I Divorced My Husband After Prison Release

Hunter Perry exhaled slowly, relief finally loosening his shoulders. “Besides, now that your mom can’t dance anymore, Malani has no rivals. Becoming the lead dancer is Malani’s dream. You can’t imagine the lengths I’ve gone to just to make her happy.”

Sacrificed everything? Mina Long stood frozen in her hospital room, catching every word as a sharp pain spread through her chest.

Eight years ago, Malani Castillo walked into her life—and that was when Mina found out she wasn’t the Castillos’ biological daughter. Her fiancé humiliated her in public, broke off their engagement, and announced she was being run out of the city, only to marry Malani right after. Overnight, she became a laughingstock among her peers.

Friends and family believed she’d stolen Malani’s rightful place, that she’d taken everything she never even realized wasn’t hers to begin with. Only Hunter Perry came looking for her when she was lost and broken. “Mina, marry me,” he’d said. “I’ll take care of you. Always.”

Back then, Mina had been moved beyond words. She married him, convinced he was her soulmate. For love—for their marriage—she even turned down an offer from a prestigious international dance academy. Later, she found out Malani had grabbed that chance, becoming the academy’s prized student and eventually the top dancer in the country.

She hadn’t thought much of it until now. Now it hit her: Hunter had been orchestrating everything to ensure Malani’s success. No wonder there’d always been a wall between her and Hunter. It had all been a meticulously planned scheme to fulfill Malani’s dreams.

Mina laughed quietly to herself, tears streaming down her face. How could she have been so blind? For eight years, she’d been played by the very person she trusted.

All those years, she’d abandoned her dreams for them. When their son got sick, she gave up dancing to become a doctor. When she couldn’t reach Hunter emotionally, she tried everything to win him over. And when she fell short, she always blamed herself.

Her tears soaked the pillow. She lay there, trying to lift a hand to wipe them away, only to find it limp and unresponsive. Her right hand was useless now—severed tendons had robbed it of its function in prison. She would never hold a scalpel again, the tool she’d worked so hard to master, becoming an accomplished surgeon.

The silence shattered with a sudden crash as a glass hit the floor. The conversations outside cut off. Hunter rushed in, panic flickering in his eyes. He gathered Mina into his arms, his voice thick with concern. “Mina, you’re awake? The surgery was a success. Are you feeling any discomfort?”

Hunter’s brows were drawn tight, worry carved into his handsome face. If Mina hadn’t overheard his conversation, she might have been touched by how much he seemed to care.

Their son, Vincenzo, came to her side too, tearfully offering, “Mom, do you need anything to drink? I’ll get you some water!”

In the past, Mina would’ve been happy. Her husband cherished her, and her son, wise beyond his years, was always thoughtful. But now, all she saw in their actions was cruelty and deceit.

Suppressed emotions threatened to spill over as her body ached. Mina forced a strained smile, holding back her tears. Seeing this, Hunter’s voice trembled slightly as he lowered his gaze. “Mina, are you in pain? Should I call the doctor again? Don’t worry—I’ll find the ones who falsely testified. I won’t let you suffer.”

A tear slipped from the corner of Mina’s eye. Her body shivered with cold realization. They were skilled performers, and she had been their unwitting audience for years—only discovering their betrayal after it had already consumed her.

With unusual calm, Mina asked, “Has it really been three months, and there are still no leads on the people who lied in court? Is there any hope for my hand and legs?” What she truly wondered was whether they had any pity left for her.

Her voice rang clearly in the room, making Hunter look momentarily lost in thought before he responded. “Mina, I’ll do everything to avenge you. I’ll fix your hand.”

Vincenzo leaned against her bed, holding her hand gently. “Mom, don’t be upset. The medical technology here isn’t the best, but Dad brought top experts from abroad!”

Was it the technology—or was it the deliberate delay—that caused this? Mina suddenly felt very tired. She had fought for three months in prison just to come back and see them.

Now, the two people she valued most in the world had given her such a “surprise.”

“Let it be,” Mina whispered, focusing intently on Hunter. “I just want to find the real culprit behind the hit-and-run, the one who gave false testimony, and clear my name.”

Hunter showed a brief hesitation before saying, “Mina, you never used to be so calculating.” His brow furrowed slightly, his voice cool. “I’ll do my best to help you seek justice, but I don’t want you consumed by revenge. Can’t we just focus on living well?”

Bitterness filled Mina’s heart, an unrelenting pain numbing her insides. They had destroyed her life—how could she simply live well?

“Mom, even if your hand can’t be healed, Dad and I won’t see you as less than whole. Let go of the hatred!” Vincenzo’s voice was innocent yet painfully unaware.

Mina couldn’t bear such condescending sympathy. She wanted to say more, but Hunter’s phone rang, and the icy demeanor he always displayed softened at once.

Mina watched him closely, feeling an odd sense of loss. In all these years, Hunter had been good to her, yet always with cold detachment. She once thought him incapable of smiling, but it turned out he simply didn’t smile for her.

After ending the call, Hunter looked apologetic, his brow furrowing. “Mina, something’s come up at Vincenzo’s school. I need to take him there.”

Mina lowered her head. He seemed to forget her sharp hearing. She’d caught the lively laughter of a woman on the other end of the line: “Hunter, my show just finished. Come pick me up, and I’ll treat you to dinner!”

The voice was unmistakable. It belonged to Malani Castillo, the true Castillo heiress—charismatic and outgoing, beloved by her family and social circle.

A coldness crept into Mina’s heart. She suddenly felt exhausted. Looking at Hunter, she said calmly, “But today is Saturday.”

Hunter frowned and gave Vincenzo a look. He caught on quickly and added, “Our school’s having a cultural event, Mom! I’ll practice hard so when you’re better, you can come and watch.”

The lie was weak, and Hunter’s impatience was glaringly obvious. Was it because she was now rendered useless, unable to reclaim her life, that they didn’t bother to pretend anymore?

A faint smile formed on Mina’s face. “Go ahead.”

Hunter’s features relaxed as he poured her a cup of coffee. “You love coffee. Drink it and wait for me, okay?”

With that, he left swiftly with Vincenzo, as if eager to be gone. Mina looked at the cup of coffee and smiled bitterly.

She was sensitive to caffeine.

It was never her who liked coffee.