Goodbye, Gentleness
Chapter One
Nine years with Holden, ten divorces.
The eleventh time, he was picking out a
diamond ring with his little girlfriend.
“The girl’s pregnant, just going through the
motions. I’ll remarry you in eight months.”
“In the meantime, you move out. Meals
delivered three times a day.”
“And get your postpartum doula certification.
You’re too delicate for the rigors of
childcare.”
I took the divorce papers and nodded
obediently.
Leaving, I overheard his friend’s laughter.
“Holden’s, a master, he’s trained his wife like
a dog.”
Holden smirked. “Nothing to it. Nancy’s
cheap.”
“Even if I don’t remarry her, she’ll happily
raise my kid and be my mistress.”
I didn’t respond, silently texting my man.
“Divorce papers in hand, when do we get
married?”
- 1.
His reply was swift. “Tomorrow.”
“I’ll catch the earliest flight back.”
Then, five million, two hundred thousand
dollars hit my bank account.
Note: Bridal gift.
I smiled, tucking the phone away.
Holden noticed the smile, called me over, and
spoke with displeasure.
“Nancy, what’s so funny? Are you heartbroken
and gone mad?”
Logically, I should have been heartbroken.
After all, the first time Holden filed for divorce
for Susan,
I was devastated, crying for three days and
nights.
I begged him not to leave, kneeling before all
our friends and family.
I even self–harmed in desperation, but it
didn’t change his mind.
But this time, I looked at Holden calmly.
“Congratulations on becoming a father.”
Holden nodded.
His words were cold and perfunctory.
“Don’t worry, we’ll remarry after the baby is
born.”
“Just be obedient. In public, this child will call
you ‘Mom‘.”
I’d heard similar lines countless times over
nine years.
The first time, he’d fallen for Susan, a new
intern.
The girl refused to be a mistress despite a
hefty bribe.
Holden immediately divorced me.
After sleeping with Susan, he smugly showed
me their bed photos.
“Young girls are different, so pure and
innocent!”
From then on, Holden was hooked on this
feeling.
A spontaneous encounter in a mountain
cabin, making me trek miles in a blizzard for
birth control.
Susan’s bad mood led to me kneeling and
barking like a dog.
Deliveries were too slow.
My barking wasn’t loud enough.
Any dissatisfaction from Susan led to divorce
to appease her.
Then he’d quietly remarry to maintain the
family alliance.
This repeated for nine years; I was numb.
I walked expressionlessly toward the door.
Suddenly, I heard Susan’s furious voice.
“I don’t like any of these rings! I want the one
く
Nancy’s wearing!”
“Okay, okay, sweetheart, don’t be mad, I’ll get
it for you.”
Holden dropped his coldness.
He roughly pulled the ring from my finger,
carefully presenting it to Susan.
The tiny diamonds cut my finger.
A ten–carat yellow sapphire, stained with
blood.
Susan frowned, tossing it aside.
“So unlucky.”
Holden remained unfazed, soothing her.
He finally agreed to give her the ancestral
ruby ring, satisfying her.
I fought back tears, trembling as I tried to
retrieve my mother’s heirloom.
Holden stepped on my hand.
“Nancy, it’s your fault Susan’s upset. If you
don’t make her happy, you’ll never come back
to the family!”
く
At that, I shuddered.
It wasn’t Holden I cared about; I knew his
methods too well.
Once, I refused to wash Susan’s used lingerie.
Susan sulked, ignoring Holden.
An enraged Holden stripped me naked and
locked me on the balcony.
We wrestled until dawn, and I was left
feverish with hypothermia.
He refused medical help and forced me to
clean up the mess.
Thinking of this, I lowered my head.
Bent at the waist, I said, “I’m sorry, it’s all my
fault.”
Before I finished, someone kicked me.
I fell against the counter, my forehead
swelling.
The pain brought tears to my eyes.
I lay on the floor, trembling.
Holden hissed, kicking me with his foot.
<
“Hey, I just bumped into you, what’s with the
drama?”
“Forget it, I don’t want to bother with you.
Come to the family estate tomorrow, say you
wanted that ring. Don’t let it slip!”
He grabbed Susan and rushed away.
After some time, I got up.
Gravel was embedded in my skin.
I staggered to the curb, about to hail a cab to
the hospital.
Then I saw Susan’s car speeding toward me.
