Chapter 184 Marriage is a Prison
"What did you just say?" Victoria's jaw practically hit the floor.
Inside Serenity Grove Manor, Alexander had just dropped a bombshell. Grant had been on a business trip for over a week and had no clue Marlowe wanted a divorce until today. And Grant was already in Rihegde.
Last time Victoria brought it up to Alexander, he had a hunch. Knowing Grant, there was no way he'd just roll over and agree to a divorce that easily.
He just didn't see it playing out like this.
At the same time, Victoria couldn't help but respect Marlowe's guts for pulling the trigger first and dealing with the fallout later.
The next morning, Marlowe dragged her sore body out of bed, gritting her teeth. She had a class to teach at ten.
She had ignored Grant's threats last night, but as soon as she bolted out of the elevator, he caught her and hauled her to the apartment on the upper floor.
He said disobedience came with consequences.
At that moment, she wanted to curse him out but kept her mouth shut.
If she could do it all over again, she wouldn't want to meet him or fall for him, not even a little bit.
She sat on the bed, glanced at the closed bathroom door where the sound of running water was coming from, quickly threw on her clothes, and bolted.
She didn't dare take the elevator, so she dashed down the stairs, freshened up quickly, and left the building.
Upstairs, Grant came out of the shower to find the bed empty. Marlowe, who had been sleeping, had vanished again.
Grant sneered. It seemed last night's lesson didn't stick; she still had the energy to run!
Meanwhile, Marlowe made it to the dance studio just in time.
As soon as she was ready, the students started arriving.
The academic seminar was just a day away, and Alan, the main organizer, had just landed in Rihegde.
Billy had tagged along this time too.
"Alan, let's grab dinner with Victoria tonight," Billy suggested.
Alan always had this chill vibe, but when Victoria's name came up, he seemed even more relaxed.
He casually agreed, but Billy could tell Alan still had a soft spot for Victoria.
They hopped into a special car to the hotel, and on the way, Billy excitedly messaged Victoria on Facebook.
Victoria quickly replied: [Sure, I'll pick the place and send you the location later.]
Billy: [Okay.]
At 12:10 PM, Marlowe finally wrapped up her class and saw off the last student. She dragged her tired self to the changing room.
Just as she came out, she bumped into her colleague, Stephanie Lewis.
"Marlowe, wanna grab lunch together?" Stephanie asked warmly.
Marlowe smiled gently. "Sure."
Marlowe had only been working there for a week and hadn't socialized in years. She was a bit nervous about fitting in, but luckily, her colleagues were super chill.
Stephanie was momentarily stunned by Marlowe's smile. Marlowe's dimples made her even more charming. She was already beautiful, and her gentle, intellectual vibe made her even more attractive.
Stephanie said enviously, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a beautiful smile? Since you arrived, you've become the most attractive person in our studio. The manager is even thinking of putting your picture on a poster to attract students. In just a week, you've got all the kids hooked. They all wanna be in your class and say it's a blast. They really dig you."
Stephanie was a chatterbox. She had just graduated this year but had been teaching at the dance studio for over a year, starting as a part-timer and now a full-time teacher.
"Marlowe, is this really your first time teaching kids?" Stephanie asked, almost not believing it. She had watched Marlowe's class and found it super engaging, not like someone with zero teaching experience.
Marlowe nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not as good as you say. I still have a lot to learn from you all."
They kept chatting as they walked into a nearby restaurant.
It was lunchtime, and the place was packed. Luckily, they snagged an empty table.
They quickly ordered their food.
Just then, there was a commotion at the door.
Curiosity was human nature.
Stephanie turned around and saw a handsome guy in a black suit leading a beautifully dressed woman to a table on the second floor.
"Looks like hot guys always end up with hot girls. Regular folks like us don't stand a chance," she muttered.
Marlowe, who had been looking down at her phone to reply to messages, looked up and heard her but didn't catch everything.
"What happened?" Marlowe asked.
"Nothing, just sighing," Stephanie said, frowning. Then she asked, "Marlowe, do your family pressure you to get married?"
Marlowe was a bit taken aback by this question.
She had listed herself as single on her resume and joined the company as a single woman. She and Grant were going to divorce eventually, but Grant hadn't mentioned divorce last night.
She knew she was wrong to act first and report later, so she didn't dare bring it up last night.
"No, they don't." Marlowe answered.
Stephanie looked envious. "Your parents are so chill." Then she sighed and continued, "My mom started pressuring me to get married a month after I graduated. I was like, what the heck? I'm only 22. How could I step into the prison of marriage so soon? I'm not dumb. Getting married early means losing my freedom. Forget marriage; I'm not even interested in dating. I love living alone. I don't have to please anyone, take care of anyone, worry about what to get for someone's birthday, or be restricted by anyone. I can go out and come back whenever I want. It's awesome."
Marlowe listened to Stephanie and smiled, a hint of self-mockery flashing in her bright eyes.
Her marriage was indeed a prison, trapping her for five years. She didn't blame anyone; it was her choice. She thought she could heal Grant's wounds, but she was wrong. To him, she was always a sinner.
After lunch, they paid the bill and walked out, only to run into Kevin.
Both were visibly stunned. Marlowe was scared; if Kevin was here, Grant must be too. Kevin was flustered, worried about what would happen if Marlowe ran into Grant.
Marlowe didn't notice Kevin's anxiety and worry.
Kevin was about to speak.
But Marlowe cut him off, ignoring his presence and turning to Stephanie. "Stephanie, let's go."
Stephanie didn't think much of it, but as they took a step, a familiar female voice called out from behind. "Marlowe?"
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