When My Wife Ignored My Calls

My cousin Schumacher was getting married, but my wife refused to attend the wedding with me.

I'd expected thisjust like how she always found excuses not to visit my hometown with me.

Though I was prepared, facing relatives' questions at the wedding reception still left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I'd long known that many people gossiped behind my back, saying I wasn't man enough to even bring my own wife home.

Some even whispered that I'd gotten divorced.

I drank silently, coming to a decision. No need for rumors anymore.

I pulled out my phone and called my wife.

She hung up... hung up again... and again.

[Can you stop? I'm busy]

Faced with her attitude, I calmly typed: [Let's get divorced]

[Are you insane? You want a divorce just because I won't go to Schumacher's wedding?]

[My sister's visiting for the holidays. Can't I spend time with her?]

I used to try reasoning with her, telling her how I felt.

She said she hated social obligations, but with her own family, she was always enthusiastic.

Big events or small, I had to attend everything on her side.

When it came to my side, she called it annoying.

I'd tried reasoning too many times. I was done talking.

[I'm serious. Think about what you want in the divorce, and I'll state my terms too]

[Split assets fifty-fifty. If you agree, we'll do an uncontested divorce]

I sent the two messages.

[Are you crazy?] She replied with the same line again. I put away my phone with no intention of responding further.

Over the next few days, she went silent, and I didn't contact her either.

On the last day of the holiday, she came home.

Seeing my stern face, she said nothing.

After setting down her things, she went into the bedroom and slammed the door hard.

Moments later she stormed out angrily, holding divorce papers in her hand.

"What is this supposed to mean?" She threw the papers at me.

"Divorce."

"I want a reason."

"I'm tired. I don't want to live with you anymore." I looked at her calmly.

"You're leaving me for Schumacher?" She started crying.

Her tears used to make me panic.

Now, I ignored them. "We're both adults. Can't we be civilized about this?"

"Civilized? You call divorce civilized?"

Green tore up the divorce papers. "I'll never divorce you. I can't handle that kind of humiliation."

I got up and retrieved my pre-packed suitcase from the study. "You have three days to think it over. If you won't agree to an uncontested divorce, I'll file a lawsuit."

"Stop right there, Davis! What gives you the right to divorce me? What have I ever done wrong to you?"

"Are you seeing someone else?"

I glanced at her, too tired to argue. I just wanted to end this marriage as quickly as possible, even if it meant taking a financial loss.

Less than two hours after I left home, my father-in-law Ant called, asking me to come back and talk.

If we could divorce peacefully, I didn't want things to get too ugly. I headed back quickly.

Ant, my mother-in-law Bella, and Green's sister Lavinia were all there.

The whole family sat formally, like they were conducting an interrogation.

Bella spoke first.

"Davis, Green's told us everything. You're really going too far. You want a divorce just because she wouldn't go home with you for your wedding?"

"Do you think marriage is a joke? Don't you take Green seriously at all?"

I stayed silent, unwilling to engage in this pointless argument.

Green and I had argued enough over the years.

Our sex lifeher cold rejections. I'd complained many times. It never helped.

My incomeno matter how my salary increased, there was always someone earning more that she could use to put me down.

And my time off work and holidaysI couldn't have any recreational activities of my own.

She'd always say I was lazy, greedy, sneaky, and lacked ambition.

Five years of marriage, and she refused to have kids, constantly citing my lack of ambition and insufficient income.

Living in that atmosphere every day, I couldn't find any meaning in life.

The thing was, to make things easier for herself, she'd taken a job paying two thousand a month where she could watch shows and scroll through videos all day.

After work, she was either playing cards or getting beauty treatments.

Shopping and traveling were mandatory on holidays.

I didn't accept this double standard.

"Green hasn't enjoyed a single day of happiness since marrying you. What right do you have to ask for a divorce?"

Bella continued her tirade. I glanced at the gold bracelet on her wristI'd bought that.

She and Ant had no income. I gave them living expenses every month.

Every month, I gave them three thousand dollars.

As for Green's jewelryI never missed Valentine's Day, birthdays, or anniversaries. Not once in five years.

I didn't know what suffering they'd endured, or what hardships Green had faced with me.

Perhaps the greatest hardship she'd suffered was drinking iced Americanos.

Whenever I went back with Green, Bella never stopped talkingeither about whose son-in-law made so much money in business or whose daughter acquired what nice things.

Her family was a bottomless pit.

I looked at Bella. "I came here to talk with you all. Can you shut your mouth?"

Bella stood up, glaring.

"How dare you! You dare tell me to shut up? Green, look at what you've found."

She pointed at me. "With us here, this is your attitude. God knows how you bully Green normally."

"If that's your attitude, I'll see you in court." I stood to leave.

"Stop right there! Is this how your parents raised you? Do you have any respect for us?"

"Mom, please say less." Green quickly stopped Bella.

"Your parents should be here soon. We'll discuss this when they arrive." Ant finally spoke up.

Divorce was a big dealimpossible to hide from my parents.

Since they'd already notified my folks, we might as well sit down together and settle this.

Shortly after I sat back down, my parents arrived.

"Finally, you're here." Bella wore a stern expression. "Davis is absolutely terrible. You need to control him. I said a few words to him and he told me to shut up."

"This kind of disrespect for eldersonly Green could tolerate him."

"Anyone else would have divorced him long ago."

My dad didn't take the bait, just looked at me. "You've thought this through?"

"Yes."

"Then divorce."

Bella's expression darkened. "What do you mean? I called you here to mediate."

"Mediate?" My dad glanced at her. "I don't see you trying to mediate."

"And speaking of disrespecting elders, does Green respect me and her mother-in-law?"

"They've been married five years. Has she ever visited us?"

"In all these years, has she ever called us Mom and Dad?"

"Only the people who gave birth to me are Mom and Dad. Is it wrong that I don't call you that?" Green lost her temper too.

"Then divorce it is." My dad repeated. "On this matter, I support Davis."

"I thought you were reasonable people, that's why I called you over." Ant's face darkened.

"Since this is your attitude too, there's no need to let Green suffer with you anymore."

Ant looked at me. "Davis, you can divorce Green, but you leave with nothing."

I ignored him, staring at Green instead. "If you agree to an uncontested divorce, we split assets fifty-fifty. If not, I'll sue and fight for all the assets, leaving you with nothing."

"Fight for all the assets? Who the hell do you think you are?" Bella put one hand on her hip, pointing at me with the other.

"How dare you even mention assets? Have you no shame?"

"I've been too nice to you, haven't I?" I stopped indulging her. "You have two daughters. Lavinia married far away, so you expect me and Green to support you in old age. You're the shameless one."

"You... you... you..." Bella pointed at me. "Won't our inheritance be yours when we die?"

"Inheritance? What inheritance do you have?" I laughed bitterly.

"Because you raised daughters, you retired early and started living off others."

"Now even your living expenses come from me, and you dare mention inheritance?"

"And the car, house, jewelrydid Green go without any of them?"

"If you haven't learned to be human, you should die and reincarnate to learn again."

Seeing her face flush with anger, I turned back to Green. "I'm just waiting for one word from you. I want to divorce you as soon as possible."

"As long as you agree to an uncontested divorce, you get half the assets. If I sue, you won't get anything."

"Davis, you're bullying me." Green wiped away tears pitifully. "You're the one leaving me. You want the divorce. What right do you have to split assets?"

"What have I done wrong to you?"

"You just think I'm too old. You must be seeing someone else."

"Exactly." Bella chimed in. "Divorce is fine, but you must explain why. If you can't, you leave with nothing."

"You know perfectly well why I want a divorce." I stared at Green. "Are you sure you want me to say it now?"

"I don't know. Say it right now why you want a divorce."

"I can tolerate anything about you, but not matters of principle. That's why I want a divorce."

"What do you mean?" Green glared at me.

"You don't understand what I mean?"

"I don't understand." Green stepped forward. "You must explain clearly."

I said coldly: "You cheated on me."

"Bullshit! You're the one who cheated! Don't slander me."

Green became agitated. "You need proofyou need evidence. Where's your proof?"

She rushed at me shouting, "You're inhuman! How can you say such things? I'll tear your mouth off!"

Slap... I raised my hand and struck her face.

In all our years of marriage, I'd never argued with her. When she was willful or threw tantrums, I'd always laughed it off.

But on matters of principle, there could be no forgiveness.

Actually, I didn't want to hit her. I found her disgusting.

I just wanted to end this marriage quickly, but facing Green's fake innocence, I couldn't hold back.

That slap lit the fuse.

"You dare hit Green!" Bella rushed forward, Ant followed, and Lavinia joined in too.

My parents immediately entered the fray.

Numbers-wise, we were at a disadvantage.

But the other side only had Ant as a male, so we gained the upper hand.

All those years of pent-up frustration, I released through my fists and feet on Green.

I found the chance to slap the domineering Bella several times.

Finally, my dad and I teamed up to take down Ant and used my size 11 shoe to greet his face.

I proved to Bella through action that I dared not only to hit Green, but her too.

Whether it was dirty or not didn't matter anymore. It felt great.

Though feeling great came at a costthe police took us all in. This kind of family conflict was hard to assign responsibility for.

In the end, everyone got a verbal warning.

This negotiation ended in physical combat.

Clearly, an uncontested divorce was off the table now. Time to sue.

Half a month later, the court arranged the first mediation.

That day, all of Green's relatives who could come showed up, clearly planning to get revenge through force.

At the mediation, Green's relatives looked menacing.

Seeing this, my dad called my family's relatives. I figured once mediation ended, another battle was inevitable.

The mediator looked stern. "I know you're all emotional, but today we're here to resolve your conflicts."

"Davis, Green doesn't agree to your divorce request, and she's very upset about your accusation of her infidelity."

"If you have no evidence, she has the right to hold you accountable."

I looked at Green. "Since you won't take the easy way out, today I'll let all your relatives see your true face."

"Green, listen carefully. Before Schumacher's wedding half a month ago, I installed cameras at home. Do you think I have evidence of your affair?"

I looked at the mediator. "I have a video that can prove Green's infidelity."

Green's face went pale. "I agree to divorce. I agree to leave with nothing."

Too late. For people who don't appreciate kindness, they must learn pain.

I told the mediator, "I request to play this video publicly to prove I didn't slander Green."

"No, you can't!" Green panicked.

"You heard herGreen says you can't." Bella joined in.

"Green said you can't." Lavinia also shouted.

Green's whole family panicked.

I watched silently. The expressions on Bella and the others' faces made me realize they'd known about Green's affair all along.

"This is evidence proving my innocence." I stood up. "It's also key evidence for the divorce and asset division."

The mediator didn't indulge Green and her family.

The video was played on the spot.

The day I went to Schumacher's wedding, Green confirmed I wasn't home.

She brought her lover back to the house. The camera clearly recorded everything, including their conversation.

"It's more exciting at your place."

"Baby, I want something even more exciting. One day you should slip him some sleeping pills."

Hearing this dialogue, my dad immediately cursed.

The scene erupted into chaos.

"You violated my privacy rights! I'll sue you!" Green shouted at the top of her lungs.

The mediation couldn't continue. Both sides left.

Outside, Green pointed at me. "He violated my privacy and just insulted me. Beat him up!"

Her relatives' faces couldn't have looked worse.

"What a disgrace! We thought Green was really wronged."

"Turns out she's shameless! She's completely humiliated us, and now she wants us to beat Davis? You must be joking."