ready to slap me, but Jason blocked her, not letting her hit me.

“Rachel Evans, what’s gotten into you? Do you not love Jason anymore? Or do you already have someone else, and that’s why you’re so desperate to divorce him?”

“Jason loves you so much. If he had actually done something wrong, you wouldn’t even have to say it—I’d punish him myself. You’re like a daughter to me!”

“But Jason hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s just been delivering food to support the family, and yet you insist on divorce. Why? If you don’t give me a reason, then today I’ll slap you on behalf of your parents!”

By now, the neighbors had come to the hospital to watch the commotion.

“You kicked him in his most vulnerable spot, and he didn’t even fight back—he just begged you not to divorce him. Girl, aren’t you being too unreasonable?”

“Exactly! Everyone says he has nothing going on with Emily, the college student. Why won’t you listen?”

But I gritted my teeth and stood firm.

“I don’t care. I still want a divorce.”

Margaret’s face went cold.

“Neighbors, friends, you’ve all seen this with your own eyes. Jason is innocent. The one at fault is you, and still you insist on divorce.”

“Then you’ll have to leave with nothing. Take your name off the house deed!”

“Mom, no! I don’t want to divorce Rachel! What are you doing?”

“Better to tear down a temple than destroy a marriage. Why are you tearing us apart?”

Jason wept in pain.

“You useless thing! You can’t even keep your wife. Can’t you see she’s dead set on divorcing you? And you’re still spoiling her?”

“What kind of spell has she put on you? Why are you protecting her like this?”

Margaret looked at him with bitter disappointment.

“Everyone, come look! Neighbors, friends, even all of you watching the livestream—look at this shameless woman, this heartless woman!”

“Her husband goes out in the rain and wind, risking his life to deliver food for her and their child, but she still insists on divorce!”

“She must have a lover! Otherwise why would she be so determined?”

Emily used the power of the internet, starting a livestream to destroy my reputation—trying to paint me as a heartless, shameless woman demanding divorce, hoping to force me to leave the marriage with nothing.

The viewers in the streaming platform exploded with excitement at the hot topic of cheating and divorce.

“I live in Oakridge Community—I heard about this! That woman really is shameless. She even kicked her husband’s groin and almost killed him. 911 Emergency Services had to rush him to the hospital.”

“She nearly killed him, and yet he still protects her. Where else would you find a man like that?”

“Exactly, she has no conscience.”

“Her husband works hard delivering food to support the family, making honest money. And she despises him just because he doesn’t keep her company? Because she’s shallow, because she has ‘needs’? So she insists on divorce?”