Chapter 3

Her hand slowly reached for the pen. Her fingers trembled so violently that she had to hold it with both hands to keep it from slipping. The tears she had been holding back filled her eyes once again, but this time, Lenora did not wipe them away. She allowed a single tear to fall onto the paper before finally taking a deep breath and forcing herself to read through the document once more.

In the end, she had to put an end to everything with a signature.

Lenora closed her eyes for a moment. In her mind, memories appeared one after another. The day they got married, when she had stood beside Darius feeling nervous yet happy because she believed that one day, the man would learn to love her. The long nights when she waited for Darius to come home, even though she knew he might never return. The various celebrations she had spent alone, the gifts that were never touched, and the brief conversations that always ended with her husband’s cold attitude.

However, the late Grandfather Blackwell had always comforted her and told her that Darius was a good grandson, that he would change and open his heart someday.

All this time, Lenora had always told herself that everything would change. She only needed to be patient a little longer.

But now, she knew she no longer needed to wait.

Lenora opened her eyes, then lowered her head and signed her name on the document with a trembling hand.

The stroke of the pen felt incredibly heavy, but eventually, it was done.

Lenora stared at her name, which now stood as proof that she had agreed to the divorce. Her hand was still trembling when she placed the pen back on the table.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Suddenly, Darius was standing behind her.

“Finally, you signed it.”

Lenora was startled. She hurriedly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand before standing up and turning to face the man.

“You heard everything earlier,” Darius said in a flat voice.

Lenora nodded resignedly, as if there was no longer any obligation for the man to explain anything.

Darius’s blue eyes immediately met hers. Those were the same eyes that had once made her heart race so often, eyes so blue that they had captivated her. But now, looking into them only caused her pain.

No matter how much Darius had hurt her or how deeply disappointed she was, Lenora still could not completely hate the man. Darius was simply too perfect. His handsome face, his sharp gaze, even his very presence could still make Lenora’s heart waver.

However, a moment later, Lenora’s eyes widened when she realized that the man standing before her was not wearing a shirt. His broad, well-built body and clearly defined six-pack abs were right in front of her.

Without realizing it, Lenora stared at the man’s body for several seconds.

What exactly had they been doing for Darius to even take off his clothes?

As if noticing where Lenora was looking, Darius cleared his throat softly.

“Corinne vomited. You know she’s in the early stages of pregnancy? I had to take care of her.”

His tone was flat, as though he felt no need to explain any further.

“Your presence in this house is disturbing her peace.”

The words struck Lenora like a bolt of lightning right through her head. She clenched her fingers into fists.

Darius continued, “The divorce process requires a one-month waiting period. During that time, you can stay at Villa Damai. It’s only two kilometers from here.”

Darius then took out a thin card and held it out to Lenora.

“This is for you. There are five billion in it.”

Lenora stared at the card without expression.

“Don’t say the Blackwell Family didn’t give you any compensation.”

Reluctantly, Lenora accepted the card.

“Do I also have to resign from the company?” she asked hoarsely.

“Yes, of course.” Darius’s answer came so quickly that it left no room for negotiation.

“It’s impossible for us to keep seeing each other every day at work and make Corinne jealous. You already know how much I love her.”

Lenora’s heart felt crushed once again.

“All right. I understand,” she replied softly, her eyes filling with tears once more.

Darius stared at her for a moment before saying, “Tomorrow, make time for a press conference. You have to announce that you chose to divorce because you feel you can’t give me children.”

“What?” Lenora stared at him in disbelief.

How could that possibly be her fault now?

“You think I can get pregnant on my own without you touching me?” Lenora’s voice trembled. She was still trying to suppress the anger that had been building inside her all this time.

Darius merely clicked his tongue.

“That’s not my problem. You’ve already received compensation for all the announcements that are your responsibility. What’s in that card is more than enough compared to the annual bonus you’ve ever received.”

Lenora lowered her head and looked at the thin card in her hand.

Five billion.

To someone else, that amount might have been enormous.

But right now, the card felt like the most humiliating price Darius had offered to pay for everything she had sacrificed as both his wife and a project manager at his company.

Lenora raised her hand and threw the card back onto the table.

“I don’t need your money.” Her gaze became firm despite the tears still gathering in her eyes.

“I’m leaving today!”

“Don’t be so arrogant, Lenora.” Darius’s cold voice came from behind her.

“Leaving the Blackwell residence means you’ll lose your job, and you won’t be able to rely on your status as Mrs. Blackwell anymore. At the very least, you need money to survive.”

Darius’s gaze traveled down Lenora’s body, the disgust in his eyes impossible to hide.

“Although, with your body in that condition, I don’t think you need to spend much money on food anyway. You really should continue your diet.”

Lenora fell silent. Her fingers slowly clenched at her sides.

Darius continued as though his words had not hurt the woman’s dignity in the slightest.

“You only need to say a few things in front of the reporters. After that, they’ll forget about it in a short time. It’s not difficult, is it?”

Slap!

The sound of a sharp slap echoed through the room.

Lenora was now standing directly in front of Darius. Her hand was still raised after her palm landed against the man’s cheek.

For the first time, Darius’s face showed genuine shock. Lenora stared at him with tear-filled eyes.

What did he mean, it wasn’t difficult? Was she supposed to admit to the whole world that she was a failed wife?

Was she supposed to say that she had chosen to divorce because she could not give him children? How could her feelings mean absolutely nothing? Wasn’t Darius the one who had cheated?

Wasn’t Darius the one who had brought another woman into their marriage?

Then why was she the one who had to stand before all those reporters and cover up his affair?

Why was she the one who had to throw away her own dignity just to protect the Blackwell Family’s reputation?

All those questions spun wildly inside Lenora’s head.

Yet not a single one escaped her lips. Lenora simply swallowed everything back.

The tears she had been holding back finally streamed down her cheeks.

She took a deep breath, then looked at Darius one last time.

“Goodbye, Darius.”

Only two words. After that, Lenora turned around.

She did not wait for the man’s response. Nor did she take back the card containing five billion that she had thrown onto the table.

After being part of the Blackwell Family for so long, Lenora walked out of the house without feeling the need to look back.

She carried no money, no status. She carried nothing except the wounds she had kept buried inside for so long. She had not even packed her clothes.

Lenora stepped out through the grand door of the luxurious mansion with a shattered heart.

No matter how many tears streamed down her face, Lenora kept walking until she finally reached the main iron gate.

However, her steps suddenly came to a stop.

In front of her, several luxurious black cars were lined up neatly along the driveway.

Maybachs.

Lenora frowned. She had no idea who had come to the Blackwell residence in such numbers. Was one of the Blackwell relatives visiting to mourn?

One of the windows of the car at the front slowly rolled down.

Lenora lowered her head to look inside and saw an old man whose hair had completely faded to white. His face looked old, but his eyes were so sharp that Lenora instinctively straightened her body.

In his hand was a black cane topped with a skull-shaped handle.

The old man stared at Lenora through the open window. Then, his lips moved.

“Get in.” The old man’s voice was low and firm. “This is no longer your place.”