Sign the divorce papers!

"I want a divorce."

Elena froze. The words hit her like a thunderclap, reverberating in her mind. For a moment, she thought she must have misheard.

“What… what did you just say?” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, trembling with disbelief.

Stephen stood before her, his face cold, his expression unreadable. There was no trace of the man she once knew.

Seconds seemed to stretch into eternity before Elena managed to force out a laugh—a shaky, brittle sound that barely masked her growing dread. “Stephen… this is a joke, right?” she asked, her voice faltering. “Come with me. I’ve got a surprise for you.” Her hand slipped into her pocket, gripping something tightly, as if whatever she held could change his mind.

Her eyes sparkled with desperate hope as she reached for his hand, but Stephen recoiled, pulling away as if her touch disgusted him.

“Are you deaf?” he snapped, his voice sharp as glass. “I said, I want a divorce!”

The words hit her like a physical blow. Elena staggered back, her hand covering her mouth, her knees threatening to buckle. Tears brimmed in her wide, disbelieving eyes.

“No,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “No, you don’t mean that… you can’t.”

But Stephen’s icy gaze cut through her like a blade. His jaw tightened as he grabbed her wrist, his grip firm, almost cruel. “Get out of my house,” he growled, each word dripping with disdain. “I can’t stand being near you—not even for another second.”

“Stephen,” she sobbed, shaking her head, trying to find the man she loved in the cold stranger before her. “Stephen, please… What’s happened to you? Why are you acting like this? Like someone without a heart?”

She took a hesitant step closer, her hand trembling as she reached for him.

“Don’t touch me!” he bellowed, shoving her away with such force that she stumbled. “I can’t bear to have someone like you anywhere near me!”

Elena stood frozen, tears streaming down her face. Her mind raced for answers, for reasons, for anything to explain this nightmare. But then Stephen ’s next words shattered what little hope she had left.

“I want a divorce,” he spat, his voice louder and crueler. “And I want it now. I can’t live with you for another moment.”

“Why?” she choked out, her voice barely audible, broken by the weight of her pain. “Why are you doing this to me?”

His laughter was bitter, filled with venom. “Why?” he repeated, his lips curling into a sneer. “Because I hate you, Elena. Every time I look at you, I’m reminded of the day I ruined my life by marrying you.”

Elena’s heart shattered, the pieces falling into an abyss of despair. His words were a knife, slicing through her soul, leaving nothing but pain in their wake.

“I can’t tolerate you anymore,” Stephen spat, his face twisted with disgust. “You’re useless. You couldn’t give me a child, and you’re incapable of doing anything. A worthless wife.”

A single tear slid down Elena’s cheek, but her voice, though trembling, held a flicker of defiance. “But I am—”

“Enough!” Stephen  roared, raising his hand as if to strike her. “I don’t want to hear another word from you. Just get out of my sight!”

Elena’s legs trembled beneath her as she gazed at the man she once loved—now nothing more than a cold, heartless stranger. His bitterness, his hatred, were unbearable.

As she tried to process his venomous words, Stephen turned away, his voice suddenly commanding. “Mia, come in!”

The door opened, and in walked Mia, wearing a crisp white shirt and a sleek black skirt, exuding confidence and professionalism. She held a file in her hand.

Elena’s breath hitched. “Mia? What are you doing here?”

Mia, Stephen ’s secretary—and once a close friend—didn’t even spare Elena a glance. She walked straight to Stephen, her face unreadable, her demeanor cool and distant.

“Stephen,” Mia said, extending the file to him.

Stephen snatched it from her hands without a second thought, his eyes flashing with purpose. He turned to Elena, holding the file out in front of her like a weapon.

“Sign these,” he demanded, his voice cold.

The edge of the file struck Elena’s cheek, the sharpness of the blow shocking her. She flinched, the sting only adding to her growing sense of betrayal. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at Stephen, her heart breaking into irreparable pieces.

“Sign the divorce papers,” Stephen said flatly. “And get out of my life as quickly as possible.”

Elena stood frozen, her hands shaking as she reached out for the file. She couldn’t understand what was happening. Her heart felt like it might stop, but it only broke further, piece by piece.

Her voice was barely a whisper, trembling with the weight of her sadness. “You’re doing all this… because of the child. But I… I am already—”

“Sign!” Stephen’s voice thundered, his fury unmistakable. His eyes burned with rage, and he didn’t even let her finish her sentence. “I’ve had enough of your excuses!”

The finality in his voice shattered any remaining hope Elena had. Her body shook with grief, but just as she reached out to sign, a voice sliced through the air like a cold knife.

“This girl is still here? Why hasn’t she been thrown out yet?”

Elena turned sharply, her teary eyes landing on Lily—Damon’s mother—standing in the doorway. Her presence was commanding, her gaze piercing as she looked down at Elena with disdain.

For a brief, fragile moment, hope flickered in Elena’s chest. “Mom,” she whispered, her voice cracking with desperation. “Look at what Stephen is saying—look at what he’s doing to me!”

Lily’s gaze turned cold as she stepped into the room, her posture rigid, her expression unyielding. She scoffed, the sneer on her lips cruel and unforgiving.

“Whatever Stephen is saying is absolutely right,” Lily declared, her tone sharp as a knife. “A girl like you has no place in this house. You are a disgrace to this family.”

Elena’s chest tightened as the words hit her like a slap. She stood frozen, her mind reeling.