Chapter 1 No Divorce
Megan White gazed at the divorce papers lying on the table. Gavin Shepard had already signed them before showing them to her.
She observed Gavin, standing by the window, looking almost godlike in the afternoon sunlight. Oblivious to her teary eyes, Gavin remained aloof, emanating an aura of rejection,
“I’ve signed it. You should too. I want the procedure to be completed before Stacey returns.”
Gavin placed his hands behind his back and continued without turning to look at her. “We had our property notarized before we got married, so there won’t be any property division issues. However, I’ll give you 3.5 million dollars and a mansion in the western suburbs.”
“Grandpa would scold me if I left you with nothing.”
Megan was left dumbfounded. “Did… Leonard know we were getting a divorce?”
“No. And it won’t change my decision even if he did.”
Megan’s legs trembled, barely supporting her slender frame. Fighting back tears, she clutched the edge of the table tightly and asked in a small voice, “Gavin, can we… not get a divorce?”
Finally, Gavin turned around and regarded her strangely.
He pursed his thin lips and frowned, but Megan’s heart still skipped a beat when she gazed at his handsome face.
“Why?”
Chapter 1 No Divorce
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“Because… I love you.”
Megan’s eyes were red–rimmed, and her vision was blurred by tears. “I love you. I want to remain your wife… even if you don’t love me…”
“But I don’t, Megan. Every second in this loveless marriage is torture for me.”
Gavin waved impatiently. “Our marriage was a mistake. You know I married you to spite Grandpa, and you know I was in love with someone else. For some reason, I couldn’t be with her then.”
“It’s been three years. Stacey has returned from Merota. I’m marrying her. So, you can’t be Mrs. Sheppard anymore.”
Mégan lowered her head, and tears flowed freely, landing on the table. She wiped them away covertly.
But Gavin noticed. His gaze darkened.
Gavin’s phone rang. With a quick glance at the caller ID, he answered swiftly.
“Stacey, are you on the plane?”
Hearing Gavin’s gentle tone, Megan wondered if this was the same stony–hearted man she knew.
“Gavin, I’ve arrived at the Polyergic City Airport,” Stacey said happily.
“What? I thought your flight was tonight…”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Wait for me. I’ll come over and pick you up now.”
Gavin rushed out like a whirlwind.
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The study door closed, leaving Megan, overwhelmed with grief, alone in the room.
She had loved Gavin for ten years and had been married to him for three. She had given her all to their family and had eyes only for him. Yet, in the end, he considered their marriage torture.
Gavin had left her behind ruthlessly, as if he had completed a sentence and was leaving prison, to marry his true love.
Megan thought, “It hurts so much. I gave him my heart, and he discarded it like trash.”
Megan took a deep breath and forced a bitter smile. Her angry tears smeared Gavin’s graceful signature on the divorce papers.
***
That night, Gavin returned to Tide Villa with Stacey Hull.
Everyone in the room was shocked when Gavin carried the delicate woman in a bridal style.
“Gavin, you’re still married. I think… we should maintain some distance. Otherwise, your wife will be angry with me,” Stacey whispered as she traced circles on Gavin’s chest.
“No, she won’t.”
Gavin replied without hesitation, his tone cold. “In any case, I don’t love her. Our marriage is merely a contractual arrangement. She knows her place.”
While members of the Sheppard family surrounded Stacey and welcomed her warmly, Megan was setting the dinner table.
Gavin cast a scornful smile when he noticed Megan’s isolation amidst
Chapter 1 No Divorce
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the festive gathering.
He thought, “She’s still playing the role of the dutiful wife. Does she think she can change my mind by humiliating herself?
“How laughable.”
“Mr. Gavin! Mr. Gavin!”
Soon, the housekeeper rushed in, breathless. “Mrs. Megan, she… she left.”
“She left? When?!”
“Just now! She took off her apron and left through the back door without taking any luggage. A black car picked her up.”
Gavin hurried back into their bedroom. The tear–stained divorce papers were signed and resting on the nightstand in the tidy room.
Gavin furrowed his brow and stared out the window.
A Rolls–Royce sped out of Tide Villa, quickly disappearing from Gavin’s sight.
He thought, “She cried about not wanting to leave this afternoon, and now she just fled.”
Gavin felt deceived and called his secretary in frustration.
“I’m sending you a license plate number. Find out who it belongs to.”
“Yes, Mr. Sheppard.”
Five minutes later.
“Mr. Sheppard, the plate belongs to the CEO of KS Group.
Gavin pondered, “The CEO of KS Group… Isn’t that the eldest son of the Dodson family?
“Megan is just a small–town girl. She has no money or connections in this city. I’ve never seen any of her friends in these three years. I low did she connect with the heir of the Dodson family?
She found a new man as soon as we divorced. Good for her!”
“Mr. Sheppard… Did you really ask for a divorce today?” the secretary asked cautiously.
“What’s wrong with today? Should I have waited until Christmas?” Gavin was infuriated.
“Nothing… But today is Mrs. Megan’s birthday.”
Gavin was taken aback.
***
On the plush seats of a black Rolls–Royce, Jason Dodson, the eldest son of the Dodson family, held Megan’s hand gently.
“Collin prepared a fireworks display that cost over a million dollars once he learned you were coming back. He wanted to celebrate in style.”
“I’m not in the mood for fireworks.”
Megan, also known as Valarie Dodson, the daughter of the Dodson family, leaned against Jason’s shoulder and sighed, her eyes brimming with tears.
She glanced at her phone. The latest message wasn’t from Gavin but from Stacey.
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“I told you that I would reclaim my place by Gavin’s side from you eventually. He’s mine. Wake up.”
Valarie smiled wryly and decided to move forward as her last tear fell.
“What’s wrong? Do you want to go back to him?” Jason hugged Valarie, feeling sympathetic.
“It’s my birthday today.”
“I know. Gavin is a jerki
“So, no, I don’t want to go back to him. Megan no longer exists. He killed her.”
When Valarie opened her eyes again, there was no trace of love for Gavin in her gaze.
“I’m finally free. I won’t go back to him for anything.”
