Chapter 1 - I want a divorce!

KATHERINE'S POV

The thunder boomed outside, rattling the windows. A shiver ran down my spine—not from the storm, but from the heavy uncertainty as I sat glued to the TV, struggling to comprehend what I was seeing. This had to be some kind of nightmare. My words tumbled out, barely coherent, as the news headline hit me like a freight train. My heart felt utterly crushed as I watched Alex with his arm around her waist, both of them grinning, while I clutched the document in my hands.

The doctor's voice echoed in my mind: “Congratulations, Mrs. Blake. You are pregnant.” All I wanted was to come home tonight and share the news with my husband, celebrating our first anniversary, only to be blindsided by this headline on the screen.

“Is this really the return of the billionaire CEO's ex-girlfriend? A pregnancy for the CEO himself?” I muttered the headline to myself. Just then, I heard footsteps on the stairs. I looked up to see Alex and Astra laughing together, Astra wrapped in a towel and Alex shirtless. When they noticed me, Alex’s face changed, while Astra just rolled her eyes. I didn’t need anyone to explain; I could see exactly what was happening between them.

“Alex, what is going on?” I asked, on the verge of tears, desperately wishing that what I had seen on TV was a cruel joke.

“What does it look like to you?” Alex shot back, while Astra laughed like she’d just won a prize, which, of course, she had.

For the past year, my focus had been on making Alexander Blake, my husband, happy. We got hitched through a marriage contract to support my late mom’s business—a decision that felt more like a transaction than a union of love. Yet, I promised to love him—and I truly fell for him. I poured my heart into our relationship, determined to show him what real love looks like, to prove I could be more than just a name on a contract. But now, just as I discovered I was pregnant, his ex-girlfriend had waltzed back into his life. The thunder outside felt like it was mocking me while I tried to hide the file behind my bag.

I couldn't wrap my head around what went wrong. It was all a blur, a chaotic whirlwind of emotions that left me feeling lost. The audacity of both of them was infuriating. Neither seemed the least bit embarrassed, especially my husband. But why would he be? To him, this was just a business deal, and he could break the terms whenever he wanted.

“You see, Katherine,” he said, striding over to Astra and kissing her, making my skin crawl. The sight of them together felt like a dagger to my heart. “This woman is the one I love, and you? You’re just a pawn. Now that she’s having my baby, I don’t need you around anymore.” His words hung in the air, suffocating me. I felt utterly betrayed. I should have realized Alexander Blake could only love himself and his ex-girlfriend; I was just the fool in this situation.

“What do you mean? We’re married; we’re family,” I managed to say, my voice trembling as I held back the urge to reveal my baby news right in front of Astra. The weight of my secret felt like a boulder pressing down on my chest.

“Family? No, we’re not. We’re just bound by a contract that’s about to expire,” Alex replied, his tone so casual it felt like a slap in the face. He was ignoring how much this was hurting us. I could see the glimmer of triumph in Astra’s eyes, and it made my stomach churn.

“What do you mean, Alex? What do you mean… 'about to expire'?” I raised an eyebrow, feeling confused, hoping it wasn’t what I thought.

“I want a divorce,” he said, his voice ringing out loud and clear. It felt like he’d just dropped a bombshell. My legs felt weak, and I quickly grabbed the couch to steady myself.

“A divorce?” I stammered, completely taken aback, nervously glancing between him and Astra.

“But she cheated on you! How can you take her back? How can you even think that baby is yours?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“We had sex three weeks ago, and that’s how I ended up pregnant. We’re back together, and that’s that. Do you get it now?” Astra shot back angrily, pulling away just enough from his embrace to rest a hand on his arm.

“That can’t be true, right?”

“Nope, you heard her correctly. She’s two weeks pregnant. We’ve been working things out, and I’ve chosen to forgive her,” Alex explained, while Astra tried to hide a smug smile. I couldn’t believe Astra was really pregnant with his child. It felt like a total lie just to win him back.

“Is it because of her baby?” My voice trembled as I asked, but he just scoffed.

“No, it’s because you tricked me into marrying you. Don’t you see, Kathe? I love her. She’s the one I want to be with, not you.” I stared at him in shock.

I felt a wave of disbelief wash over me as if I had plunged into icy water. The room spun slightly, and I struggled to process his words. “Tricked you? Alex, that’s not how it happened! I love you! I could never trick you!” My voice cracked, desperation creeping in as I searched his eyes for any hint of the man I once knew.

Astra leaned in closer to him, her presence a stark reminder of the betrayal that had shattered my world. “You were never good enough for him, Katherine. You always knew he was meant for someone like me,” she taunted, her voice dripping with condescension. I chose to ignore her, focusing my attention on Alexander.

“Alex, you really need to think this over. Don’t rush into a decision like this,” I pleaded, gripping the papers and my bag tightly. “I have something important to share, but—” I glanced at Alex. “I’d rather discuss it privately.”

Alex waved me off, clearly uninterested. “Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Astra,” he shot back, and for a moment, I couldn’t believe this was the same guy I’d known for the past year.

He was going to be the father of my child, but the excitement that had brought me here was gone. There was no way I could reveal something so crucial with Astra around, someone I didn’t trust.

“Well?” Astra said impatiently, stroking Alex’s arm. “Just say it.”

“Actually, I’ve changed my mind,” I said bitterly.

“Since that’s settled, I expect you to leave my house by tomorrow morning. Thanks for your help, Kathe, but I won’t need it anymore.” I opened my mouth to respond, but he continued. “If you’re wondering about the settlement amount, after all, all you need is money, it’ll be in your account by the end of the day. And the divorce papers will be sent to you soon.” His tone was final, and he looked impatient.

I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat. It was still hard to believe all of this was happening.

“Alex, please. You can’t do this to me. Not now, not like this,” I pleaded, my lip trembling, but I refused to let tears fall in front of them. Instead, he just walked away with Astra trailing behind him. Before she left, though, she shot me a look that could kill. I shoved the papers into my bag and nodded, then turned to head out.

All I had now was the little life growing inside me, and I would be damned if I let that slip away too. As I stormed out of the building, the only thing on my mind was the way Astra had shot me that nasty glare. I’m not one to back down easily, especially when it’s not every day someone looks at me with such blatant malice.