Cynthia Shannon hobbled into her and Joe Louise's marital home, looking at the empty room. She knew that tonight, no one besides herself would come back. Her gaze finally fell on the colorful balloons and roses in the room. Cynthia took a step forward and thew them out without any hesitation or reluctance.
The vibrant red decorations in the room irritated Cynthia Shannon. She decided to clean everything thoroughly. Finally, her gaze landed on the wedding photo of her and Joe. She stared at it silently, the pain in her eyes fading away, replaced by indifference. She casually picked up a pair of scissors and pierced through the smiling faces in the picture.
Clearing away all traces, Cynthia sat alone on the sofa. From dusk till dawn, just as she started feeling drowsy, there was finally some movement at the door.
Unlike before, she didn't eagerly rush to welcome him. This time, Cynthia simply sat quietly on the sofa.
Joe saw the unapologetic expression on Cynthia's face and sat on the sofa, tiredly massaging his temples. "Pour me a glass of water."
Cynthia sneered. "Joe Louise, we're breaking up!"
Her resolute voice echoed in the room, carrying an undeniable decisiveness.
Joe's gaze was dark and deep as he stared at her, not knowing what he was thinking. Cynthia looked at him, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "What's with that expression? Since the moment you abandoned me at the wedding ceremony, or even on the first day Naomi Sweeney returned, you must have already had this plan in mind."
Joe picked up a box of cigarettes from the table, skillfully took one out, lit it, and took a deep drag.
After a moment of silence, he spoke coldly, "Separation is the best choice. After all, you have misunderstood Naomi too deeply. Continuing to entangle ourselves would only continue to hurt her."
Cynthia stared at the man in front of her without blinking, her cold laughter unconcealed. "I'm curious, what else can't you do for Naomi?"
Joe extinguished the cigarette in his hand, with a hint of impatience in his brows and eyes. "I've tried to forget Naomi over these three years, but matters of relationship can't be forced. I hope you can forgive me and not transfer your anger onto Naomi. She is innocent."
Upon hearing his words, Cynthia couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Three years had passed, and they had been together day and night. She had tried her best, thinking that love could change a person, that her passion could warm his heart. But in the end, all she received was a dismissive "can't be forced."
Joe watched Cynthia, who seemed to be going insane, furrowing his brows. A brief pang of pain passed through his heart. "There's one million in this card, enough for you to live a peaceful life in the countryside."
In his eyes, all the efforts she had put in over the past three years were worth only one million. But how could he know that this meager one million meant nothing to Cynthia?
"Joe Louise, I've been with you not for anything else besides you. I don't care about the prosperity and wealth of the Louise Corporation, let alone the title of the admired Mrs. Louise by outsiders!" Cynthia's charming face seemed to be covered in a layer of frost, her eyes filled only with indifference and determination.
"I won't accept any form of apology or compensation from you! Remember, there will never be reconciliation between us!" With that, she stood up, lifted her head high, and walked decisively toward the door.
Joe watched her resolute figure as she left, feeling as if something was tightly gripping his heart. His breath hitched, and his hand involuntarily reached out forward.