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Ditch Him and Start Again Novel Cover

Ditch Him and Start Again

Elaine is humiliated when her husband, Mr. Lowe, openly prioritizes his secretary’s needs over their marriage during a company retreat. While the secretary claims frailty to keep him close, Elaine’s own employees mock her supposed pettiness. Having built the company and recruited the ungrateful staff herself, Elaine reaches her breaking point. She contacts her parents to halt all future investments, choosing to abandon the business and her marriage to reclaim her worth.
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Chapter 2

When I woke up, it was already dark outside. We previously planned on having a barbecue tonight. I went to the barbecue area out in the garden to find that my colleagues were already eating. The only spot left at the table was beside Zachary, so I had no choice but to sit there.

As soon as I took my seat, Zachary questioned, "Where's your wedding ring?"

"I threw it away."

Zachary slammed his cutlery down and roared, "That's enough! When did you become so unreasonable anyway? You're giving me attitude when all I did was spend the day with Anna!

"Her health is frail, so what's the big deal if I help her out a bit more? Why are you so vicious? Don't you have even an ounce of sympathy in you?"

"Zachary's right," Isaac chimed in. "You should be a kinder person, Elaine. You even refused to get the medication for Anna's headache. She would've been in so much pain if I hadn't had the foresight to pack some just in case."

Anna also pretended to be extremely hurt. Leaning against Zachary, she started rubbing her eyes.

They all eyed me with disgust as if I were a sewer rat.

"That's enough. We were all having so much fun. Don't let Elaine bring down the mood," Sean said before placing a plate of barbecued meat in front of Anna.

"Hurry up and dig in, Anna. Don't bother getting upset over people who don't matter. Your health is more important."

Zachary stroked Anna's head comfortingly before saying to me, "Anna doesn't want to see you. Go and get her some cocktails. She loves those. Remember to give her a toast in apology when you come back!"

I left the table, but it wasn't to buy any alcohol. I went to get myself some dinner. After buying a hamburger, I sat at the fountain beside the garden and ate it.

The fountain show was beautiful, and that assuaged the pain I felt a little bit.

I got a text from Zachary asking why I wasn't back with the drinks yet. He'd forgotten that I was allergic to alcohol and never bought any before. In fact, alcohol was never a part of any of the meals I was at—and Zachary was the one who insisted on no one else having alcohol in my presence to protect me.

I blocked Zachary's number.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you buying the cocktails?"

I looked up and saw Anna.

"If you want one, buy it yourself. What's the matter? Can't afford it?" I shot back, which infuriated Anna.

"Why are you putting on airs, huh? All your money came from Zachary anyway! Do you have any idea how much money he'll give me if I ask him for it? Trust me, it won't be long before he kicks you to the curb and marries me!"

Nodding back at her, I said, "I trust you! You'd better ask him to hurry up and divorce me."

Now I knew she was only in it for the money. I was curious to see if she would still be with him once he ended up with nothing after our divorce.

Frustrated that she failed to rile me up, she sneered before grabbing me and screaming, "Please don't be mad, Elaine! It's all my fault!"

Then, she shoved me into the fountain behind me, making me fall headfirst into the water. I couldn't breathe; it felt like I was drowning.

I was scared of water and didn't know how to swim. In the past, I wanted Zachary to teach me, but he said he would always be around and would never let any danger befall me.

Now that I was in danger, he didn't care at all. It was another female colleague of ours who pulled me out of the fountain.

Once I came back to my senses, I saw Zachary standing nearby. He was hugging Anna to console her.

Seeing that, I made up my mind.

"Elaine, you're such a deplorable woman!" Zachary fumed. "Why did you push Anna when she already apologized to you? You even jumped into the fountain to pretend to be the victim! Why did I marry someone like you?"

Rising shakily to my feet, I retorted, "Since you feel that way, let's get a divorce!"