Chapter 143: Chapter 143

Back in those days, infertility meant a death sentence for a woman.

Anastasia gasped at the sudden revelation. Yet, Andrea maintained her smile that radiated ease. “The first time we got divorced was because I couldn’t bear a child. And so, my mother-in-law hit and cursed me, forcing me to get a divorce. But Maverick didn’t want to and left his house in a fit of rage. Later, when he understood how much humility I received from his family, he agreed to a divorce. During that time, I felt like my whole world was crushed. Frustration, hatred, and distress filled me. But, all of these were futile. At that time, I understood that a person only has one life. It’s better to start anew than to continue being upset with them. A change was far more worthy than constant complaints about my life. That’s why I came to Hork all by myself. I was working three different jobs, including sewing, housekeeping, you name it. After saving a sum of money, I started my own business.”

Andrea was talking about the predecessor of the Lopez Group. Her smile never wavered as she spoke.

“You probably wouldn’t have guessed that I was the foundation of the Lopez family’s business, would you?”

Anastasia’s gaze remained fixed on Andrea, a mixture of surprise and respect in her eyes.

“In my second year of starting the business in Hork, a crisis struck the factory. Just when I was lost and plunged into a moment of despair once again, Maverick found me. He told me that he wished to invest and build the business together with me. But I refused because he had remarried and his wife was already pregnant,” Andrea recounted, her fingers tracing over a photo.

Anastasia unconsciously clenched her fingers tightly, her head bowing as her eyes welled up.

“Grandma Andrea, you’ve always loved him, haven’t you?”

She couldn’t help but think whether it was worth it.

Just because Andrea couldn’t bear children of her own, she had to endure a divorce and watch Maverick marry someone else.

“Of course I do. There’s only been one man I loved in my life,” Andrea answered with a hoarse voice.

She gently caressed Maverick’s photo. “But I’ve also resented him. Not long after I rejected him, his wife suffered a difficult childbirth and passed away, leaving Maverick behind. During that time, it was a downfall for his family. They had no money, so he had to work tirelessly. Besides, his mother was sick and he had no one to take care of his child. Desperation led him to carry the child to me and ask for help in raising him.”

Anastasia glanced at Andrea. “And you agreed?”

Andrea nodded. “I promised to raise the baby with him. Gradually, I realized I still had feelings for him.

When the child called me mother, the feeling was indescribable. That’s when I began to consider the idea of getting remarried.”

As Andrea flipped through the photos, she shared her story with Anastasia, piece by piece. “And with that, we had been together for more than 40 years.”

She closed the album and removed her glasses. “Just one year before Maverick passed away, I was 65 years old. At that time, I filed for a divorce again.”

Once again, another wave of shock washed over Anastasia.

She couldn’t fathom why Andrea would ask for a divorce at the age of 65.

“Why?” Anastasia asked in confusion.

“Marriage is never the yoke that binds us women, but rather, it serves as a barrier to protect us.

Maverick was a good person. Despite that, I still couldn’t bring myself to get over the fact that he had been married twice and had another woman in his life. Even the child belonged to that woman.”

Andrea shook her head. She thought she was able to move on, but the stronger her love for Maverick, the more difficult it became to let go.

“Did Grandpa Maverick agree to the divorce?” Anastasia inquired.

Andrea smiled warmly. “Yes, he was more than happy to do it. He said that after the divorce, it felt like the stone that had been weighing on his heart for all these years was finally lifted. He often felt remorse and expressed his desire to win back my heart. Sadly, fate didn’t grant him that opportunity.”

Anastasia chuckled, tears mixing with her laughter.

“I’m sharing all of this with you, Annie, because I want you to understand that divorce isn’t something to be afraid of. You should listen to your heart. If you believe there’s a chance to salvage things, then consider giving him another shot. If you feel that he doesn’t deserve it, then don’t hesitate to turn around and walk away. Remember, there’s no absolute right or wrong in life,” Andrea advised.

Anastasia lifted her head, trying hard to fight back her tears.

After a moment, her voice wavered as she said, “Grandma Andrea, is Felicia talking nonsense again?”

With a sigh, Andrea replied, “That young lady is quite cunning. She made sure I knew about her pregnancy and accused you of having an abortion.”

In reality, Andrea knew everything.

Anastasia couldn’t hold back any longer. Her tears finally broke free, cascading down her cheeks.

“Good girl. I know you’ve gone through a lot. Life is short. Don’t let anything anchor you.” Andrea hugged Anastasia and gently patted her back, offering comfort.:

Anastasia nodded and in a hoarse voice, she said, “Grandma Andrea, I want to… divorce Alastor.”

Andrea let out a sympathetic sigh and nodded in understanding. “Alright, dear. I’ll help you.”

Andrea had developed a fondness for Anastasia because she felt she was like the younger version of herself.

The fact that Anastasia was determined to divorce was probably because she had been utterly hurt by Alastor.