Love Disappears with the Fireworks

While I was bleeding heavily from my miscarriage, the hospital needed a family member to sign some documents urgently. The nurse frantically called my husband on my phone. After more than ten rejected calls, he finally answered, his voice a frustrated yell, "I'm busy! Don't bother me with these little things!" When we tried calling again, I realized he had blocked my number. Despite the pain, I forced myself to sit up and sign the papers. Tragically, our baby couldn't be saved. Later, I saw a viral video of my husband kissing his childhood sweetheart under fireworks. "It was just a silly joke," she said, "but he surprised me by lighting up the whole city with fireworks as a present!" Seeing their matching wedding rings, I wordlessly slipped off the simple ring I'd worn for five years and threw it in the bin. After coming so close to death, he was now insignificant to me. Chapter 1 When Zachary Reidser walked in, I didn’t go up to take off his coat or change his shoes like I usually did. He threw his slippers on the floor heavily and walked over impatiently. "What do you want now?" I silently closed my chat window with the doctor and calmly said, "It's just a bit of stomach discomfort. It’s nothing now." His stern face furrowed into a frown. "You kept calling me over something this trivial? Was that really necessary? Do you know, because of you, I was a minute late lighting the birthday fireworks for Luna Whitmore? She cried because she was so upset!" I subconsciously held my lower abdomen. In that one minute—delayed because he ignored my calls—I had been enduring the pain of massive bleeding. Nevertheless, I didn’t hysterically argue or question him. I just spoke softly, "Sorry for interfering with your important matters." Then, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, and his tone softened slightly. "As long as you’re not picking a fight." He pulled a half-burnt sparkler from his pocket and tossed it to me like a favor. "Luna is always thoughtful and generous. She figured you might want to see fireworks too, so she saved you this sparkler." I peered closely. It was already half-burned and had a clear footprint on it, obviously picked out of some leftovers. I sneered and tossed it in the trash. Zachary grabbed my wrist, displeased, and raised his voice to demand, "Autumn Reidser, what the hell is wrong with you? You ruined her perfect birthday, but Luna didn’t even hold a grudge and still saved you a sparkler. Instead of being grateful, you act all entitled? Who do you think you are?" He used a lot of force. The wound on my wrist, which was still not fully healed, tore open and began to bleed again. A week ago, when someone from a bankrupt rival company came after him, I had blocked the knife with my hand, so the wound still hadn’t healed. Seeing the ashen look on my face, he finally realized and released his grip, appearing a bit flustered. "Sorry, I forgot. I’ll take you to the hospital." Before I could even refuse, the special ringtone for Luna rang. "Luna's calling! I must answer right away!" His eyes softened instantly as he let go of my hand and answered the call almost immediately. On the other end came Luna’s tearful voice pleading, "Zach, I’m scared. Someone’s knocking at my door. Lately, there’s been a pervert in the neighborhood targeting women who live alone. Can you come over?" "Don’t be scared, Luna. I’m coming right now." He grabbed his coat and was about to leave. "Wait!" I stopped him. He turned around, annoyed. "Luna’s in danger, I have to go. It’s just a slight injury—no need for the hospital! Just bandage it by yourself at home!" When he finished yelling, I silently handed him the car keys. "You left in a rush. Forgot your keys." He stared at me, stunned, as if caught off guard. After a long moment, he finally reached out and took them. At the door, he softened his voice again, "I’ll just go check on her for a bit. I’ll be back soon." I thought it would be like always—he’d disappear all night. So after treating my wound, I just went to sleep. To my surprise, I was awakened not long after. "Autumn, why didn’t you wait up for me?" He looked at me, confused. In the past, no matter how late it was, I’d always wait for him before going to bed, sometimes sitting up until dawn. I replied casually, "I was tired, so I went to sleep first." He stared at me, then pulled a bottle from his pocket and placed it in my hand. "Didn’t your wound open up earlier? I brought you some medicine." I looked closely. It was a bottle of iodine, something I was allergic to. Chapter 2 Back when we were dating, I once scraped my skin. In a panic, Zachary had accidentally used iodine on me, unaware that I was allergic to it. Within moments, I broke out in red rashes all over, my throat swelled, and I could barely breathe. Terrified, he ran out frantically to find a doctor. I still clearly remember the look of worry on his face to this day. Funny thing was, he didn’t. I casually tossed the bottle of iodine into the trash next to me. "Autumn, what the hell is wrong with you? I went out of my way to buy that. What do you mean by throwing it out? Are you going through menopause or something? Why are you being so impossible lately?" Zachary’s face darkened as he grabbed my hand, his words getting sharper and more cutting. I replied calmly, "I’m allergic to that." He froze for a second. Then he crouched down and held my hand, trying to explain, "The store clerk handed it to me. I was in such a rush to get back that I didn’t check." I didn’t respond, but I happened to glance at the diamond ring on his left ring finger. "Where’s your wedding ring?" His eyes darted away. Instinctively, he pulled his hand back and muttered, "Lost it. Must’ve slipped off." I gave a cold laugh and pulled up Luna’s latest social media post on my phone, holding it out for him to see. In the photo, the two of them were wearing matching diamond rings. The caption read, "He got down on one knee and said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me." Someone had commented playfully, "When’s the wedding? Don’t forget our invites!" Luna had replied with a blushing emoji, "Soon." Zachary’s expression turned stiff and awkward. "It was just for fun. We passed a jewelry store, and she thought they looked nice, so I bought a pair. Don’t overthink it. Anyway, that old silver band of yours was outdated. If it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ll take you tomorrow and we’ll get a better one." I set my phone down and said coolly, "Don’t bother. The two of you look great wearing them." He flushed with anger and snapped, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I already explained. It’s just a ring. Do you have to be so petty and paranoid all the time? If there was anything between me and Luna, don’t you think we’d already be together? What would you even matter then?" The exhaustion hit me like a wave. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I lay down, closed my eyes, and said quietly, "I need to rest." He glared at me, then stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Back when we got married, Zachary’s company had been in serious trouble. Trying to be understanding, I had chosen a pair of simple silver bands. He promised that once things got better, he’d buy me something bigger—something that really shone. Now, he’d survived that rough patch with the help of my dowry… and turned around to give all the sparkle to his childhood sweetheart. I looked down at the scratched-up ring on my hand, yanked it off, and tossed it into the trash. Then, I called my lawyer. After that, I had one of the best nights of sleep I’d had in years. The next morning, my efficient lawyer sent me a draft of the divorce agreement. I was reviewing it, about to head out to find Zachary, when he called me first. "Mr. Chapman—the one we do a lot of business with—is getting married today. Get dressed and come down. I’m waiting outside." He hung up before I could say anything. I hesitated, then changed into something appropriate, put on a bit of makeup, and went downstairs. It wasn’t until I got to the car that I noticed that Luna was already sitting in the passenger seat. Chapter 3 "Mrs. Chapman invited Luna too. She’s coming with us, so you can sit in the back." Luna rolled down the window, turned toward me with a smug little tilt of her head, and pointed to the pink sticker on the seatback. It read, "Reserved for Luna." "Autumn, I get carsick. Zachary said it’s better if I sit in the front. You don’t mind, do you?" Before I could say anything, Zachary scoffed. "It’s just a seat. What’s there to mind?" The two of them chatted nonstop all the way to the wedding venue while I sat silently in the back, listening. Once we arrived, Luna casually wrapped her arm around Zachary’s. Still recovering and weak after the miscarriage, I got out slowly. They didn’t wait and just walked off, leaving me behind. Guests passing by assumed they were a couple. Quite a few even came up to greet them. "This must be your wife. So young and beautiful with such grace. Zach, you’ve got great taste!" Zachary glanced back at the dull and worn-out me standing behind them and said nothing to correct them. Luna lifted her chin a little higher, beaming with pride. Then, someone nearby whispered, "Wait… isn’t the woman behind them his actual wife?" Everyone turned to look at me as I just stood there like some tragic joke. "No way. I’ve seen Zach and his wife at events before. I’d recognize her." "Exactly. That woman in the back looks like a housekeeper. The one with Zach? She's young and elegant, obviously his wife." "Come on, we’re talking about a high-profile wedding. Who brings their mistress to something like this in front of their wife? That’d be outrageous." The air felt thick with tension. I lowered my head with my fists clenched tight. Zachary didn’t say a word in my defense. Then, the groom came rushing out, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Let’s all head inside. The ceremony’s about to start!" Zachary kept a firm hold on Luna’s hand as they found seats near the front. Meanwhile, I picked a spot off in the corner. The ceremony was simple. Before long, it was time for the vows. Watching the groom choke up as he spoke his promises, I was suddenly hit by a memory. Zachary had once knelt like that too, his eyes full of sincerity as he swore he’d never let me down. When I said "I do," he had lifted me into his arms and kissed me like I was his whole world. I still remember the joy on his face that day, but now… everything had changed. Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the bridal bouquet sailing through the air. It flew right over my head and landed in Luna’s hands. Before I could even process it, the guests around us cheered. "Looks like there’s another wedding in the works! When are we getting the invite?" Luna blushed and glanced playfully at Zachary, then gently laced her fingers with his. "As soon as someone proposes, I’ll say yes. We already have the rings. We're just waiting on the moment." More cheers erupted, followed by shouts of "Kiss! Kiss!" Luna leaned over and kissed Zachary on the cheek, beaming. That’s when I caught a few side glances and faint murmurs from the crowd near me. "Isn’t that his real wife sitting next to him?" "And she’s just letting this happen? Damn…" "Please. Everyone knows she’s been chasing after him for years. This is gonna be a mess." With a calm smile, I stood up, reached down, and grabbed their interlocked hands, raising them high for all to see. "You know what? This is perfect. There's no better time than now. I’m divorcing Zachary today. You two can have each other." The room went dead silent. Zachary grabbed at my sleeve, looking like he wanted to say something. However, Luna quickly pulled on his arm. "Zach, my stomach’s acting up again…" He immediately turned to her, concern in his eyes. I shook off his grip and walked out without looking back. Chapter 4 After packing up my things at home, I sent the finalized divorce agreement to Zachary. The moment I hit send, my phone rang. I thought he was finally going to talk about the divorce, but the second I picked up, he exploded. "Autumn, I can’t believe how vile you are! You actually posted that video online just to ruin Luna’s reputation? She’s being harassed nonstop. She almost slit her wrists last night! You'd better show up at the press conference and publicly clear her name. Apologize. Now." His yelling made my head spin. I opened my phone and saw the trending topic. "Mistress publicly provokes wife at wedding—shameless and scandalous!" Clicking on it, I saw that the footage from the wedding had gone viral. Thousands of comments were dragging Luna through the mud. "I didn’t post this," I said flatly. He sneered on the other end. "If it wasn’t you, then who else could it be?" Then, as though he was doing me some huge favor, he added, "If you just show up, explain that it was all a misunderstanding, and help fix things, I’ll let the past go. You can still keep your position as Mrs. Reidser." I actually laughed. Even if I had done it, why on earth would I clean up Luna’s mess? And as for dangling the marriage like some prize? That didn’t mean anything to me anymore. "Just sign the divorce papers." I hung up before he could say another word. Zachary kept calling over a dozen times before he finally gave up. However, not even thirty minutes later, the phone rang again. I was about to reject it when I saw the name on the screen: Mom. "Autumn? Grandma’s sick. It’s serious... she might not have much time left. Can you come home?" My heart dropped. My grandmother had raised me, and we were incredibly close. Without hesitation, I grabbed my car keys and sped all the way home, blowing through red lights. However, when I opened the door, the sight that greeted me stopped me cold. Zachary was sitting on the living room sofa. My parents were there too, smiling and fawning over him. "Zachary, please don’t be angry. Once that ungrateful girl gets back, we’ll teach her a lesson." That’s when it hit me. They lied. There was nothing wrong with Grandma. My mom walked over and took my hand, gently coaxing me, "Sweetie, we heard what happened at the wedding. It’s all just a big misunderstanding. Why don’t you help clarify things?" I said nothing as she kept going. "It’s really no big deal—just a few words. And Zach promised he’d give us the Westside development project afterward." I bit my lip, holding back tears, staring at them with a bitter smile. "So you sold me out... for some land?" Their faces darkened. "Don’t say it like that," my dad snapped. "We raised you. Can’t you do one thing for the family? A few words won’t kill you. You’re being selfish." I looked at their greedy, self-righteous faces. All of them were asking me to sacrifice, and none of them cared if it destroyed me. That was exactly why Zachary thought he could control me in this marriage. "I’m not clearing her name. None of you cares about me. Am I even your daughter?" My father’s expression twisted with rage. He slapped me across the face. "You ungrateful brat! You think you’re all grown up now, huh? Time for a real lesson!" He grabbed a belt and raised it to strike me, but Zachary stepped in and caught his arm. "There’s no need for this. Why all this drama over such a small thing? Autumn, even if you won’t do this for your family, think about yourself. You’re a divorced woman now. You're thirty, not some teenage girl. Who’s going to want you?" I stood there stunned. That… that was what he really thought of me. "Come on, Autumn," he continued, his tone softening. "Just cooperate and it’ll all blow over." Everyone in that room was pushing me, pressuring me. I slowly unclenched my fists and said coldly, "Fine. I’ll do it." A collective sigh of relief washed over the room. Zachary immediately called his assistant to organize a press conference that night. The next day, I stood under a wall of flashing cameras, dozens of reporters pointing their mics at me. "Is it true that you were the other woman—that you broke up Mr. Reidser and his childhood sweetheart, Luna?" "Did you leak the wedding video to get revenge? We heard Ms. Luna attempted suicide and is now in the hospital." "Your family’s been accused of blackmailing Mr. Reidser over the years. Care to comment?" Each question was sharper than the last—clearly planted, undoubtedly meant to destroy me. I turned to look at Zachary. He stood off to the side, arms crossed, confident, certain he had me cornered. I reached into my purse and pulled out the hospital report from my miscarriage. My voice rang out, clear and strong. "That video wasn’t a smear campaign. It was the truth. Luna wasn’t just a mistress with no morals. She was the one who caused me to lose my baby."