Legacy of Love

Facade of Regret

Rex sat with Cassandra in a cafe near the law office. He’d gotten to the office earlier than scheduled so Cassandra could help him practice looking pitiful and sorrowful. His ‘regret’ face was almost perfect when he held back the desire to chuckle.

“It's almost time. Are you ready?” Cassandra asked, resting a hand on his arm.

“Yeah,” he nodded, “Let me try again. It’s fun.” He sipped his coffee, set the mug on the table, and smiled.

Rex put his game face on and stared at Cassandra as he began his role-play. He sat across the table from Cassandra, contorting his expression to exude a mocked air of forced sympathy and faux concern. Then he pushes a brown envelope of his fake divorce papers toward her, his voice smooth as he expresses his “regret.”

Cassandra clasps her hands over her mouth. “Oh my gosh, Rex, this last time was perfect. I was totally convinced.”

“Really? Then I should get going.” He stood. “Wait here for me. It shouldn't take more than an hour. We can go celebrate later."

In the conference room, Rex stood before the large floor-to-ceiling window that took over one room wall. It had started to rain. Sierra would be there soon. He wondered if she brought an umbrella. She was such a klutz. So naive and innocent, a real pushover.

Rex shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. What did he care? She wasn’t his problem anymore. Battling a whirlwind of emotions, he tried to maintain his composure. His hands trembled slightly.

He hid them in his pockets and moved over the large table in the middle of the room. Rex’s biggest regret was he hadn’t taken advantage of her in the three years they’d been married. What a d**k he was divorcing a virgin bride. He laughed out loud. The thought kicked him back into touch. He placed steady hands on the table and began flicking through the divorce papers. His moment of weakness was soon forgotten.

As expected, Sierra's hair was wet and dripping from the rain when she entered the room. Her trench coat opened in front, one side of her belt trailing along the ground. Her floral dress, thick flesh-colored tights, and orthopedic shoes looked like she’d borrowed them from her Great Aunt Bessie. The lenses of her glasses steamed upon entry.

Any lingering doubts Rex may have disappeared in an instant. He was making the right decision. Besides, he was already the CEO of his family business. His grandfather had been pleased with his choice to marry Sierra and practically begged him to take the position.

Although she was her usual frumpy self, there was something different about her. He couldn't quite grasp it, but it was there. However, even more surprising was the large branded store bag she’d brought. Rex had to raise a brow when he noticed it. She never bought designer things as she was frugal to the last penny.

The large table emphasized the emotional and physical distance that had grown between them. It happened so fast. Rex never thought the day would come when the wife who had doted on him would look at him through her thick lenses with indifference.

She preferred gazing outside at the cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The vibrancy starkly contrasts the dull, tense environment on the inside. Rex didn’t blame her; if they weren't there because of him, he'd be looking out the window, too.

Rex was the picture of a corporate executive dressed in a tailored suit. His posture was relaxed and imposing. He watched Sierra with a calculated gaze as he pushed the divorce papers across the table in front of her and sighed.

He wanted to tell her how truly sorry he was and wished it hadn't come to this. How he regretted the pain he must have caused her using a gentle, smooth voice, just as he’d rehearsed it. But the words stuck in his throat. The words he eventually uttered were closer to his true feelings than he’d initially planned.

However, she’d given him a dismissive glare and then shocked the entire room by telling her lawyer to waive the alimony. Staring unblinking into Rex’s eyes, she told him in her way she wanted nothing more to do with him. That stung a little.

Her hand trembled as she signed the papers. It was the fleetest trauma and the only sign of her inner turmoil. She’d taken a deep breath and bent her head from one side to the other. Then, her fingers danced the pen along the dotted line on the documents.

"Do you regret any of this?” She asked, not handing back the papers as she stared at him.

Rex had leaned back in his seat, expressing wounded innocence, and glared back with cold eyes.

"Of course I do. I’m not a monster.” He said, his gaze darting around the room, making him think he should say more and offer some explanation. “We were just not compatible, that’s all. It’s unfortunate but true.” He finished, slumping his shoulders and dropping his eyes and head for dramatic effect.

Through his lashes, he watched Sierra scan the divorce papers again. Her eyes browsed over all the legal jargon, seeming reluctant to let the papers go. It was as if she was searching for some sign within their combined signatures. She stopped reading and tapped the document. She’d found the stark reality of their failed marriage laid out in black and white.

"Incompatible isn't the word I'd use.” She scoffed. Rex was surprised she had taken so long to respond as he thought she hadn’t heard or forgotten. “But if this is what you need to 'grow'... and become a decent man, then so be it.” As she finished, she slid the documents back across the table, her gaze meeting Rex’s; within her globes, he saw a newfound resolve.

Picking up the papers, his facade slipped into one of satisfaction. “Thank you, Sierra, this is for the best."

Sierra stood, paused, and looked down at him. He’d remained seated, a conqueror in his mind.

"One day, Rex, you'll realize what you've lost.” She chuckled, and without another word, she gathered her things, turned, and walked out of the conference room, leaving him to ponder her words in silence.

Rex met Cassandra in the coffee shop and recounted all that had happened in the law office and how well it had gone.

“You're kidding, she waived alimony. What an idiot.” Cassandra laughed.

“Hey, who's side are you on?” Rex didn’t want to admit that he thought Sierra's move was bold and a slap to his ego.

"Yours honey, always. Did she cry?” Cassandra ran a manicured finger up and down his arm and purred.

“No, she didn't, surprisingly. There was something different about her today. A hidden confidence that was never there before. It made her seem sexy as hell.” How Sierra conducted herself throughout the proceedings filled him with pride.

“Hey, watch it.” Cassandra slapped him on the shoulder. Then, her eyes widened. “Wait,” she slapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God! It can't be, can it… Isn't that Sierra?”

Rex followed her gaze. His mouth fell open, and he simultaneously burned his lips on the coffee cup. His heart felt constricted, and regret seeped into his mind. She was beautiful. How could he not see it when they were married?