Chapter 7

Joseph had sabotaged her job. She hadn't even cursed him out. Yet, now he expected her to apologize? What kind of twisted logic was that? "Joseph, why do I have to apologize to you? Over the past three years, you could count on one hand the number of times you were home. I couldn't stand living like a widow anymore, so I chose divorce. Is that my fault?" Samantha's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Or do you think I should turn a blind eye to you cheating and obediently continue being your miserable wife?" Joseph frowned slightly, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. "So, you wanted a divorce because of this?" Samantha was infuriated by his shameless attitude. "What else?" Joseph had been dating Erica for a year. She had no reason to keep him around. She had no interest in being a cuckold. For some reason, Joseph found Samantha's exasperation amusing. "Samantha, you've misunderstood Erica and I. In fact, nothing is going on between us," Joseph explained. Upon hearing that, Samantha felt a surge of regret for ever liking Joseph. "Joseph, you expect me to believe you have nothing going on with Erica when you accompany her to the hospital for body conditioning and pregnancy planning? No one would believe that, not even a three-year-old." Today, she realized Joseph really had the potential to be a jerk. He really denied everything he had done. "Give me a break." Joseph hadn't anticipated that his explanation would be met with such resistance. In addition to not feeling sorry for him, Samantha even berated him. His face turned cold. "Samantha, you don't believe me?" Of course, she didn't believe him! Speechless, Samantha rolled her eyes and urged, "Joseph, just sign the divorce papers already. It's best for both of us. "Erica is hanging around you without a proper title. Even if you don't care about me, at least consider her. I was a fool before this for insisting on being your wife. Now, I've realized my mistake. Please cooperate and make things easier." Samantha let out a deep breath, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. Joseph fell silent for a moment. His voice trembled slightly. "What do you mean by that?" He wondered if Samantha regretted marrying him. Samantha pursed her lips, her patience wearing thin. "I'm saying that I don't love you anymore. I shouldn't have agreed to marry you because of Grandpa. I'm sorry." Joseph's anger erupted. "Samantha, you think you can just marry and divorce me on a whim? What do you take me for? Let me tell you something. I'll never give you what you want." But before Samantha could respond, the line went dead. She promptly blocked his number and shook her head with a wry smile. She wondered what on earth was Joseph's problem. When she was a dutiful wife, he never came home. Now that she wanted a divorce, he refused. Mina had been woken by the commotion. Noticing that Samantha had ended her call, she yawned. "Sam, how did you even fall for that lunatic? It's only 7:30 a.m., and he's calling already. He must've lost his mind. Now that you lost your job, what's your plan?" Mina was fully awake now. She washed up and returned with a face mask. Samantha shook her head. "I haven't figured it out yet." Mina suggested, "Sam, why don't you come work at my dad's company? You know our company works in biopharmaceuticals, right? The lab is developing a new drug, and they're short-staffed. Why don't you give it a shot?" Back in college, Samantha was a top student in their department. Not only did she excel in theory, but her practical skills were exceptional too. During her sophomore year, she worked with some of the department's seniors to crack a poison developed in Montel and created an antidote based on its components. After that, she became a campus sensation. The faculty even offered her a position at the university once she graduated, with the same rank as those senior experts. Everyone thought Samantha would dedicate herself to research after graduation. However, she surprised them all by becoming a regular doctor at a hospital. They thought it was a waste of her talents. Mina clung to Samantha's arm, shaking it playfully and pouting. "Sam, please say yes! That way, we can go to work together every day." Samantha looked conflicted. She couldn't give Mina a definite answer right away. She said hesitatingly, "Minnie, let me think about it. I can't decide just yet." Indeed, Samantha was more skilled in pharmaceuticals than in treating patients. Even her professors said she was a prodigy in the field. However, ever since she spent long hours working on that poison in the lab during her sophomore year, she began to experience some strange changes in her body. So far, there has been no explanation for these changes in any domestic medical literature. Hence, she was reluctant to return to the lab. If she did go back, it would only be after she figured out what was happening to her. Understanding and patient, Mina said, "Take your time, Sam. Let me know once you've made up your mind." Samantha nodded. "Alright." Samantha and Mina hadn't hung out together in ages. Since Mina wasn't sleepy anymore, she decided to drag Samantha out for some shopping. They drove to the busiest commercial street in the city, and Mina parked her car. As Samantha stepped out of the car, she took in the completely transformed landscape compared to four years ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed. During her three years with Joseph, she had tried to be the perfect wife and never spent his money. The only places she would go were the hospital and home. She rarely had the chance to go shopping here. After parking the car in the underground garage, Mina noticed Samantha still standing in a daze. She grabbed Samantha's hand and led her to her favorite luxury store. "Sam, why are you spacing out? Let's go!" Samantha snapped out of her reverie and quickened her pace to keep up with Mina. It wasn't long before they reached the entrance of the luxury store, only to find it surrounded by a crowd. Murmurs of conversation drifted through the air, piquing Samantha and Mina's curiosity. They walked over to see what was happening.