Revenge Of The Iconic Ex -Wife

The Divorce

Annabelle's pov

Chicken parmesan, garlic mashed potatoes, and an expensive bottle of red wine Louis and I had been saving since our honeymoon in Santorini.It was a three-course dinner, just like Louis loved. I had spent hours preparing the dinner table, adjusting the silverware and the candle lights for the hundredth time. Tonight was special. It was our third wedding anniversary.I leaned against my chair, staring at my phone for the umpteenth time that night. There were no messages, no missed calls.Louis was supposed to be home two hours ago. I had told myself a thousand times not to overthink it. He could be caught up in work. Maybe traffic, maybe he forgot to change his phone or he was stuck in an emergency meeting he could get out of. He had been late but not this late. Something was wrong.“No. Something isn't wrong, Anabelle. Calm down.” I told myself, my hand closed over my chest as I tried to breathe.But…As minutes bled into hours, reality began to settle in my chest like a weight pressed against my ribs.It was 11pm. Louis wasn't coming home tonight. I pushed back my seat and stalked to the couch, wrapping my arms around myself. The warmth of my soft, peach-coloured dress felt cold now. The heels I had carefully picked out, pinched at my heels but I couldn't bring myself to take them off. Louis had gotten me that dress and shoe on my birthday last week. He had told me to wear them for our anniversary. He had told me he would look lovely in it. He had told me he would stay for the party. Yet, here I was – cold and alone in this big house. I cupped my face in my hands. “This wasn't how tonight was supposed to go.” I leaned back on the couch and my eyes fell on the photo on the mantelpiece. It was a photo of our first anniversary.The ghost of a smile appeared on my lips as I reached for the photo. I traced his smiling face. He had surprised me with a weekend getaway. I remembered how he carried me up the stairs of the cabin, laughing as I squealed. I looked at the next photo and laughed. We celebrated it in a small restaurant in Lagos, Nigeria. I remembered how we slow-danced and how the people around us laughed and equally joined us. I also remember him calling me “two left feet” because I kept stepping on him.I also thought about our little moments — a kiss on the forehead every morning, the way he cuddled me, whispering sweet nothings to me, the way he squeezed my hand under the table whenever we had dinner outside. We were in love or at least I told myself we were. Now, Louis was drifting away… far away. Had I been holding onto a love that was no longer existing? A toll echoed through the air. The clock had struck midnight. Happy anniversary, Annabelle.My shoulders shook and my lower lips quivered. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I rose from the couch.“Happy anniversary, Anna.” I whispered to myself as I neared the table.A quick tear slipped from my eyes and fell onto the table. The food was untouched, the wine unopened. I exhaled a shuddering breath but I blew out the candles and left everything as it was. I walked upstairs to our bedroom, slipped out of my clothes and into an enormous white Tee — Louis’s — and crept into bed. As I curled up on his side of the bed, praying, hoping that I wouldn't wake up to see that this was all real. I wanted to sleep and wake up to see this was all a nightmare. But it wasn't. I had already shut my eyes when I heard the sound of the front door open. I was jolted awake immediately. My heart raced as I sat up, pushing away the blanket. “Louis” A relieved sigh escaped my lips. Louis had come home.I hurried to the living room, ready to throw my arms around him, not caring about whatever excuse he had for staying out all night. Right now, I didn't want to hear him say he was sorry. His surprise had gone away but he was here. He had shown up like he promised and that was all that mattered.I climbed down the staircase with a smile on my face. “Louis!”My smile died when I saw him. The tie around his neck was loose, his shirt was wrinkled. His mix of alcohol and perfume filled the air. Sometimes, he'd come home reeking of alcohol because of the dinners he had with shareholders and so on but the perfume… the perfume on him wasn't his and it wasn't mine either. His eyes met mine and instead of guilt, remorse or regret, indifference — pain-staken indifference simmered in his eyes.He peeled off his coat and hung it on the rack just by the door.I stepped closer, asking in a small whisper. “Where… where were you?” He shot me a glare. “I was out. Obviously.” His tone was flat, almost emotionless. What the heck did he just say? “Out?” I said with a scoff. “It was our anniversary. I waited for you all night.”He walked past me without saying another word.“Louis!” I called out but he still ignored me like I wasn't there.He set his briefcase on the centre table and unlocked it. My heart pounded in my chest as he reached into the briefcase and revealed an envelope.“Open it.” He said with a commanding voice.“What?” I was confused.“Open…” He said, stepping closer. “...It.”“O…okay.” Confused, I opened it with trembling fingers and my heart nearly stopped beating. “Divorce papers?” I looked up at him, waiting for him to tell me this was some kind of mistake but the expression on his face did not even change. “I want a divorce, Annabelle.” He said in a hollowed voice.I shook my head, stepping forward to touch him. “No. You don't mean that.”He pushed my hand away. “I do.” My knees wobbled and I gripped the edge off the couch to steady myself. “B - - but what did I do?” “It's not what you did, Annabelle,” he said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. “It isn't.”I couldn't understand him. He didn't look like the Louis I married. “Then what is it about?” I demanded when he pushed my hand away for the second time.A bitter smile crossed his lips. “I fell out of love.”Fell out of love, I repeated in my head. Fell out what?“Louis…” I exhaled, tears filling my eyes. “We've been together for 5 years, married for 3 years! You want to tell me all those memories, all that love meant nothing to you? Is … Is there someone else?”He fell silent. “Louis…” I whispered.The silence… The silence told me everything.I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “I see… How long?”Louis sighed. “Come on, don't do this. Anabelle, you should've noticed!”“How long!” I repeated with a yell.There was a long pause before he finally whispered. “A year.” A year… 12 months… 365 days.The truth hit me square in the face like a punch. “You've been… lying to me, coming home every night, kissing me, making love to me while… while doing the same to someone else?!”He didn't answer and that infuriated me. “Why … Why did you make me believe we were happy?!” “I didn't want to hurt you.” “Wow,” I let out another scoff. “You didn't want to hurt me? Louis, you just handed me divorce papers the morning after our anniversary. After lying to me for a year. After —” “That's enough!” Louis said with a hiss.“Fine!” I forced myself to smile. “You want a divorce? You'll get one!”