Ophelia dodged Zachariah’s hand subconsciously. She lay down on her side and said in a low voice,
"Zachariah, join them in the dining room. I don’t want to eat. I just want to take a nap."
Zachariah looked at his empty hand, his heart sinking.
"Have dinner first and then go to bed. You have to eat something."
Ophelia hesitated for a moment before she finally said, "Zachariah, we’re about to get a divorce, but
now we still behave like a couple. Do you think it’s normal?"
Zachariah looked at her back and replied forcefully in a tender way, "As long as we haven’t divorced, I
ought to treat you like my wife. Or you don’t enjoy me getting close to you at all?"
Ophelia remained silent.
Before long, the maid came back with dinner. Zachariah forced Ophelia to have some food, and after
that, she felt drowsy.
"Go to sleep if you’re tired," Zachariah coaxed.
Lying in bed, Ophelia did feel sleepy, but her mind stayed awake. In order to avoid his piercing eyes,
she pretended to be sleeping.
Seeing her motionless, Zachariah thought she was asleep, so he pecked her on the forehead and
whispered in her ear in a gentle voice, "Don’t worry. Nobody can hurt you when I’m with you. You want
a divorce, and I’ll divorce you. You want Tommy’s custody, and I’ll give it to you. I’ll give you whatever
you want." After that, Zachariah left the room.
When the door was closed, Ophelia opened her eyes, tears gushing out.
'Zachariah, how will I survive after we divorce?'
Ophelia stared at the photo of her and Zachariah. It was taken not long ago. In the photo, she was
beaming a charming smile and nestling against his chest, while he draped his arms around her waist,
his chin resting gently against her shoulder, his eyes tender. Anyone would say they were a couple in
love once they saw the picture, but who knew their happiness would be so short-lived, and the flower of
their love was about to wither before it even bloomed.
Zachariah left the room and went to Helena, saying earnestly, "Mom, I have something to tell you and
dad."
Helena glanced up at him and said, "If you’re going to talk about custody of Tommy, I have nothing to
say. I’ll stand my ground. Go get divorced as you wish, but Tommy must stay."
Zachariah insisted, "Mom, I need to talk to you over something. Would you please join me in the
study?"
Now that Zachariah insisted, Helena thought for a while before nodding.
Once they went into the study, Helena folded her arms over her chest, looking detached and tough.
"Zachariah, just so the record is kept straight, you have to kill me first to get Tommy’s custody."
Zachariah gave Helena a complex look and said, "Mom, haven’t you always liked Ophelia? You used to
ask me to spend less time on work and pay more attention to her, but why do you hate her so much
now?"
Helena gave him an angry stare and snapped, "Look what you two have done! If you hadn’t messed
with Cora, if Ophelia turned a blind eye to your affair, if you two were still in a happy marriage, I
wouldn’t be standing here worrying about you two! You made a mistake, yet I’m here to clear up your
mess. What kind of son are you?"
Helena panted and continued, "Zachariah Chambers, do you know how disappointed I was when I
learned of your affair? You and Ophelia weren’t too close back then but you never thought of getting a
divorce. When you were playing around with some other woman, I just ignored it, but now, you’re telling
me you want to divorce her. I have no idea what’s on your mind? Well, since I can’t stop you two from
divorcing, Tommy must stay."
Zachariah pressed his lips together, his face taut.
"Mom, I’m just joking with Ophelia. I never intend to divorce her for real," Zachariah explained.
Helena, who had been angry, widened her eyes in astonishment and asked, "What did you say?"
"Mom, divorce is just a part of my plan. I’ve never thought of letting Ophelia and Tommy go. They are
my wife and son, and I have only one wife this life, and she was Ophelia," Zachariah said firmly.
Now Helena got even more confused, staring at Zachariah as if he was a stranger.
"What did you say?" Helena asked in a daze.
So Zachariah told her about his plan briefly. However, Helena became furious after hearing him. "You
asshole! Zachariah, you’re a man of 30, and how can you do something so childish? Why are you
calling your marriage a mistake now? No matter how your marriage started, you’re a couple now.
You’ve been married for five years, but now you’re telling me you were wrong and that you want to win
her heart again. Are you nuts? You’re acting like a teenager! Do you take your marriage as a joke?"
Zachariah, nevertheless, straightened his back and replied, "Mom, Ophelia takes my past relationship
with Cora to heart. Then someone framed me up and I slept with Cora again, but no matter who
caused it, I betrayed Ophelia physically, after all. Our relationship is in tatters. In this case, I’ll end it
personally, and then start it again, so that no interests will be involved, and she will never doubt my
love for her."
Helena went silent, her breathing becoming steady.
"Mom, I was wrong, and I hope you won’t be too hard on Ophelia. She has been through too much.
Don’t forget that she could go blind at any time. Do you want to put more pressure on her?"
Helene looked at him with mixed emotions and finally let out a sigh.
"Zachariah, I don’t want to get involved in your relationship, but it’s thoughtless of you to do so, and
reckless. After divorce, will Ophelia accept you again? Have you thought about it?" Helena asked
sharply.
Zachariah paused for a moment, plunged into thought.
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