TWO

Delilah's POV

I turned and ran out of the house silently, tears streaming down my cheeks. My poor heart couldn't process what I'd just witnessed. I was heartbroken and betrayed. I ran without knowing where I was going or what I would do. All I knew was that I had to get away from the house and Julian's lies and deceit.

A thought crossed my mind: if he was going to leave me, the best I could do with the bit of dignity I had left was serve him the divorce papers first. The lawyer, I needed to get to his lawyer.

I picked up my essentials, threw all the important things I owned into a small bag, and ran out of the house. I got into the car and immediately drove out in anger.

I got to Julian's lawyer's office, still reeling from the shock of what I had just witnessed, but I knew I had to take action. I stormed into the office, demanding that a divorce paper be drawn up immediately. The lawyer looked up at me in surprise, clearly not expecting me to be the one initiating the divorce.

"I'm afraid the papers have already been drawn up, Mrs. Delilah," the lawyer said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "Your husband came to see me weeks ago to initiate the divorce proceedings." I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes as tears began to well up.

Julian had already planned to divorce me weeks ago, and he hadn't even had the courage to tell me himself.

"Why didn't you reach out to me yet?" I asked, my voice shaking with pain. The lawyer looked at me with both sympathy and curiosity.

“I assumed you were aware of the proceedings and were just refusing to sign the papers," she said. “Your husband seemed to think that you would put up a fight, so I didn't reach out to you yet."

I felt even more pained and betrayed. So, has this been going on for that long? He had been thinking about divorcing me for weeks. Julian had been planning to leave me for months, and he had been discussing it with his lawyer behind my back. I couldn't believe the level of deception and betrayal. I started to cry, the tears streaming down my face as I realized the extent of Julian's lies.

The lawyer looked at me with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Delilah," she said. "I had no idea you were unaware of the proceedings. I thought you were just being difficult." I shook my head, unable to speak. I was too busy trying to process the shock and pain.

After a few moments, I composed myself and asked for the papers. The lawyer handed them to me, and I signed them without hesitation. My hands shook a little after I put my signature on the paper as I realized the gravity of what I had just done.

I was officially divorced.

As I stared at the signed papers, something shifted inside me. It wasn’t just grief any more; it was clarity. I had nothing left tying me to Washington city. No family. No home. There's no reason to stay. The love I’d fought for, cried for and defended had never truly existed. Julian had walked out of our marriage long before today. I was just the last one to leave. And maybe, just maybe, that made me stronger. I wiped my tears, squared my shoulders, and told myself I would not be broken. I would start again on my own terms.

I was no longer married to who I thought was the love of my life. I was now alone and had no one. There was nothing left for me here anymore. My aunt was dead, and my husband had left me. Tears were wet in my eyes again, and I tried not to break down in front of the lawyer, whose eyes were already filled with sympathy for me. I needed to leave to start a new chapter in my life.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Mrs. Delilah?" the lawyer asked, looking at me with concern. I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sure," I said. "I just want it to be over."

The lawyer nodded and handed me a copy of the signed papers. "You'll need to file these with the court," she said. "But I'll take care of that for you." I nodded and mumbled a thank you, feeling much better.

I stood up, my eyes dry but my heart heavy. I looked at the lawyer, and she seemed to understand that I was done. I turned and walked out of the office, the divorce papers clutched in my hand. I knew what I had to do next. I had to leave to get away from the pain and the heartache. I would start over alone and try to rebuild my life.

Unfortunately, after high school, I was immediately married to Julian and had no working experience. I also didn't go to college and had no degree. Finding a job to survive after leaving Julian would be incredibly difficult. I couldn't think of any way I could make money.

I let out a sigh and looked down at my fingers, and that's when I saw it. The huge, extremely expensive diamond ring that I got at my wedding. An idea came to my idea, and I immediately left for the jewelry shop

I sold my expensive diamond wedding ring to get some cash without using Julian's card. I didn't want to be dependent on his card anymore or have him track me, even though a part of me knew he wouldn't bother looking for me as he sounded so eager to get rid of me.

The jeweler barely blinked when I handed it over. Just examined it, made a call, and offered me a number that sounded like freedom. I nodded without emotion, sliding the ring across the counter like it meant nothing when it had once meant everything.

I took a cab to the airport and booked the last flight from Washington city to New York city. I didn't know anyone there, but it was the only place I could think of going to at that point.

I took the only bag that had my things in it and boarded the flight. I looked back at the city I grew up in and made many pleasant memories. Those memories had turned into nightmares that would haunting me. I had cried so much in the lounge that my eyes were now so red and swollen. I would get over Julian, I promised myself. I wouldn't look back, I wouldn't think about him, and I certainly would not go back to him.

The sun had set, and we were preparing for takeoff. I looked out the window and gazed at the shining star. A few hours ago, I was so excited to make a feast and have a lovely night with my husband. But now, I was officially divorced, single, and on a flight to another foreign country. I took a deep breath. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that something this insane could happen to me on the night of my anniversary.

The pilot’s calm and collected voice crackled over the intercom, announcing that we were preparing for takeoff. I felt nothing; no excitement, no fear, just a strange emptiness spreading through me like cold water soaking into dry ground.

I blinked slowly, staring at the back of the seat in front of me. It felt like I was watching my life from somewhere outside myself. I reached for the mask in my lap and slipped it on, not because I feared getting sick but because it gave me a way to hide. I tightened my seatbelt, pressing the cool metal buckle against my stomach, and leaned my head back against the seat. I closed my eyes, trying to block out everything.

I drifted off, not even sure when it happened. When I woke up, my head was heavy, and my mouth tasted like metal. My body ached from being still too long. I looked out the window and realized we were descending. The city below looked nothing like home, not even close.

And then it hit me.

I had really done it. I had gotten on a plane with no plan, no job, no friends, and barely enough cash to get through the week. I had left everything behind in a desperate attempt to start over, and now I was about to land in a place where no one knew me, where no one cared that I existed.

What was I thinking?