Herbert stared at Jessica, his expression unreadable.
It was clear now—her marriage really was falling apart.
Jessica thought Herbert didn't believe she was serious about the divorce. Her face was resolute as she continued signing, "I mean it. I need a lawyer. Please help me."
Ever since she'd married Timothy, nearly all her time had been spent at home. She barely had any friends of her own.
She knew very few people.
Timothy had his own legal team, filled with top-tier attorneys. With his status, no ordinary lawyer would dare take him on in court.
The Wheeler family looked formidable too. Jessica figured Herbert probably knew some powerful lawyers.
When Herbert returned home and learned Jessica had been married for seven years, he'd been left with a dull ache in his chest. He was genuinely sorry—perhaps even a little heartbroken.
So when he first sensed there was trouble in her marriage, a small part of him had hoped she might leave Timothy.
But now, hearing Jessica say she wanted a divorce, there wasn't any joy—only worry, and a pressing question: Had these past seven years been good to her?
"Little Mute," Herbert said softly, "tell me—have you suffered a lot these seven years?"
Red veins flickered in Herbert's eyes.
Jessica shook her head, her gestures tinged with sadness. "It's just… there's no love left between us. Seven years, and we couldn't make it through the rough patch."
She'd chosen this marriage herself.
Whatever she'd tasted in those years, she didn't want to share it with anyone. It would only add to the sorrow.
Herbert didn't press her further.
Jessica's mother had died young. Her father had sold their home after his wife's death and disappeared without a trace.
Jessica was raised by her grandmother. With no parents to coddle her, she'd grown up steady and self-reliant.
Whenever she made a decision, it was always after careful thought.
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