Rejected by My Billionaire Husband, Chosen by the Alpha King

The Divorce That Changed Everything Therein (Part 1) The rain fell in relentless sheets, drumming against the floor-to-ceiling windows of Blackwood International's headquarters. Dark clouds swallowed the afternoon sky, casting a gloomy shadow over the city below. Inside the executive office on the top floor, Elena Hart Blackwood stood silently beside the polished mahogany desk. Her fingers trembled as she tightened her grip on a neatly wrapped gift box. Today was their third wedding anniversary. She had spent weeks preparing the surprise. Inside the box was a custom-made platinum watch engraved with the words: "To the man I will always choose. Happy Anniversary, Damien. Love, Elena." She smiled nervously. Perhaps today would be different. Perhaps today her husband would finally look at her the way a husband should. Three years. Three long years of loving a man whose heart had always seemed locked behind walls of ice. The sound of the office door opening made her heartbeat quicken. Damien Blackwood walked in. Tall. Handsome. Powerful. Every step he took radiated confidence. His charcoal-gray suit fit him perfectly, and the expensive watch on his wrist reflected the office lights. He didn't even look at her. Instead, he removed his suit jacket and tossed it onto a chair before opening a file on his desk. Elena forced a smile. "You're finally here." No response. She stepped closer. "I waited because I wanted us to have lunch together." Damien continued reading the documents. "I've already eaten." Her smile weakened. "I made your favorite meal." "I wasn't aware I needed permission before eating." His cold reply pierced her chest. Still, she refused to give up. "It's our anniversary today." This finally made him lift his eyes. Not with affection. Not with surprise. Just mild annoyance. "I know." Elena carefully placed the gift box on his desk. "I bought something for you." Damien glanced at the box for less than a second before pushing it aside without opening it. "I don't need gifts." Her fingers slowly curled into her palms. She had imagined countless reactions. A smile. A thank you. Even simple politeness. But not this. Trying to hide her disappointment, she whispered, "You didn't even open it." "There are more important things than presents." Silence filled the office. Elena stared at the untouched gift. Three years of marriage. Three years of trying. Three years of pretending she wasn't lonely. Finally, she gathered enough courage to ask the question that had haunted her for months. "Damien..." "What?" "Are you... unhappy because of me?" He closed the file and leaned back in his chair. His expression remained unreadable. "I married you because my grandfather insisted." The words landed like stones. "You already knew that." "I thought..." her voice cracked. "I thought maybe things could change." "They didn't." Another painful silence. Elena bit her lip to stop it from trembling. She had fallen in love with Damien before they married. She believed kindness could melt even the coldest heart. Instead... His heart had only grown colder. Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the office. Without waiting for permission, the door opened. A tall woman in an elegant white dress walked inside confidently. Long blonde hair. Perfect makeup. Designer heels. Victoria Sterling. She smiled brightly the moment she saw Damien. "There you are." To Elena's disbelief, Damien actually smiled back. Not a big smile. But genuine. Warmer than any expression he had ever given his wife. Victoria walked straight toward him. "I've missed you." "So have I." Elena felt the room spinning. Victoria finally turned toward her. "Oh..." "I didn't know she was here." She. Not Elena. Not Mrs. Blackwood. Just... She. Damien calmly stood. "Victoria, sit down." Victoria obeyed, crossing her legs elegantly before looking at Elena with obvious amusement. Elena struggled to steady her breathing. "What is she doing here?" Damien answered without emotion. "I asked her to come." "Why?" He opened one of the desk drawers. When he closed it again, a thick brown envelope rested in his hand. He slid it across the desk. Toward Elena. "I've already signed." Confused, Elena picked it up. Her heartbeat quickened. She slowly pulled out the documents. The first page read: DIVORCE AGREEMENT The letters blurred before her eyes. "No..." Her hands began shaking violently. "This... this isn't funny." "It wasn't meant to be." She looked desperately at Damien. "Tell me this is a mistake." "It isn't." "But today is our anniversary." "Exactly." "I thought today would be the best day to end this marriage." Her world shattered. She stared at him as tears filled her eyes. "You can't mean that." "I do." Victoria leaned back comfortably, watching everything unfold without the slightest sympathy. Damien folded his hands. "I'll compensate you generously." "I don't want your money." "You'll receive the penthouse." "I don't want it." "The cars." "I don't care." "Monthly support." "I don't need it!" Her voice echoed across the office. For the first time in years, she raised her voice at him. "I wanted you." The room became painfully quiet. Elena's tears rolled freely now. "I never married you for money." "I married you because I loved you." Damien remained silent. Not once did his expression soften. Not once did he show regret. Victoria sighed dramatically. "This is becoming uncomfortable." She stood and walked toward Damien before gently holding his arm. Elena's heart clenched. The gesture looked so natural. As though they belonged together. Victoria smiled sweetly. "Damien, perhaps we should finish this quickly." He nodded. Then he looked at Elena once more. "There is someone else." The sentence struck harder than anything before it. Someone else. Elena slowly turned toward Victoria. Everything suddenly made sense. The smiles. The warmth. The familiarity. Victoria wasn't simply visiting. She had come because she was replacing Elena. Victoria met her gaze without shame. "I've always loved Damien." "And now..." She intertwined her fingers with his. "...we don't have to hide anymore." Elena's breathing became uneven. She looked at the man she had devoted three years of her life to. The man whose name she proudly carried. The man she defended whenever people called him cold and heartless. He never denied Victoria's words. Not once. Instead, he simply said, "Sign the papers." Elena lowered her eyes to the divorce agreement. The ink blurred through her tears. Her fingers tightened around the pages until they crumpled. She had walked into this office believing she was about to celebrate her marriage. Instead... She was leaving it without one. To Be Continued in Episode 1 – Part 2...