Divorce, Ending, And New Beginning

Hayes’s confused expression remained. He tilted his head while looking at Lacey until he caught a glimpse of a slender figure walking away from the Bureau of Civil Affairs building.

“Stop it, Lacey,” he softly warned before pinching her cheek.

Lacey slapped his hand and covered her cheeks. “Ouch! That hurt!” she protested.

Her voice sounded gentle and cute. Her blushing face made her look more innocent and charming. Even her frown could melt a man’s heart in an instant.

Hayes stared at her for a while. Without hesitation, he unfastened his seat belt using one hand. Before Lacey could react, Hayes was already brushing his lips against hers.

Lacey’s eyes slightly widened as she froze in her spot. When she felt a sting on her lips, she unconsciously let out a soft whimper. Hayes took it as an opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth.

From afar, Gwen stood and watched the scene. She couldn’t move her body nor take her eyes away from the view.

A series of memories flashed in her mind again.

She knew that Hayes was never the type of man to show affection in public. He was stoic and very strict. He thought a couple should do things privately, not in front of other people.

But looking at them now, it seemed like he loved Lacey so much to kiss her passionately inside the car, where other people could see them.

He and Gwen were married for three years but never did the man even try to sleep with her. Not even a peck on the lips.

The more Gwen thought about the past, the more she felt pathetic and ridiculous.

She needed to stop now.

Gwen removed her gaze from them and continued walking. Far, far away from them. Her chest slowly rose as she breathed, trying to compose herself. She raised her head and looked at the clear blue sky.

Not long after, she finally reached the bus stop.

She and Hayes were no longer married. From now on, the strings that tied them together were already cut.

She spent ten years loving Hayes. Seven years of unrequited love and three years of marriage later, the love she thought she had finally vanished.

She didn’t expect that it would end this way.

She never gave up on him; now, she just made a complete fool of herself.

Gwen had already left Windsor Mansion when her best friend, Callie Cooper, learned about her divorce.

Like what they had agreed, Gwen moved out of the house with nothing. She only brought her clothes, personal stuff, and some she bought with her own money. She didn’t even take any gifts that Hayes had given her before.

Gwen rented a one-bedroom apartment in a neighborhood near the Great Oak Primary School in Merlin City. The place was about forty square meters in size.

Compared to the gigantic mansion she had lived in before, her new apartment was probably only the size of a regular bathroom. Nevertheless, Gwen liked it a lot.

“Am I just hallucinating, or does your place look really small?” Callie murmured when she realized there wasn’t even a space where she could sit.

“Is it too small?” Gwen asked as she poured some water into the glass. “It looks neat and cute, right?”

Callie turned to her smiling friend and sighed. “Gwen… Are you really sure that you’ll end things this way? Maybe you gave up easily?”

Ten long years.

It took ten years for Gwen to give up on Hayes. Not only ten days or months but years of her life were dedicated to that man alone.

“What should I do?” Gwen smiled bitterly. “I couldn’t even make a man fall in love with me in ten years. What else could I possibly do?”

Callie saw what her friend went through all those times. Hence, she couldn’t help but feel that it was unfair to her friend. Although she also felt relieved and happy that her friend finally let things go.

“Ugh! Since you said that, as your friend, I can only support you and nothing else!” Callie rolled her eyes and plopped on the sofa.

“You know what they say, right? The best way to forget your ex is to start seeing other people. Meet and date new guys! This is a great idea, Gwen! You should meet other men and eventually realize how unworthy Hayes Gilmore is!” Callie exclaimed.

Gwen narrowed her eyes at her. “So, you’re saying I should use other people to forget about my ex-husband?”

Callie stood up, beaming. “You, my friend,” she pointed at Gwen. “Was too blinded by your fascination with Hayes that you couldn’t see other men. So, tonight, I will take you out to have some fun!”

Gwen didn’t want to disappoint her friend. Callie really looked enthusiastic to cheer her up. She sighed and smiled at her.

“Okay.”