Chapter 37 You Want a Divorce
After dinner, Nora called the waiter for the bill, but he told her Philip had already taken care of it.
Nora looked at him, puzzled. "Philip, we agreed I'd treat you. Why'd you pay?"
"You barely ate anything. How could I let you pay?" Philip smiled. "Let me cover it this time. I ate a lot. Next time, when you eat more, you can pay."
"That's really nice of you."
"No biggie." Philip glanced at the heavy rain outside. "Nora, it's still pouring out there. Let me drive you home."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
They walked outside, and the rain was heavy.
Philip didn't have an umbrella, so Nora took hers out and held it over his head. "Philip, the rain's too heavy. Let's share the umbrella."
Philip looked at her and said, "Alright, thanks."
"No problem." Nora raised the umbrella to cover them both.
Seeing her shoulders getting wet, Philip felt bad and pushed the umbrella more towards her, exposing his own shoulder to the rain. "You're already sick. Cover yourself more so you don't get worse."
"It's just a mild cold. It's not serious," Nora replied, her voice dissolving into the rain.
Steven watched this scene from the restaurant entrance.
James nudged Steven. "Mr. York, Mrs. York only has one umbrella. Should I bring her another one?"
Steven's gaze was icy. "Mind your own business."
Maybe they were sharing the umbrella on purpose, giving and taking in the rain, making it look romantic?
Soon, they reached Philip's car.
Philip opened the passenger door and held the umbrella over Nora as she got in.
"Thank you," Nora said as she buckled her seatbelt.
Philip walked around to the driver's side and drove off.
James commented, "Mr. York, Philip is taking Mrs. York home."
Steven's expression was extremely dark.
James wanted to say more, but Clarence shot him a look. "If you don't want your tongue, I'll cut it off! Why do you always say the wrong thing?"
James fell silent.
At Riverside Apartment, Philip parked the car. "You live here?"
"Yes," Nora nodded. "Thanks for the ride."
She politely thanked him and handed him the umbrella. "I'm home now, so I don't need the umbrella. You can borrow it."
"Okay, I'll bring it back to the office tomorrow." Philip smiled and wished her a good night.
Nora went inside.
Olivia had sent her a message.
Olivia: [Nora, Willie bought me a gift tonight.]
Olivia sent a photo of a bracelet with tiny diamonds.
Olivia: [Isn't it beautiful?]
Nora stayed silent, thinking that Willie must have felt guilty after being caught by her, so he bought Olivia a gift.
Nora dried her hair with a towel and replied: [Did Willie say anything?]
Olivia: [He said he's sorry for not buying me anything all these years and wants to take me on a trip abroad after I have the baby.]
Of course, such sudden kindness usually means something is up.
If she hadn't caught him, Willie wouldn't have bought Olivia anything!
Nora took a shower and sat in the living room, waiting for Steven. The temperature had dropped, so she wore a light jacket.
No matter what, she needed to talk to Steven tonight.
At ten o'clock, Steven finally came back.
Nora looked up from the sofa as he walked in, his demeanor cold and distant.
He changed his shoes and headed straight to the bedroom.
"Steven," Nora stood up and called out.
Steven turned, his face expressionless.
Nora bit her lip and clenched her fingers, deciding to confront him directly. "Do you want a divorce?"
Steven smirked, his tone icy. "Did you go through my drawer?"
Nora's eyes widened in shock.
So the divorce papers were real!
She felt unsteady and sank back down onto the sofa. The living room was dimly lit, casting shadows that mirrored her desolation. "You really want a divorce?"
"Yes," Steven replied coldly.
He had thought she was devoted to him, which was why he gave her another chance. But now he saw she wasn't just good to him.
Tonight, she kept tilting the umbrella towards Philip. Steven understood.
Nora was kind to everyone!
Steven didn't want such indiscriminate affection!
Nora sat on the sofa, feeling waves of sadness. She thought she had found someone to rely on.
In the end, it was just an illusion.
Seeing her silence, Steven turned to look at her, his eyes probing in the darkness.
If she didn't want a divorce and sincerely apologized, promising not to dine alone with other men, he might give her another chance.
But she said nothing.
Her phone rang.
Nora glanced at it. It was Philip calling.
Nora answered.
"Nora, I got home," Philip said with a smile.
"Good to hear."
"But I broke your umbrella. I'm sorry. The wind was too strong, and it got ruined," Philip apologized.
"It's okay. It's just an umbrella. Don't worry about it. Get some rest."
Hearing about the umbrella, Steven knew it was Philip.
Great, now she was talking to another man at home!
Steven's gray eyes seemed to freeze over. He kicked a low stool and stormed out the door.
Nora was startled by the noise and didn't dare to stop him, fearing he might get violent.
The door slammed shut.
Steven was gone.
Nora's heart was filled with a deep sense of desolation.
Philip asked over the phone, "Nora, what was that noise? Did something happen?"
"No, a chair fell over," Nora said, her voice trembling as she hung up the phone.
Her heart ached with a deep, shattering pain.
Maybe Steven never truly cared for her?
Perhaps their marriage was a moment of impulsiveness, and he wanted a divorce now that he had come to his senses?
Nora curled up on the window seat.
She didn't cry or make a scene, just stared quietly into the rainy night, her eyes cold and distant.
When she was sad, she always remembered falling into the river at fifteen. She almost died, struggling in the stormy water.
A passing boy saved her, giving her a blue shirt to cover herself.
It was laughable that after almost dying, when she got home, her family didn't ask why she was soaked and muddy. Instead, they scolded her.
Nora didn't cry then. She climbed onto the dining table and ate with tears in her eyes.
Because at that moment, she understood.
Her life wasn't valuable. She had to love herself and rely on herself to escape the shadow cast over her by fate.