The moment Ava saw the word "DIVORCE" printed in bold letters, her stomach twisted into a painful knot. For a second, her brain refused to process it. "You... you're joking," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper, her throat dry like sandpaper. "I'm not."
View More"Is this how you thank me?"
Ava slammed the thick file onto the glass table, her fingers trembling from exhaustion and disbelief. The digital clock on the wall read 2:37 AM, its dull blue light illuminating the dimly lit room. Her back ached, her eyes burned, but she had pushed through—because she thought she was doing this for them. For their marriage. But the moment she looked at the man standing across from her, she knew. Logan wasn’t grateful. He wasn’t relieved. He wasn’t even looking at the damn contract she had spent the last three weeks perfecting for him. Instead, his gaze was cold. Indifferent. Like she was nothing more than an inconvenience. He exhaled slowly, then slid a white envelope across the table. "You should sit down for this," he said, his voice too calm for what he was about to do. She didn’t sit. Her fingers hesitated before picking up the envelope. The weight of it felt wrong. Then she pulled out the papers. The moment Ava saw the word "DIVORCE" printed in bold letters, her stomach twisted into a painful knot. For a second, her brain refused to process it. "You... you're joking," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper, her throat dry like sandpaper. "I'm not." She looked up, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. Any sign of regret. Anything. But there was nothing. Just cold detachment. The same man who used to hold her close when she cried. The same man who promised her forever. She let out a short, breathless laugh. "I just worked my ass off finishing this damn contract for you. I haven’t slept in two days, Logan." His lips pressed into a thin line. "I didn’t ask you to." Something inside her cracked. "You didn't ask me to?" Her voice rose, raw and sharp. "I did this for you. For your company. For us, Logan!" His jaw tensed, but he said nothing. She felt like she was drowning, her mind spiraling between anger and disbelief. Then, she noticed something. A slight movement behind him. A shadow. And then—she stepped into the light. A woman. Young. Beautiful. Fresh-faced, dressed in one of Logan’s shirts, its sleeves too long for her delicate arms. The pieces fell together instantly. Her breath caught. "Who is she?" The woman’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "Oh. He didn't tell you?" Her stomach churned. Logan didn’t even flinch. "I'm not doing this, Ava," he muttered, rubbing his temples as if this were a minor inconvenience. But the woman—Sophia Ellis—was enjoying this. She stepped forward, her bare feet silent against the marble floor. "I suppose introductions are unnecessary. But since you're already holding the divorce papers, I might as well be polite." She extended a manicured hand. "I'm Sophia Ellis." A pause, then, with a soft, cruel chuckle, she added, "Logan’s fiancée." The room spun. Everything—the late nights, the ignored texts, the sudden business trips—it all made sense. It had never been about work. It had never been about them. Logan had already moved on. She was just the last one to find out. Her fingers curled around the divorce papers, the weight of betrayal settling in her chest like a stone. Five years. Five years of building a life with this man. Of believing in him. And in return, he had replaced her before she even had the chance to fight for their marriage. "Say something!" Logan said, his voice impatient now, as if she were the one making everything difficult. She swallowed the lump in her throat, steadying herself. Then, she did something neither of them expected. Ava laughed—a hollow, humorless sound. "Wow," she whispered, shaking her head. "You really are a piece of work, aren’t you?" Sophia arched an eyebrow. "Oh, honey. If I were you, I’d be grateful." "Grateful?" "Logan isn’t exactly the easiest man to be married to, is he?" Sophia tilted her head, her tone dripping with faux sympathy. "At least now you’re free." Ava’s fingers tightened around the papers. Freedom. What a joke. She wasn’t free—she was discarded. Tossed aside like she had meant nothing. Logan crossed his arms, impatience radiating from him. "Are you done?" She turned to face him fully. "You really think you can just throw me away like this?" Her voice was calm. Too calm. "Like the last five years meant nothing?" His gaze didn’t waver. "They meant something. Until they didn’t." A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, but she refused to break. Not in front of him. "You should sign it," he said, glancing at his watch. "It’s late." As if her heartbreak were just another appointment in his schedule. She exhaled slowly, forcing her hands to stop shaking. With steady fingers, she picked up the pen. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. If he wanted her gone, she’d leave. But not as a broken woman. As someone who deserved better. The tip of the pen touched the paper, and with one final breath, Ava signed her name. Then, she placed the papers back on the table, meeting his eyes one last time. "Congratulations," she said, her voice eerily steady. "I hope she’s worth it." She turned on her heels, grabbing only her purse before walking toward the door. But just as she reached for the handle, the other Sophia’s voice stopped her. "Oh, one last thing," she mused. "Did Logan ever tell you why he really married you?" Ava’s fingers stilled. She didn’t turn around. Silence stretched between them before Sophia giggled softly. "Guess not," she said, amusement lacing her voice. "Well then, let me be the one to tell you—" A pause. Then, with a smirk in her voice, she asked, "Did you really think it was love?" The door clicked shut behind Ava, but Sophia’s laughter echoed in her mind—a haunting reminder of everything she had lost. She stepped into the cool night air, the weight of the divorce papers still heavy in her purse. The streetlights flickered above, casting long shadows that danced across the pavement, mirroring the turmoil within her. What had she done wrong? The question gnawed at her as she walked aimlessly down the street, her heels clicking against the concrete. She had given everything to Logan—her time, her love, her trust. And for what? To be replaced by a younger, prettier version of herself? Ava paused at a nearby park, the familiar swings swaying gently in the breeze. Memories flooded back—swinging side by side with Logan, laughing under the stars, dreaming of a future together. But those dreams felt like a cruel joke now, shattered by the reality of betrayal. “You should have seen it coming,” she muttered to herself, frustration bubbling to the surface. “You were so blind.” She sank onto a bench, burying her face in her hands. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and unrelenting. The pain was suffocating, a raw wound that refused to heal. But as the tears fell, something shifted within her. Anger. Ava was angry at Logan for his betrayal, angry at the other Ava for her smugness, and most of all, angry at herself for allowing this to happen. “No more,” she whispered, wiping her tears away. “I won’t let this define me.” With newfound determination, she stood up and took a deep breath. She would not be a victim. She would reclaim her life, starting now. The next few weeks were a whirlwind of emotions. Ava threw herself into her work, pouring her heart and soul into her projects. The office became her sanctuary—a place where she could focus on her goals and ambitions without the shadow of Logan looming over her. Her colleagues noticed the change. They saw the fire in her eyes, the way she commanded attention in meetings, and the confidence that radiated from her. One evening, as she was wrapping up a presentation, her boss approached her. "Ava, you’ve really stepped up lately. I think it’s time we discuss a promotion." Her heart raced at the prospect. A promotion. It was a chance to prove to herself that she was more than just Logan’s wife. She was Ava—capable, ambitious, and deserving of recognition in her own right. "I’d love that," she replied, a genuine smile breaking across her face. As she left the office that night, she felt lighter. The weight of her past was still there, but it no longer consumed her. She was moving forward, one step at a time.Ava felt confused as to why they were talking about her safety, which she herself didn’t fully understand. But she began to think about her issues with Sophia and the people behind her.Ava paused for a moment, reflecting on the words she had just heard. Thoughts of Sophia and the people behind her made her feelings even more tangled."What do they really want from me?" she thought. She tried to remember small details that might have been missed, but everything felt hazy.Ava knew that Sophia was not someone easy to deal with. There was something dark and mysterious behind her enticing smile. Perhaps all of this was connected to the decision Ava had made some time ago, a decision that had trapped her in a game larger than herself.Ava thought that all of this must be related to them. Yet, she still wondered who exactly those supporting her were. What were their interests in this matter? Ava found herself deep in thought that night, trying to analy
The mysterious figure looked at her with doubt. Their expression changed as if considering her request. "Are you really struggling?" they asked, their tone showing a hint of empathy.Ava nodded, trying to appear weak and helpless. "Yes, I just want to eat properly. If you help me, maybe I can be calmer and talk to you."After a few long seconds, the figure finally stepped closer. "Alright, I will help you, but remember, this is an opportunity for us to communicate well," they said while picking up a bowl of food.Ava felt relieved but also cautious. She had to remain careful. "Thank you," she said, trying to show gratitude even though her heart was still racing.Ava thought that there was nothing wrong with eating the food prepared by this unknown person tonight. Although bad things could happen, she felt she had no other choice. The gnawing hunger made her feel weak, and she couldn't bear to feel her body weaken from starvation. She needed energy
"It's alright, it's your right to do so, sweet lady. But you must remember to wait a while here until you can be safe out there!" said the figure in a serious tone. Ava jolted at the figure's words. Her mind immediately drifted to various possibilities. "What does that mean?" She felt there were things she didn't know about everything that was happening. When the figure said she had to wait to be safe, there was an undertone she couldn’t grasp. Was this all part of a larger evil plan?However, Ava tried to push those thoughts away. She was afraid of getting trapped in the mysterious person's mental game, putting her full trust in them only to find it was a trap. She had to remain vigilant and not let herself be ensnared in any lies that might be told.While stifling the pain in her knee, Ava shifted her focus. "I have to get out of here," she thought. Every passing second only strengthened her resolve to escape. She couldn't let fear take control.Ca
Ava continued to struggle to move, even though each movement felt heavy and painful. She had been searching for a glimmer of hope for a long time, but this room seemed like a never-ending maze. Darkness enveloped her, increasing her frustration. The hope that once burned bright was now fading, but she could not give up.She pushed through the fatigue gnawing at her body and tried to focus. "I have to find a way out," she whispered to herself. "I can't let all this effort go to waste." In her mind, she envisioned the possibility of escaping and returning to her normal life, far from this fear.However, as she paused to catch her breath, pain shot through her body. She felt her muscles stiff and weary. In an instant, helplessness washed over her. Her thoughts drifted, imagining what would happen if someone entered this room and captured her again."Don't fail," she thought. "I don't want to feel useless." She recalled everything she had gone through, all the
Ava looked at the food suspiciously. Her instincts screamed to refuse. The food could contain poison or drugs that would make her even weaker. She didn't trust this person, and she wouldn't accept anything from him."I'm not hungry," Ava replied curtly, trying to hide her fear.The mysterious person sighed. "Don't be stubborn, Ava. You have to eat. You haven't eaten in a long time, and you need energy to survive." He approached, offering a spoonful of rice to Ava's mouth.Ava turned her face away, refusing the offer. "I don't trust you. I don't know what you put in that food.""I'm not going to hurt you, Ava," the mysterious person said in a soft tone, which sounded strange to Ava's ears. "I'm just doing my job. I was told to take care of you and make sure you eat well.""Told to?" Ava sneered. "Who told you? The person who kidnapped me and locked me up in this place?"The mysterious person was silent for a moment. "That's none o
However, the dream felt too real. The pain in her body, the ropes that bound her, and the strange smell around her, all felt very real. She tried to remember what had happened, but her memory was blurred and fragmented. She only remembered being pulled from behind and gagged, then everything went dark.Suddenly, a glimmer of light appeared, breaking the darkness. The light was not too bright, but enough to make Ava squint her eyes. She saw the silhouette of someone walking closer. The heavy thud of shoes sounded clearer, indicating that the person was getting closer.Ava's fear grew even more. Who was that person? What did he want? She didn't know, and that ignorance made her even more afraid. She tried to scream, but her voice was only a muffled murmur because her mouth felt dry and tense. She could only wait, hoping for a miracle that would save her from this nightmare.Ava was startled, her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment. Her eyes widened, tr
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