"Maybe my taste is just off," Evelyn added.
"That's fine. People's tastes change. I might just be ahead of the curve. In two years, you might find me very pleasing to the eye," Alexander replied with a smile.
Evelyn couldn't help but laugh. Her heart ached, but he still managed to amuse her.
The next morning, Evelyn went to the main house.
She couldn't hide the divorce from her mother-in-law forever. It was better to tell her directly.
In the main house, Chloe told Mrs. Sterling that the young lady had arrived.
She invited Evelyn to sit in the room and went to make tea.
"Mother," Evelyn called out, a little uneasy as she entered the room.
"Evelyn, sit down," Eleanor called.
"Mother, how have you been these past few days?" Evelyn sat down and asked.
"Very well," Eleanor replied.
"That's good," Evelyn nodded.
She didn't know how to start. She hesitated.
Eleanor wasn't in a hurry. She waited for Evelyn to speak.
After a moment, Evelyn finally took the initiative.
"Mother, I'm moving back to my parents' house with the baby tomorrow."
"It's fine to go back to your parents' house for a few days," Eleanor replied.
"Mother," Evelyn explained awkwardly, "Alexander and I..."
"What about you and Alexander?"
"Alexander and I are getting a divorce," Evelyn said, forcing the words out.
"Oh," Eleanor answered.
Evelyn grew more nervous. Her mother-in-law was always a person who showed neither happiness nor anger.
Her faint voice made it impossible for Evelyn to guess her meaning.
"Can't go on?" Eleanor looked at Evelyn and asked.
"Mother, I will always bring the baby to see you. But I won't live with Alexander anymore."
"I know. You're a good child. It's our Alexander who failed you," Eleanor sighed.
"Mother, don't say that. It's just that Alexander and I aren't suited for each other. It's not that he did anything wrong."
"You're getting a divorce, and you're still making excuses for him," Eleanor replied.
"Mother, I'm just telling the truth," Evelyn said, lowering her head.
"Still thinking about Grace?" Eleanor asked faintly.
Evelyn suddenly felt embarrassed. Her face flushed. She didn't know what to say.
"That's all in the past."
Evelyn bowed her head and said nothing.
"Well, you're getting a divorce. What about the baby?"
"The baby lives with me. But if you want to see the baby, I'll bring him back often."
"You young people have already made up your minds. There's nothing more I can say.
Evelyn, no matter what, you are still our daughter-in-law. If you ever need anything in the future, please come back home and visit."
"Okay, thank you, Mother," Evelyn replied.
"Mother, thank you for taking care of me all these years. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better daughter-in-law.
I hope you stay healthy. The baby and I will come back to see you often," Evelyn said, her voice choked with emotion.
"You don't have to see anyone else in the family," Eleanor said.
Evelyn nodded.
After returning from the main house, Evelyn felt low.
She sat in the garden pavilion.
Maybe many people didn't think she and Alexander needed to get a divorce.
Alexander knew he was wrong now. She should forgive him. She shouldn't be so serious, so stubborn.
But she still couldn't get past the barrier in her heart.
Before this, she had told Alexander clearly.
She told him to think carefully about what he truly wanted in his heart.
No matter what decision he made, she would respect and support him.
If Alexander chose to continue living with her, he had to be completely devoted to her. Even emotional infidelity was something she couldn't accept.
But after the first time, there was a second time. She was afraid there would be a third time, and endless times after that.
She couldn't live in an endless cycle of apologizing, forgiving, and making the same mistakes again.
She asked Alexander, why couldn't he forgive Grace when she made a mistake?
What she really wanted to tell him was this: since you couldn't forgive Grace for one mistake, why should I forgive you for your repeated mistakes?
Just because she loved him?
When did love become a reason for being hurt?
So, whether people opposed her or thought she was pretending, she just wanted to stick to her principles for once.
Marriage wasn't a joke, but life was longer.
She couldn't have both. She could only choose her own life.
Evelyn went to the Rose Garden Villa after a long time.
She didn't dare tell her sister-in-law about the divorce. She just said she was taking the baby back to her parents' home for a while. If she wanted to chat, she could call her.
When she came out of the Rose Garden Villa, she ran into Ethan.
"Little aunt..."
"Ethan, aren't you going to work this afternoon?" Evelyn asked, surprised.
"No, I came back to get something."
"Oh. I'll head back first," Evelyn said, turning to walk toward Sterling Manor.
"Auntie, are you really divorcing my little uncle?" Ethan asked.
"Yes," Evelyn answered.
"Why?" Ethan asked.
"Nothing. We're just not suited for each other," Evelyn replied awkwardly.
This reason had almost become a universal excuse.
"Strange. You used to think my little uncle was gay, and you could accept that. Why do you think you're not suited now?" Ethan wondered.
"I..." Evelyn didn't know how to answer.
"Is it because my little uncle isn't gay, but you're actually a lesbian?" Ethan asked half-jokingly.
"Nonsense. I'm not talking to you. Come visit me when you have time," Evelyn finished, ignoring Ethan and turning toward Sterling Manor.
"Little aunt, if you divorce my little uncle, he'll cry himself to death," Ethan called after her.
"Shut up," Evelyn turned her head and glared at him.
Ethan touched his nose and shrugged.
"Oh, you two love to make things difficult."
He then entered the Rose Garden Villa.
Evelyn returned to Sterling Manor. She felt Ethan's words weren't unreasonable.
Why could she accept Alexander when she thought he was old, ugly, and short? But now that he was actually good, she couldn't accept him?
In the end, it was her own psychology.
Before, marriage was just marriage to her. It was a change from being unmarried to being married. She lived with a stranger for a while. Nothing else changed. And she had no other choice at the time.