4. Refusal

4

Layla Patel

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I always knew that you couldn’t love someone into loving you. But I always had this glimpse of hope that somehow, Lucas would eventually fall in love with me. 

But since Sophia was back in his life, all my hopes were shattered. Even if he thought the best thing to do was end our marriage, I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. 

He was about to make a mistake and couldn’t just agree and sign the divorce papers. I wasn’t prepared to let go of him. I wasn’t ready to be a single woman. I still wanted to be his wife. 

Normally, I didn’t care what the public had to say. But this time, I didn’t want people to say that Sophia won. I mean, Lucas wasn’t a prize, but I was tired of the constant comparison between me and his ex-girlfriend. 

Anyone who knew what was happening would see me as desperate. I always knew I was being desperate but it was the best thing to do. 

I had nowhere else to go. 

I thought about contacting his family, so they would talk to him on my behalf, but I knew that it would be a waste of time. 

Lucas’s family didn’t give a fuck about me. 

The only person who cared about me and was capable of making him change his mind was his grandmother. But unfortunately, she passed away six months ago. 

She was the reason Lucas and I got married to each other. She treated me with kindness and respect. I knew she was the main reason why Lucas was even nice to me on some days.

But now that she was gone, he didn’t have any reason to be nice to me. He was free to do whatever he wanted to do. 

He was free to be the woman he loved. The woman he had been in love with ever since we had been married. Why did she have to come back to New York? 

I had been trying my best to ignore her presence. I chose not to talk to Lucas about it. I hoped it was just a temporary thing. But I was wrong. 

Even after so many years, Lucas was still in love with her. He wouldn’t even think twice before choosing her over me. But it didn’t matter because I wasn’t going to sign those divorce papers. 

After I left the room, I went downstairs to the living room and sat on the couch. I felt like my whole world was falling apart and I didn’t have any control over it. 

Why did I allow myself to fall in love with someone who made it clear that I was just his wife on paper? I felt so stupid. 

I even felt more stupid because I was still trying to hold on to him. But everything would be worth it in the end. He would realize his mistake and come back to me. 

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and called my best friend. I needed to talk to someone about what was happening before I lost my mind. 

Plus, I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Olivia’s concerned voice echoed from the other end of the line. 

“Lucas gave me divorce papers.” Tears rolled down my cheeks as I went straight to the point. “He wants to end the marriage because of her.” 

“Sophia?” Olivia asked, but there wasn’t any hint of surprise in her voice. “Oh my goodness! But I warned you about it.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, but what could I have done?” I asked, my voice laced with disdain as I thought about everything. 

Olivia let out a wistful sigh. “So what are you going to do?” 

Without hesitation, I responded. “I’m not signing those papers.” My voice was laced with determination. “I refused to sign them. I’m not ready to get divorced.” 

Olivia was silent for a while. I even thought the line had disconnected until she cleared her throat and continued. “Are you sure that is the right thing to do? You’ll just end up getting hurt.” 

Olivia had always tried her best to convince me to leave. But I couldn’t. I mean, where else did I have to go? I didn’t want to start all over. 

I knew she wanted what was best for me, but I needed to do what was on my mind. 

I nodded my head. “Yes, it is the right thing to do.” 

Olivia sighed. “So what did Lucas say when you refused to sign the papers?” She asked, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity. 

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. He mentioned that he wants to propose to Sophia.” My heart broke with each word that came out of my mouth. “He says he has been seeing her for a while and she isn’t okay sharing him with someone else.” 

Olivia gasped. “What the actual fuck, Layla?” 

“I know, I know.” I wiped off my tears with the back of my hands. “You don’t have to say anything.” I already knew what she would say next. 

“He doesn’t even treat you right. His family sees you as a leech. And still, you can’t leave?” I didn’t miss the clear disappointment in her voice. 

Just as I was about to respond, I heard someone coming down the stairs. “I’ll call you back later, Lucas is coming down.” With that, I hung up the call and waited for him to come down. 

“I already signed my part, I need you to sign yours and leave the house before I return from work later in the day,” His hushed voice echoed through the quiet house. 

I thought my refusal to sign the papers would make him change his mind, but I was just being delusional. “Are you serious? You actually want to throw three years down the drain?” I asked. 

Lucas seemed uninterested. “Don’t make me ask the securities to help you out. I don’t want to see you here when I return.” He warned sternly before walking out of the house.