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Novel Catalog
Chapter 5: She Is Your Wife
As Cason sat there, lost in his thoughts, he suddenly felt a pair of warm hands gently rest on his. He turned to see Kaliyah’s concerned face. “Cason, is something wrong with your stomach? Do you want some soup?” she asked, her voice filled with worry.
Cason shook his head, clearly distracted.
Ainsley greeted Mathew politely but didn’t engage in the ongoing conversation. She quietly pulled out a chair and sat down, purposefully ignoring the uncomfortable tension between Cason and Kaliyah. Mathew, however, didn’t miss the chance to make his disapproval known. He snorted in disdain, causing an uncomfortable silence to hang in the air.
The Baldry family had always valued the ritual of eating together without much conversation, and tonight was no different. Ainsley, however, had little appetite and ate sparingly, her attention divided between the food in front of her and the tense atmosphere at the table.
When dinner was finished, Mathew turned toward Ainsley, his expression softening. He reached over and gently took her hands. “I’ve heard about the situation between you and Cason,” he said, his voice reassuring. “Aisy, don’t worry. The Baldry family will always recognize you as our daughter-in-law.”
He glanced pointedly at Cason and Kaliyah, whose expressions were now tinged with discomfort, before adding, “The ones who should leave the Baldry family are the homewrecker and the irresponsible one!”
Ainsley’s face flushed with embarrassment.
Cason, already tense, frowned deeply. Beside him, Kaliyah’s eyes filled with tears as she clutched his hand, her expression one of quiet sorrow.
Mathew, however, seemed completely uninterested in their discomfort. He continued, his voice tinged with frustration, “Your father and I were good friends. I was so happy when you married into our family. Aisy, if I let you leave the Baldry family now, how can I explain it to your father?”
Cason let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples. “Grandfather, I’ll do my best to compensate Ainsley. But you can’t force me to stay in a marriage that’s already fallen apart…”
Before he could finish, Mathew’s eyes hardened, and he glared at Cason. “What do you mean, ‘force’? Are you blind? What kind of women have you taken a liking to?” Mathew’s voice grew louder, laced with anger.
“Grandfather…” Cason began, his voice tinged with frustration.
Ainsley, sensing that the situation was about to escalate, gently interrupted. “Grandfather, it’s not that he wants a divorce. It’s me,” she said softly, her calm voice cutting through the rising tension.
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Ainsley poured Mathew a cup of warm water, offering it to him with a quiet, reassuring smile. She waited until he took a sip before speaking again. “Grandfather, you don’t have to worry about me. I will never compromise. Everything I’ve done has been to follow my heart. The reason I want to divorce is simple—I just don’t like Mr. Baldry anymore.”
Her words were measured, calm, and free of regret. It was as if the weight of the past three years had been lifted from her shoulders, and she was finally free. There was a peace in her voice that was both surprising and final.
Cason watched her, his gaze darkening as he took in her words. She looked beautiful, composed, and confident—nothing like the woman who had meekly complied with his family’s wishes. This Ainsley was different, and he didn’t know how to deal with her.
Mathew remained silent for a long time, his face clouded with disapproval. Finally, he let out a long, heavy sigh. “The Baldry family has let you down,” he muttered, his voice heavy with regret.
Ainsley paused, her lips curling into a faint, almost bittersweet smile. She didn’t respond to him, knowing there was nothing more to say.
Seeing that Mathew had calmed down, Ainsley stood up, ready to leave. “I think I should go now. It’s getting late.”
Mathew nodded in agreement, his eyes lingering on her retreating figure. As she left, he muttered under his breath, “It’s better this way. Better than staying with that little vixen.”
He sighed deeply before standing up and making his way to the study, clearly disheartened.
Cason’s face darkened even further as he looked after his grandfather. He felt the weight of Mathew’s words bearing down on him.
Kaliyah, ever the considerate one, leaned toward Cason and spoke softly. “Cason, go upstairs and comfort Grandpa. He’s always liked Ms. Easton. He must be really upset right now.”
Cason glanced at Kaliyah and, without saying much, took her hand. “I’ll send you home first.”
After sending Kaliyah off, Cason made his way upstairs to the study, where Mathew was sitting, brewing tea. He sat down across from his grandfather, his voice soft but tinged with frustration.
“Grandfather, Kaliyah is going to be my future wife. Even if you don’t like her, you should treat her better.”
Mathew’s eyes hardened, and a sneer formed on his lips. “When Aisy married you, I also told you this: she is your wife. Even if you didn’t like her, you should have treated her better. So what did you do?”
The words hit Cason like a slap. He had no defense.
Mathew’s eyes burned with anger, but also with a deep, regretful disappointment. “Look where you are now, Cason. You’ve let go of the one woman who truly cared about you, and now, you’re left with nothing.”
The words hung in the air as Cason sat there, unable to respond. The weight of his choices felt heavier than ever.
