Million Dollars Dowry for a Sidepiece

"I’m busy! I need to focus on my work instead of wasting time on you! Why do you have to be so dramatic anyway? It’s just an accident! If you can’t walk, just stay in the hospital. What’s the point of coming home?"

With this in mind, I grabbed my phone and compiled a text to send her. "My only demands are that I will have custody of Cecil and that I get my half of our assets."

She replied immediately, "I have something important to do tomorrow. Quit acting up and wait for me to get home, alright?"

I waited for three days. Even when the doctor informed me that I could be discharged, Agnes was still nowhere to be seen.

As I sat inside the car and watched the building recede from view, a wave of memories flooded me.

Agnes and I first met in college. It did not take long before we fell in love.

During the first year of our marriage, she started her first business. She was unfortunately backstabbed by a close friend and saddled with debt afterward.

During that period, I worked three jobs a day to help her pay off her debts. During the nights, I would return home to do her laundry and cook for her.

Eventually, she started her second business venture, which turned out to be a success. I thought that was the turning point and that we would live a happy married life from then on.

However, everything changed when she cheated on me with Luther a year ago.

Shortly after I returned home, she returned from her "business trip" as well. She swiped a glance at the surgery report on the table and became upset.

Then, she shook me out of my nap and started nagging at me, "Did you go for surgery without telling me? Why didn’t you wait for me to come back?"

I had been suffering from insomnia during the past few days in the hospital. After finally getting some proper sleep, I was rudely awakened.

At this point, I was completely drained physically and mentally.

"Agnes, did you expect me to let my condition deteriorate for three more days and wait for you to come back before getting surgery done?"

Agnes was taken aback. Her expression softened ever so slightly. "Alright, I’ll forgive you this time. I need you to iron my blazer, the gray one."

I was slightly taken aback by the sudden demand. The reason she came home was not to be there for my surgery; instead, it was only because she had to attend a work event.

My phone's vibration shook me out of my thoughts. It was a reminder to feed the baby. I crawled out of bed and went to get the formula.

Agnes responded by angrily kicking the chair. "I regret ever marrying you. You don’t even take care of me!"

With that, she left and slammed the door behind her.

I ignored her and went to attend to a frightened Cecil, who was crying. It took more than half an hour for her to fall back asleep.

Then, I grabbed my phone and sent a text. "I need a divorce lawyer."

"Are you crazy? You’re getting divorced?"

The next morning, Agnes suddenly came home. She shot an icy look at me and reprimanded me severely, "Why didn't you remind me that it was your birthday yesterday?"

I stayed silent.

"Whatever. I bought you a gift." She handed me a watch.

It only took one look for me to tell that it was a very cheap watch, which was probably worth just over 5,000, at most.

Three days ago, she had included a watch worth more than 200,000 dollars in the million-dollar dowry she had given Luther.

The amount of effort revealed the love she had for me.

"Put on the watch. I'll cook you dinner later so we can celebrate."

"No thanks," I refused flatly. The deliberate overcompensation of gifts and forced companionship made me feel nothing but disgust.

Agnes turned grim when she noticed I was upset. "I’m already trying to please you. What else do you want? What are you so upset about?"

I looked her in the eye and spoke calmly, "I’m not upset."

Without a warning, she shoved me to the ground and stomped on me.

"I know what you're mad about! All I did was take a family picture with him. What’s wrong with that? His son's teacher told the students to share a family picture with the class. That’s why I had to take the picture with him!"

Then, she sighed exasperatedly. "Have you forgotten you were the one who upset him? So what if I got him a present? At least, I didn’t make you apologize to him!"

I just had surgery and wanted to avoid riling myself up with an argument. With that, I took a deep breath and yielded, "Yes, you're right."

As soon as I spoke, I received a notice from my company.

My supervisor had approved my resignation!