Chapter 32 Deciding to Divorce
The two people who were talking got startled. They both turned to look at me at the same time. Tyler pushed Ava away, while Ava looked at me calmly, as if she didn't care at all about being caught by me.
Tyler, on the other hand, looked completely flustered. He walked toward me and instinctively explained, "She and I have something to discuss."
I couldn't be bothered to expose him. I just said, "This is the Thompson Villa. I hope you two know your limits and don't make yourselves a laughingstock."
With that, I turned to leave, but Ava walked up and linked her arm through Tyler's right in front of me, as if challenging me.
"Sophia, Tyler and I have always been close. People sometimes gossip, but please don't get upset—they're all just talking nonsense."
I was used to Ava's manipulative behavior. My eyes turned cold. "Whatever. It's none of my business. If Ms. Davis doesn't care about her reputation, no one can control you. You two can stay if you want. Grandma needs to rest, and I'm taking Jasper home."
With that, I turned and left.
After returning to the living room, I politely said goodbye to the elders, then left with Jasper. Tyler followed, but I just gave him a cold glance and left first, holding Jasper without saying a word.
On the taxi ride home, I fell into deep thought, having quietly made a certain decision.
This decision had crossed my mind before, but I'd never seriously considered it. But now, I had to do it.
The next day at noon, I arranged to meet Zachary.
"What? You want a divorce?" Zachary's eyes were full of surprise.
My gaze was firm and deep, revealing a complete abandonment of emotion. "Yes, I've thought it through. If I don't get divorced, I'll have to keep enduring certain things. I don't have that kind of energy. Right now, I just want to devote everything to the law firm. I don't want anything else."
Zachary frowned slightly. "What about Jasper? Didn't you used to say you couldn't give up on the family for Jasper's sake? Why the change now?"
My eyes became dull and lifeless, the corners of my lips turned down, as if the whole world had lost its color, leaving only endless disappointment.
"Thinking about it now, maybe my original idea was wrong. Rather than letting Jasper grow up in a fake happy family, I might as well give him all my love. Jasper will start first grade next year and will gradually become more aware. He'll eventually see through the relationship between Tyler and me. Rather than letting him get hurt then, better to do it now."
Zachary's brow furrowed, then gradually relaxed. "You're right to think this way. While Jasper is still young, he can gradually adapt, and it won't affect him too much when he grows up."
I nodded. "Yes, although I really didn't want it to come to this, there's no other way."
Although I kept trying to stay calm, my shoulders still drooped involuntarily, my eyes turned slightly red, and I couldn't say a word, as if carrying the disappointment of the entire world.
Zachary noticed my sadness and tried to cheer me up. "When I saw Jasper at your place that day, he really looks like you."
"Many people say he looks like Tyler."
"Boys usually look more like their mothers. But, Sophia, forgive me for being blunt—with your current situation, you have no hope of winning custody of Jasper."
I let out a sigh. "Yes, I know. Tyler will definitely fight me for custody, and his chances are much better."
"What are you thinking?" Zachary asked me.
My eyes were determined, my jaw clenched. "I'll do whatever it takes to fight for Jasper's custody, even if I have to leave with nothing."
Zachary looked at me, his eyes full of sympathy. He pressed his lips together. "The chances are slim. You studied law too—you know you have no chance against Tyler in court. Even if the law firm develops, from your marriage until now, Tyler has been responsible for all the family's living expenses. Plus, his status and position in Harmony City are among the top. You need to think this through."
Before coming, I had already considered all the problems Zachary mentioned. I knew it would be difficult, but there was no other way. No matter how hard, I had to try.
"I've thought it through, that's why I came to you. You know I wouldn't bring this up easily without careful consideration."
Zachary sighed. "I think you still have feelings for Tyler, but his relationship with Ava has hurt you. Although I hope you can have your own life, please think carefully about divorce. No matter what, you're Tyler's wife. No matter what Ava does, she's still the other woman who can't see the light of day, even if she doesn't care."
I forced a smile. "Since she wants him, I'll give him to her. I don't want to fight at all."
"Think about it more carefully. So many people want to marry Tyler—don't be impulsive. Nowadays, many couples exist in name only. Keeping the title wouldn't be a bad thing."
I smiled bitterly. "That kind of title is really too exhausting. I won't hide it from you—Tyler wants me to ignore him and Ava on one hand, while expecting me to be a good wife and a good mother on the other. I'm really too tired."
Zachary kept looking at me, his eyes full of sympathy. He seemed to want to comfort me but couldn't find the right words. Only silence washed over us like a tide.
If the waiter hadn't started serving food, we might have remained silent.
"You want to hire me as your lawyer?"
I nodded. "Yes, I trust you."
Zachary smiled faintly. "If you want to hire me, I'll definitely do my best. Actually, if you want to fight for custody, you know very well there's a way."
My expression changed slightly, then returned to normal. "You mean catching them in the act?"
"Yes, given your current situation, that's the only way. But it's a bit difficult. With Tyler's intelligence, he definitely won't go to a hotel."
I nodded. "He has properties everywhere. When he and Ava go out, they stay at his own places. Catching them in the act isn't very likely."
"We need to find an opportunity. Nothing is absolute."
"It's very difficult, but I'll try. I've thought about hiring a private investigator, but even if we get evidence, we can't use it in court."
"Right, we can't hire a private investigator. With Tyler's methods, if you hire one, who knows what he'll do to you. What we need to do now is outsmart him. Everyone knows about his relationship with Ava. Finding evidence isn't as hard as we think—it just takes some time. I suggest you don't bring up divorce so early. Find the evidence first."