Once again, I went viral for domestic violence. The entire internet was filled with curses, asking when I would finally die. When I got home, I dutifully knelt on the cold tile floor. My wife, Scarlett, slapped my face repeatedly with her slipper. “Alex, I told you so many times, when you hit me, make your expression more vicious, your movements bigger. Why don’t you listen?” “You’ve ruined me! My products aren’t selling!” That’s right, the one being abused wasn’t Scarlett, it was me. All because she’d crafted an online persona as a domestically abused wife. I went along with it because she had absolute leverage over me. Scarlett threatened me. If I didn’t play along with her act, she’d disappear with our eight-year-old daughter, Chloe. I knew Scarlett was capable of it. After Chloe was born, she was out early and back late within three days, living it up and chasing fun. I’d raised Chloe by myself since she was a baby. She was the apple of my eye. “You’ll kneel there until morning. Reflect on your mistakes.” I don’t know how long I knelt. In a daze, I heard my wife and daughter talking. “Your dad is kneeling. Don’t you feel bad for him?” Chloe’s clear voice chirped, “No, I don’t feel bad. He doesn’t deserve to be my dad. Derek deserves to be her father.”
A wave of ice washed over me. I couldn’t believe my daughter, whom I’d raised with such care, could be so heartless. To her, a stranger meant more than I did. When Chloe was little, she was often sick. I’d rush her to the hospital, staying ten days at a time was common. Back then, she’d always say, “Daddy, hug me, hug me.” Scarlett praised Chloe, “Good girl! Derek didn’t spoil you for nothing. He’ll be so happy when he hears this.” The “Derek” Chloe mentioned was Derek Jones, not only Scarlett’s former classmate but also her accomplice in all her questionable antics. When we first got married, I’d told Scarlett she was too close to Derek. Scarlett ripped into me, saying that if anything was going on with her and Derek, it was none of my business anyway. Footsteps approached. Scarlett came in front of me and kicked me hard in the head. “Wake up, you useless bum!” I scrambled up from the floor, my legs trembling uncontrollably. After kneeling all night, they were completely numb. Scarlett looked down at me smugly. “Alex, do you realize your mistake?” Seeing I didn’t answer, Scarlett scoffed. “Angry? Good. Stay angry. Come on, hit me!” I still didn’t move. Scarlett kicked me again. Already unsteady, I stumbled and fell to the floor. Chloe rushed over and slapped my face. “Why are you so useless? Mom told you to hit harder and you can’t even do that! Mom won’t make money, how will she buy me pretty dresses?” I was utterly numb. I used to have a good job, but after the “abuse” went public, the company fired me. Every day, I’d cover myself up completely before going out to do odd jobs. All the money I earned, I handed over to Scarlett. After giving so much, all I got back was being called useless. Scarlett kicked me again. “You stay home and reflect. If you haven’t changed by the time I get back, you can forget about ever seeing Chloe again.”
I lay on the floor for half an hour. I still couldn’t believe Chloe would treat me this way; she must have been forced by Scarlett. I decided to find some food; I hadn’t eaten since last night. Suddenly, I noticed Scarlett’s spare phone left at home. Normally, I wouldn’t dare touch it, but now I needed answers. The phone had no password. Inside, there were tons of videos and photos. I saw intimate photos of Scarlett and Derek. She was smiling, brighter than I’d ever seen her. And then there was more explosive stuff. Scarlett had checked into multiple hotels, wearing lingerie, entwined with Derek on large beds. I pressed down hard on my own wounds, wanting the pain to be more intense, to make myself think clearly. Every time, Scarlett used instruments on me, leaving me covered in wounds. In severe cases, I’d have exposed bone. I was often rushed to the hospital. Scarlett would claim that bystanders intervened and injured me. Meanwhile, when I played along with her act, I always feared hurting Scarlett, holding back most of my strength. I thought my sacrifices would be seen. Instead, I was a complete clown. There were also videos of Chloe. Derek laughed, asking, “What if Mommy kills Daddy?” Chloe replied, “If he dies, he dies. Then I’ll have a new dad, and my new dad will be a million times better.” Derek then asked, “Who would you choose as your new dad?” Chloe smiled sweetly, pointing at Derek, and said, “You, of course!” Scarlett and Derek burst out laughing; they looked more like a family than we ever did. “Chloe, if this really happens, what will you do?” Scarlett’s expression turned serious. My daughter replied, “I’ll testify for Mom. I’ll say Dad tried to kill Mom, and me too, and Mom was just acting in self-defense.” Scarlett chuckled softly. “Such a good girl!” Derek asked from the side, “Is Alex’s life insurance all set?” Scarlett replied proudly, “Already bought it.” My hands trembled uncontrollably. I never imagined Scarlett was planning to kill me. I quickly transferred all the evidence and factory reset the phone. Scarlett and Chloe returned. “Alex, have you learned your lesson and become a good boy?” I looked at Scarlett with a cold gaze. Scarlett thought I had finally wised up. She pointed at Chloe and said, “Come on, hit her, slap her face hard.” I understood. Scarlett was forcing me to escalate the “abuse.” Her fans were no longer satisfied with me just hitting her. I refused. Scarlett frowned. “Alex, you’re getting bold, aren’t you? Not listening to me anymore? Are you really not afraid I’ll take Chloe and throw her into the ocean?” Chloe began to shiver with fear. She said, “Dad, please listen to Mom. I don’t want to leave you.” My heart was completely unmoved. I already knew my daughter’s true colors. I hated myself for not seeing through Chloe’s terrible acting sooner. Seeing my silence, Scarlett said coldly, “Alex, what do you want?” I slowly uttered two words. “A divorce!”
Scarlett laughed. “Alex, you’re hilarious!” Hilarious? No! I was serious. I felt only hate for this mother and daughter, no love. Chloe pursed her lips. “Dad, don’t you want me anymore?” Still pretending. Scarlett had taught her well; she’d changed into a completely different person in no time. I slowly said, “Would you be willing to come with me?” Chloe shook her head. “Dad, I don’t want you and Mom to separate. We’re a complete family. I promise to be a good girl from now on, okay?” I already understood my daughter’s choice. That was my last test. If she had chosen to come with me, I would have agreed to anything, no matter the cost. But Chloe clearly knew Scarlett would harm me, yet she still chose to be an accomplice without hesitation. Scarlett laughed. “Chloe, don’t be scared. Your dad’s just throwing a tantrum. He could never really leave you.” At that moment, Scarlett simply didn’t believe I was serious about leaving. I silently returned to my room. Scarlett and I had been separated for a long time; I lived in a storage room, a cramped 50-square-foot space with no windows or ventilation, not even enough space to stretch my legs when I slept. Seeing me pack my things, Scarlett rushed over. “Alex, that’s enough. There’s a limit to how much you can pretend.” I said coldly, “The divorce papers will be mailed to you. Remember to sign them.” Scarlett scoffed. “You won’t get custody of Chloe. The law will be on my side, you abuser.” Chloe cried, “Dad, Mom won’t let me go. Stop messing around, it’s useless.” I turned around and slowly said, “Who said I wanted custody?” Chloe stopped crying. She looked at me in shock. After being the apple of my eye for eight years, Chloe was used to my unconditional love. She keenly sensed the change. Scarlett instinctively raised her leg. “Looks like you’re asking for a beating. You need to be taught a lesson.” I grabbed Scarlett’s ankle, then swung it. She lost her balance and fell to the floor. “You… you’re quite bold. You actually laid a hand on me!” This was the first time I had ever initiated physical contact. “So what?” I retorted. My reputation was already trashed. I was the universally hated abuser. Scarlett could scream all she wanted, it wouldn’t matter. People would just think I’d finally gone soft. Only Scarlett knew the seriousness of the situation. Scarlett sneered, then raised her hand and slapped Chloe across the face. Chloe’s cheek instantly showed a red handprint. I just watched, without a word. Scarlett suddenly panicked. Before, if Chloe even got a scratch, I’d be heartbroken for days, spoiling her rotten. Now, I was completely unmoved. “Alex, I hit your daughter. Why aren’t you doing anything?” I chuckled softly. “Actually, she might not be.” Chloe looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “Dad, do you really not want me anymore?” Yes, I don’t. The daughter who stabbed me in the heart can be had by whoever wants her. Scarlett kicked Chloe, sending her sprawling. “Get a grip, you little brat! What are you crying for?!” I knew this was Scarlett’s test; she still couldn’t believe I would be so heartless. “You can hit her harder, just like you usually hit me.” With that, I packed the last of my personal belongings into my bag. A single backpack held everything I owned. Scarlett crossed her arms. “Alex, let’s see what else you can do. You really surprise me, you’re quite resilient!” I pulled out my house keys, tossed them onto the bed, and walked straight out. This wasn’t my home. My home wouldn’t make me feel suffocated. Just as I reached the door, Scarlett rushed at me like a madwoman. She grabbed my hair violently, trying to slam my head against the wall. I twisted my hand, threw her to the ground, then opened the door and walked out. Scarlett didn’t understand one thing. My softness wasn’t weakness. It was because I still had hope for that family. It was she and our daughter who utterly crushed everything I held dear.
Taking a deep breath of fresh air, I immediately started looking for a place to live. My standards were low enough that I quickly found a rental for $280 a month. Fortunately, I still had some savings. Lately, I’d been delivering food for an extra hour every day because Chloe’s birthday was coming up, and I wanted to buy her a gift. After a quick clean-up, I went out to buy necessities. Lying on the bed in my small room, even with the faint smell of mildew, I could stretch my legs and didn’t have to live in fear. That night, I slept exceptionally soundly. The next morning, I left early. From now on, I would live for myself. Just as I was about to accept a delivery order, I was surrounded. At the head of the group was Scarlett’s mother, Brenda. “Alex, are you even human? Abusing my daughter, and then you dare to ask for a divorce!” A group of angry women started hitting and kicking me. Luckily, I followed traffic rules and wore a helmet, or I’d have lost at least a third of my hair. I broke free from their encirclement. “Who are you all?” The women chattered angrily, “We’re Scarlett’s fans! We finally caught this scumbag.” “You hurt Scarlett, she cries herself to sleep every night.” “You deranged monster, we’re acting on behalf of justice!” “You’re the guilty party! How dare you leave Scarlett! You’re getting too big for your britches!” I slowly said, “You’re Scarlett’s fans, so you want Scarlett to live a better life.” “Of course!” “Scarlett’s products are the best!” I immediately replied, “Then your logic is flawed. I’m an abuser. A divorce would be a great thing for Scarlett, freeing her from misery. Why are you all opposing it?” That one sentence silenced them all. Divorce meant liberation. Scarlett could start a new life; it was cause for celebration. Brenda pointed at me. “Alex, don’t try to twist things around here. We respect Scarlett’s wishes; she decides whether to divorce or not. You’re an abuser, what right do you have to suggest leaving? I command you, go home right now!” I chuckled softly. “You really are a good mother, aren’t you? You think your daughter isn’t suffering enough, so you’re forcing me back to abuse her?” Some of Scarlett’s fans looked thoughtful; they must have sensed something was off. Brenda saw things were getting out of control. “Alex, just you wait.” After delivering her threat, she led the group away. After completing a few gig deliveries, I went to a law firm to find a divorce lawyer. The firm’s most famous lawyer met with me. After I explained my situation, she apologized and said she couldn’t help me. I visited several more law firms, and they all rejected me. I sensed something was wrong. One or two firms might refuse, but all of them? To turn down business? I opened my phone, intending to research legal knowledge online, but I saw a video posted by the first lawyer who had met me. “Scarlett’s abusive husband came to me, begging me to take his case.” “I don’t do anything that harms Scarlett. I refused him outright and even warned my colleagues about the risk.” “He left like a kicked dog. Sisters, don’t you think I did the right thing?” So that’s it. I never expected divorce to be this difficult. Soon, I scrolled past Scarlett’s live stream. Chloe sat beside her, her small face scrunched up in a tearful pout. Scarlett tearfully claimed she still had feelings for me, and even though I abused her, she didn’t want a divorce. She wanted to give me another chance. Fans flooded the comments, comforting Scarlett, telling her she was doing great, not to put too much pressure on herself, and that they would support her no matter what she decided. Scarlett wiped away her tears and started pushing product links. Since Scarlett was so good at playing the victim, I saw no need to hold back. I directly posted a comment. “Scarlett, this is Alex. Do you dare to video call me live?”
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