Chapter 2

When Joseph returned to Halcyon Manor, it was already 10:00 p.m. Somehow, word had reached his mother about his visit to the hospital with Erica earlier that day. His mother, who had always favored Samantha, immediately called him, demanding him to come home and apologize to Samantha or face her wrath. Left with no choice, Joseph reluctantly complied. Rubbing his temples in frustration, Joseph looked at the dark house before him. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. No matter how late he returned in the past, Samantha would always leave a light on for him. However, that wasn't the case tonight. Nevertheless, he didn't dwell on the matter and simply brushed it off. Feeling his way through the dark, he opened the door and flicked on the wall switch. The house lit up at once. Joseph casually climbed the stairs to Samantha's room before knocking on the door firmly. "Samantha, open up." He knocked for a while, but there was no response from inside. It finally dawned on Joseph that something was wrong. Samantha was a light sleeper, and even the slightest noise would wake her. The current silence could only mean one thing. Joseph pursed his lips. He quickly took a few steps back and kicked the door open with a resounding thud. Breathing a sigh of relief, he rushed inside and switched on the lights while calling out Samantha's name. The room was empty. Not only was Samantha gone, but there was no trace of her ever having lived there. Joseph's temples throbbed, his expression darkening like a brewing storm. He wondered what kind of trick was Samantha playing now. Scowling, he scanned the room impatiently until his gaze landed on a white folder on the nightstand. Bending down, he picked it up and slowly opened it. The first thing he saw were the words "Divorce Agreement". Joseph's lips curved into a mocking smile as he continued reading with growing interest. He wanted to see what Samantha was up to. The divorce agreement was 13 pages long, and the more he read, the colder his smile became. His face grew darker by the minute. When he reached the line stating the reason for the divorce, his deep eyes were filled with anger. He wished he could drag Samantha back right now and make her explain herself. The reason was written clearly. "The husband cannot satisfy the wife's normal needs and has no intention of seeking treatment, resulting in the breakdown of the relationship. Divorce is requested." Joseph let out a cold laugh. He gripped the page tightly and crumpled it up. He then balled up the paper and tossed it into the nearby trash can. After that, he found Samantha's number and called her with a grim expression. "Beep, beep…" The phone rang endlessly in the empty room. Just as Joseph was about to give up, a lazy female voice answered. "Who is it? Why are you calling so late?" Upon hearing the unfamiliar voice, Joseph frowned in displeasure and ordered, "Ask Samantha to answer the phone." The woman seemed to have guessed his identity. She mockingly replied, "Oh, so it's you, the infamous jerk. Why are you calling Sam at this hour? Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital with your little sweetheart? Why are you looking for Sam?" This remark left Joseph momentarily speechless. After a pause, he repeated coldly, "Miss, whatever between Samantha and me is none of your business. Put Samantha on the phone." The woman scoffed. A few minutes later, Samantha's voice finally came through. "Joseph, what do you want?" Samantha's voice was unusually cold. It was a stark contrast to the gentle tone he was used to hearing. Joseph gritted his teeth and struggled to contain his anger. "What's with the divorce agreement at home?" Samantha smiled faintly and replied indifferently, "What do you think it means?" Joseph thought Samantha was just throwing a tantrum and threatening to divorce him. But upon hearing her confirmation now, he let out a cold laugh. No longer restraining his temper, he mocked, "Samantha, do you really think you're in any position to make demands of me? You want 30 percent of my assets? What makes you think you can handle it?" His words cut deep, but Samantha refused to back down. "I'm certainly ready to receive it. There's no need for you to worry about that, Mr. Lynch." She emphasized the words "Mr. Lynch", making her disdain clear. Joseph found her tone grating. His fists clenched at his sides, and his voice rose. "Samantha, shouldn't you explain the reason you gave for the divorce? Are you implying I haven't satisfied you?" Samantha couldn't help but laugh at his audacity. "Mr. Lynch, you're quite confident, aren't you? If you can't accept the truth right now, I can give you more time to adjust." With that, she hung up, not giving him a chance to respond. Joseph listened to the phone beeping after the call ended. His veins bulged on his forehead. In his fury, he shredded the divorce papers to pieces. "Samantha, don't even think about divorce! I will never agree!" he thought to himself. ... After hanging up, Samantha sat on the couch feeling lost. She continued watching the variety show on the TV. She felt like an emotionless robot for the past three years, dutifully playing the role of the gentle and virtuous wife in the Lynch family. She had almost forgotten her real self. Noticing Samantha's despondent face, Mina shoved a handful of chips into her mouth and grumbled. "Sam, that jerk is not only a scumbag but also has a terrible temper. You've really suffered these past three years. "But at least you're about to break free from this nightmare. You won't be tied to him anymore. As your best friend, I'm genuinely happy for you. How about we go out and celebrate?" Mina had disliked Joseph since the beginning of their relationship. She felt he wasn't the right man for Samantha. It turned out that she was right. Joseph was terrible. Not only did he neglect Sam, but he also blatantly cheated on her with Erica, that cunning bitch. Now that Samantha had finally woken up and decided to divorce him, she thought they should celebrate the joyful event.