Bound to You, Broken by You novel
I made a PowerPoint showing her chat history and hotel records with her assistant and posted it online.
I also wrote down all the pain and grievances from our five-year marriage as an accusation.
Just when I thought I could enjoy the feeling of revenge, the police came to me. Thats when I found out Selene had reported me for leaking someones private information.
Because of that, I was about to face the darkest five days of my life.
But on the third day, she brought me our sons latest award-winning essay to read. The title was: I Have a Crazy Dad.
At that moment, the firm belief I had inside me completely collapsed. Seeing the contempt in her eyes, I stopped making a scene and said in a hoarse voice, Selene, I agree to the divorce.
Warren, aside from the childs custody, you can ask me for anything you want.
After getting the answer she wanted, Selene was no longer as aggressive as before. For once, she even showed me a bit of kindness.
But I felt nothing anymore. I no longer argued with her hysterically. I calmly said what I wanted, I want 150 thousand dollars.
Hearing my answer, a look of surprise flashed across Selenes face. She had thought I wouldnt give up custody so easily that Id keep fighting with her.
She had even planned how to deal with me if I tried to fight for our child.
But I turned out to be completely different from what she expected.
Only 150 thousand dollars? she asked again in disbelief. If you take this money, your son will have nothing to do with you ever again.
Facing her question, I nodded calmly.
Selene seemed like she wanted to say something. She moved her lips but didnt continue arguing.
Fine. When youre released, well go register for the divorce. Warren, youd better not lie to me.
Leaving that warning behind, she turned and walked away.
After she left, I settled abroad. Then one day, my mother whom I hadnt seen in five years showed up with a lawyer.
Soon after, she easily got me out on bail.
As we stepped out of the police station, she casually pulled a pack of womens cigarettes from her pocket, lit one with practiced ease and exhaled a slow cloud of smoke.
Then she turned to look at me, exhaustion written all over me and said, So, are you finally willing to come with me now?
Id lived for twenty-seven years and shes said that sentence to me twice.
The first time was when she divorced my cheating father. She didnt ask for anything and just wanted to take me with her.
But everyone around me said that if six-year-old me went with her, who had nothing, I would only become her burden.
So I didnt follow my heart. I chose to stay with my father.
When she heard my decision, she didnt try to persuade me. She left firm and resolute.
But sometimes, I still held some resentment toward her. Resentment that she had abandoned me and left this family behind.
Thats why, when I married Selene, she came to the wedding and told me. "Warren, before you love someone else, learn to love yourself first. Dont pour all your heart into another person. Be kinder to yourself.
Back then, I was unbelievably naive. I thought that the ten years between Selene and me meant our love was unbreakable.
I believed she would love me as deeply and faithfully as she loved herself.
So I snapped back at my mother, full of defiance. Do you think everyones as selfish as you? Always wanting others to love you, but never thinking about how to make yourself worthy of love.
She didnt get angry at my words. She just looked at me with a faint, unreadable smile.
It wasnt until now that I finally understood that back then, I was truly, foolishly naive.
My throat felt dry and raw, as if lined with blades.
Every word scraped painfully as I forced them out. In a hoarse voice, I answered her, After the divorce is done, Ill go with you.
I spent the night at the hotel where my mother was staying.
The next day, I changed into the new clothes she had bought for me and went back to the house I had lived in for six years.
When I came home, my son, Merrick, who was playing with his toys in the living room, looked up at me. Surprise and impatience were flickering in his eyes.
He muttered under his breath, Didnt they say youd be inside the jail for five days? How come youre back after only three?
Just then, Selene came down the stairs.
When she saw me, a flash of surprise crossed her face as if she hadnt expected me to be released so soon.
But she quickly composed herself and said calmly, Youre back. Go wash up and get some rest. Dont make any more trouble.
I shook my head. No need. Lets go to the City Hall now and file for divorce.
At those words, Merricks expression changed instantly. He rushed to hide behind Selene and shouted at me, If youre getting divorced and leaving, dont even think about taking me with you! Im not going anywhere with you!
Looking at the anger and rejection on his face, I silently tugged at the corner of my lips a smile that never quite formed.
Yesterday, when Selene left, she forgot to take our sons essay with her.
I read that essay over and over again.
I still remembered clearly what he wrote.
My dad really is like a crazy person. My mom works so hard, but hes always fighting with her. At home, he smashes things and yells at her. If I could, I really wish that crazy man wasnt my dad.
The first time Selene mentioned divorce was when I discovered she was cheating.
I calmly took photos of the chat logs and hotel records I found on her phone.
When she came home, I showed her the evidence right in front of her, one photo after another.
My fists were clenched so tightly they trembled and I forced all my anger deep inside, waiting for her to repent, to fall to her knees and apologize.
In that waiting, I had imagined every possible way she might cry and beg for forgiveness.
But she didnt.
She only looked at me, calm and indifferent, with not even the faintest trace of guilt in her eyes.
Instead, she looked at me with the kind of calm arrogance that comes after being exposed and said, Warren, either delete those photos and pretend nothing happened, or we get a divorce.
Before that moment, I had foolishly believed that as long as she apologized, I could try to forgive her just this once.
Because when a family broke apart, it was the child who suffered the most.
I didnt want my son to walk the same painful path I did, to face the cruelty of choosing between his father or his mother at only five years old.
But she never apologized.
Her brazen attitude made me furious. In my rage, I grabbed everything nearby and threw it at her again and again.
But when I heard the housekeeper and the child talking, I forced myself to hold back from breaking down.
I didnt want the child to see his parents in that humiliating scene. Still, my self-control failed.
Merrick saw me throwing things like a madman at his mother, but he hadnt heard what Selene had said earlier.
Now I looked at the child who treated me like a poisonous scorpion. Once again, he drove a dagger into mea weapon I had raised myself.
Dont worry, I dont want you. After the divorce, Ill leave, I said, very calm and expressionless.
Merrick half-believed me and looked up at Selene.
When Selene met his gaze, she said calmly, In that case, we'll file for divorce tomorrow. Ill have someone draft a severance agreement now. Once you sign it, the child will finally feel at ease.
When I heard her words, the doubt in my eyes disappeared, replaced by a glimmer of hope and expectation.
I pressed my lips together and answered softly, Alright.
Selenes lawyer was efficient. In just two hours, the severance agreement was delivered to me.
Without hesitation, I signed my name.
And at that very moment, I clearly heard a soft, relieved sigh inside me.
Merrick happily grabbed the agreement and said with a smile, Finally, I dont have a crazy dad anymore! No one at school can make fun of me now.
Facing his words, I stood there stunned.
Beside him, a hint of mockery flickered in Selenes eyes.
When you were taken away from home, someone took photos and posted them online, she said coldly. Because of you, he has had to endure a lot of judgment at school.
Her tone carried open blame without an attempt to hide it.
But she seemed to forget that everything started because of her.
I didnt argue back anymore.
I went along with her words, letting her push all the blame onto me, just as she wished.
But when I saw the contempt in her eyes, it reminded me of the second time she asked for a divorce.
Back then, I couldnt accept it. Like a madman, I ran to her company and in front of all her employees, I shouted myself hoarse, accusing her and her assistant, Cyrus.
She stood among the crowd, completely unaffected, watching me coldly like I was some kind of clown putting on a show.
And I had forgotten those employees were all paid by her. They would never judge their bosss private life so casually and certainly wouldnt risk their jobs for someone unrelated to them.
Everyone just watched, eyes full of curiosity and ridicule, as if I were nothing more than a spectacle, leaving me nowhere to hide.
Instinctively, I wanted to run. But then I heard voices rising from the crowd.
Hes good-looking but hes nowhere near as capable or refined as Cyrus. If I were the boss, I wouldnt pick that pretty boy either.
Yeah, people cheat all the time, especially the rich ones. Hes such an idiot. Doesn't he know how to just turn a blind eye?
If I were him, I wouldnt make a scene. Id just take the money and live comfortably as a kept man. Why go crazy and make yourself a joke?
I stood there, surrounded by them all, their whispers cutting deeper than any blade.
Hearing those whispers around me, I suddenly remembered the year Selene started her business.
Back then, I had helped her chase her dream of becoming a strong, independent woman again and again, I helped her secure contracts with major clients.
I drank endlessly at dinners to win deals for her, until my stomach bled and I ended up in the hospital with an ulcer.
I still remember her sitting by my bedside, gripping my hand tightly, tears streaming down her face as she choked out, Warren, Ill never let you down in this life. Ill give you a home and well grow old together.
I opened my mouth, wanting to tell everyone that it was she who had promised me a future, she who had said wed grow old side by side.
But before I could speak, Cyrus came running over, crying.
He dropped to his knees in front of me with a thud, banging his head against the floor as he pleaded through tears.
Mr. Guile, I never meant to come between you and Ms. Tarn. If you dont like me, Ill resign right now and never see her again. But please, Im begging you, dont make a scene here anymore. If you keep this up, how will Ms. Tarn ever face her employees again?
He looked like a devoted, selfless mansomeone who only cared about Selenes reputation. And with just one sentence, he made me out to be an unreasonable madman.
Selene watched him kneeling there, crying and begging on her behalf.
She walked over, heartbroken and helped him to his feet. Then she turned to me and shouted in anger, Enough! Warren, were getting a divorce! I cant spend another day living like this! Ive had enough of this suffocating life!
In Merricks essay, he even wrote about that day. Thats when I learned he had skipped his extracurricular class and gone to her company to play with Cyrus.
And in his essay, he wrote:
My dad isnt just crazy. He makes me feel so embarrassed. I dont understand why I have a dad like him. I wish Cyrus were my dad instead.
So, I agreed to the divorce and I signed the severance agreement.
To Selena and Merrick, it was a day worth celebrating. They could hardly wait to take the signed agreement and go out together.
While I was packing my things, Selenes social media was updated.
In the photo, she, Merrick and Cyrus were all wearing matching family outfits.
On her face, someone who rarely showed emotion, was a bright, radiant smile. Even the smile on Merricks face seemed blindingly bright.
And Cyrus, standing between them, looked every bit the gentle, elegant father figure that family photos were supposed to have.
I only gave it a brief glance. Then I noticed a message from my mother.
She wrote:
[Ive prepared your passport. Once the divorce is registered tomorrow, come with me. You can come back later to pick up the certificate.]
I didnt refuse, just replied quietly, [Okay.]
In the past, I always used to tell myself that I wanted to be a good father who thought about his child, to let him live a happy life, to let him know he was loved, so I never told Merrick the truth.
For her job, Selene took a labor-inducing shot before her due date. It made the baby come early and he was born with high jaundice.
He had to stay in the newborn emergency room for a whole month.
After giving birth, Selene went straight back to work. So I was the one staying in the hospital taking care of him.
When I got a high fever and couldnt take care of the baby, I tried calling her, but she didnt answer.
I thought she was just busy with work, so I forced myself to bear all the pain alone.
Until the day I found out she was cheating, only then did I realize, she was in another mans bed enjoying comfort when I was in the hospital day and night caring for our baby.
When the baby had a fever in the middle of the night and I suddenly got appendicitis and was in a panic, she kept sleeping with another man, using business trips as her excuse.
As for my pain, she acted like she couldnt see it.
Whenever she felt a little guilty, she would keep buying me gifts to make up for it. When she saw me smile sincerely at those gifts, she secretly thought to herself, Warren is so easy to please.
She told me those words herself. She treated my touched reaction to her gifts like a joke to laugh about.
She completely forgot that in our hardest years, when we lived in a dark, cramped basement, she used to cry in pain seeing me tired and worn out, struggling to make a living for us while watching other womens boyfriends looking fresh and full of life.
Back then, she used to hold my hand and say, Warren, how lucky I am to have met you in this life. If I ever lose you, how will I go on living?
She said she wanted to give me the best life. Every time she got her paycheck, she would spend half of it buying me clothes, shoes and all the food I loved to eat.
Then she would smile and tell me, Warren, you deserve better. Just wait a little longer for me. Ill make sure you have everything others have too.
So I waited and waited. Day after day, I dreamed about the beautiful future the three of us would share as a family.
But reality kept stabbing at my heart that was already full of scars and cracks.
I packed my luggage, tore up every photo of me that existed in the house and called a cleaner to erase every trace of my life there. I was ready to leave right after the divorce registration tomorrow.
That night, neither Selene nor Merrick came home. I didnt call or text to ask them back.
The next morning, I arrived at the courthouse as planned. Selene came about half an hour late.
When she got out of the car and saw me, wearing the same black suit I wore at our wedding, her eyes flickered with a hint of admiration, but it vanished quickly.
A faint, mocking smile curved her lips as she said, Why are you wearing your wedding suit here? Dont tell me you regret agreeing to the divorce?
I looked at her and shook my head. Then I said calmly, Wearing something new means celebration. Todays a happy day, isnt it?
The smile on Selenes lips quickly faded. When she saw the calm in my eyes, steady as still water, a strange flicker of panic crossed her heart.
She asked again, Are you really sure about this? No regrets at all? Warren, Im not someone who looks back. Once we register the divorce today, well truly be strangers from now on.
I took out my phone and deleted all her contact information right in front of her. Then I turned toward the courthouse. Come on, its our turn.
After signing the divorce papers and walking out, I didnt look back and headed straight for the car where my mother was waiting by the road.
Selene stood there, watching my figure fade into the distance.
For the first time, she felt an emptiness deep in her chest as if something had quietly been taken away.
She reached out, trying to grab hold of me, but her hand only caught the passing wind.
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