Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Ethan was caught off guard when I questioned him, so he dodged the answer. "In his mind, you've already achieved your goal," Ethan remarked.

I didn't get what Ethan meant at the time. Maybe he was talking about that day at the bar when he acted all close to me in front of Arthur. Arthur definitely didn't buy my innocence; otherwise, he wouldn't have said those nasty things earlier. "Why did you show up out of the blue? I don't think it was a coincidence," I asked.

Ethan flicked his cigarette ash and smiled, "Frank's my friend. He owns this bar. He even greeted you that day at Blue Ocean Bar. Emily, your memory is terrible."

Then it hit me I had met Frank before, which is why he seemed familiar.

Ethan picked up his phone, tapped a few times, and music started playing on the big screen. "Want to go wild the night before your divorce? Let's do it!"

He leaned back on the sofa, his shirt unbuttoned at the top, showing off a sexy, firm chest.

That night, I sang until my voice was hoarse. Around midnight, Ethan drove me back to Broadway Alley and then left.

When I got home, I got a message from Seagull.

Seagull: [Emmy, I hope you become who you want to be. Don't make things hard for yourself, and don't waste your youth.]

Every time Seagull messaged me, it warmed my heart.

I deleted my reply several times before finally deciding to tell Seagull the truth: [My mom passed away. I'm getting divorced tomorrow. I've lost everything.]

Seagull quickly replied with a line of question marks, like he couldn't believe it. Then he sent another message: [If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new beginning.]

'Will it?' For some reason, Ethan popped into my mind. I shook my head, reminding myself to stay clear-headed. I shouldn't be thinking about a guy who's already with someone else.

The next morning, Seagull sent me a photo of a sunrise over the ocean. It was beautiful. [Emmie, even though we're on opposite sides of the world, we see the same sun. Draw your curtains, open your window, and see if today's sun is just as beautiful.]

His words had a magical pull. I went to the window, drew the curtains, and sunlight poured in. When I opened the window, a refreshing breeze blew in, instantly lifting my spirits.

My phone rang, and seeing Arthur's name annoyed me. I wondered if he got a beating when he got home last night. Vivian, being so proud, must be hard to appease.

Arthur said he wanted to pick me up, but I flatly refused.

"I don't want to ride in a car Vivian's been in." I said it firmly, but my heart still felt torn. Thankfully, this was all finally coming to an end.

I took my time getting ready, making sure I looked energetic and not sad before leaving.

As I got off the bus, I saw Arthur at the Family Court entrance, checking his watch and looking impatient. He sighed in relief when he saw me.

He handed me the divorce agreement, and I laughed. He'd divided everything: the house and car were his, and I got nothing. He didn't even consider the medical expenses for my mom over the past two years.

I didn't want to argue, so I signed quickly, finalizing the divorce. But as I was about to leave, he grabbed me. "Emily, stay away from Ethan. He's not a good person."

"Are you a good person?" I shot back, remembering the million dollars Arthur lost at the casino.

"How did you settle that million-dollar gambling debt?" I asked. I had forgotten to ask Ethan about it.

Arthur looked surprised. "You don't know?"Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

"Should I?" I squinted, sensing there was something I didn't know.

Arthur's gaze was evasive. Just as I was about to press him, he got punched.

Bella had beaten up Arthur again, drawing attention at the Family Court. Arthur looked humiliated and angry, glaring at Bella. "Bella, I'm only tolerating you because of Emily. Don't push your luck."

Bella sneered, "Feel free to argue with me. If you don't, my life would be boring. And remember, Emmy has nothing to do with you anymore. She's no longer your excuse."

Bella grabbed my arm. "Emmy, some people are just here to teach us lessons. Don't reason with scumbags; they'll end up lonely and miserable. Come on, I've got a whole program planned. We're celebrating you getting rid of that jerk and being single again."

I followed Bella for a few steps, then went back to Arthur. "Arthur, if someday no one in the world wants you, remember that I don't want you either."

Seeing Arthur's grim expression, I turned away confidently. Bella laughed and gave me a thumbs-up.

I used to swallow my anger, never realizing how satisfying it could be to fight back. Experience really does make you grow. From now on, I wouldn't submit to someone who doesn't love me. It's not worth it.

Bella took me to the Riders Club. As soon as I got out of the car, I saw Ethan and Oliver. The others looked familiar too; they were probably the ones who drank with me that day.

Bella put her arm around my shoulder and shouted, "Everyone, I have an announcement. Emily is now single again. If you're interested, now's your chance. Emmie is very popular."

I was instantly mortified. I never expected that from today, my life would begin a new chapter.