Chapter 2

The staff member was momentarily stunned. "For what reason?" "Irreconcilable differences." Mabel paused and added, "He has a first love that he can't forget." The staff member looked at Mabel sympathetically before swiftly handing her a form. "Fill this in. You can get a divorce certificate within ten working days if your application is approved." "Thank you." Mabel diligently filled in the form. She felt a lot lighter as she handed the completed form back to the staff member, as though the heavy weight on her shoulders had suddenly disappeared. She even felt like humming. After getting the answers she wanted, she breathed out a long sigh of relief and headed home, her footsteps light. However, her good mood dissipated the moment she arrived at the entrance to the house. She could smell something burning even before she stepped inside. When she pushed the door open, she was immediately assaulted by a thick cloud of smoke that nearly suffocated her, forcing her to cough loudly. Elliot stood by the stove in the kitchen, wearing a stormy expression. Meanwhile, Zoe sat on the couch with reddened eyes as she applied ointment on her hand. "Where did you go?" Elliot demanded. "You left the house without turning the stove off. Zoe burned her hand trying to turn it off because of you." It was only then that Mabel recalled how she'd left the stew simmering on the stove when she'd left the house. She'd been too excited when she'd received the call and had forgotten all about turning the stove off. "I'm sorry," Mabel mumbled. "Something urgent came up, and I needed to attend to it." "What sort of urgent business could you possibly have?" Elliot scoffed. "Something even more important than cooking dinner?" In his eyes, Mabel was nothing more than a woman who loved him to the point of losing herself. She was meant to stay home every day. She had to wait for him to come home and take care of his first love. She was supposed to be a perfect military wife—and she had been in the past. But things were different now. She nearly told him about Luther before she hastily swallowed the words. It wasn't the right time to tell him yet. To avoid any potential obstacles, she would have to wait until her divorce application was approved before she could tell him. Elliot became even more furious at Mabel's silence. "Since you've made a mistake, you need to be punished for it. Go stand outside for the rest of the night." "Elliot…" Zoe muttered weakly. "The weather forecast reported that it will rain tonight. Mabel will get sick if she stands in the downpour for the whole night." "She's a military wife. She should be able to withstand a little hardship." Elliot didn't even bother sparing a glance in Mabel's direction. "If it hadn't been for her carelessness, you wouldn't have hurt your hand." Mabel could hear how he emphasized the latter half of his sentence. She didn't say anything and simply turned around, quietly heading into the garden. It didn't take long for the autumn rain to begin. It started with a few drops before it gradually intensified into a storm. The raindrops that splattered against her skin hurt her face. Mabel stood in the rain as she watched what was going on in the house through the window. Elliot was carefully applying ointment for Zoe. His brow was furrowed as if he were handling a precious treasure. Zoe said something, which made Elliot shake his head and stroke her hair. His actions sent Mabel into a daze. Many years ago, Luther had stroked her hair in the exact same way. They'd still been in the military academy at the time. She'd failed her assessment and had been hiding in the field to cry. When Luther had found her, he hadn't said a word and instead just stroked her hair gently. "Don't cry," he'd said with a smile. "I'll teach you." He'd taught her for three whole months until she achieved first place in her entire department. During the celebratory banquet, he'd secretly held her hand under the table and whispered, "You're amazing, my dear Mabel." Rainwater mixed with Mabel's tears as they flowed into her mouth, tasting both bitter and salty. As she gazed at Elliot's side profile through the window, she felt as if she was looking at Luther. They looked so similar that she couldn't tell them apart. Meanwhile, in the house, Zoe suddenly pushed Elliot away, saying, "Don't do this, Elliot. Mabel will be upset if she sees. What if she asks for a divorce?" Elliot glanced outside for a moment. He said calmly, "I already told her before we got married that you're the woman I like. She knows, and she'll accept the reality on her own." He paused before continuing confidently, "As for getting a divorce, even if everyone in the world divorces their partner, she'll still never divorce me." Mabel's lips twitched upward when she heard him. Elliot was wrong. In fact, it was ridiculous how wrong he was. The storm intensified once more. Mabel's clothes had long become completely drenched, and they stuck to her skin, chilling her to the bone. She started to lose consciousness. Black spots exploded all over her vision, but she stubbornly kept her feet planted on the ground and stood firm. She stood until dawn broke on the horizon. Finally, she lost control over her body and collapsed heavily to the ground. Before she blacked out, she felt someone carry her and wipe her face with a warm towel. Their touch was very light and gentle. "Luther…" She subconsciously tried to grab the hand. "You're back…" The hand stiffened. In the next second, Elliot's cold voice reverberated in her ears. "Who's Luther?"