Destiny

Chapter 1

Aurora sat across from the lawyer, her eyes fixed on his as she spoke in a calm, collected tone.

"I want a divorce, and I want it now. I also want to erase my identity, start fresh. No connections to the past."

The lawyer, a middle aged man with a cautious demeanor, raised an eyebrow.

He knew Aurora, knew her husband Lucas, and the perfect facade they presented to the world.

Lucas was the city's "wife slave" dream man, always lavishing attention on Aurora in public.

Their marriage was the epitome of perfection, or so it seemed.

"May I ask, Mrs. Blackwood, what's prompting this decision?" the lawyer asked, his voice measured.

Aurora's expression remained serene, but a hint of determination flickered in her eyes. "Let's just say I've had enough. I want out, and I want a new life."

The lawyer nodded, his mind racing with the implications.

He knew Lucas Blackwood's reputation, knew the billionaire's influence and power. He chased her for five years and they've been married for another five years.

"I'll need to warn you, Mrs. Blackwood, the process will take time. Especially with the identity erasure. We need to be careful, meticulous."

Aurora's gaze never wavered. "I don't have time for caution. I want this done quickly, efficiently. And I want privacy. No leaks to the press."

The lawyer hesitated, his eyes locked on hers. "Mrs Blackwood, I understand your desire for discretion, but.."

"I'll appreciate you sticking to my desire for discretion.” Aurora interrupted.

The lawyer's expression softened slightly, but his tone remained professional.

“I see. Well, in that case, I'll do my best to expedite the process. However, I must advise you that the identity erasure will take at least a month. We need to…"

Aurora shifted, her movements swift and decisive.

The lawyer's pen finally touched paper.

He dared one more question: “Forgive me… but today is… your birthday, isn’t it?”

Her lips moved, perhaps toward a smile, but never made it. “Does that matter?”

He wisely did not speak again.

She signed everything in silence, divorce agreements, ownership transfers, clauses that bled a decade of devotion into a few neat signatures.

Finally, he pushed forward the form that would formally erase her identity as Mrs. Blackwood from every public and private record.

When she signed that name for the last time, her fingers trembled a millimeter. No one noticed but her.

“I'll keep in touch.” Aurora said as she finally stood up to leave with some documents, her heels echoing down the glossy marble corridor as she elegantly walked away.

The lawyer stepped into the back room, apologizing for keeping Lucas waiting. "I'm sorry, sir. Aurora Blackwood just left with a divorce papers."

Lucas's expression remained calm, but a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes. "Aurora's decided to leave me, has she? I didn't see that coming."

The lawyer hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "She's determined, sir. She wants the divorce and identity erasure done quickly."

Lucas's gaze narrowed slightly, pretty much amazed. "I see. Well, let's accommodate her wishes. See what we can do to speed up the process, probably in two weeks time."

“Sir, that's nearly impossible.” the lawyer said.

“Make it possible.” Lucas snapped.

The lawyer nodded, surprised by Lucas's sudden interest in expediting the divorce. "Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."

Meanwhile, Aurora returned home to find Lucas standing in the kitchen, a spatula in hand.

The aroma of cooking food filled the air, and for a moment, she felt a pang of nostalgia. But she pushed it aside, her resolve strengthened by the divorce papers in her bag.

Lucas turned around, a charming smile on his face. "Happy birthday, my love. I got you a little something."

He presented her with an expensive looking diamond necklace which had her initials on it, A.B.

The B in the initial which stands for Blackwood made her stomach turn.

His eyes sparkling with affection. "I will never forget your birthday, Aurora. You're the love of my life. I had to wait for 3 months prior for this masterpiece, it's a limited edition."

Aurora's gaze fell on the necklace, her expression unreadable. She knew the truth about Lucas's infidelity, about the countless lies he had told her.

And she knew that today's birthday was just another opportunity for him to pretend to be the perfect husband.

"Thank you, Lucas," she said, her voice neutral. "It's beautiful."

Lucas's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I thought we could celebrate tonight, just the two of us."

Aurora's smile was a thin, polite line. "I'd rather not, Lucas. I'm not feeling well."

Lucas's expression faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "Of course, my love. I'll take care of you. Let me get you some tea."

As Aurora hung Lucas's jacket, her fingers brushed against something in the pocket.

She pulled out a lipstick, its shade unfamiliar to her. A pang of pain shot through her chest, despite knowing the truth about Lucas's infidelity.

She rummaged through the pockets again, and her hand closed around a small charm.

It was from the same brand as the necklace Lucas had given her earlier, and it was engraved with her best friend's initials, "AF".

The ache in her heart deepened, but she didn't let it show on her face.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from the lawyer. "Aurora, we've managed to expedite the identity erasure process. It can be done in fourteen days."

Aurora's eyes narrowed as she read the message. Two weeks. That was a special date, the anniversary of the day she and Lucas first met.

A bitter smile played on her lips as she thought about the irony, the perfect date.

She turned her attention to the divorce papers, her mind made up. She wrapped them up neatly, symbolically burying ten years of love and heartache.

Lucas walked into the room, a concerned expression on his face. "Aurora, is everything okay? You look a bit pale."

Aurora's smile was radiant. "Everything's fine, Lucas. I have a little gift for you but you can't open it now. I'd like you to open it on our anniversary, which is exactly two weeks from now."

Lucas's eyes lit up with curiosity. "A gift? What is it?"

Aurora's smile never wavered. "You'll just have to wait and see."