2. Divorced

HARPER:

My plan? Cook one last meal for Alexander as Mrs. Banks and then give him the divorce papers. I had wanted that title for a reason… and not just because it sounded good, but because I had dreamed of growing old with the man who gave it to me.

Until I woke up from my phone buzzing. My love. It was a voice note. At first, I thought it was just him apologizing for missing our anniversary.

Instead, words I had not asked to hear muffled through my phone screen.

“Rowena… fuck. You’re so good.”

I bolted upright. The clock on the nightstand said 3:14AM. The room was dark.

“Harder, Alex…I’m cumming…”

My hand trembled around the phone. I meant to stop it. I meant to throw it across the room but I could only listen.

Then his voice again.

“Harper could never compare to you.”

The recording ended.

He had sent it by accident or maybe he had not. Maybe some part of him wanted me to hear. Wanted me to finally understand how foolish I was.

I couldn't sleep back after the voice note.

*****

The door opened and Alexander walked in, loosening his tie like he had just come from a meeting and not spending the night inside another woman.

Then Rowena stepped in behind him.

The air caught in my lungs.

“Why is she here?” I asked.

Alexander did not answer immediately. He draped his jacket over the back of a chair casually. “We ran into each other today. She needed a place to stay for a few hours.”

I almost laughed. Ran into each other at 3AM?

“And you somehow thought it was appropriate to bring her here?”

Before Alexander could answer, Rowena stepped forward.

“I’m so sorry, Harper. I told him not to bring me. I knew this was a bad idea.” She looked at me with wide, watery eyes. “I should go. I’ll call a taxi.”

She turned toward the door.

Alexander caught her arm. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Alex, please. I don’t want to cause problems between you and your wife.”

“You’re not causing problems,” he said gently. “Stay.”

My nails dug into my palms. I watched their flawless performance and I would have been fooled if not for the fact that I knew the truth.

Alexander turned his head to me and sighed. “Harper, don’t start.”

“Don’t start?” I screamed. That surprised the both of us. “You cancelled our anniversary. You spent the night with her and now you brought her into my house.”

His expression hardened. “It’s been a long time since we saw each other.”

“I don’t care. This is not the right place to catch up.”

His hands curled into fists. “Would you rather I met up with her behind your back?”

I froze. I could not believe I had ever loved this man.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'd rather you remembered you have a wife."

His jaw twitched. Silence stretched between us for a moment. He exhaled through his nose, like I was exhausting him.

Then he stepped closer.

His hands found my waist, pulling me toward him.

“It’s just for a little while,” he murmured. “We’ll have our dinner today anyway.”

No. I couldn't tell him I was carrying his child. Especially not a man who saw me as a problem to manage.

I stepped back. His hand fell away.

Rowena walked past me, further into the living room. She looked around like she was inspecting the furniture, imagining it all hers.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. Then she glanced at me with that same sweet, empty smile. “I can see why Alexander married you. You are exactly what his father wanted. Obedient. A woman he could easily control.”

I crossed my arms.

“Samuel didn't choose me because I was obedient," I said. “He chose me because the woman he actually wanted for his son ran away like a coward."

Rowena's smile dropped.

"You left him at the altar, remember? You got scared. You ran and Samuel needed someone to fill the space you left empty.”

I stepped closer. “So don't stand in here and act like you won something. You didn't.”

Alexander frowned. “Harper…”

Then everything happened in a blur. One moment she was standing beside Alexander seething with anger and the next she was pushing me back.

Her hand grazed the fruit knife on the table lightly.

“Ow!” She grabbed her finger. A small drop of blood. Barely bleeding. But with the way Alexander rushed to her, you'd think she'd slit her wrist.

“What happened?” he asked.

She looked up, tears dropping from her eyes. “She pushed me into the table. The knife…”

I scoffed. “I didn’t touch you.”

Alexander’s gaze snapped toward me. “Did you hurt her?”

I couldn’t answer. I just stared at him. I was tired.

He had never defended me like this. When I was sick and burning with fever, he had walked out for a meeting. When I begged him to stay, he looked at me like I was inconveniencing him.

But Rowena had a scratch. And he was ready to burn the world down.

“She’s injured.” He said, voice rising.

I looked at the mark on her wrist. “It’s barely a scratch.”

Rowena sniffled, lowering her head. “It’s okay… I probably shouldn’t have come here.”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t say that.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re believing her?”

He shook his head. “This is not you...You are acting irrational.”

“Irrational? Now I’m the problem?”

“You’ve never been like this before. You’re clearly upset because Rowena is here." He sighed. "Just treat her like a friend.”

I stepped closer to him. “You are forgetting something Alex. She is not my friend. She is your ex. The woman you were with last night.”

His face went still. “What did you say?”

“I heard the voice note, Alexander.” I shrugged. “I hope you enjoyed fucking her because obviously I can't compare to her right?”

His face went pale. “I didn't…”

“Alex…it really hurts.” Rowena whimpered.

He hesitated for a second.

Then he turned back to her, cupping her fingers gently. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

They moved toward the door. Fine. If this was how he wanted it, fine.

“Wait!”

I ran to the kitchen counter. The folder was still there. The divorce papers. Thirty pages of my broken heart printed in black and white.

He sighed. Then he turned back fully, crossing his arms over his chest. “What is it, Harper?”

I handed him the papers. “Sign this.”

He stared at the documents like they were the biggest inconvenience of his life. Then he groaned, running a hand through his dark hair.

“Can’t this wait? Rowena is hurt. How can you be asking me to do this now?”

I did not answer. I just held out the pen.

He stared at it for a second, trying to understand why I was being so difficult. He would never understand.

“Fine,” he said. “Give me the pen.”

I handed it to him. Our fingers brushed. I sucked in a breath.

He flipped the papers straight to the last page, he paused. His eyes skimmed the first line, a slight frown forming, like he was actually about to read it.

“Alex…” Rowena’s voice came out strained and he looked up immediately. She swayed a little, clutching her hand like the tiny cut was suddenly unbearable. “It’s starting to hurt more…”

His attention snapped fully back to her. The papers lowered in his hand.

“Just sign it,” I said, pulling his attention back to me.

He groaned a little and then signed.

Alexander Banks.

Just like that, three years ended in five seconds.

He handed the paper back to me. “There. Happy now?”

He turned to leave.

“Won’t you read it?” I asked softly.

He did not fully turn this time. Just glanced at me over his shoulder.

“Other than signing checks and paying bills,” he said flatly. “What else is there to sign?”

He reached for the doorknob.

“Oh, and Harper."

I looked up.

"Use my card to get Rowena a few changes of clothes.” His voice was as casual as if he were asking me to buy milk. “She'll be staying with us for a while.”