Billionaire Hidden Twin Babies

Chapter 2 - Papers

The soft glow of morning seeped through the curtains, casting a muted light across the room as Katherine stirred from a restless sleep. Her eyes, puffy and red from a night spent in tears, slowly blinked open. The room felt colder than usual, and she could sense the emptiness in the bed beside her.

With a heavy sigh, Katherine pushed herself up, the weight of exhaustion pulling at her limbs. The room, once a comforting space, now felt like it was closing in on her, heavy with emotional chaos. She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, trying to shake off the remnants of a sleepless night.

The wide bed, where loneliness seemed to stretch endlessly, held no warmth. It mirrored the void that Leonard had left, a space that had remained consistently cold, untouched by the presence of a husband who had never truly been there. Katherine's gaze lingered on the vacant side of the bed, the emptiness a painful reminder of the growing gap that had grown between them.

As she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, Katherine's bare feet met the cool floor. The chill seemed to seep into her bones, amplifying the emptiness that surrounded her. With a weary sigh, she pushed herself out of bed.

Katherine made her way to the bathroom, the cool tiles sending shivers up her spine. The tap water felt refreshing against her face as she attempted to wash away the traces of tears.

Wrapped in a thin robe, Katherine made her way back to the bedroom. Dressing felt mechanical, the fabric slipping over her skin without the usual attention to detail.

As she descended the stairs, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the warmth of the kitchen beckoned her. Breakfast was laid out on the table–a spread of fruits, pastries, and a steaming cup of coffee.

Millie, the maid, entered the kitchen, her presence a gentle interruption to the silence that had settled over the house. "Good morning, Mrs. Katherine," she greeted, her eyes carrying a mix of concern and empathy.

Katherine managed a weak smile in response, acknowledging the greeting. Millie, with a kindness that only long-time household staff could possess, spoke again. "Mr. Leonard left very early this morning," she informed, her tone careful as if treading on fragile ground.

Katherine, her heart fluttered with a mix of curiosity and unease, asked hesitantly, "Did he... Did he go with someone?" The question hung in the air, a vulnerable plea for confirmation or denial.

Millie's expression shifted, a moment of surprise flickering across her features before she composed herself. "Yes, Mrs. Katherine," she nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. "He left with a woman."

The air seemed to thicken, and Katherine's grip on the cup tightened. The news, though anticipated, carried a weight that settled in the pit of her stomach. Millie, sensing the discomfort, added with a soft tone, "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Katherine.”

Katherine managed a faint smile, though it held no real warmth. "It's okay, Millie," she replied, her voice carrying a quiet acceptance tinged with sadness. It wasn't just sympathy that Millie offered; it was a shared acknowledgment of the fractures in a marriage that had long been crumbling.

Katherine couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. It seemed even the maid, like Millie, bore witness to the unraveling of her marriage. The weight of how some people knew about her failing marriage settled on her shoulders, a burden she hadn't fully recognized until that moment.

Her thoughts drifted to the peculiar nature of her relationship with Leonard. They were married, yet the distance between them felt daunting. It was a union born not out of love but out of duty, an arrangement that always lacked the closeness expected in a husband and wife relationship.

Millie, before returning to her other duties, gave a glance back at Katherine. Her eyes carried a blend of sympathy and understanding. "Everything's going to be fine, Mrs. Katherine," she reassured, offering a glimmer of hope that felt fragile in the face of the unknown.

Katherine nodded in response, her gaze fixed on the plate before her. Almost finished with her breakfast, Katherine was interrupted by Millie, who approached her with a hesitant expression. "Mrs. Katherine," Millie began gently, "there's someone here to meet you."

Perplexed, Katherine furrowed her brow in confusion. "Who is it?" she inquired, a note of curiosity in her voice.

"A man named Harold Cruise," Millie replied, watching Katherine's reaction closely.

The name brought no recognition to Katherine, and she felt a knot of confusion forming in her stomach. Katherine, perplexed, reached for a napkin and delicately wiped her mouth. Despite her uncertainty, she got up from the table and made her way to the living room, where a man awaited her.

The man, Harold Cruise, stood as Katherine entered the room. He was a middle-aged man with a stern countenance, his suit impeccably tailored. As Katherine approached, he extended his hand in a gesture of formality. "Mrs. Katherine, I presume?" he said, a professional but guarded smile on his face.

Katherine shook his hand, the formal exchange adding an air of tension to the room. "Yes, that's me," she replied, her eyes searching for any clues about the nature of his visit.

"Sorry if I don't remember, have we met before?" she asked, a hint of apology in her tone. The man just chuckled, brushing off the question.

He then proceeded to introduce himself. "I'm Mr. Leonard's lawyer," he explained, his tone measured. "We haven't met before, and I hope this isn't too abrupt, but I'm here to take care of some legal matters."

He reached into his bag and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Katherine. "You'll discover the details here," he said cryptically.

Katherine, A feeling of dread washed over her, opened the envelope. As she unfolded the papers inside, her eyes widened in disbelief. It was a set of divorce papers, signed by Leonard himself.