006

Loren’s POV

I traced my black, off-shoulder dress, my gaze lingering on the mirror.

The day had finally arrived.

I was officially divorcing Asher today.

“A-are you sure you want to wear that Madam?” my personal maid spoke up. “Mr. West—“

“I’m not Mr. West.” I turned, “So his preferences, likes, and dislikes have nothing to do with me.”

Her eyes widened.

“Whether I black dress or a red one, it’s my choice.”

I brushed past her, exiting the mansion and entering a cab.

Asher hated the color black, and especially off-shoulder dresses.

He’d once asked me to burn the dress, but I loved black so I never had the heart to do it.

My decision back then had finally come in handy.

“We are here, Ma’am.”

I glanced at my watch. I was already thirty minutes late.

I paid the cab man and exited the cab, strolling into the divorce office.

This time, my head was held high.

The moment I walked in, Asher’s eyes narrowed.

“Didn’t I tell you not to wear that outfit?” he spat, “Are you trying to seduce me into changing my mind? Was all this trouble necessary? Wouldn’t it have been better to just beg me earlier instead of pulling a stunt like this?”

“Now you can start putting on a show. Beg me—maybe I'll consider not signing.,” he crossed his arms.

I sat down and a staff member interrupted him, setting the divorce papers on the table.

She dropped the pen on the table, beside Asher.

“You can start the signing process now,” she said, “Once you are done, I’ll retrieve the papers.”

I scoffed internally.

They had already determined that I wasn’t going to sign after all so they were handing him the decision.

I glanced from the pen to Asher, before deciding to reach for it.

But Asher grabbed it before me.

He scribbled his signature with zero hesitation, tossing the papers at me.

“Aren't you going to start your performance? Do you really need such a long buildup?”

Before I could say anything, the sound of his phone ringing filled the room.

Asher picked it up, his eyes widening as he listened. “Lovie is about to jump off a bridge?”

Asher shot me a nasty glare as if everything was my fault. He slammed the pen on the table and moved to leave when the staff member spoke up.

“Sir, you haven’t finished signing the papers, if you leave now—“

Asher didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve gone through the process of cancelling the divorce so many times anyway—just handle it however you see fit.”

He was already outside the building before anyone could stop him.

I couldn’t help but smile as he left, he was so confident that I wouldn’t sign.

That I couldn’t bear to lose him.

I glanced at the staff member who was also packing up the papers.

She sighed, “Do you want to cancel the proceedings the same way you’ve done the last ninety-nine times?”

My voice finally filled the silence in the divorce office.

“No,” I answered, taking the papers and pen from her. “This time,” I scribbled my signature. “I choose divorce.”

Her eyes widened as I turned, walking away.

It was all over.

I hailed another cab, leaning against the window as it sped by.

The events from the past few days flashed before my eyes. All the lines Asher crossed, every single time he hurt me.

My lips curled upwards as the cab pulled up in front of the mansion.

It was truly over.

I paid the cab man and entered the mansion, taking quick strides toward my bedroom.

I pushed open the doors and entered, strolling into my walk-in closet and pulling out my dusty suitcase.

I carefully cleaned it up and packed up my things.

From the day I got married, I’d shoved it there, determined I would never use it.

Because I was so sure that I would never leave Asher, now that I was leaving him… it was suddenly useful again.

Just as I packed another black dress, the sound of my phone ringing filled the room.

I picked it up.

“Hello,” I whispered, waiting for the person on the other line.

“I’m sending a car to pick you up,” That deep, mysterious, yet familiar voice said, “Will you be ready to get in?”

“Yes,” I didn’t miss a beat, my grip on the phone tightening as I said, “I’ll be waiting.”

I turned and my leg hit a familiar box.

I crouched, pulling it out.

It was my memory box. Inside that box, I stored every moment I shared with Asher.

Every gift, photo, and love letter that I never even dared to give him.

Everything that I clung to for the past seven years.

Since the marriage had ended, m it was all meaningless.

I poured everything into the garbage bin in the room.

My eyes caught one of the photos and my hand trembled as I brushed my fingertips over it.

My eyes stung with fresh tears and I wiped the ones that fell down my cheek.

I would never let someone break my heart over and over again.

And above all? As I tossed the last photograph into the bin, I promised myself…

I would never again be foolish enough to care so deeply for someone unworthy.

I grabbed my suitcase and dragged it through the mansion. The maids had lined up, eyes wide as they struggled to believe what they were seeing.

I didn’t stop for a second until I was in front of the waiting car.

Before getting inside, I placed the divorce papers in plain sight by the entrance.

Then I entered the car.

I specifically told my driver that I'd drive myself, because this time, I want to take hold of the steering wheel of my own life.

Just as I was about to step on the gas and drive off, Asher spread his arms and blocked the front of my car.

His eyes were fixed on me, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he expected me to obediently get out of the car, open the door, and beg him to take me back.

But not this time.

My foot rested on the gas pedal, and without hesitation, I slammed it all the way down.