CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106: DIVORCE REGISTRATION

Zinnia’s eyelashes fluttered, and she smiled. "I was just thinking about the time I tied Third Brother’s necktie for him. Do you still remember?"

Jenson’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Of course, he remembered, but that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

He felt nothing but utter disappointment and said coldly, "I don’t remember."

Zinnia smiled bitterly. She knew he must have forgotten. After all, that was ten years ago.

That day was his coming-of-age ceremony. As the eldest son of the Forrest Family, his reaching adulthood was a significant event, signifying that the future leader of the Forrest Family had truly grown up, ready to shoulder great responsibilities and begin his own era.

The ceremony was, naturally, planned to be grand and full of pomp. The Forrest Family started preparing three months in advance, and it was during that time that Zinnia pestered Jenson, insisting that she be the one to tie his necktie on such a momentous day.

She had only to mention it, and he agreed without a second thought.

For this reason, she sought advice from the servants, watched tutorial videos, and practiced on a mannequin, determined to tie the most handsome knot for her brother.

Finally, the day of the ceremony arrived. He donned a custom-tailored tuxedo, looking dignified and full of spirit, as if he had transformed from a boy into a man overnight.

When she ran into the room holding the necktie and saw him standing by the window, she froze. He seemed like a stranger, yet his presence stirred a budding, new emotion in her heart.

He beckoned her over with a familiar smile, and only then did she walk up to him, her face flushing nervously.

She was incredibly nervous, mainly because two years of abuse from York Lawrence had stunted her growth. Despite being in middle school, she was still tiny, like a little bean sprout.

She stood on her tiptoes, nearly jumping, but she still couldn’t reach Jenson’s neck to put the tie around it.

The nearby servants were laughing, and she flushed with embarrassment.

"Third Brother, you’re doing this on purpose! Bend down!" she cried out, on the verge of tears.

He burst out laughing and then bent down. But it wasn’t how she had imagined. He bent over and lifted her straight into his arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, I won’t tease you anymore."

She had practiced diligently, but for some reason, she was so flustered that she fumbled the knot twice in a row.

Katherine Rhodes grew impatient and came to check on them. The moment she walked in and saw the scene, her temper flared. "What kind of day is this!" she said sternly. "What is the meaning of this! Put her down this instant. I’ll do it."

Zinnia lowered her head in shame and frustration, but Jenson didn’t put her down. Instead, he held her a little higher and said, "Go on, tie it. There’s no rush."

She still remembers the tender, doting tone in his voice.

Her spirits lifted, and she mustered her courage to continue tying his necktie.

Katherine Rhodes said angrily, "Since when does a sister tie her brother’s necktie? That’s a wife’s duty! Your future wife won’t be happy when she finds out. After all, you aren’t blood-related, you—"

Jenson cut her off with a sharp look. "Mother, you’re making a mountain out of a molehill," he said lightly. "If my future wife can’t tolerate Zinnia, then I’d rather not have one. Besides, I, Jenson Forrest, am letting my sister do this. I’d let her do it for a lifetime. Who dares to question it?"

His words gave Katherine Rhodes a splitting headache, and she stormed out, pressing a hand to her temple.

But later, she became his wife, and he became the man who refused to come home.

Zinnia never imagined that as his wife, the only time she would tie his necktie would be under circumstances like these.

So, at this moment, she tied it with great care and deliberation, as if she were a child about to run away from home, secretly savoring her last precious piece of cake.

But Jenson suddenly raised his hand and pulled the necktie from Zinnia’s hands.

"That’s enough," he said coldly. "If you don’t want to be Mrs. Forrest, then don’t do the things Mrs. Forrest should do."

With that, he opened the car door and stepped out.

Zinnia felt the satin necktie slip through her fingers. She instinctively clenched her fist, but she caught nothing but air.

Timothy Cohen arrived quickly. Once Jenson had the documents, he and Zinnia entered the administrative hall together.

The driver approached them. "President Forrest, I already took a number for you. It’s almost our turn."

Timothy Cohen, following behind, stared at the driver in disbelief, a flicker of pity in his eyes. I thought my own attempt at being clever was foolish enough for one day, but here’s someone to take the crown. What a pal.

Jenson’s expression didn’t change. He took the ticket from the driver and led Zinnia to the counter. That very night, the driver was dispatched to a remote post in the borderlands, but that is a story for another time.

At the counter, the clerk handling divorces looked at the striking couple before her with a regretful expression. They were a perfect match. With genes like that, their children would be so beautiful it would be a service to society.

"Have the two of you really thought it through? Or would you like to speak with our mediator over there—"

Before she could finish, Zinnia and Jenson spoke in near-unison.

"We’ve thought it through."

"No need."

The clerk sighed. Seeing how determined they were, she knew there was no point in saying more. They had no children, and the divorce agreement was already signed.

But when the clerk glanced at the divorce agreement, she immediately became furious. What is this divorce agreement? The husband isn’t giving his ex-wife any assets, and on top of that, the wife is paying him thirty million?

The clerk’s admiring expression vanished, replaced by a sharp, disdainful look at Jenson. She then turned to Zinnia. "Miss, did you voluntarily sign this divorce agreement?"

Zinnia nodded. "Yes, it was voluntary."

The clerk didn’t believe her. "Miss, don’t be afraid. If you’ve been threatened or coerced, you can tell us..."

Jenson’s face darkened. Zinnia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, really!"

No? Then the clerk understood. To think that such an imposing man was actually a freeloader, squeezing such a huge sum out of his wife in the divorce. It really takes all kinds.

The clerk’s attitude changed completely. She processed their paperwork with swift efficiency and said, "There is a thirty-day cooling-off period. During this time, either party can withdraw the divorce application. After thirty days, you can come back to receive your divorce certificate."

She explained the procedure clearly and handed back their documents.

Zinnia asked, "I’m going abroad in a few days. Does the divorce certificate have to be picked up in person? Or can a friend collect it on my behalf?"

As soon as she asked, the cold aura around the man beside her intensified palpably.

He glared down at her, his voice seething between his teeth. "Heh. Zinnia, are you really this dismissive, even about our divorce?"

Zinnia felt a pang of guilt. She had actually checked online and knew that the divorce certificate had to be collected in person. But for one, she would already be abroad, and coming back would be too much of a hassle. For another, she was afraid her baby bump might be showing by then, and Jenson would find out. That’s why she had forced herself to ask.

But the clerk shook her head. "After the cooling-off period, you must come in person to collect it. No one can do it for you."

Zinnia nodded, somewhat disappointed.

Then the clerk suddenly added a piece of advice for Zinnia. "Miss, next time you choose a husband, keep your eyes wide open. You can’t just go by looks." That man is a freeloader, and he was acting so fierce earlier. What an attitude.

Zinnia was speechless.

Jenson scoffed, then turned and strode out, his retreating figure radiating a forbidding chill.

"Thank you, ma’am," Zinnia explained with an awkward smile. "But I’m really the one who didn’t want anything. He’s not the kind of man who scams women for money. Please don’t misunderstand him."

Even as they were divorcing, she couldn’t bear the thought of Jenson being scorned.

She turned and hurried after him. From behind the counter, the clerk watched them go. What a strange couple, she thought. Could it be that the wife was the one who cheated?

Zinnia felt guilty, thinking she was the reason the clerk had looked down on Jenson. She caught up to him. "Third Brother, don’t be angry. I already explained to the clerk, I—"

But she trailed off when she saw Katherine Rhodes and Crystal Sutton walking toward them.