Chapter 143


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


    Anastasia gasped at the sudden revtion. 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-inw 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 constantints 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 nced 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 sses. “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.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    “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 herughter.


    “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 youngdy is quite cunning. She made sure I knew about her


    pregnancy and used 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, offeringfort.:


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


    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


    stor.