Chapter 2 Preparing for Divorce
917 Words
A text message from an unknown number.
Oriana frowned slightly, thinking the sender might have made a mistake.
Yet it appeared at this very moment—when she felt most helpless and heartbroken.
In the two years of her marriage to Merrick, he had never once called her "darling."
His way of addressing her had always been her plain first name, accompanied by various commands—
"Oriana, iron my clothes."
"Oriana, I want to eat the pastries you made."
"Oriana, I'll be drinking tonight. Prepare some warm milk for me."
Oriana lowered her gaze again to look at the text message.
She thought, the woman being called "darling" must be someone cherished, someone who received his warmth and affection.
But she had never experienced even this simplest form of happiness.
With a bitter smile, Oriana replied: You've sent this message to the wrong person.
Oriana returned home, and the housekeeper, Nina Alaric, immediately jogged over to greet her.
"Mrs. Bexley, why didn't Mr. Bexley come back with you? The milk you heated before leaving has already been warmed again..."
Noticing Oriana's pale complexion, Nina's tone quickly shifted to one of concern. "Mrs. Bexley, are you feeling all right?"
Oriana responded softly, "I'm fine. You can go rest."
With that, she walked straight to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of milk.
The warm liquid slowly flowed into her stomach, dispelling some of the cold that had overtaken her body due to excessive blood loss. For the first time, she felt a hint of warmth.
She poured another cup and drank it in large gulps before emptying the rest down the drain.
Merrick doesn't deserve it.
Back in the bedroom, Oriana opened her laptop, preparing to draft a divorce agreement.
Flashes of past memories kept surfacing in her mind. There was a time when Merrick wasn't entirely indifferent to her, but everything changed after Krystal returned a year ago.
Just as she typed the words "Divorce Agreement" on her screen, her phone rang from inside her tote bag.
She thought it might be Merrick calling, but the name displayed was both unfamiliar and familiar at once.
After a brief hesitation, she answered.
"Oriana, it's Emrys Ashcroft. The company is facing a critical issue. The project can't proceed, and the partner is insisting that you personally step in, or they'll pull out their investment..."
Oriana was silent for a few seconds before letting out a bitter laugh. "Emrys, did you call the wrong number? I have nothing to do with that company anymore."
Before becoming a housewife, Oriana had founded the startup herself. After marrying into the Bexley family, she privately transferred the company to Merrick's sister, Nichole Bexley, in an attempt to gain favor with the family.
Even Merrick wasn't aware of this.
However, under Nichole's management, what had once been a rapidly growing company began to deteriorate. Major projects were lost one after another, the cash flow became increasingly strained, and they were now scrambling for investments just to stay afloat.
Emrys's voice was filled with urgency. "Oriana, Skycrest Corporation was your creation. How can you say it has nothing to do with you? We all want you to come back! The shareholders' meeting is tomorrow—we'll be waiting for you."
After hanging up, Oriana let out a long sigh.
She walked over to the vanity, staring at her worn-out reflection in the mirror.
"I look so haggard now... I've lived too humbly these past two years..."
She muttered to herself, then picked up a pair of scissors and cut off her long hair, returning to her former neat, short hairstyle.
With that single cut, she severed not only her hair but also her past.
She had made up her mind—she would return to the business world and never sacrifice herself for any man again.
The next day, at Skycrest Corporation, the employees were energized and eagerly awaiting instructions from the top.
Early in the morning, all employees received shocking news—Oriana, the one who had once led Skycrest Corporation to its peak, was coming back!
"Have you heard? Mrs. Bexley is returning as a strategic consultant. Our good days are finally coming back!"
"Of course I heard. I rushed to work early this morning."
"I haven't seen Mrs. Bexley in two years. I heard she became a housewife after leaving the business world. I wonder if she can still handle the job now."
The atmosphere in the top-floor conference room was tense and oppressive.
A porcelain vase shattered violently on the floor, sending fragments scattering in all directions.
"I don't agree! Who gave you permission to do this?"
Nichole furiously smashed the decorative item on the table, her right index finger tapping impatiently on the surface, the sound sharp and grating.
"I demand an explanation! How dare you appoint an outsider as the company's strategic consultant without my consent? And why am I, the chairwoman, the last person to know about it?"
Overcome by emotion, Nichole slammed her hands on the table, her voice echoing throughout the spacious conference room.
Here, she considered herself the ultimate authority.
Everyone was expected to follow her orders, and every decision had to be reported to her in advance.
But this time, the truth had been concealed from her.
The humiliation and fury of being disregarded were unbearable for Nichole.
Yet no one responded to her outburst.
At that moment, the conference room door slowly swung open.
Oriana stepped inside, her expression calm yet resolute.
- Writer
