Chapter 168 Widowed
The wind whistled along the banks of the Leyus River, its icy tendrils biting into the cheeks of those who dared to stand against it. Maggie cast a glance towards Isabella, marveling at the woman's composure amidst the emotional turmoil that was unfolding. Isabella, her voice steady and calm, addressed James, "You've just stepped into the role of director. Your future is bright, James. You have parents, you have children. If you die, everything you've worked for will be lost.""But why won't you divorce me? Let's reconcile, Isabella. Let's go back to how things were," James pleaded, desperation seeping into his voice. "I was wrong, Isabella. I let you down. I was confused."Isabella shook her head, her expression resolute. "Don't say that, James. If I divorce you, it's a matter between us. Our marriage may have ended, but that doesn't mean you should contemplate suicide. Think of your parents. Can you bear to cause them such grief?"James's gaze shifted towards his parents. Ava, his mother, cried out in despair, "James, please, come down. Don't be rash. I beg you." His father, Barry, echoed her pleas, "Come down, son. You're our only child. Do you want to leave us with no one to carry on our family name?"Onlookers had gathered on both sides of the bridge, their whispers and murmurs filling the air. Some had taken out their phones, capturing the unfolding drama to share online. From the exchange between Isabella and James, they could piece together the tragic narrative. The video quickly gained traction online, skyrocketing to the top of the trending list.Ava, her legs shaky, staggered towards Isabella and fell to her knees with a thud. "Isabella, please, reconsider. You've been married to James for eight years. You can't just divorce him. I beg you."
For the past eight years, Ava had berated Isabella, mocking her and forcing her to consume various concoctions in a desperate bid for a grandson. Just two months prior, Ava had even encouraged James to divorce Isabella and remarry for the sake of their family lineage."Get up, Ava," Isabella said, her voice shaking slightly as she looked at the woman kneeling before her. This scene, too, was captured and shared online.Olivia hurried over, her voice firm. "Ava, you can't force Isabella to forgive James. He cheated. Isabella has every right to divorce him. You can't manipulate her like this." Olivia saw through Ava's actions, recognizing them as an attempt to guilt Isabella into submission.
Despite James being the one at fault, they were using this extreme situation to coerce Isabella. If she didn't yield, she would be labeled as cold-hearted, and if something happened to James, people would blame her, conveniently forgetting that it was James who had betrayed their marriage.Maggie, watching from the sidelines, could see through the Anderson family's tactics. She wondered if Isabella could see it too. If Isabella gave in, they would have her right where they wanted her.Ava, tears streaming down her face, grabbed Olivia's arm and fell to her knees again. "Olivia, it's my fault. I didn't raise James right, and that's why he made such a mistake. But he's been married to Isabella for eight years. They must still have feelings for each other."
Ava played the victim with ease, swaying the emotions of the onlookers. Initially, they had blamed James for his infidelity, but now their sympathy was shifting towards Ava, with Isabella being painted as the ruthless one.Isabella was livid. She was an only child, raised in a loving family, and had never experienced such humiliation. Moreover, for the past eight years, she had been managing the household, unprepared for such an emotional onslaught. "James cheated on me. He betrayed me for six years. His child is already in kindergarten. Why should I forgive him? Even if he dies, I will still divorce him," Isabella declared, her voice ringing out."That child isn't even James's," Ava cried, "James was deceived too, Isabella. You two are the original couple. You need to learn to be tolerant."Isabella's anger flared at Ava's words. She turned to James, her voice cold and hard. "If you want to commit suicide, go ahead. Then we won't have to divide the marital property. I can easily transition from divorcee to widow."
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