Chapter 8
288 Vouchers
The next day, Benjamin rushed to the precinct only to be escorted directly into the interrogation room.
“Do you admit to extramarital affairs? Does the child your wife mentioned exist?”
Accustomed to decades of Johnson family influence over government connections, Benjamin expected mere formali- ties. Being grilled by a junior officer stunned him.
His privileged status couldn’t tolerate such interrogation. He snapped:
“Where’s your supervisor? What nonsense are you spouting?”
The police chief hurriedly unlocked Benjamin’s handcacks, wiping his brow. “Apologies, Benjamin. Just an intern’s misunderstanding.”
Benjamin frowned as his assistant wiped the dust from his hands, then demanded, “Where’s my wife?”
The chief smiled while opening the door: “We’re releasing Miss Mitchell right now. Slander, pure slander. Just a small misunderstanding between her and Miss Roberts. We’ll mediate.”
“No, I meant Olivia–”
I stood in the lobby, raising my phone with a smile: “Really? But provincial bureau investigators are almost here. It’s not your call anymore.”
Of course, a tiny city police department couldn’t hold Benjamin. But I’d already submitted evidence to the national supreme court about Sophia’s embezzlement and the Carters bribing officials.
No matter how powerful the Carters were as local bullies, how could they overpower the nation’s laws?
The bureau chief was shocked, snatched my phone and smashed it to the ground, Benjamin looked at me displeased:
“Sophia doesn’t know any better, just have her apologize, why did you make a scene here?”
“This time I won’t hold it against you, I can remarry you, as long as you apologize to Sophia first.”
Although the phone was destroyed, the scene was already live-streamed, Benjamin and the bureau chief’s arrogant display caused an uproar.
A few days later, the court brought the case to trial, Benjamin denied having an affair in court.
Unexpectedly, the lawyer presented his paternity test: “Do you still have any doubts now?”
He looked incredulously at Sophia on the other side, Sophia was panicked:
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“I, I didn’t mean to, I was just afraid you wouldn’t acknowledge them as heirs, I wanted to leave some security for the
children.”
Benjamin swallowed his anger, and had no choice but to stop denying it.
Before he could compose himself, I let out a cold laugh as evidence of his bribing officials to secure projects sur-
faced.
Next came proof of his embezzlement and workplace oppression leading to an employee’s suicide.
Each accusation stood with irrefutable evidence. He stared at me in disbelief,
“How could you be so heartless, Olivia?”
I produced my medical report: “Who’s more heartless than you? Your thugs beat my family until we suffered internal injuries-that’s another charge of intentional assault!”
Ultimately, Benjamin received a twenty-year combined sentence. By his release near age fifty, his arrogance would be long gone.
Sophia got eight years. Thinking of her young child, she collapsed to her knees crying, clutching my pants:
“I’m sorry, Olivia! Please file a leniency petition-my child needs care!”
I wrenched her hand away: “Did you ever let me go?”
“I’ve already signed the divorce papers and stepped aside for you and your child, yet you still won’t leave me alone, bullying my family!”
“You should be grateful the property management came early that day. If my parents’ injuries had been worse, I’d have made sure your child paid for your sins alongside you!”
Seeing her in-laws bring the child, she rushed outside to hold him, only to be shoved away by her mother-in-law.
“One last look is enough. Don’t touch him – you’ll corrupt him!”
Sophia grabbed Benjamin’s hand, weeping, but was kicked to the ground. She glared up at him furiously: “How could you do this? We’re married!”
“Who said we’re married? Olivia and I are the real couple! We’ve been married for years. If not for your interference, we could have been so happy.”
The two began brawling outside the courthouse, spat at and shoved by passersby.
After finally shaking off Sophia, who was tearing at him, Benjamin stopped me: “Olivia, I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was so vicious and bullied you behind my back.”
“I know I was wrong and broke up with her. If you want children, we can have as many as you want.”
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I looked at the dazzling sun in the sky: “You’re not admitting you were wrong; you just can’t bully me anymore.”
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“From maliciously mocking me for being unworthy of bearing children to letting your subordinate be called away by Sophia to bully me, did you really not know what she was up to?”
He was stunned: “I really didn’t want to divorce you, otherwise I wouldn’t have treated you well for so many years.”
“Who signed the divorce papers? Who slept in Sophia’s bed? Who fathered her child? And who, at the police precinct, helped Sophia suppress me and smooth things over?”
“You enjoy playing dumb, but I won’t play along.”
Ignoring his pleas to stay, I got into the car heading home and had a warm lunch with my family.
Benjamin was right-he never truly loved Sophia that much, and he kept running back to deceive me precisely be- cause he still had feelings for me.
But it all boiled down to his self-obsession. Even a woman he didn’t fully love wasn’t worth sacrificing his own com- fort for.
As for Sophia and me, we were just pawns he could discard to serve his selfish desires.
Thankfully, we were already divorced, with no child binding us together.
Raising glasses with my family, we celebrated today’s victory in court with our favorite drinks. My smile radiated pure joy.
Choosing what I love, not what others expect-that’s true happiness.
The sun is shining bright, and so is my life.
