Chapter 5 A Secret Revealed

Scarlett's POV

The next morning, we went to the court.

I drummed my fingers impatiently on the polished marble countertop at the court. The clerk behind the counter reviewed our documents with infuriating slowness before looking up at us with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, but the law requires a one-month cooling-off period before finalizing any divorce."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

"It's standard procedure," she explained, sliding our papers into a folder. "You'll need to return in one month to complete the process."

I glanced at my watch and suppressed a groan. "Funny how getting married took all of five minutes, but divorcing requires a month-long waiting period," I muttered, calculating how much time I had left to catch my train.

Gabriel's lips twitched with brief amusement before his expression returned to its usual marble-carved composure. "Those are the regulations. We'll have to wait the month out."

Outside on the steps of the court, we exchanged contact information. No amount of frustration would change our situation.

"I need to go," I said, already scanning the street for a taxi. "I have a train to catch."

"Let me drive you," Gabriel offered unexpectedly.

"No need." I raised my hand, and a yellow cab immediately pulled over. "I'll contact you in a month."

I made it to the train station just before noon, as agreed with Jack. The moment I spotted him near the entrance, my heart sank. His face was ashen, clearly emotional and on the verge of collapse.

"Jack, what's wrong?" I asked, approaching quickly.

His eyes locked onto mine, filled with accusation. "Were you planning to back out of our wedding?"

"What? Of course not," I responded, genuinely confused.

"Then why didn't you answer my calls or reply to my texts?"

I quickly checked my phone and discovered Jack had indeed called numerous times and sent multiple messages while I was dealing with the Gabriel situation.

"I'm sorry, my phone was on silent. I didn't hear it," I explained, which was partly true.

"You're really not trying to break things off?" Jack still seemed unconvinced, his voice trembling slightly.

"No, I'm here, aren't I?" I forced a reassuring smile.

Upon hearing this, Jack finally relaxed, his emotional state gradually improving. I gave him a resigned smile and guided him toward our platform.

On the train, my phone buzzed with messages from Lucas:

[Dr. S, are you really going to marry beneath yourself to Jack? Don't you think you're selling yourself short?]

[If it's about repaying his grandmother's small kindness from your childhood, you've done more than enough for their family over the years, both openly and behind the scenes.]

After reading the messages, I replied simply: [A promise is worth more than gold.]

When I was a child, I wasn't favored by my parents and was often beaten and scolded by them. Jack's grandmother took pity on me and occasionally took me in. I was very grateful to her, so when Jack's grandmother passed away and asked me to marry Jack, I agreed and have kept my promise ever since.

Lucas sent another message:

[Dr. S, New York's richest man Gabriel Rothschild has contacted our team, wanting you to treat his brother's leg.]

Without hesitation, I replied: [Not interested!]

[Why not? I heard his brother Philip was injured while saving Gabriel, and Gabriel feels terribly guilty about it. If you could heal his brother, he might be willing to offer himself in marriage. Think about his net worth—doesn't that tempt you?]

My mouth twitched in annoyance. Marriage? Right now I couldn't even get divorced! If Gabriel discovered that my income yesterday exceeded his by $200 million and counted as marital property to be divided, I'd be at a serious disadvantage.

When we finally arrived in Maple Creek, something was clearly wrong. The usually quiet Parker residence was bustling with activity. Dozens of luxury cars were parked outside, the small yard was packed with people, and there were even camera crews filming. Villagers climbed walls and trees to watch, whispering and gossiping among themselves.

Jack pushed through the crowd into the yard, panic written across his face. Before he could speak, an elegantly dressed middle-aged couple rushed over to embrace him, sobbing loudly:

"Son, we've been searching for you for so long! Oh, my baby..."

I tried to follow, but the crowd suddenly surged toward the center of the yard, pushing me back outside the gate.

The villagers gathered around me, all talking at once:

"Scarlett, have you heard the news? Jack was actually bought from traffickers by the Parkers! His birth parents have found him!"

"See those luxury cars? Jack is actually from a wealthy family!"

"Do you regret not marrying Jack sooner? He used to be beneath you, but now he's a rich heir. He won't want you anymore."

I stood frozen in shock—what sounded like a soap opera plot was happening right before my eyes. I decided to head home first.

At the corner two blocks from my house, I bumped into a tall figure—my father. My mother and sister Emma were with him, carrying local specialties, obviously planning to bring gifts to the Parkers. Emma was wearing a new dress and had her hair freshly styled.

The three of them were chatting happily, but their faces darkened simultaneously when they recognized me.

"What are you doing back here?" my mother asked irritably.

Having grown accustomed to their favoritism and coldness since childhood, I answered calmly, "Mom, did you forget? Jack and I were planning to get our marriage license tomorrow."

My mother snickered with contempt. "Marriage license? Do you still think you're good enough for Jack? Before, when the Parkers were poor, they had to settle for you. But now that Jack is a rich heir, why would he even look at you?"

Seeing my mother's attitude, I felt angry yet helpless. Noticing Emma's expensive new dress, I had a realization and said sarcastically, "Mom, are you thinking Emma would be a better match for Jack now?"

"Isn't that obvious?" she responded shamelessly. "Our Emma is smart and beautiful, and she's a college student. Isn't she better suited for Jack than you? Why are you being so passive-aggressive?"

I found the situation absurd. Previously, they looked down on Jack, calling him "hopeless trash." Yet today, these three people were desperate to ingratiate themselves with the newly discovered heir.

"Sister, what's that look for?" Emma pushed me impatiently. "Jack won't want you anymore. Only if I marry him instead can our family secure this windfall!"

I couldn't help but smile sarcastically. "Fine, then hurry up. I'll wait at home for you to bring back all that wealth."

The three gave me a "glad you know your place" look before hurrying toward the Parker home.