Chapter 1

Jessica paced in the living room, waiting for her husband, Dylan Robinson, to return home from work.

She was a beautiful, curvy woman, and she had been married to Dylan for five years. She had been submissive, loving, and devoted to taking care of their home and two children. Yet, all of a sudden, Dylan had changed.

Jessica had a son and a daughter with Dylan. Her first son, Caleb, was a five-year-old boy, and her second child, Nina, was a two-year-old girl. Both were fast asleep in their separate bedrooms.

For two nights, since Dylan left for work on Monday morning, Jessica hadn't seen him return home. She had noticed his mood change before he left that morning.

Jessica stood in the living room and called Dylan to find out where he was, but the network provider informed her, "Sorry, the mobile number you are trying to call is unavailable at the moment. Please try again later."

"Oh! Where could Dylan be?" Jessica murmured in frustration, having called his phone several times. She really needed to see her husband.

She had lied to their children, telling them their father had gone to work on Monday morning. Yet Dylan hadn't come home at all, and she couldn’t keep up with the pretense.

Jessica heard the sound of a car drive into their compound and park. She went outside, peeked, and saw that Dylan had finally returned. She sighed and went back inside to wait for him to come in.

Soon, Dylan stepped out of his car and walked into the mansion. He was a 30-year-old black man, and he owned DY Mobile Company.

He entered the living room and saw Jessica standing there in her long white nightgown. She greeted him, "Welcome home, sweetheart."

"Hmm," Dylan frowned.

He looked at the divorce papers in his hand that his longtime lover, Rosie Andrew, had given him to deliver to Jessica and demand a divorce.

Dylan walked up to Jessica without responding to her greeting, and he thrust the divorce papers into her hands. He told her, "I can't continue pretending with you anymore, Jessica. Read through these divorce papers, sign them, and pack your things tomorrow. Return to your father's house. You can take the kids if you want, or leave them behind, but make sure you pack and leave. I will give you some funds, shares of my company revenue, and pay you off later, but this marriage is over. So, leave."

"What!" Jessica gasped at her husband's statement. She looked at the divorce papers in her hands.

'Is this a dream?' Jessica wondered, staring up at Dylan as he walked away toward the stairs.

Instead of explaining where he had been for the past three days, Dylan handed her divorce papers and ordered her to sign them.

Jessica snapped out of her trance and quickly called after him. "Wait, Dylan! What's the meaning of this? You just got home, and instead of explaining where you've been, you're talking about divorce? What did I do wrong?"

Jessica looked tearful as Dylan paused and turned back to face her. He asked, "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Jessica?"

Jessica was puzzled by his question and stared at herself from head to toe to understand what he meant.

"Are you the same woman I married five years ago? Look at yourself, Jessica. You've become fat overnight, and I can't continue with you." Dylan spat coldly. "I can't carry you or make love to you the way I want because you've outgrown me. This marriage isn't working anymore. Sign the divorce papers and leave!"

"No, Dylan! We can't divorce. I love you, and I'm working on myself."

Jessica had been a banker before meeting Dylan, but after giving birth to Nina, she started gaining weight. Dylan complained she was lazy and insisted she quit her job to care for their children, stating that she couldn't leave all the work to the maid.

Dylan fired the maid, and Jessica thought the maid had done something wrong, but the maid was innocent.

Dylan insisted that Jessica cook for him, spend time with their kids, and Jessica happily complied to make their marriage work and please Dylan. Yet, now he was filing for divorce.

Jessica cried, "No, Dylan! I can't divorce you. After five years of our marriage, this can't be happening."

Dylan paused and replied, "Just sign the divorce papers, and leave. I'm not the first man to divorce his wife, and I won't be the last."

Jessica tearfully asked, "What did I do wrong, Dylan? Why are you destroying our marriage?"

Dylan turned and replied, "You've turned ugly, Jessica, not the same woman I married. Leave!"

"What!" Jessica was shocked at Dylan's statement. She looked at her husband's face in disbelief. He smelled of alcohol, and she noticed the red lipstick on his lips.

Jessica didn't want to believe Dylan was already cheating on her. She asked, "What did you just say, Dylan? That I'm ugly?"

"Yes, Jessica. Or am I lying? Was this how I married you? Agreed, you're a billionaire's daughter, and your father helped me in the past. So what? I can't continue pretending with you anymore. You've turned fat, not the kind of wife I want at home, so leave." Dylan spat coldly, and Jessica's heart broke at his final statement.

Tears streamed down her face, soaking the divorce papers in her hands.

She sobbed, "No, Dylan, I can't accept this divorce. It's not my fault I'm fat now. Some women gain weight after childbirth. It's not a disease."

Dylan climbed the stairs, paused, and looked back at Jessica. She looked innocent in her nightgown, and indeed, she hadn't been this way when they married.

He replied, "I can't continue pretending with you, Jessica. Read the divorce papers and sign them. I acknowledge all your efforts to make our marriage work and your family's support, but this marriage isn't working. I can't keep sleeping outside my home or renting hotel rooms when I have a luxurious mansion. So sign the papers and leave."

Dylan continued up the stairs to the master bedroom they shared, leaving Jessica alone in the living room, staring at the divorce papers.

Jessica looked at the clock and saw it was already after 11 PM. Yet Dylan was just returning from work, despite his company usually closing by 5 PM.

Jessica screamed, "No, Dylan! This can't be happening. We can't divorce!"

Tears rolled down her face, soaking the divorce papers. She said, "You can't divorce me, Dylan! I wasn't like this before, and I can't change overnight just to please you."

Jessica fell back onto one of the black couches in their living room. She remembered the first day she met Dylan.

Dylan had been a handsome and trustworthy man, the kind of man any woman would pray for.

In the early stages of their relationship, Dylan had been sweet, romantic, and never tired in bed. He made her want him, and she couldn't resist his charm.

If anyone had told her then that Dylan would one day break up or divorce her, Jessica would have dismissed them as a hater. She dated Dylan for two years before they married.

But now, Dylan wanted a divorce, ending their five-year marriage despite all she had done for him.

"No, Dylan! I can't accept this. You're cheating on me. Come back here, and explain to me what happened to the man I married. You can't divorce me now, after five years. Never! I won't accept this."

"How can you just return home tonight after two days away, and tell me I'm fat and ugly, not the wife you want? No, Dylan! I won't accept this." Jessica stood up from the couch and rushed upstairs to confront her husband.