After Discovering My Husband, Who’s My Childhood Companion, Has a Preference for Older Women, I’m Counting Down to Divorce

I've been married to Jack for twelve years. My millionaire husband has fallen in love with the new receptionist at his company.

She's nearly forty, not as pretty as me, and doesn't have as good a figure as I do. Yet in just six short months, she's provided Jack with tremendous emotional value.

Jack wearily said to me:

"If we divorce, you can have the house and the car. Olivia, can you please just let me go?"

I lowered my eyes and said softly, "Alright."

Then I bought a calendar and circled a date.

Divorce countdown: 30 days.

1

When I pushed the divorce agreement in front of Jack, it had only been 40 minutes since he told me about his affair and asked for a divorce.

As requested, the house, car, and custody of our child would all go to me.

He would give me a one-time payment of $2 million for compensation and child support.

After that, our child and I would no longer bother him.

At that moment, Jack was in the middle of a conference call. He glanced down, saw the words "Divorce Agreement," and his expression flickered almost imperceptibly.

Then he nodded, indicating he understood.

I left the room.

To save time for both of us, I packed up all of Jack's clothes and belongings. Three full suitcases. Afraid I might have missed something, I even included his childhood photos from the attic.

Finally, I saw our wedding photo in the corner.

In the photo, Jack looked handsome and dashing, while I smiled sweetly. We were embracing without a care in the world under the sunlight.

That was when he would always hold me close and whisper, "Honey, I love you so much. I'm so lucky to have married you."

Jack and I met in college. When we first met, he was still a poor boy wearing worn-out canvas shoes.

I had plenty of suitors back then, but I fell for Jack at first sight.

He was calm, kind, and good-looking. He had countless qualities I admired.

We got married right after graduation, and he started a company with his friends.

After I got pregnant, I became a full-time housewife.

I devoted myself entirely to taking care of Jack and our family.

As the business grew, Jack's social obligations and drinking events increased.

In between my busy daily routines, I made time to work out and learn about makeup and fashion.

Jack didn't disappoint either. No matter how busy he was, he would come home to look after our child and cook.

He also helped me handle the relationship with his mother.

In others' eyes, we were the model couple, the model family.

I'm not sure when it started, but Jack began scheduling meetings in the evenings.

Sometimes when work got busy, he would stay out all night.

Friends joked that I should keep a closer eye on him in case anything happened.

I laughed it off, saying it wouldn't, but I still felt uneasy.

I brought them late-night snacks a few times.

Nothing seemed amiss. A group of people in meetings, with that woman just waiting at the reception desk.

Her name was Rachel. In her early forties, not very tall, on the thin side, with short hair. She looked rather plain, but her voice was unexpectedly gentle, unlike her appearance.

She smiled and greeted me.

All these years, I had imagined this day might come.

I thought it might be a pretty secretary at the company, or a fresh-faced college student, or maybe a powerful female CEO they worked with.

I never expected it would be Rachel, the receptionist.

I heard she had been married before, but her husband cheated and they divorced.

This was her first job after the divorce, and she cherished it greatly.

She would come to the office early, learn everyone's little habits, and occasionally make some pastries.

Some colleagues even ordered lunch from her for convenience.

When I found out, I told Jack to look after her a bit, since she was having a tough time.

Jack always responded coolly.

"The company isn't a place for sentiment. I've already advised her not to engage in transactions outside of work."

At the time, I teased Jack for being an unsympathetic boss.

Now that I think about it, he was probably upset that Rachel had to make extra food for colleagues after work every day.

As for why Jack chose today to ask for a divorce.

I had just made him a hangover soup as usual this morning after he came home drunk.

He looked at the soup in front of him, sighed, and pushed it away slightly. After a long silence, he suddenly looked up at me, his eyes weary, and asked if we could get divorced.

He confessed that he had been having an affair for six months, sneaking off to hotels every time he worked late.

My heart trembled like a sieve, as I struggled to control myself.

I asked who it was.

When he said Rachel's name, I even doubted I had heard correctly.

A sense of helplessness washed over me.

Cold and chilling.

2

By the time Jack finished his meeting and came out, I had already eaten, cleaned up the kitchen, and was sitting in the living room watching TV.

As if nothing had happened.

He turned to take a shower, but halfway through realized there were no towels. Out of habit, he called from the bathroom.

"Honey, where's my bath towel?"

Without turning around, I replied: "I've already packed it in the suitcase. If you don't mind, use mine for now. I'll throw it away later."

I was met with a long silence in response.

When Jack came out, he finally noticed the three suitcases by the door.

He sat down across from me and pushed the divorce agreement towards me with his fingertips.

"I can give you $1.5 million for child support upfront, and the rest can be paid monthly..."

I interrupted: "No need. Let's do a lump sum buyout. I don't think she would want you to keep in contact with me either."

Jack looked at me, puzzled: "The child isn't just yours. I have the right to be involved in his upbringing. I know this is my fault, and I'm willing to compensate, but you don't need to use our child as leverage."

I paused the TV show and looked at Jack seriously.

"The affair is your fault, so it's reasonable for you to pay compensation and child support. Compared to your assets, me getting the house and car isn't asking too much. Our son has been raised by me since he was little. He's a sensitive child with needs. Tell me, how much energy will you have to take care of him while you're in the honeymoon phase of your new relationship? Being involved in his growth isn't just about money, it's about time and companionship."

Jack was left speechless. After a while, he spoke: "In any case, I won't use $2 million to buy out my relationship with my son."

I reached out and opened the divorce agreement: "The $2 million is for compensation and child support. If you have other emotional needs, you can transfer money to our son. I'll open a separate card for him."

Jack suddenly laughed: "Olivia, I never knew you were so obsessed with money. You keep talking about money."

"What else is there? Is loving you useful?"

Jack was stunned into silence. He frowned and swiftly took out a pen to sign the divorce agreement.

He also arranged for us to go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow to apply for divorce.

Then he called his driver.

I finished watching my show and went to bed.

When I woke up in the morning, Jack was already gone.

Our son ran out of his room and hugged me, excitedly telling me about a really happy dream he had last night.

As I listened to him share, I tentatively told him that Dad's company was busy lately, so he might be away on business trips for a long time.

Contrary to his usual reaction, our son didn't insist on calling Jack to ask, "Dad, when are you coming back?"

He just said "Oh" and pursed his little lips: "It's okay, I have Mom with me."

I instantly couldn't hold back anymore. Tears spilled from my eyes as I excused myself to the bathroom to compose myself.

Agreeing to divorce Jack made me sad, but mostly I felt I was letting our son down by not allowing him to grow up in a complete family.

But I knew this wasn't my fault.

After dropping our son off at school, Jack and I went to the civil affairs bureau to apply for divorce. There's a 30-day cooling-off period, after which we can get the divorce certificate.

Back in the car, I circled a date on the calendar, marking today.

Divorce countdown: 30 days.

3

I debated whether to tell my parents about the divorce now.

I grew up in this city, with all my relatives and friends here.

My parents are retired teachers, and I'm their only daughter.

They're very open-minded, but my father's health hasn't been great these past couple of years.

I was thinking of waiting a bit longer.

Jack called after a couple of days.

He rarely called me. Usually, he would text on SnapChat, since I would always reply promptly, which he found convenient.

Last night, I had already deleted him from my contacts.

I answered the call. Jack's voice sounded normal.

"Olivia, your mom just called me. She said she's cooked a lot of dishes tonight and wants us to come over for dinner. I think since your dad's health isn't good, maybe we should wait to tell them about the divorce until he's better. What time do you want to go over? Also, next Sunday is your dad's birthday. Should I still go with you?"

I had been hesitating, but hearing Jack's words made me decide to tell my parents the news.

I replied that it wasn't necessary.

Jack: "You don't need to be stubborn. The elderly's health is important."

I said calmly: "If you really cared, you wouldn't have an affair and ask for divorce at a time like this. My dad's health may not be great, but his mind is clear. I don't think he would want me to continue in an unfaithful marriage."

"Jack."

"Hmm?"

"Don't call again. If you want to see our son, follow the agreement. Once a week."

Hearing this, Jack dropped his conciliatory tone.

"Olivia, I'll say it again. Jason is my son too, my family..."

"But you gave up the family he belonged to, didn't you?"

Finally, I heard Jack slam down the phone. I promptly hung up and collected my somewhat shattered emotions.

I decided to drive to the mall. The bedding, sofa, and all the furniture Jack liked at home - I planned to replace it all.

And I wanted everything in stock.

After replacing everything, I cleaned the house thoroughly, then went to my mom's place.

When she saw me without Jack, she assumed he was busy.

I fell silent, feeling a bit nervous as I called out, "Mom."

She immediately sensed something was wrong. Putting down what she was doing, she just stared at me, then gently pulled me into her arms.

I didn't say anything, but as a mother, she could feel my emotions and hurt.

I tried to calmly explain everything to her. My mom handed me a tissue to wipe my tears.

Her voice was very soft.

"It's okay, divorce is quite common these days. If he's not faithful, it's better to end it sooner rather than later. Olivia, Mom only has one request for you."

She finished speaking, her eyes growing moist as she held my hand.

"Since you've decided to divorce, no matter what happens, don't ever get back together with him."

I nodded tearfully: "Okay."

After dinner, my mom and dad talked in their room for a long time. When they came out, my dad handed me a big red envelope.

He said today was a new beginning, worth celebrating.

"I hope my precious daughter will always be happy and blessed."

Leaving my parents' house, I cried for a long time in the car.

Before coming, I was so afraid of disappointing them.

They've barely argued in their lives, always getting along harmoniously.

When I married Jack, everyone disapproved, but they said they respected my decision.

Now that Jack is successful, everyone admires them for having good judgment. Yet they calmly support my divorce.

I wiped my tears and looked at the calendar.

Divorce countdown: 28 days.

4

When I picked up our son from school, he said Grandpa had called saying he missed him and asked if he could stay at their place for a week.

He wanted me to take him over.

I was taken aback but helped our son pack a small suitcase. He was so excited, saying Grandpa had promised to take him to fly a drone.

After dropping our son off, my mom walked me out: "Olivia, cheer up. Go out and have some fun."

As I got in the car, my mom stood there watching me for a long time before going back inside.

I opened the mirror in the car and saw my pale face and dejected expression.

I took out my makeup and applied a bright lipstick.

I went home and packed some things.

Then I traveled for a week, hurriedly seeing many people and places, hearing many stories along the way.

I came back feeling much more spirited.

I looked at the calendar. Divorce countdown: 21 days.

5

I returned just in time for my dad's birthday. They decided to hold it at a hotel this time, inviting relatives and friends for a gathering.

The hotel wasn't far from home. There were five tables in total, all filled with familiar relatives and friends.

Many people were asking about Jack.

Fortunately, our son had an extracurricular class today and didn't come.

My parents didn't directly answer the questions. Just as dinner was about to start and my dad went up to give a speech, Jack arrived.

He was dressed in a suit and tie, carrying several gift bags and a big red envelope.

The relatives and friends all greeted him.

He waited for my dad to come down and handed him the red envelope: "Dad, happy birthday."

My dad glanced at it coolly: "Mr. Wilson, you're too kind. No need for the red envelope, since you and Olivia are already divorced. I wouldn't dare let you spend the money."

Jack's face instantly froze. The relatives and friends were in an uproar, but quickly fell silent.

His voice was very low: "We're still just in the agreement stage..."

My dad shook his head: "It's all the same, same meaning."

He then turned to invite everyone to eat and drink.

Jack just stood there. He gripped the gift bags tightly. My mom politely returned the other things to him.

He left without lingering.

Seeing him leave, the relatives and friends tacitly agreed not to mention Jack again. In the future, no one would ask me about him either.

That's good.

My mood was gradually recovering, accepting, permeating. I shed the title of Mrs. Wilson.

I became Olivia Chen again.

The property management and housekeeper of the company somehow got the news. They no longer called me Mrs. Wilson, but Miss Chen instead.

I also quickly wanted to keep myself busy. I planned to open a coffee shop. There was a shop for sale that I liked the location and decor of, so I signed the deal right away.

The staff were all still there and could continue operations, but I wanted to take some time to adjust the menu and flavors.

I also wanted to change the storefront and furniture.

It was temporarily set to soft open.

After a busy day at the shop finalizing plans, I was about to head home.

I glanced at the calendar in the car.

Divorce countdown: 15 days.

6

Just as I arrived downstairs, Emma, a girl from Jack's company, called me.

She's outgoing with a straightforward personality that people find likable.

She asked if I was busy. When she learned I wasn't, she immediately started complaining, asking if Jack and I were really getting divorced.

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