[Violet,happy birthday!I will make you the happiest woman in the world.] It was a post from my husband,Joshua.
But I am not violet.Violet is his First love.
Then I received a call from Violet.
“You, a disabled woman, didn’t deserve Joshua!”
“Anika,has Joshua ever said he loved you?He said a lot to me…”
I could feel a sting in my ears.When I took off my hearing aid,I found it bloodstained.
The last straw would finally break a camel’s back.
“Joshua, let’s get a divorce,” I bravely declared.
“Please do remember that I don’t love you.You are not threatening me.”
“Joshua,let me know when you are available.”I handed the divorce papers to Joshua.
With that,I left with my luggage.
I were greeted by the clear sky after the rain.
For a moment,I felt that I were reborn.
————————
It was raining heavily.
Anika Carey was standing in front of a hospital.
Holding the result of her pregnancy test,Anika felt at a loss.
It read negative.
“It’s been three years since you got married.Still negative?
“How come?Get pregnant or you will be driven out of the Conan family.What will the Carey family do then?”
Mireya Carey,Anika’s mother,whose maiden name was Rossetti,scolded Anika.She stood in her high heels,disappointed at Anika.
Anika didn’t know what to say.She felt wronged,yet in the end,all she could do was apologize.
“I’m truly sorry.”
“If you are truly sorry,get pregnant with Joshua’s child Do you hear me?”
Anika felt a lump in her throat,not knowing how to respond.
She had been married to Joshua Conan for three years,yet they never got intimate.
How could she possibly get pregnant?
Seeing Anika’s frustrated look,Mireya felt that her daughter was nothing like her.She was way too weak.
Mireya finally offered Anika a solution.
“If you fail to get pregnant,find someone who can.
Perhaps Joshua will thank you for that.”
Anika saw her mother off in a daze.She couldn’t believe what she had just heard from her mother.
Did Mireya just tell her to find her husband another woman?Was that something a mother would say to her daughter?
Anika felt hurt.
Anika went home in a car.
What Mireya had just said was still lingering in her mind.
She could hear a roar in her ears.
Anika could sense that her condition was worsening.
That was when she received a new message.
It was Joshua.And it was the very same text as always.
“Won’t be home tonight.”
In the past three years,Joshua never spent a night at home.
He and Anika never got physical.
Anika still remembered what Joshua said on their wedding night.
“Since you are bold enough to seduce me into marrying you,you should be prepared to die alone.”
Dying alone…
Three years ago,the Conan family and the Carey family sought business cooperation through a marriage The two families had already decided on the division of interests.
Yet on the wedding day,the Carey family broke their promise and transferred all their property,including the
100 million dollars Joshua provided to Anika.
Having recalled how her family behaved in disgrace,Anika felt ashamed.Her eyes dimmed as she replied,”I see”.
She had crumpled the test result into a ball before she noticed it.
When Anika got home,she dropped it into the trash bin.
She tended to feel tired this time every month.
She didn’t prepare dinner.Instead,she took a nap on the sofa.
She could always hear a roaring sound.
That also explained why Joshua didn’t like her.Anika suffered from hearing loss,and people with impaired hearing were unfairly treated in a wealthy family like the Conan family.
How could Joshua let Anika bear his child?
The clock on the wall struck five It was five in the morning.
Joshua would be back in an hour.
Anika just realized that she had slept on the sofa for a whole night.
Anika hurried to get up to make breakfast for Joshua.
Otherwise,she would be late.
And Joshua would never tolerate that.Punctuality meant a lot to Joshua.For one time,Anika went to her father’s funeral and thus failed to serve Joshua’s breakfast on time.
Joshua then punished her by not texting or saying a single word to her for the next month.
When the clock struck six,Joshua showed up at the door.
He was in a nice suit that highlighted his slender figure and masculinity.
Joshua was a handsome man,with clear-cut features.
Yet when he was with Anika,there was nothing but coldness in his eyes.
Joshua didn’t even glance at Anika.He pulled the chair and sat down.”You don’t have to make me breakfast anymore.”
Anika was dumbfounded.
She didn’t know whether it was driven by her nature or anything else,her response showed anything but dignity.
“Did I do anything wrong?”
Joshua raised his head and looked Anika in the eyes.His face was calm as always.
“I need a wife,not a nanny.”
It had been three years since the two got married.Anika was always wearing the same greyish top and replying to his texts with the very same words.
Honestly speaking,if it wasn’t for the commercial benefits this marriage should have brought,Joshua would never marry such a woman,not to mention that the Carey family cheated the Conan family.
–
Joshua believed that Anika didn’t deserve him.
“I need a wife,not a nanny.”
With that lingering in her head,Anika felt that the roaring sound was even louder.
Her throat turned tight before she gave Joshua’s least favorite reply.
“I see.”
Suddenly,Joshua felt cranky.Even his favorite food on the table became tasteless.
Joshua stood up and pulled the chair.
He was about to leave when all of a sudden,Anika grabbed him by the arm with the courage coming out of nowhere.
“Joshua,are you in love with anyone?”
Joshua paused,and his eyes darkened.”What do you mean?”
Anika admired Joshua.
Joshua was not only her husband for the past three years.He was also the man she had been in love with for the past twelve years.
But…
Despite the lump she could feel in her throat,Anika started to speak,with her mother’s words in mind.
“Joshua,if you are indeed in love with someone,you may be with her…”
Joshua interrupted her before Anika could finish.
“That’s insane.”
–
Letting go was a life-long lesson.
After Joshua left,Anika sat on the balcony,staring at the cold rain absent-mindedly.
She hated to admit it,but after admiring Joshua for twelve years,she still didn’t understand what was on his mind.
The sound of the rain faded away intermittently.
A month ago,Anika got a warning from her doctor.
“Ms.Carey,you are experiencing the lesions of your auditory and other central nervous systems at all levels.
That’s why you keep losing your hearing.
“Isn’t there a cure?”
The doctor shook his head.”Chronic neurological hearing loss can’t be treated by medication.My suggestion?Keep wearing your hearing aid and see how your hearing may recover.”
Anika could hear the doctor’s implication.That meant there was no cure.
Anika took her hearing aid off.
The whole world fell into silence.
She was not used to such silence.Thus,she went to the living room and turned on the TV.
She turned the volume to the highest so that she could hear a slight noise.
The TV happened to be presenting an interview with Violet Jonson,a world-class singer.She had just come back from abroad.
With the remote control in her hand,Anika couldn’t help but tremble.
Violet was Joshua’s first love.
It had been years since Anika last saw Violet.She was as shiny as she had always been.
Violet could face the camera with calmness and confidence.She was no longer that timid inferior little girl who went to seek financial aid from the Carey family.
When asked why she was back,Violet gave a bold answer.
“I’m back to win my first love back.”
The remote control dropped.
So did Anika’s heart.
The rain had just got heavier.
Anika had to admit that she was afraid that Violet might steal Joshua from her.
Back then,Anika was the little princess in the Carey family,yet she still lost Joshua to Violet,who didn’t have a powerful family supporting her.
Now that Violet had become a world-class singer,bright and confident,how could Anika possibly compete with Violet?
Anika turned off the TV in a panic and went to dispose of the breakfast Joshua didn’t have.
When she got to the kitchen,she noticed that Joshua had left his phone there.
She took over the phone and happened to glance at the unread message popping up on the screen.
–
“Joshua,you must be upset in the past few years.”
“I know you don’t love her.Why don’t we meet up tonight?
I miss you so much.”
When the screen turned off again,Anika still couldn’t recover from the shock.
Anika took a taxi and went to Joshua’s office.
On the way,Anika looked out through the window.It seemed the rain would never stop.
Joshua didn’t like it when Anika appeared at his office.
Thus,Anika would always use the freight elevator at the back of the office building.
Payton Burke was Joshua’s personal assistant.When he saw Anika coming over,all Anika get was a cold greeting.
“Ms.Carey.”
Nobody working for Joshua saw Anika as Mrs.Conan.
Anika’s relationship with Joshua never went public.
Seeing Anika bringing over his phone,Joshua couldn’t help but frown.
She was always doing things like this.No matter if it was a lunchbox,a file,a coat,or an umbrella,as long as Joshua left something at home,Anika would always bring it over to his office by herself.
“I’ve told you that you don’t have to bring my stuff over for me on your own.”
Anika paused
“I’m sorry.I forgot that.”
Anika blamed herself for not remembering what Joshua had said.
It shouldn’t be her memory.Perhaps she was driven by the fear she sensed when she saw Violet’s message.
Anika feared that Joshua would be gone…
When Anika was about to leave,she couldn’t help but turn around and ask Joshua that question.”Joshua,are you still in love with Violet?”
Recently,Joshua always found Anika strange.
Anika started to forget things and ask silly questions.
How could such a woman play well the role of Mrs.
Conan?
Joshua replied impatiently,”Get yourself occupied if you are not.”
Anika didn’t get a certain answer.
Anika tried to look for a job before,but in the end,her request was rejected by the Conan family.They believed it would bring the Conan family disgrace.
Rachel Conan,Joshua’s mother,originally from the Edward family,even reacted bluntly to Anika’s attempt.
“Are you trying to tell the rest of the world that Joshua has married a disabled woman with a hearing problem?”
Disabled woman…
When she got home,Anika tried to get herself occupied.
Her place was immaculate,yet she didn’t stop cleaning it.
That was the only way Anika felt she was of some use.
Anika didn’t get any message from Joshua that afternoon.
In such cases,Joshua would be either too angry or too busy to text her…
The night fell.
Yet Anika couldn’t fall asleep.
Suddenly,her phone rang,and the ringtone sounded like a rush.
It took her some time to hear the ringtone and take over her phone.
It was an unknown number.
Anika answered the phone and heard a sweet yet scary female voice
It was from Violet.
“Am I calling Anika?Joshua is drunk.Can you please come and pick him up?”
–
Joshua was at the Luxe Club.
He was seated in the most prominent seat,drinking mindlessly while Violet sat next to him.
The room was crowded with rich playboys,trying to make Violet sing for them.
“Violet,didn’t you say that you are here to win Joshua back?”
“Come on singing and drown him in your love song!”
Violet was pretty and nice to get along with.She was also Joshua’s first love.Thus,these playboys would all love to see things work out between Joshua and Violet.
Violet responded with grace.She then sang an exotic song called “Take Me to Your Heart”.
“Take me to your heart,take me to your soul…”
Her sweet voice was so soothing that everyone in the room went silent.
When Violet finished singing,Anika happened to arrive at the private box.
Anika could hear people in the box trying to persuade Joshua into taking Violet back.She could recognize Valentin Arellano’s voice.He was Joshua’s buddy.
“Joshua,you have been waiting for Violet for three years.
Now that she’s finally back,say something.”
“She has expressed how much she loves you.”
Anika was dazed.She clenched her fists hard.
Suddenly,the door was pulled open by someone who wanted to use the toilet.
He was dumbfounded to see Anika outside the door.
“Ms.Carey.”
That drew the attention of the rest of the party.
The private box fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Anika immediately located Joshua.He looked sober,not drunk at all.
Anika knew that she was tricked by Violet.
Joshua’s eyes darkened when he saw Anika.
The rest of the group were all embarrassed.Valentin wished he could eat his words.
Anika shouldn’t have shown up.
“Hey,Anika,don’t get me wrong.Valentin was joking.
Joshua and I are just friends for now.”
Surprisingly,Violet was the one who broke the silence.
Anika didn’t reply before Joshua stood up impatiently.
“You owe her no explanation.
With that,Joshua walked directly to Anika.”What are you doing here?”
“I thought you were drunk.I’m here to pick you up home,”
Anika told Joshua the truth.
Joshua sneered.”You didn’t remember a single word I told you today,did you?”
Joshua lowered his voice and questioned Anika so that the conversation was kept to the two only.
“Are you here to remind people that I got tricked by you three years ago?”
Anika didn’t see this coming.
Joshua looked gloomy.”Don’t show yourself around anymore.It only makes me hate you more.”
Then,Joshua left,leaving Anika behind.
Seeing Joshua off,Anika felt at a loss and couldn’t recover for quite some time.
Joshua never spoke that much to Anika before,and Anika never knew that his words could cause such great pain.
The playboys in the private box didn’t show sympathy to Anika at all.
Valentin totally ignored Anika.He even comforted Violet,who only pretended to be upset.
“Violet,you are just too nice.Why did you even bother to explain in the first place?”
“If it weren’t for Anika’s trick,Joshua would have married you.You wouldn’t have gone abroad and lived such a difficult life.”
Even with that roaring noise in her ears,Anika could still hear what Valentin said.
Anika couldn’t know the truth better.
Back then,Joshua would never marry Violet since she didn’t have a strong family background.The tragedy was pre-established and had nothing to do with Anika.
Violet knew that,too.That was why she was determined to break up and go abroad.
But why did people blame Anika for all that?
Anika went back to the Rafter Villa The villa was dark and silent as usual.
Nothing changed since she left.
Joshua didn’t come back.
Holding an umbrella,Anika stood at the front door.She felt overwhelmed by the darkness.
At that moment,she didn’t want to step into the house which she shared with no one.She sat down in the pavilion outside the house and watched as it rained and the wind blew.
Anika sat there for some time,and then a slim figure showed up.
It was Violet.
Violet was dressed up.She walked in her high heels towards Anika and then sat beside her.
“It’s cold tonight.How do you feel after looking for Joshua and being mocked by him?”
Anika remained silent.
Violet didn’t seem to mind.She carried on.
“You know what,I once envied you your family,your loving father,and your carefree life.”
‘But now I pity you.You have been in love with him for over a decade,yet he didn’t even shed a single piece of mercy on you.
–
“I suppose you don’t know what being loved is like,right?
When Joshua was with me,he cooked me dinner and was always there for me when I fell ill.The loveliest line he has said to me was ‘Violet,I wish you happiness forever…How lovely!”
“Anika,has Joshua ever said he loved you?He said a lot to me,but I always blamed him for being juvenile…”
As she listened,Anika recalled the days she had spent with Joshua in the past three years.
Joshua never cooked for her.
Joshua never cared whether Anika fell ill or not.
Love?That was something Joshua never touched upon.
Anika turned to Violet calmly.”Are you done yet?”
Violet didn’t see this coming.
Violet was dumbfounded by her calmness.It seemed that Anika’s eyes could see through her.
Violet was still in a daze after Anika left.
For some reason,Violet felt that she became that poor abandoned kid that survived on support from the Carey family again.
Anika was the princess loved by everyone,yet she,Violet,was always the neglected poor little thing
–
Yet Anika was not as calm as she appeared to be.
After all,it was painful to learn that the man she was in love with for twelve years once loved someone with such great passion.
Anika could feel a sting in her ears.When she took off her hearing aid,she found it bloodstained.
Yet this was not new.All Anika did was wipe off the bloodstain and put her hearing aid aside.
She couldn’t fall asleep…
Anika turned on her phone and opened Line.
She then saw an update mentioning her.
It was a post from Violet,viewable only to Anika.
The first photo was taken during college.Violet and Joshua were standing together.Joshua’s eyes looked so gentle
The second picture was a screenshot.Joshua said,”Violet,happy birthday!I will make you the happiest woman in the world.”
The third picture was taken at a beach.Joshua and Violet were holding hands,wandering on the beach…
Then there were the fourth,fifth,sixth,and more.
Countless photos were presented.Anika felt that she couldn’t breathe.
She didn’t even have the courage to flip through the rest of the photos.Anika turned off her phone.
At that moment,Anika decided that she should let go of Joshua
That day,Anika wrote a line in her diary.
“I could have endured darkness,only if I hadn’t seen what light was like in the first place.”
The next day,Anika made breakfast as usual.It was like her second nature.
Yet Joshua didn’t come back when the clock struck six.
That was when Anika recalled that Joshua mentioned he wouldn’t come back for breakfast anymore.
Anika thought that Joshua would not come back since he was not having breakfast at home,so she fell asleep on the sofa.
“I thought I’d told you that you don’t have to make me breakfast anymore.”
An impatient voice came through.
Anika was waken up and then she saw Joshua pass by,clearly annoyed.
Anika apologized again.”I’m sorry.I forgot that.”
She said sorry again.She forgot it again.
Joshua was sick and tired of Anika repeating the very same line.He turned to her with coldness in his eyes.
The same greyish top again,as always.
She behaved as if Joshua had been abusing her.
“Then why didn’t you forget to come back?Why didn’t you forget that you are married to me?Why didn’t you forget about yourself?”
“Because you are greedy!You don’t wanna let go of the Conan family because you want a fat share of our money!
I am nothing but a cash machine to you!”
What Joshua said was like a knife,stabbing deep into Anika’s heart.
Anika lowered her eyes and said,”Joshua,I never wanted your money.”
It was Joshua that Anika cared about,not his possession.
Joshua sneered.
“Then why did your mother go to my office,begging me to knock you up?”
Anika was dazed.
Anika looked into Joshua’s cold eyes and realized that he was not mad at what happened last night.
Joshua made it clear to Anika.
“Anika,tell your mother to behave herself.Otherwise,your life in the Conan family will be hard and the Carey family will suffer.”
Joshua then made his way to the study.He packed his stuff,got changed,and left.
–
Mireya showed up before Anika reached out to her.This time,Mireya put on a smiling face.She held Anika’s hands tight and her tone was gentle.
“Anika,please,ask Joshua a favor and have a baby with him.You may even achieve that through IVF.”
IVF!
Anika listened to Mireya in a daze.
“Violet has told me that Joshua and you never got intimate in the past three years.”
That was what finally made Anika break down.
In this world,feelings couldn’t be shared.People were bonded through nothing but benefits.
Anika didn’t understand why Joshua would tell that to Violet.
Perhaps Violet was his true love…
All of a sudden,Anika felt that the burden weighing on her was finally removed.
“Mom,let it go.”
Mireya didn’t know what Anika was talking about.She paused with a frown.”What are you saying?”
“I’m tired.I want to get a divorce…”
Mireya slapped Anika in the face before she could finish.
–
That loving mother Mireya pretended to be was gone.She pointed at Anika and said word by word to her,”How dare you?”
“Without the Conan family,you will be wasted!Who would marry a disabled and divorced pathetic woman?”
“Are you really my daughter?You are useless!You are nothing like you!I shouldn’t have taken you back in the first place!”
Anika was dumbfounded.
Mireya never liked Anika.
Mireya was a famous dancer.
Unfortunately,Mireya gave birth to a daughter with impaired hearing.That was her sore point.
Thus,Mireya left Anika behind and asked a nanny to take care of Anika.She didn’t take Anika back before Anika turned school-age.
Anika’s teacher used to say that mothers would never despise their kids.
Thus,Anika worked hard to play up to her mother.She hoped that Mireya would love her.
Despite her impaired hearing,Anika managed to learn dancing,music,painting,and even languages.She learned all of them well.
But Mireya still didn’t like her.Anika just realized that no matter how hard she worked,she would never be the perfect daughter for Mireya.
Like what Mireya said,Anika was born disabled.
Anika was disabled in many terms,not only physically,but also in terms of love,whether it be love from family or a lover…
Mireya then left.
Anika concealed the palmprint on her face with foundation and then went to a law firm.
Anika went into the office to see Maurice Jordan who used to be his father Kenyon Carey’s lawyer.
Maurice handed over the letter of authorization to Anika.
He then turned to Anika,confused.
“Are you sure you want to transfer the legacy Mr.Carey had left you secretly to Joshua?You should be aware that the amount of money meant little to him.”
Anika nodded.
“I am,but I owe him this.I have to clear the debts.”
Three years ago,Kenyon died in an accident.
Kenyon made three wills before he died.He knew that Mireya didn’t adore Anika,so he asked Maurice to announce his last will to Anika in secret.
The last will came into effect after Anika had been married for three years.If she found herself unhappy or if she wanted to establish her own career,she could use the money.
–
In retrospect, perhaps Kenyon had spotted that Joshua was not in love with Anika from the very beginning.
Yet Kenyon still signed that contract with the Conan family,only to please his little girl so that Anika could marry Joshua as she wished
Yet Kenyon died in a car crash before the two got married.
If it weren’t for Kenyon’s sudden death,Anika’s mother and little brother wouldn’t have breached the contract…
Anika handed over all the documents that transferring property required to Maurice and then left his office.On her way home,she saw posters of Violet.
Violet looked so pretty,optimistic,and shiny.
Anika decided that it was time to let go of Joshua.She should set herself free as well.
After getting back to the Rafter Villa,Anika packed her own luggage.
In the three-year marriage,all that belonged to Anika was no more than what a suitcase could contain.
She would just leave the divorce agreement to Maurice.
Who Wrote this Novel ‘Dear Ex-Wife Back My Son!’
The Romance Novel is written by author Leslie Hart.
Where to Read ‘Dear Ex-Wife Back My Son!’ Complete Novel on Official website.
You can read Dear Ex-Wife Back My Son Full Novel, All Chapters on official FicWorld Android/iOS App.