Sadistic Obsession

Chapter 3

An intruder? So… I was no longer his wife in his eyes? I bit my lower lip as my chest constricted at his cold words. But no… I needed to go through him. All I needed was a little push and I was sure he would believe me.

“Hun… Please, look into it more. I really did not do anything. My signature in that document is surely forged–”

My words were cut short when the door opened. Two security guards filed into the room and immediately rushed to my side, grabbing my arms.

“Hun… I’d never betray you! You know that… Please… Investigate more!”

They dragged me out and their strength was far stronger than I was so I could only plead to my husband. I kept my eyes on him, but he looked away with indifference. It felt like he never knew me at all.

“I swear on my name, I'd never turn my back on you!" I claimed.

I did not care if the other employees looked at me like some lunatic. I just wished my words would go through my husband. That all mattered to me.

However, my efforts were all in vain. It did nothing at all.

“Never come back!” one of the security guards yelled after pushing me out of the building.

I had no idea how long I stood there still waiting for Kade to come out, but when darkness had fully embraced the city and I saw no sign of him, my shoulders slumped. With a heavy heart, I turned on my heels and walked away. Looking at my current bank account, there was no way for me to survive long if I rented even a small studio apartment.

Good thing I did some freelance work here and there before. Thanks to that, I still had something to start with even though it was not that much. How I wished I worked more even after getting married. I... I should have not relied too much on my husband, thinking that nothing would go wrong.

The first thing that came into mind was the very first boss when I came here in the city. She owned a restaurant and she allowed me to live on the second floor with a cheap rent. Given that I had no other friends here, she was all I could place my hope for.

Going to a hotel for even one night would cut my budget too short. Even a motel was too costly. Hence, despite the great distance between where I was to the restaurant, I still walked there.

Sweaty and almost out of breath, I stood in front of the restaurant. It was buzzing and busy, especially now that it was night time. It would be too rude to speak with Leonora at this time so I decided to go to the convenience store next to it to wait.

As I sat alone with the silence surrounding me, my mind kept replaying what had happened today. It felt too unreal. It happened so fast that a part of me still believed this was just a horrible, horrible nightmare.

Kade's raised voice. The icy tones and glares. The piercing and unforgiving words. One thing was certain—he proved that I stole from him before he confronted me. Whatever proof he had, I had no idea where and what it was.

“Reyna?”

I shot up from my seat upon hearing my name from behind. I turned and saw Leonora. Compared to the last time we met, her hair was now streaked with silver. Some fine lines traced the side of her eyes and lips.

“I knew it was you. How have you been?” Her smile and soft voice soothed me.

No words came from me and I just strode towards her and hugged her. Tears had once more rolled down my cheeks and this time, no matter how I wanted to calm myself and to stop crying, I just could not control it.

Not when Leonora caressed my back like I had become a little child once more. I lost count how long I clung to her. It felt safe and calm compared to what had happened so far.

The moment I regained my composure, I wiped my tears and profusely apologized to Leonora. It must have had shocked her for me to suddenly see me and cry on her like a baby.

“Oh, please dear. You are not a bother,” she reassured me. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Leonora had looked out for me when I first came to the city. She trusted me so I knew I could do the same. Hence, I told her what happened between my husband and I and how I had no place to stay.

“If you are still hiring for a waitress, I am willing to work for you again,” I said, feeling how my face became flush.

She smiled.

“Well… Peak season is around the corner and I would need an extra helping hand. And lucky for you, the room you used to occupy was recently vacated. How about you stay there while you figure things out?”

“Leonora…” Tears had once more filled my eyes.

That night, I stepped back into the small room I first stayed in. It felt nostalgic despite it being different before. Still, the single bed was just as I remembered. It was where I also cried myself to sleep when I got reminded how my mother was no longer with me and how I was all by myself.

Thanks to Leonora, she helped me with the beddings since I pretty much had nothing with me. When she went home, I sat on my bed and started to budget my money. Along with it were still unanswered questions and things I had to do to somehow prove my innocence.

It was hard… However, I needed to adapt to the life I used to live and not the luxury I had gotten used to. Until then... I must also clear my name in the eyes of my husband.

The very next morning, I got up early and prepared to start my work. Since I just live on the second floor, I was assigned to prep the restaurant before it opens. I mopped, wiped the counters and tables, and windows. Just when I was done with setting up the tables, there was a tap on the still closed glass door.

Our gazes met. It was a man I never saw before. He smiled and motioned me to approach him. He wore a pair of black suits and on his hand was a briefcase. Why did he seem like a lawyer or something? Did something happen to Leonora when I was away?

I opened the door and greeted him.

“I’m sorry, but if you are looking for Miss Leonora, she is still not here,” I said. “She might come around 11 AM."

“I came for you, Miss Reyna.” He extended his hand for a handshake. “I am Wesley Feignman, the attorney who will handle your divorce with Mr. Kade Storm.”

I froze. Divorce?

Immediately? This… fast?

His words hit me like an avalanche. Cold. Heavy. Fast. Just too fast.

I sat across from Attorney Wesley, watching him open his briefcase and bring out the divorce settlement papers. He slid them towards me.

I stared at it for a long while, not reading what it contained but my eyes were stuck on the word divorce. When I flipped on the next page, my chest tightened. It became harder to breathe and I had to take deep inhales and exhales to calm myself.

Kade had already signed.

“I should remind you that there is a high possibility that you won’t be paid alimony due to the 1 billion issue,” the attorney said, breaking me out from my own thoughts.

“What if I did not really steal that 1 billion?” I asked.

“Then, the divorce won’t proceed.”

I looked at him with hopeful eyes, but he immediately erased it.

“However, the investigation regarding the stolen money had just ended and it is proven you stole it. I cannot disclose any further details, but if you choose to dispute, it will be a rigorous process.” He leaned back on his seat and looked me in the eyes. “And with the current situation, the rigorous process will be a great disadvantage to you so I suggest you sign the divorce agreement without disputing. It will be easier for you.”

I bit my lower lip. It was clear. They were not giving me any chance to fight back. Even if I choose to be stubborn, where would I get the money to use in my dispute? And... They might think I'd dispute because I wanted only the alimony instead of revealing the truth.

Hence… I picked up the documents and read through them.

No alimony.

There was even a no-contact provision. Under whatever circumstances, I was not allowed to approach or see Kade.

Then, there was another clause stating that I was forbidden from ever talking about my relationship with my husband and everything related to the Storm family. They were making sure I won't stain their reputation.

Reading them tore me piece by piece. It burned every part of me to see how much Kade wanted to erase me in his life. I wiped away my tears and took the pen from the table with a shaky hand.

I let out an exhale before fixing my signature above my name.