Don't Divorce Me

Chapter 2 Divorce? Are You Sure?

A few days later, when Colt came home, Regina was arranging flowers in a vase.

She glanced at him briefly as he walked in, then lowered her gaze and continued her task, her expression indifferent.

Colt knew she was mad at him.

The day after her phone call for help, his secretary informed him that Regina's mother was seriously ill and needed money.

That was when it hit him why Regina had called.

He had scolded the secretary for not handling it better and told her to transfer the money to Regina right away. But less than an hour later, his secretary told him Regina had already sorted it out and returned the funds.

He knew how much Regina's mother meant to her, so he understood why she was upset.

But understanding didn't mean he had to accept it.

Regina had always been the one to greet him warmly, to fuss over him when he got home. Now, the colt's shoulder was making him uncomfortable.

Feeling the tension in the air, Colt, for once, tried to be patient and explained, "I already scolded Phyllis. If you need money again, just call me directly."

Regina almost laughed at that. She had called him first a few days ago, hadn't she? And how had that ended? He hung up on her and didn't allow her to finish her words.

Now he was standing there, acting all high and mighty, offering charity like it was some grand gesture. What was the point?

Finally, she raised her head and looked him square in the eye, her voice calm but firm. "Colt, let's get a divorce."

Colt froze for a second as he heard that.

He didn't expect her to throw that at him, especially after he'd been the one to break the tension first. And she even asked for a divorce.

The word lit a fire in his chest, and when he spoke, his words were cold and cutting. "Divorce? Are you sure?"

He let out a scoff and continued, "Regina, have you forgotten where you stand? Everything you have right now—what you eat, what you wear, and what you use—is because you're my wife. Think of your mother's medical bills and those pampered relatives of yours who've never worked a day in their lives. Who do you think is footing that bill?"

Regina lowered her eyes, her hands clenched tightly at her sides as Colt's words hit her like a punch.

But Colt didn't stop his speech. "Without me, forget about this luxurious lifestyle, and you'd struggle just to get by on your own. And you want a divorce?"

It was outright mockery at this point. Regina bit down hard on her lower lip, her eyes burning with frustration. She couldn't hold back anymore and retorted "Luxurious life? You think my life is luxurious, Colt?"

Her voice cracked as she continued, her anger pushing her words out faster. "You think scraping up enough just to cover cab fare is luxury? You think having to go through my husband's secretary just to get my own mother's hospital bills paid is luxurious? Is this what you call living in luxury, Colt?"

In the two years they'd been married, Regina had always kept her head down and accepted things as they were. This was the first time Colt had seen her lose her composure like this.

He stared at her, his eyes darkening. Without warning, he grabbed her by the chin, his grip firm.

"Let's cut the crap, Regina. What you're really upset about is that you think I don't give you enough money. You're pissed because you feel like I'm holding the purse strings too tight, aren't you?"

Ignoring Regina's resistance, Colt suddenly scooped her up, tossed her onto the bed, and pinned her down as he hovered over her. "You wanted to marry me, remember? All of this is on you. So, what right do you have to complain?"

Their faces were inches apart, and his hot breath mingled with hers.

Colt's hand slid down to her waist, his intentions clear.

The tense atmosphere between them shifted, taking on a more heated, intimate edge.

Regina saw the lust in his eyes and instinctively pushed him away. "No, not now..."

But Colt, already fired up, ignored her rejection. His hands found the places he knew would get a reaction and kept stroking back and forth.

They'd been married for two years, and their bodies knew each other's weak spots like second nature.

It didn't take long before Regina's resistance began to melt.

Still, she whimpered, using what little was left of her resolve. "The pills... are running out. If we do this, I could get pregnant..."

That made him pause, pulling him back to his senses a bit.

He was obsessed with Regina's body, but the idea of a baby right now would be a problem.

But the tension in his body was unbearable, and he figured one time wouldn't hurt...

Just as he hesitated, his phone rang.

Colt frowned, irritated, but picked up the phone. Seeing the caller ID, he sighed and swiped to answer. "Hey, Mom."

On the other end, Milo Ryan's voice was calm as usual. "Your grandma's been asking about you two. Come over for dinner tonight."

Milo was a successful businesswoman, never one for the domestic life. Thus, she'd never been particularly warm toward Regina, the typical housewife.

Colt glanced down at Regina, still sprawled on the bed, and responded, "Got it. I'll bring her over tonight."

After hanging up, he stood and tossed a set of clothes at Regina. "Mom wants us over for dinner. Get dressed now. We're heading out soon."

Seeing he had no intention of picking up where they left off, Regina sighed in relief. "Okay."

Once they were both ready, they left for Colt's grandmother's house.

On the drive over, Colt glanced at her and said, "Grandma isn't in good health. Don't say anything you'll regret."

Still upset over his earlier advances, Regina replied with a cold tone, "I don't need you to tell me that."

Colt's face darkened for a moment, but he said nothing.

The rest of the drive passed in silence.

When they arrived, Regina hesitated under Colt's gaze and reluctantly took his arm.

As they walked inside, Fiona Ryan, Colt's grandmother, was already waiting in the living room.

Seeing Regina, she lit up with a smile and waved her over. "Regina, come sit with me."

Regina returned her smile and sat beside Fiona.

Colt, always cool and aloof with most people, softened a little in front of Fiona.

He sat on her other side, watching as she held onto Regina's hand, refusing to let go. With a teasing smile, he said, "Look, Grandma, Regina seems more like your real grandchild."

Fiona beamed with pride. "Regina's so outstanding. I'm more than happy to have a granddaughter like her!"

Colt was used to this kind of talk, so he just smiled without commenting.

But Fiona wasn't letting him off the hook so easily. She added in a joking tone, "Hey, you've been married to Regina for quite some time now. When are you going to give me a great-grandchild?"

Regina's smile faltered, and she exchanged a quick glance with Colt.

Not wanting Colt to toss the question to her, Regina jumped in first. "Grandma, you can chat with Colt for a while. I'll go make your favorite apple pie!"

She then stood and headed to the kitchen before anyone could say a word.

As Fiona watched Regina leave, she turned her attention back to Colt, reading the tension on his face.

Her smile faded as she asked, "You had a fight or something?"

Fiona exhaled a deep sigh, looking disappointed. "Regina's a good girl. She doesn't fight with people for no reason. You must've done something to upset her!"

After a pause, she added, "Listen, couples fight always happen. But you've got to make it right. Apologize to her properly, and maybe things will blow over. But really, Colt, you've got to work on your temper. If Regina has enough of it and walks away, you'll regret it, and there won't be anything you can do."

Fiona had a habit of nagging since she got older, and Colt just nodded along patiently and responded in a low voice, "Don't worry, Grandma. I know what I'm doing."

Satisfied by his reassurance, Fiona let it go.

After dinner, Colt and Regina didn't stay long and drove home.

In the car, Regina's earlier smile was long gone. Her voice was icy as she spoke, "We're getting divorced anyway. You should tell your grandmother about that soon. Pretending like this every time is exhausting."

Colt's face instantly clouded over fury.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he pulled the car over to the side of the road.

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Regina, have I been letting you get away with too much?"

Regina's brow furrowed slightly. His intense gaze made it clear that he was considering something far from innocent.

Before he could act, Regina moved first, slapping his hand away and stepping out of the car.

Colt didn't actually want to do anything to her, so she easily slipped free.

He watched her walk off, his expression conflicted.

He had never imagined Regina would be the one to bring up divorce first.

Back when she'd orchestrated their marriage, he'd been disgusted with her, feeling trapped by the situation. But for the sake of the Ryan family's reputation, he hadn't considered divorce a real option.

In a place like Lakeshore, where reputations meant everything, no one wanted their private life to become public gossip.

And over time, he had gotten used to having Regina around. At least they were perfectly compatible in bed. She was clean and cooperative, and in that sense, things worked between them.

So when she suddenly asked for a divorce, he found he wasn't exactly eager to agree.