The fire alarm rang in the corridor in the middle of the night.

While I was still in a daze, my husband Neil Evans had already rushed out the door.

After I ran downstairs alone, I saw him hugging his first love Judy Turner to comfort her.

I calmly told him I wanted a divorce.

Judy said with tears in her eyes, "Mandy Carter, don't be angry with Neil. He was afraid that I wasn't awake, so he came up to call me."

I smiled and said, "I'm not angry. I'll let him move in with you in a while."

1

"Mandy, don't speak so harshly!"

Neil's face was gloomy, as if I had maliciously hurt his first love.

There were many neighbors downstairs at that time. The property management just sent a message saying that just the electrical appliance of a tenant downstairs caught fire, and no one was home. They were dealing with it and told everyone to wait downstairs.

Learning that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Now neighbors gathered around us to watch the fun.

Half a year before, Judy returned from abroad.

Then she worked for Neil's company as his assistant, and even rented a house above ours.

The two of them went in and out together every day, just like a couple.

At first I didn't know that. It was my neighbor who suddenly asked me if I was divorced.

I just realized that during that period, Neil and Judy were inseparable every day.

The day I found out, Neil and I had a big fight.

But it was no use. He said Judy was alone and he just wanted to help her.

He asked me not to be unreasonable.

Judy even came to provoke me, saying that if they did something intimate, they would definitely avoid me.

They were clearly trying to disgust me.

I told Neil that if he still loved Judy, I would withdraw and let them be together.

He told me no.

He and I just lived a dull and miserable life.

The year after Judy left, Neil started pursuing me. Later, I accepted his confession. Both sets of parents were very satisfied, and we naturally got married.

One late night in the second year after our marriage, Neil said he had to go on an urgent business trip, and when I was driving him to the airport, I got into a car accident.

I had a miscarriage.

And I never got pregnant again.

Both sets of parents kept urging us to have a baby. The doctor said that my last miscarriage hurt me so much that I was having a hard time getting pregnant again.

I quit my job and started to recuperate.

It was much later that I learned from my classmate that on the day of our car accident, Judy announced her marriage on her Moments.

Neil was not on an emergency business trip at all.

He was going to see Judy.

My heart was deeply hurt, but I still had an illusion that Judy was already married, so he should have given up.

I would be the most important person in his heart.

But just now, the fire alarm kept ringing, and when I sat up in shock, Neil had already rushed out the door.

He didn't even see if I was awake before he rushed out.

He just ran towards Judy.

It had been six years from dating to getting married.

I no longer had any illusions that he would fall in love with me.

He told me not to be so harsh in my words, but I wasn't even in the mood to argue.

"Neil, let's get a divorce at dawn."

The neighbors around sighed.

If there was a big fight, everyone might just sit back and watch the fun.

Seeing that I asked him for a divorce calmly and restrainedly, they slowly dispersed.

Neil frowned and looked at me, "Do you really have to be unreasonable at this time?"

I chuckled and lowered my head.

My eyes and nose felt sore.

It was a long time before I looked up at him.

"Neil, when I sat up in shock just now, I only saw your back as you ran out in a hurry.

"There are so many neighbors here. Just ask any one of them that when they heard the fire alarm, didn't they rush downstairs with their wives and children?

"What about you?

"You didn't. You didn't even call me before you ran to Judy.

"Just ask everyone if I am being unreasonable.

"I told you if you still love Judy, I will withdraw.

"Why don't you admit it? Or you want me to take care of everything at home and Judy to accompany you outside for romantic activities?

"It's the 21st century now. The law doesn't allow you to take a concubine or have a mistress."

As I spoke, the neighbors around us looked at Neil and Judy with contempt.

Most of the neighbors were well-known people.

Neil's face was puce with rage. He angrily rebuked me, "Mandy, don't go too far!"

Judy opened her eyes wide with tears streaming down her cheeks. She pushed Neil's hand away and limped out.

Neil stopped arguing with me and chased after Judy.

The property management informed us that the fire had been dealt with and everyone could go home.

Neil didn't come back.

I packed all his stuff into a suitcase, threw it out the door, and changed the house code.

It was still dark, and I looked at the messy house, with chaos and confusion in my heart.

I opened a bottle of wine, poured a full glass and drank it.

Then I calmed down.

I saw a photo of Neil's back on Judy's Moments. The background of the photo was probably in the hospital.

The caption was "After seven years of twists and turns, he is still with me, and I still love him."

I felt sick watching it.

After putting my phone down, I sat in the rocking chair on the balcony until dawn.

Watching the sun rise, there was a lot of traffic outside.

Someone was pressing the code for the door, but there was a beeping sound and it wasn't opened. The doorbell kept ringing, but I turned a deaf ear to it.

"Mandy, open the door!

"Mandy!"

Neil called out a few times, but I ignored him and then he called me.

Looking at the ringing phone, after checking the time, I picked up the phone.

"Mandy, you changed the code for the door? What do you mean?"

"It's nothing. I've packed your luggage and left it outside. See you at the entrance of the courthouse at 9:30."

"Mandy, open the door. Let's talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Even if you want a divorce, the property still needs to be divided."

Hearing that, I twitched my lips and said sarcastically, "Neil, we have already divided our property before.

"In the presence of lawyers, we have divided the shares and the property and signed. I won't ask for more. If you want to give me more, then you can deposit the extra money into the charity foundation."

After I finished speaking, there was no sound from Neil on the other end of the phone for a long time.

I said calmly, "9:30 at the courthouse. Neil, I'll wait for you for the last time."

Neil hung up the phone without saying anything.

Then I washed my face, put on makeup, changed my clothes, picked up the marriage certificate and drove to the courthouse.

The past flashed into my mind.

Tears filled my eyes. I blinked and the tears rolled down my face.

Abscesses needed to be cut out. It would be painful during the process, but it would heal after that.

I waited in front of the courthouse for the whole morning, but Neil didn't come.

I called him but his phone was switched off.

I called his secretary, who told me that he didn't go to the company.

I went home, packed my things, and moved back to my marital apartment.

Then I found a real estate agent and put the house up for sale.

I couldn't get through to Neil, but Judy posted on her Moments that her foot was sprained and in a cast, and Neil was wearing an apron and cooking soup in the kitchen.

I knew Neil.

In the past, after we had an argument, he would lose contact with me and then force me to come to him to apologize.

Then we would make peace.

But I wouldn't do that again. He could turn off his phone as long as he wanted, and it didn't matter if he didn't divorce me.

I found a paparazzi and gave him the exact address to secretly take some photos of Neil and Judy living together. Then I leaked the news.

It was suspected that the president of the Evans Group was getting divorced.

Several shareholders' wives called me.

I told them clearly that we were preparing for a divorce, but Neil was currently out of contact.

For a time, the Evans Group's stock price was volatile.

I went back to the Evans' old house.

The atmosphere at home was depressing, and Neil's parents' faces were filled with sorrow.

"Mom, dad. I'm going to divorce Neil."

Neil's mom held my hand and advised me earnestly, "Mandy, give him one more chance. When he comes back, we will help you scold him."

I looked at her. She treated me well over the years. We were not particularly close, but we didn't have any conflicts. Even when she pushed us to have a child, we never had any arguments.

"Mom, we have been married for six years and we still don't have a child."

"There's no rush. Go with the flow. We won't urge you anymore."

I felt a little uncomfortable watching her give in, but I still said, "Actually, we had one in the second year of our marriage. I had a NT when I was a little over three months pregnant, and it showed that everything was fine with the baby, but Neil suddenly went crazy and had to go on an emergency business trip in the middle of the night. When I was sending him to the airport, I had a car accident and miscarried.

"You and dad were both abroad at that time, so I didn't tell you.

"Mom, I only found out later that he wasn't on an emergency business trip that time. It was because Judy was getting married. He went crazy and wanted to go find her.

"And I, driving him to his first love, lost my child."

After hearing that, Neil's parents looked extremely ugly.

I pursed my lips and continued, "Last night, a neighbor's electrical appliance caught fire in our community. The alarm went off in the middle of the night. Neil got up and rushed out without even calling me. He went to look for Judy."

"Judy lives upstairs from you?"

Neil's mom asked in confusion.

I nodded.

"After Judy returned home, she worked for Neil's company as his assistant. The house she rented was just above ours. They went in and out together as a pair every day.

"I felt like a fifth wheel, so I asked him for a divorce to let them be together."

Neil's mom cursed Judy with gnashing teeth, then pulled my hand and said, "Don't worry, Mandy. I will never let that bitch marry Neil."

"But mom, we are still husband and wife. Even if you stop him from being with Judy, I can't accept that my husband has another woman in his heart. I have tried my best and given him chances.

"But it's been six years, mom. I'm tired.

"I will tell my parents that we are divorcing because of emotional discord. You and my parents will remain the same as before."

Neil's dad said, "Mandy, we are sorry for you."

"No, dad. Don't say that. This is between me and Neil."

He looked at me and was silent for a long time. Then he said, "Do what you want.

"I wanted to tell you in two days. Neil's mother and I are planning to move to England, and Neil's sister Linda Evans has been urging us to do so for a long time.

"I still have 10% of the Evans Group's shares, which have been transferred to your name."

I was a little surprised.

But I didn't refuse. After having lunch with them, I went back.

Neil called me in the afternoon.

"Mandy, are you crazy?

"How could you do such a self-destructive thing?

"Don't you have any shares in the Evans Group? Is it good for you now that the stock is down?"

I chuckled and said indifferently, "Neil, don't forget that I am the eldest daughter of the Carters Group. I have only been recuperating at home in the past few years. The shares I own in the Evans Group are nothing to me."

Neil seemed to calm down after hearing what I said.

"Where are you? I'll come find you."

I didn't want him to come to the apartment, so I said in a deep voice, "At the cafeteria downstairs from the company. Bring your identity card and marriage certificate."

Neil came, but Judy also came with him.

I looked at them, and suddenly I hated myself for being so soft-hearted.

It was also at that moment that I made a decision.

Judy still had a plaster cast on her ankle, and she was supported by Neil as she hopped towards me.

When she met my eyes, the corners of her lips curled up slightly and proudly.

"Mandy, I sprained my ankle. Neil was afraid that it would be inconvenient for me to stay at home, so he brought me out. You don't mind, do you?"

I took a sip of coffee and said calmly, "I don't mind."

Neil helped Judy sit down diagonally opposite me. He pulled out a chair and sat in front of me.

I looked at his good-looking appearance, which was so deceptive.

"Neil, you know what we are going to talk about, right?"

Just as Neil was about to speak, Judy said delicately, "Mandy, there's really nothing between us. You're asking for a divorce over such a small matter. Aren't you making a big fuss?"

I burst out laughing.

"So, you don't want me and Neil to divorce?"

Her expression froze, and she forced a smile and said, "Of course."

"I thought you would want us to get a divorce quickly, so that you can be married openly. But you actually like being a mistress.

"It is more exciting, right?"

The forced smile on Judy's face was shattered by my words.