Chapter 2
1622 Words
~Ivy
I stared blankly at the papers in my hands, the words “DIVORCE PETITION” screaming at me like a cruel taunt.
“Yes, they are divorce papers. If you look below, you’ll see my signature boldly. I want to see your signature as well within twenty-four hours.”
Lysander’s voice remained as cold as ever, his hands tucked into his pockets.
“Once you sign the papers, any further communication should be made through my lawyer. The alimony has already been prepared, and you’ll receive everything you’ve always dreamt of.”
He stood there so confidently, as though he had just handed me a medical prescription.
No explanation.
No hesitation.
Not even a reason for why he wanted to end our marriage.
What felt like hell was that I couldn’t even ask him why he was doing this.
The reason was simple.
In this marriage, I wasn’t allowed to question Lysander.
I wasn’t allowed to challenge his decisions.
Every decision was made by him, and my only duty was to obey.
“I’ll be on my way.”
Lysander turned around, preparing to leave.
But I finally raised my gaze from the floor.
“Why did you do this, Lysander?”
He stopped.
“Why the divorce?”
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Then Lysander slowly turned around and walked toward me.
His expression changed as he approached, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and anger.
“You, of all people, should know why this marriage has come to an end.”
He stopped directly in front of me and reached out, grabbing my chin.
His voice became even colder.
“You tricked my grandmother into making you my wife. You convinced her that you were good enough for me, knowing very well that I would do anything for her happiness.”
His grip tightened slightly.
“Do you honestly expect me to remain in a marriage with someone I don’t even love? Someone I barely knew? Someone who can’t even bear me a child?”
His words struck me like a knife.
“Lysander…”
“But you know very well that I agreed to the insemination when you were in a coma. That was the only reason I agreed to marry you.”
I tried to explain, keeping my voice as obedient and calm as possible, but Lysander immediately cut me off.
“And you know very well that I never loved you!”
His voice echoed through the room.
“You know perfectly well that the only reason I bought you wedding gifts during our previous anniversaries was to put a smile on Grandma’s face.”
He stared at me coldly.
“And you also know that the stupid insemination procedure left you infertile. That is the only reason you can’t bear children.”
My heart pounded violently.
“What if I told you that I’m pregnant with your child?”
The question escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
“Would that still change anything about our marriage?”
Lysander froze.
For the briefest moment, his expression changed.
I saw it.
A tiny glimpse of hope flashed through his eyes.
But it disappeared almost immediately, replaced by the same furious expression.
He grabbed my chin more forcefully, causing my breath to catch.
“How can you be pregnant with my child?” he demanded. “I only touched you once for the first time in three years! So how could that possibly get you pregnant?”
His words hurt more than I could explain.
“I’m… I’m in pain, Lysander.”
My voice cracked, but he didn’t release me.
“Answer my question, Ivy.”
His eyes burned into mine.
“Are you pregnant?”
I didn’t know how to answer.
Should I tell him the truth?
Or should I make an excuse?
If I told him the truth, he might think I had cheated on him because, according to him, he had never touched me.
But if I lied to him, I would be betraying the promise I made to Old Mrs. Sylvie.
“Won’t you speak up?”
Lysander’s voice echoed through the room, jolting me out of my thoughts.
“No, Lysander!”
The lie came out quickly.
“I’m not pregnant.”
I swallowed hard.
“And yes, we did it once because you were drunk, but it never resulted in a baby.”
I forced the words out, my eyes moving around the room to avoid looking directly into his eyes.
I didn’t know why I had chosen to lie.
Maybe it was because I had already abandoned so much of my life just to be with Lysander.
My family.
My friends.
My business.
Everything.
If I had been able to endure the pain of being treated like a cast-off wife for five years, then I knew one thing for certain.
I couldn’t bear to watch my child grow up in a broken home.
Eventually, my eyes met Lysander’s.
There was no trace of concern in his expression.
Not even a little.
He seemed to believe everything I had told him.
He released my chin, and I immediately took a deep breath, desperately trying to fill my lungs with air.
“Like I said, the alimony has been prepared, as well as your belongings. Submit the divorce papers to my lawyer and return for your clothes.”
He turned away.
“Excuse me.”
I watched helplessly as Lysander walked out of the lounge I had decorated especially for us.
The tears I had been holding back finally gathered in my eyes.
Today was supposed to be our fifth wedding anniversary.
Yet here I was, watching the man I loved walk away from me while leaving divorce papers behind.
I lowered my gaze to the papers in my hands.
And suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind.
The best night of my life.
The night Lysander kissed me.
The night he made love to me.
The night he told me that he loved me for the first time.
I wished he hadn’t been drunk when he said those words.
But sadly, he was intoxicated.
That was the only reason he had touched me.
The only reason he had finally allowed himself to get close to me.
And even then, he had asked for my permission before sleeping with me.
It was the first time Lysander had ever been sweet to me.
But that sweetness lasted only one night.
The next morning, he warned me that whatever had happened the previous night ended there.
Nothing had changed between us.
As those memories played repeatedly in my mind, I reached for the pen.
My hands trembled as I signed the divorce papers.
It was difficult.
Extremely difficult.
But Lysander wanted this.
So I would gladly give it to him.
After all, he made the decisions.
And I obeyed them.
---
The moment I stepped out of the lounge, I grabbed my phone.
There was only one person I had left in this world.
Cameil.
She had been my best friend for ten years.
I quickly opened our chat and typed a message.
“Babe, Lysander ended our marriage, and I need someone to crawl into right now. Can I come over? I’ll explain everything when I get there.”
I sent the message before stopping a cab.
Ten minutes passed.
Still no response.
I checked my phone again.
Nothing.
It was unlike Cameil.
She always responded to my messages quickly, and considering how late it was, she should have been at home already.
But then another thought crossed my mind.
What if she wasn’t home?
Where could she be?
---
12:40 PM — The Next Day
I had already made my way to the Steel mansion to pack my belongings.
Cameil had viewed my message the previous night but still hadn’t responded.
I was worried about her.
But before I could think about anything else, I needed to pack my things and leave Lysander’s house.
I pressed the doorbell.
A few moments later, the door opened.
“Good morning, ma’am.”
It was Jakub.
I forced a smile.
“Lysander?”
“He’s inside.”
Jakub responded, but there was something strange about his expression.
It looked as though he wanted to tell me something.
I noticed it, but I simply assumed it was part of his concern for me.
Without asking further questions, I walked inside.
As I approached the door leading to the main lounge, I suddenly heard some sounds.
I stopped.
That wasn’t an ordinary sound.
Someone was moaning.
“I love it… Oh, f**k! Ride on me. Yes… yes… yesss!”
My heart stopped.
The voice was becoming louder.
I listened carefully.
Then I heard another voice.
A deep, familiar voice.
Lysander’s.
“Oh, s**t!”
My entire body went cold.
Could it be what I was thinking?
No.
It couldn’t be.
My hand trembled as I reached for the door.
Then, without thinking twice, I pushed it open.
The scene before me shattered whatever remained of my heart.
Lysander immediately jumped up from the woman’s body.
My handbag slipped from my fingers and fell to the floor.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I could barely believe what I was seeing.
The woman in front of me…
The woman Lysander had been with…
Was Cameil....My best friend.
The woman I had trusted for ten years.
My eyes widened as I stared at them in complete disbelief.
Cameil was there.
Enjoying my husband.
My husband, whom I had just divorced hours ago.
And the only person I thought I could run to for comfort…
Was the very person who had betrayed me.
“Cameil…?
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