Chapter 17
Lianne received the second text message a few seconds ago. “Where are you? Why aren’t you replying to my message?”
Sitting beside Lianne, Tyler and Sierra nervously held onto Lianne while reading the man’s request to call their marriage quits “Gummy”
Although they felt the need to cheer her up, they were at a loss for words.
There was finally news from Lianne’s husband after disappearing for a year into the marriage. However, he was asking Lianne for a divorce. Moreover, of all the times, it had to happen when Lianne faced slander and defamation.
Tyler and Sierra suspected that the husband was asking for a divorce because of the ugly rumors about Lianne. After all, the timing was too much of a coincidence for it not to be
Lianne once had a guy who vowed to love and protect her for the rest of her life. The image of the same guy callously and adamantly breaking up with Lianne after what happened to her burned in Tyler and Sierra’s minds.
The incident was a huge deal among the local community in Jethartic at the time. It had crossed Lianne’s mind to seek legal help to protect herself, but she was up against the influential force of a multitude. In fact, her attempt at retaliation nearly cost Lianne her education.
For the sake of her tertiary education, Lianne had to yield to these people and leave Jethartic with her tail between her legs. It had been years since she returned home.
Before the summer holidays ended, Tyler and Sierra went with Lianne to Rosewood to sort out the latter’s academic matters.
It was pouring down heavily on the night of their return to Rosewood, and the sc”mbag said he would pick them up at the airport
Tyler and Sierra were happy for Lianne because at least one more person was willing to believe her when everybody else got the wrong idea and hurled abuse at her.
They emerged from the airport to find the sc*mbag in his branded clothes and escorted by his bodyguards
Thinking the sc*mbag was there to offer Lianne comfort, Tyler and Sierra were shocked by what came out of the man’s mouth.
“Lianne, I know what you did in your hometown. My family is nowhere near as great as the four most influential families in Rosewood, but we are a respectable family. It’s a disgrace my family can’t bear, so we should break up. We’re strangers if our paths cross again in the future.”
Before Lianne had a chance to say anything, the man turned on his heel and took off
Furious, Tyler charged at the man to stand up for Lianne. However, the sc*mbag’s security detail beat
Tyler up
The breakup did not stir much of a reaction from Lianne then. In fact, she stared at his back and answered with a smile, “Okay”
Still, Lianne returned to her campus dormitory and did nothing but stare at the wall for a whole day. She did not eat, either Lianne was like a fragile doll on the verge of breaking.
For a long time, Lianne had trouble sleeping. She was often startled awake in the middle of the night from
night terrors.
The sc*mbag happily went abroad for his studies, and there had not been any news about him since. The subject of the man was never brought up among Sierra, Tyler, and Lianne. It was as though the sc*mbag never existed in their lives.
Nevertheless, Sierra and Tyler knew Lianne did not agree to marry a stranger just to give her grandmother peace of mind. Her distrust of relationships was one of the reasons.
Was history about to repeat itself?
Tyler and Sierra looked at Lianne with worry. With an unshakable smile, Lianne swiftly tapped along the mobile keyboard. “I don’t have time today. How about Monday night at 8? It can be at the venue of your choice.”
Sierra felt furious for Lianne. “Holy cow! There aren’t any good men in the world.”
Tyler responded, “There are still good men in the world, but the bad apples ruin it for us.”
Lianne chimed in. “Let’s not talk about men. It ruins the mood. Come on, it’s time to board. We should get some good food at Highsea once we’re there. I hope we can hammer out a deal with the representatives from the TV and film production company tomorrow.”
No husband in name was going to come in the way of her making money!
The TV and film production company demonstrated good faith, proposing a significant rate for the television rights of their comics. The figures were way past the group’s expectations.
