Chapter 4 Encountering Matthew at the bar

Mrs. Anna's words became more and more excessive, and I couldn't help but cry out. My lips trembled uncontrollably, and tears began to fall.

"Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?" she asked, looking at me with a sneer.

I tilted my head to the side, silently letting the tears flow. I bit my lip to prevent myself from crying out loud, suppressing the brewing frustration within me.

Mrs. Anna had no idea how much she had hurt her daughter. She looked at me, gritted her teeth, and asked, "Where is your husband? Why don't I see him?"

The mention of Matthew caused my heart to ache once again. "I... I didn't tell him," I replied.

"You fool!" Mrs. Anna's looked at me with anger in her eyes. She pointed at me and scolded, "You should take advantage of this situation and evoke its sympathy. What's the use of showing strength? No man would like a stubborn woman like you."

Finishing her sentence, Mrs. Anna grabbed her handbag, intending to leave. Judging by her demeanor, I was certain she wanted to look for Matthew.

"Mother, please don't look for him," I pleaded, panicking. Despite the injury on my head, I rushed to the bed and grabbed Mrs. Anna's arm.

We were already divorced, and if I were to tell him now about my injury, he would surely think I was trying to manipulate him out of pity.

I wanted to preserve a little dignity in front of him.

Mrs. Anna forcefully pushed my hand away and yelled, "Keep your silence to yourself! If I appear, he should come to take care of you. Seize this opportunity to win his heart!"

Feeling Mrs. Anna's intention to leave, I quickly held onto her and said, "Mother... please don't go. Matthew and I have already divorced."

Mrs. Anna stared at me wide-eyed, then raised her hand and pushed me, causing me to stagger backward.

"Why did you get divorced when everything was fine? Did you do something wrong to him? Oh my god, a lowly person like you managed to marry someone wealthy and still couldn't keep him. How foolish you are," Mrs. Anna angrily exclaimed, unable to contain her frustration. She took a deep breath to calm herself and finally asked, "How much did he give you? You followed him for so many years, putting in effort and labor. You must have received a large sum, right?"

A calculating glint flashed in Mrs. Anna's eyes. Currently facing a financial shortage, she was constantly being humiliated by her friends who boasted about their wealth. After obtaining the divorce settlement from her daughter, she intended to use it to slap those friends in the face.

Opposite her, I lowered my head and, under Mrs. Anna's expectant gaze, shook my head and spoke up, "I didn't take his money."

Slap!

Mrs. Anna swung her hand and delivered a powerful slap to my face, instantly leaving my mind in a daze.

Already injured and now being struck, I felt myself on the verge of passing out.

However, Mrs. Anna didn't care about my life or death. She continued to rain blows upon me, simultaneously berating me, "You fool! You wretched creature! Were you born just to infuriate me to death, huh?"

My flesh stung and burned from the force of the blows, but I bit my lip and refused to utter a sound. If I could die in this opportunity, it would be a way for me to escape from this miserable life.

I curled up on the cold tile floor, enduring the punches and kicks from Mrs. Anna until she grew tired. She scolded, "Hmph! Do you think by doing this, Matthew will show any sympathy for you? Dream on! In his eyes, you are just a poor woman who married him solely for his money."

I tightly covered my ears, unwilling to hear her words. However, her intentionally thoughtless words still thundered in my brain.

"No, it's not like that... sob... I love him not because of money..."

My love is so pure and sincere, why does everyone always want to trample upon my heart?

Mrs. Anna breathed heavily and stubbornly said, "If you're useless, leave it to me. When married, there is typically shared property between husband and wife, and I will not let him be given away to another woman."

With that, she turned and headed for the door. I desperately rushed forward and hugged her leg, crying out, "Mom, please leave me with something to hold onto. If you need money, I'll work and give it all to you."

Mrs. Anna kicked me away, shouting, "How much is your reputation worth? Going to work? Hmph! Your monthly salary of six and seven hundred dollars is not enough for me to spend in a day."

I gritted my teeth and crawled up, continuing to hold onto Mrs. Anna's leg, preventing her from finding Matthew. She struggled but couldn't do anything other than compromise.

Seeing a group of doctors and nurses approaching, Mrs. Anna grumbled, "Fine! But you have to find a job that pays well and gives me all the money. Otherwise, don't blame me for pursuing your ex-husband!"

Hearing that, I finally released her leg, my eyes darkening once again as I fell into unconsciousness.

A few days later, due to hospital expenses, Mrs. Anna insisted that I be discharged. On the same day, she asked me to go to her friend's bar and work as a server.

I didn't want to enter such a complicated place, but faced with Mrs. Anna's coercion and pressure, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and go to work.

In the first few days, the customers were polite, and the atmosphere was clean, so I quickly adapted to the job. However, I never expected to encounter Matthew here.

My heart skipped a beat.

I stood at the entrance of the VIP room and saw him, causing his hand to tremble, almost spilling the tray of drinks.

Seeing the man I both loved and hated right in front of me, my legs felt as though they were filled with lead and I couldn't move.

I wanted to run, but I needed this job.