Chapter 1

We had been married for 30 years when Jeffery Ford's company filed for bankruptcy. His first move was to try to divorce me. I refused to sign the divorce papers and found many odd jobs to make ends meet. I worked tirelessly for days on end. At night, I sold any junk I could find off the streets for some extra pennies. Everything I did was to help him pay off his debt. I didn't even spend a single cent on myself when I ended up in the hospital for overworking. That was until the day a rich guy reserved the whole restaurant I worked at for his marriage proposal. I was covered in sweat from work. Not wanting to disgust the customer with my dishevelled appearance, I hid backstage to watch the event. But when I looked up, I saw Jeffery with one knee on the ground. Holding up a huge diamond ring worth 3 million dollars, he proposed to his stepsister, Jessica Ford. The children and grandchildren I raised were right beside them, happily celebrating the occasion. "Aunt Jessica put in so much effort just to be with Dad. She had to lie about getting cancer and having only a month left to live before Dad finally gave in and proposed." "Only someone like Aunt Jessica deserves to be with our dad. I can't even bring myself to admit knowing a useless housewife like Mom." "Grandaunt Jessica is pretty and successful. She's nothing like Grandma, who does nothing at home all day. We'd rather Grandaunt Jessica be our grandmother!" I finally realized that Jeffery had faked his bankruptcy so he could run off to be with his first love. Everything I had done for this family was a joke. Heartbroken, I dialed a number I hadn't contacted in 30 years. "Is the promise you made 30 years ago to travel the world with me still valid?" "Of course it is! Everything I've said to you will always be valid. Sienna Glade, it took you 30 years to finally consider me." The voice from the other end of the line was deep and raspy, but I could still sense his excitement. "Where are you now? I'll fetch you." I rejected him calmly. "I can't leave with you just yet. Give me a week. I'll see you once I've dealt with everything on my end." "Alright, then. I'll be waiting for you, Sienna. "If you go back on your word, I'll kidnap you myself! You can't shake me off that easily!" The door opened the moment I hung up. Jeffery walked into the room with our kids and Jessica. Seeing that I hadn't prepared a meal like I usually would, Jeffery was upset. "Why haven't you made dinner when it's already this late, Sienna? Stop slacking off already." I looked at the groceries my daughter-in-law, Madison Carter, had bought and stored in the kitchen. To save money, she had picked only leftover vegetables and meat, so they were all spoiled and smelled rotten. Every time I cooked, Jeffery and the kids would excuse themselves, saying they were too full to eat. I was the one who usually finished everything. I never complained that life was tough. Instead, I worried they would fall sick, so I would search the streets after I got off work for any junk I could sell to buy them fresh meat. In truth, they were eating luxurious meals behind my back every day. The rotten food in our kitchen was just to scare me away. My heart ached like it was being stabbed by thousands of needles. This time, I didn't walk into the kitchen I usually would. Instead, I sat myself on the couch and defied Jeffery's orders. "I already ate, and I don't feel like cooking. You can dine out instead." Jeffery was furious at my words. He grabbed the ashtray beside him and smashed it beside my feet. "Are you doing this on purpose? You know Ford Group is in debt, yet you still want us to spend money and dine out? Do you want me to be in debt forever?" Our son, Samuel Ford, was speechless. "Mom, are you scared of our creditors finally leaving us alone if we have too much money or something? "The ingredients are right there, but you don't even want to cook. How can you be so lazy? Look at Aunt Jessica. She's so much more diligent than you." Our daughter, Sally Ford, also crossed her arms and scolded, "Can't you learn from Aunt Jessica? She knows we can't afford to wear luxurious clothes because we're bankrupt, so she went to the market and bought us the cheapest clothes she could find. "She did that just to make sure we would still have clothes to wear. You, on the other hand, would only waste our food and the little money we have left." Although Sally's husband, Cory Kirk, and Madison remained silent, the looks they gave me were filled with resentment. I instantly became a despicable villain. Seeing how the son and daughter I had raised myself sided with the homewrecker, I felt only rage. I asked them, "If Jessica's that much better than I am, why don't you ask her to cook instead? "Why must I suffer your insults while you enjoy the fruits of my labours? Did Jessica raise you?" Samuel and Sally's expressions stiffened the moment I said that. They were stunned silent. "Calm down, everyone. Sienna didn't say those things on purpose. Perhaps she's just too tired. "How about this? I'm treating, so order whatever you want." Jessica played mediator while subtly showing off the diamond ring on her left ring finger. I had seen that ring a month ago. I found it in Jeffery's pocket when I washed his coat. We weren't very well off when we got married, so he could only afford a 9.9-carat diamond for our wedding ring. He promised to get me a better ring when our financial situation improved. That was why I thought the ring was for me. With a heart full of anticipation, I waited for the day he would put the ring on my finger. But no matter how long I waited on the day of our anniversary, I didn't receive it. Instead, I was told that Ford Group had filed for bankruptcy. I thought he had sold it to pay off his debt, but I now knew that he never planned to give it to me. Hearing that dinner was going to be Jessica's treat, everyone glared daggers at me. My grandson, Douglas Ford, even pointed at me and yelled, "All Grandma does is laze off at home all day, refusing to do any work. "Since she won't even cook now, she's basically useless. Don't bring her along. Useless people don't deserve to eat." My granddaughter, Daphne Kirk, also nodded in agreement. She threw the lollipop she was holding at my face. "Grandma's so useless and embarrassing! It would be so much better if Grandaunt Jessica were our grandmother instead." Looking at the grandchildren I'd also raised myself, I clenched my fist so hard my nails dug into my palms. "Fine. If you like her that much, she'll be your grandmother from now on." Seeing how hurt I looked, Jeffery sneered. "I can't believe you're upset over this. Douglas and Daphne were only speaking the truth. "If you can't accept that, we can just get a divorce. Don't try to guilt-trip us by saying things like that." I looked at Jeffery, the man I loved for 30 years. Now, it felt like he was nothing but a stranger. Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I said calmly, "That's right. I regret my decision, so let's get a divorce now, Jeffery."