His Wife, Her Stranger

Charlotte didn't understand why her husband was smiling. Not until she heard the words.

"Yes, the divorce is final."

The remote slipped from her hand, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Her breath hitched.

Divorce?

Her eyes remained glued to the television screen, her entire body frozen in place. Michael stood before a crowd of reporters, composed, confident, and happy.

Too happy.

"As you all know," he continued smoothly, "I have been patient."

Charlotte shook her head slowly, her lips parting in disbelief.

"No... no, that's not possible..."

Her fingers trembled as she reached for the edge of the table to steady herself.

He never told her.

Not once.

Not even in anger.

Not even during their worst fights.

So how...?

How was he standing there-announcing their divorce to the entire world like she meant nothing?

He was the only man she had ever loved. She couldn't recall any heated argument that would push him to this extreme.

There was no way he would choose to divorce her and make it public without even informing her first.

What happened to handing her divorce papers or at least threatening divorce before making such a final decision?

The thought sent hot tears cascading down her cheeks as she watched him, on screen, happily announcing a divorce that hadn't even happened yet. He had never once mentioned divorce to her, even during their worst days.

Charlotte dropped to the ground, reaching out to the couch for support.

Her heart thumping loudly in her chest, her breath quickened, and her body trembled with fear.

She couldn't understand why, but she was nervous about losing him.

The mere thought of actually receiving divorce papers from him brought a sudden wave of heat, causing her to break out in a sweat, tears forming in her eyes as she coerced herself to stay sane.

"Is... it a crime to love him? I have loved him foolishly since childhood. What... more do I have to do for him to appreciate me?" she stuttered, her voice trembling.

For five years, she had endured an abusive marriage, silently tolerating insults from Michael, his mother, and his sister. Sporadically, he even went as far as hitting her.

She had been their scapegoat for years, but she never once complained, hoping he would change.

But she was mistaken; the bullying only worsened with time.

Michael's father had been a close friend of her father and his personal driver.

He had promised Charlotte's father that she and Michael would end up together, ensuring they married before he passed away.

Back then, Michael had shown little interest in her; she was just a friend.

But as they spent more time together, he fell in love with her.

They married right after she graduated from college, but everything changed after his father died.

And ever since, she has endured one form of maltreatment after another.

Occasionally, they even locked her up and starved her for a couple of days before she got released, and this she's never told her father.

Charlotte sniffed, wiping the tears off her face.

"I can't endure this pain," she said, clutching her chest as she panted heavily. The pain is too severe for her to endure, but she tries to stay strong.

She already paid for her barrenness this last year; the insults from his mother and sister were enough to pay for her crime of loving him.

Despite the insults, she hated herself for still wanting to be with him.

He's cheating on her, and she's aware, but each time she confronts him regarding it, he ends up insulting her without answering her questions.

Michael is a mummy's boy; he does most of the things his mother instructs him to do.

Just a month after his father died, everything changed. His mother controls the company, and gives him orders, and he foolishly abides.

For the next thirty minutes, she cried until she could no longer cry.

An idea popped into her head, making her rise from the floor.

Michael won't be home until late at night, his usual time when he comes home after she's asleep.

She wanted to confront him that badly, which prompted her to ascend the stairs.

She returned with her car keys, scurried to the parking lot, got into her car, and drove out of the house.

Charlotte drives out at high speed, heading to his office, while fresh tears stream down her cheeks.

She was shivering while she drove and cried until she was some minutes away from getting to his office.

While trying to wipe the tears off her face, a car came at high speed, and they both collided, causing an accident.

Passersby engulfed the place; they came to their rescue, and they were rushed to a private hospital nearby. Upon arriving, they hurriedly transferred them to the emergency room.

"Call her family." A doctor instructed them, before they entered the room, to attend to them.

The nurse at the reception turned to the figures. "Did you retrieve phones from the accident?" The receptionist asked the figures who brought them to the hospital.

"Yes." She collected both phones and entered Charlotte's emergency dial contact. She saw a contact named Michael and proceeded to call.

It rang for the fifth time, but he never picked up.

The receptionist got worried and proceeded to call the other number she saw as the father's. It rang, and that instant he picked up.

"Hello! Is this the father of Ms. Charlotte? If yes, please, you are to come to the hospital; she got into an accident."

"Yes, I am her father. Which hospital, please?" he asked, panting heavily, his chest thumbing loudly in his chest.

"The St. Grace medical hospital," she responded, and the line went off. She looked at the phone and just shrugged before returning to her desk.

The figures who brought her in went on with their activities when she dropped the call.

Ten minutes later, her father barged into the reception, panting heavily.