Running Away with the Ball: Kicking Away the Man Who Deceived and Played with Women's Feelings, Regaining My Life

# Chapter 1

My husband, Richard Montgomery, was frantic. His kept woman, Serena Yu, had run off, pregnant.

He was like a cat on a hot tin roof, pulling every string he had.

He flew overseas to appease her personally.

"When you get back, give her the Best Actress award," he ordered me before leaving.

"Are you coming back?" I asked quietly.

He impatiently snatched the file from my hand.

"Of course I'm coming back. Are you that dependent on me?"

He signed the papers, tossed the file aside, and left.

He was in such a hurry, he didn't even see what he'd just signed: our divorce papers.

I'd been married to Richard for seven years, and he'd had countless mistresses.

I'd turned a blind eye.

Until Serena appeared.

She was the belle of the dance academy, a seemingly innocent lily.

After meeting Richard, she claimed she didn't want money or fame, only him.

Unfortunately, Richard could give her anything but marriage.

To compensate, he showered her with opportunities, transforming her from an unknown student into a top actress.

He shielded her from any shady dealings, secured her roles with A-list actors, and pampered her relentlessly.

She was on the verge of superstardom.

Then she got pregnant.

And ran off.

On our anniversary.

"Ma'am, Mr. Montgomery is really leaving!"

As soon as Richard was gone, my assistant, Chloe, rushed in.

"Aren't you going to stop him? Didn't he promise you...?"

Richard had promised to spend our seventh anniversary with me.

I'd meticulously planned it.

Suddenly, I remembered the first time I met Serena.

Richard said he was going to the dance academy to scout actors, that he'd found a girl with amazing talent.

As the company producer, I should have gone to take a look.

She was in the dance studio, dancing ballet, as light as a butterfly, but when Richard turned around, she sneered in my ear,

"Auntie, at your age, can you really keep up with Mr. Montgomery?"

"Look at yourself. Do you even have any sex appeal left?"

She wasn't wrong.

She was better than me in every way.

I smiled, putting away the divorce papers.

"Chloe, find my mother's jade bracelet."

It was my only keepsake.

I instructed my lawyer to take inventory of my companies and prepare for a management change.

I told the housekeeper to remove all traces of "me."

Finally, I packed my personal belongings.

There weren't many.

Just some gifts.

This Cartier necklace, a birthday present from him when I turned 28.

This Hermès bag, an anniversary surprise last year.

These wedding rings, custom-made by him.

One-of-a-kind, with our initials engraved inside.

He had been so good to me, making me believe I was his only one.

But after only six months, he started cheating.

"Wendy, don't you have any friends? Why do you have to cling to me so much?"

"Wendy, I'm busy, I don't have time to coddle you!"

"Wendy! Why are you so difficult?!"

Passion fades.

Before Serena, Richard was already tired of me.

I left all the luxury goods, jewelry, and gifts Richard gave me in the bedroom.

I didn't want to s...