Ex Husband Obsession

it was Valentine’s Day—a day for love—but ironically, Sophia and John were about to get divorced. Couples crowded before the marriage registration counter, a stark contrast to the one for divorce. Sophia peered at the divorce counter for a while and smiled bitterly. *Well, at least we don’t have to queue up.* *It’s a good day to get divorced, in a way.* John took a while to arrive. Sophia spotted him the moment he entered the building. She felt a small surge of smugness. Even though she wasn’t the one who proposed the divorce, at least she hadn’t clung to him. She was even happy to cooperate at this point. No matter how she looked at it, her dignity was still intact. John walked over to her and frowned. “How long have you been here?” “Quite a while now. I didn’t expect you to be late,” Sophia replied with a smile. John grunted. “An emergency meeting came up, so I got delayed.” “Let’s go then. There’s no line here,” Sophia said, nodding toward the counter. They had already signed the divorce agreement. John had been generous—providing her with substantial alimony, some shares in the company, and even a few properties. Since they were childless, there were no custody battles or complicated disputes. The process went smoothly. When their marriage certificate was taken away and replaced with a divorce certificate, Sophia stared at the new document for a long moment and fell into a trance. *This is it, huh? As fast as the day we came here for our marriage certificate.* Marriage and divorce were easy. Love, however, was not. Sophia had always known John never loved her. So when he proposed the divorce, it had taken her only a moment to agree. There was no point holding onto someone who didn’t want to stay. She wasn’t that kind of woman. John stared at the divorce certificate for a long while. Then he stood up and looked at her. “It’s lunchtime. Let’s grab a bite.” Sophia paused, then gave him a small smile. “Sure. Let’s have our breakup meal.” John peered at her for a second before turning to leave. Sophia sighed softly and followed him out. They went to a five-star restaurant. Sophia had to admit the breakup meal was lavish. She felt unsettled about the divorce but didn’t want to show it. So, after taking the menu, she scanned the prices and said, “It’s your treat, right?” John lowered his head, pulled out a box of cigarettes, and took one out. “I gave you a ton of cash, and you can’t even treat me to one meal?” Sophia snorted. “Of course I can’t. I have no job, no skills, and no income stream. I have to save wherever I can.” John held the cigarette between his lips. “The dividends I pay you every month should be enough for your expenses.” “Just tell me whether it’s your treat,” Sophia said, looking up at him. “It is.” He grinned faintly. “Mind if I do it?” He arched an eyebrow, gesturing to the cigarette. He was asking permission to smoke. Sophia glanced at it. *He never smoked in front of me before. Wow, he changes quickly. It hasn’t even been two seconds since we got divorced.* She retracted her gaze and looked back at the menu. “No, I don’t mind.” Then she turned to the waiter. “Give me all of the most expensive items on the menu.” The waiter blinked in surprise. “Are you sure? There’s quite a lot.” John was already lighting his cigarette. He didn’t even glance at what she ordered. “Yes. So get going.” The waiter smiled awkwardly. “Of course. Please give us some time to prepare.” John took a deep drag, then exhaled slowly. He gazed at Sophia in silence for a while before asking, “You haven’t asked me why I wanted this divorce.” The question caught her off guard, but she smiled. “I don’t really want to ask. You must have been dying to get it, and I could feel it.” She had been prepared for this moment ever since they got married. She always knew their marriage had an expiration date. It just arrived a little sooner than she expected. It hadn’t even been two months since Old Mr. Constance passed away, and John was already pushing for divorce. John seemed surprised by her response, but only for a moment. Then he snorted. Her lack of curiosity apparently confirmed what he thought. He puffed on his cigarette a few more times before stubbing it out in the ashtray. Instead of continuing that topic, he asked, “What’s your plan now?” Sophia thought for a second. “Plans? Nothing for now. I just want to travel around for a bit, do some sightseeing.” She was dreading what came after the divorce. Everyone would laugh at her—especially since the reason she married into the Constance family in the first place was rooted in superstition. She had been married off as a “ward” to bring luck to Old Mr. Constance when he was dying. John had been unwilling, but bound by family duty and morality, he couldn’t refuse outright. In the end, the superstition did nothing but entertain the old man for a while. It didn’t save him. He suffered longer than necessary and passed away anyway. It hadn’t even been a year. Sophia could already imagine the mockery waiting for her. *Going into hiding sounds like a good idea.* She looked down at her glass of water. “I’ll come back in a couple of months to pay my respects.” John considered it. “Call Zack if you need anything. He can help you.” Zack was John’s longtime assistant—handling both work and the occasional personal matter. Sophia didn’t refuse. “Okay then. I won’t hold back.” When the food arrived, Sophia ate without restraint. She didn’t speak much; she didn’t know what to say. They had never communicated deeply during their short marriage—aside from the occasional nights together. Now that they were divorced, the distance between them felt like a chasm. John barely touched his food. After a few bites, he set his utensils down. Sophia ignored him and kept eating. Her impulsive order eventually backfired—there was far too much food. She could only manage half before giving up. Leaning back in her chair, she called the waiter over and pointed at the leftovers. “Pack all of this up for me.” The waiter looked stunned. In a restaurant like this, almost no one asked to take food home. John spoke up calmly. “Pack it up.” “Of course. Please give me a minute,” the waiter replied, still awkward. While the waiter fetched the boxes, John stared at Sophia until she felt uncomfortable. “What? Did I embarrass you?” John snorted and didn’t answer. Instead he asked, “I never asked you this before, but why did you marry me in the first place?” Sophia blinked. “Because you’re rich.” Before he could respond, she added quickly, “But then I realized there are a lot of people richer than you.” John arched an eyebrow. “Is that why you agreed to the divorce so readily?” Sophia only answered with a quiet smile. The waiter returned and packed the food. Sophia took the boxes, and they left the restaurant together. John had somewhere else to be, so he hailed a taxi for her. After she got in, Sophia rolled down the window and asked, “What about you?” “What about me?” John frowned. “Why did you marry me in the first place?” He looked at her calmly. “Because you’re pretty.” Before she could laugh or respond, he added, “But then I realized there are a lot of women prettier than you.”