Chapter 25

The judge said, "And the matter of assets and alimony will be addressed separately in the coming days."

Mr. Anders quickly stood up. "Your Honor, if I may, I believe there are assets that should be addressed immediately."

The judge said, "I understand your concerns, Mr. Anders. However, the court has already determined that such matters will be handled in the separated session due to complicated matters."

The judge continued, "This decision ensures that all financial matters are reviewed thoroughly and fairly. Rushing this process would not serve justice."

I could clearly see the tension on Mr. Anders’s face. He clenched his jaw, his fingers gripping his pen tightly.

After receiving the hard blow to his business, Rowan must have wanted to secure all of his assets as soon as possible.

Fortunately, the judge was a fair person, so he declined Mr. Anders’ suggestion without hesitation.

Not long after, the judge’s gavel struck again. "Court dismissed."

I immediately stood up from my chair and dashed toward Zephyr. Ignoring the presence of everyone else in the room, I threw myself into him.

"It’s over." I hugged him and buried my face in his chest. "I’ve finally divorced him."

Zephyr chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around me. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that, Samantha."

I pulled back just enough to look up at his face. "I don’t think I could have done this without you, Zephyr."

For me, Zephyr was like the moonlight in the middle of the night.

He guided me through the darkness. I was scared, helpless, and weak, but as long as I could see the light, I kept walking without looking back.

If I hadn’t tried to call him that day, maybe I would still be stuck in the deepest abyss for the rest of my life.

"I helped you." Zephyr stroked my long hair. "But you’re the one who fought so hard to win, so let’s take a moment to thank yourself."

I smiled brightly, nodding. "Thank you, Samantha."

It felt strange to say it, but at the same time, it felt surprisingly good.

I also expressed my gratitude to my legal team and Carla, who had been supporting me for so long. Without all of them, maybe I would never have had the chance to be free.

"I’m so proud of you, Mrs. Cole." Carla gave me a warm embrace. "I hope you’ll never meet anyone like Mr. Fell again in your life."

"I hope so," I said. "What do you want to do after this, Carla? If you need anything, just tell me."

"I will open a fruit store with my family. After leaving them for a few years, I don’t want to leave anymore." Carla continued, "and please don’t say sorry to me, Mrs. Cole."

I couldn’t help but laugh softly. "I won’t. Not today."

Although Carla would not need to testify in the next hearing, Zephyr insisted on assigning her a bodyguard to ensure her safety for the time being.

After finalizing my divorce papers, Zephyr and I finally returned home.

I had planned to continue my sleep the moment I got into the manor, but something unexpected happened.

"Congratulations, Samantha!"

Confetti burst into the air and fell on my brunette hair. Layla and Ashley approached me, carrying a two-layer cake topped with the words "Happily Divorcee" written in elegant script.

I blinked, then laughed. "Oh my, did you already prepare this before?" I took the cake from Ashley’s hands.

"We did!" Ashley said enthusiastically. "My mommy said we have to celebrate everything."

Even a divorce?

I chuckled to myself, thinking that the kid probably didn’t realize that most people wouldn’t celebrate a divorce.

My eyes moved toward the people standing before me. I didn’t expect to see so many people waiting for me in the house— even Arthur was there with them.

Eleanor gave me a genuine smile. "I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous of your freedom."

Mona nudged her arm with a playful grin. "Oh, don’t be jealous. We got our freedom and an inheritance by sending our husband to the grave."

"Mom! I’ve told you not to make dark jokes in front of Ashley!" Darren covered his daughter’s ears. "Don’t worry, baby. Your Daddy is still a great example of a perfect husband."

Ashley tilted her head and looked at them in confusion. Before the atmosphere became darker, Layla clapped her hands and said, "Who wants some cake?"

Ashley’s face lit up as she raised her hand. "Me! Me!" she exclaimed.

"Alright, let’s cut the cake now," I said.

Just a few weeks ago, I had never dreamt of having a big, warm family in my house. I didn’t even dare to imagine it, knowing how painful it would be to face the reality.

The idea of a home filled with love and laughter had seemed out of reach—too distant, too impossible.

But now, as I looked around at the faces of the people around me, I realized I had achieved something I once thought impossible for five years.

After living in hell for so many years, I was finally able to taste a bit of heaven.

Just as I was savoring the moment, my phone suddenly rang, breaking the peace.

I walked away from the crowd before glancing at the screen. "Mom?" I spoke lightly, almost in a whisper.

All this time, I had rarely talked to my parents because Rowan limited my communication with them.

Besides that, I also didn’t want my parents to know about the struggles I had endured during my marriage to Rowan.

But deep down, I knew I couldn’t hide the truth forever.

Sooner or later, they would find out.

"Samantha, dear, we saw the bad news about your husband’s business." My mother’s voice was as sweet as honey, but there was an underlying concern. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"If you need anything, your Dad and I are here for you," she continued, her tone hesitant. "And if you want ... you can always come home for a while. We miss you so much."

"Mom." I struggled to maintain my composure, but the words felt like a dam breaking inside me.

I held back a sob, but the emotions I had been holding onto for so long flooded me all at once. "Mom, actually ... actually ... I have divorced Rowan. I’m sorry, Mom."

I didn’t like to cry when I was around other people, but once I heard my mother’s voice, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

The floodgates opened, and tears streamed down my face as I let myself break down.

Zephyr was the one who approached me. He hugged me without saying a word, giving me space to talk to my parents.

"Mom, I really miss you and Dad," I said between sobs. "Can you come here?"