Eight Years Married to a Rich Heiress,I Left with Nothing But My Dignity

I married a woman who was beautiful, wealthy, and untouchable. The real deal. My mother had been so proud.

But eight years into the marriage, whatever we'd had between us had worn down to almost nothing.

When my mother lay dying in the hospital, all she wanted was to see my CEO wife and her grandson one last time. Neither came. She closed her eyes with that wish still on her lips.

I didn't notify my wife's family. I handled the funeral quietly, back in my hometown, alone. Then I called Serena Henson and told her I wanted a divorce.

A man's voice answered instead：“Sorry, Mr. Gilbert. She's exhausted. Fell asleep at my place. Do her a favor and don't disturb her rest.”

It wasn't until the next morning that she texted back, one lukewarm line：“Fine. Have it your way.”

——

A few days later, she came home from her business trip.

I saw her walk in. I didn't rush over the way I always used to, clinging to her like some eager dog. I just kept watching TV.

“Go pick out a nightgown for me. I'm tired.” Serena gave the order the same way she always did, then started stripping off her clothes on the way to the bathroom.

Nobody else was home. She peeled off one piece after another and dropped them on the floor, revealing that flawless figure, skin like porcelain.

Before, I would have lost all restraint. I would have followed her in, fawning, offering to scrub her back.

Now I felt nothing.

She finished her shower, pulled open the bathroom door, and found me still sitting on the couch in front of the TV. A small frown creased her brow.：“Why didn't you get my nightgown? Just grab the one with the cartoon print. You know, your favorite.”

“When are we getting divorced?”

My voice was flat. No heat. No pleading.

“Stop this. When you called the other night it was late and I was already asleep.”

Serena's tone was dismissive, unbothered.：“Finn Dickerson is my assistant. He answered my phone for me, that's all. I already talked to him about it. Can you please stop being jealous?”

“Jealous?”

She still thought this was what it always was. Me, insecure. Me, fighting for scraps of her attention.

She had no idea that something inside me had already died.

“Enough. Go get my nightgown. I'm really exhausted. Let's turn in early. We'll visit your mother at the hospital tomorrow.” Serena said.

Those words drove into me like a needle, straight through whatever was left.

I looked at her, and my eyes were cold.：“Visit my mother? Where exactly do you plan to visit her?”

“The hospital, obviously.”

She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.：“Oh, and while I was away, I actually looked into it. There's a great hospital in New York. I can have someone arrange a transfer for her. The facilities there are much better……”

“My mother is dead!”

I didn't let her finish. The words ripped out of me before I could stop them.

Serena flinched at the sound of my voice……

She stared at me, disbelief written across her face, as though she half-suspected I was lying.

“You……your mother……why didn't I know about this?”

Serena asked.

“Does it even matter now whether you knew or not?”

I stared her down.：“When my mother was alive, she begged to see you and her grandson just once, and she couldn't even get that. Now you want to visit her? Do you have any idea how hollow that sounds?”

My voice silenced her.

She didn't say another word. She walked out of the bathroom without looking at me and disappeared into the closet.

A moment later she came back out, wearing the nightgown with the cartoon print, the one she knew I liked. She stood at a distance and looked at me.：“I'm sorry. I really didn't know.”

She said it, then turned and went back to the bedroom.

The ache in my chest twisted tighter……

Serena and I met in high school. It's almost funny, looking back. We were in the same class. She was class president. I was vice president.