Chapter 3 _ Divorce and Realization

Selene’s POV

I slowly awoke, and my head felt as though it were being hammered by some one. I did not know where I was at one moment. The room looked unfamiliar. The roof above my head was white and smooth, unlike that in my bedroom at the den.

Then I heard the sound of running water.

My eyes widened.

The bathroom.

The recollections of the previous night came back at once. The full moon tavern. The drinks. The stranger. The hotel room.

My heart began to beat quicker.

“Oh my God…” I whispered to myself.

I hastily arose in the bed and glanced around the room. The door leading to the bathroom was closed and the water noise informed me that he was taking a shower.

Panic filled my chest.

What have I done?

I leaped out of the bed and my naked feet came in contact with the cold floor. I glanced about, and I saw that there was a wardrobe close by the wall. I came to it and opened it blindly.

Shirts and pants were neatly hung in the inside.

I took the first white shirt that I came across, and a couple of black trousers. I had a shaky hand, and I hastened on my hands. The garments were oversized and I did not mind.

All I wanted was to leave.

I grabbed my phone on bedside table and slipped it into the pocket of the pants. I glanced again at the door of the bathroom a moment.

The water was still running.

He had not the slightest idea that I was going to leave.

An uncomfortable sensation overcame me. Guilt.

He had assisted me last night... or had I done so to get myself out of my distress? In any case, it was wrong to walk away without saying anything.

But I was not brave to remain.

I said I was sorry but he could not hear me.

Then I got the door open and came out of the room as quickly as possible.

The hallway was quiet. I was waiting in a state of panic until the elevator came. After a long time, I opened the doors and entered the room and pressed the button to the lobby.

A couple of minutes after that I stepped out of the hotel and into the morning sunshine.

The fresh air in the air felt my face, and it cleared my mind somewhat.

I hastened to the parking lot of the tavern at the back of the building. There was my car, parked there just where I left it the night before.

Relief washed over me.

“Thank God.”

I opened the door of the car and entered inside it, and turned on the engine.

There was no one to speak to as I drove away.

My hands were clenched on the steering wheel.

The guilt began sneaking back up.

I left him there.

No thank you. No explanation. Nothing.

I shut my eyes a moment, and then tried to make myself concentrate on the road. That part of my life was over. Now there was something more important to attend to. Darius.

My cell phone rang on the passenger seat. I checked the screen and there were some unanswered calls. All from Darius. I ignored them. I did not go home, I drove directly to the single place where I felt safe.

Mira’s house.

Mira Thornwood was my best college friend. She was also among the cleverest lawyers I knew. Upon arriving, I banged on her door. A moment later, it opened. I was surprised to see Mira look at me.

“Selene?” she said, frowning. “Why are you wearing—”

I passed by her into the house and she had to pause in her sentence.

“Selene, what happened?”

I passed and walked in without replying. As soon as the door was closed behind me I lost my poise.

“Mira,” I said, my voice shaking. “I want a divorce.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

I took a deep breath.

I cheated on him, Darius, I said slowly. “And his mistress is pregnant.”

In disbelief Mira stared at me.

“What?”

I read the messages last night, I went on. “Her name is Lila. They have known each other long enough.

Mira passed a hand through her hair, evidently furious.

“That bastard,” she muttered.

I sat down on the couch feeling tired.

“There’s more,” I said quietly.

She sat across from me. “What do you mean?”

I hesitated, feeling ashamed.

I confessed that I went to a tavern after leaving the den. I took too much of it... and I made love to a person.

Mira blinked.

Then she sighed.

Well, said she, you were already dead in your mating bond when Darius cheated. I’m not here to judge you.”

I felt tears burn in my eyes.

“I just want it to end,” I said. “I want a divorce.”

Mira nodded.

“Alright,” she said firmly. I will get the divorce papers prepared.

“Thank you.”

She got up and picked up her laptop on the table.

“I will send the papers to you,”

she said, “as soon as I get them finished. Go home and confront him.”

I nodded.

“I will.”

An hour later I left the house of Mira and drove back home to the place which used to be my den.

As I entered, Darius was standing at the living room.

His expression turned dark when he saw me.

“Where have you been? he asked.

I didn’t answer.

He strolled nearer, evidently enraged.

“I made ten calls to you and you did not pick up.” He yelled. “Why didn’t you pick up?”

Still, I stayed silent.

Darius scoffed.

“You are a mated woman, Selene, you are,” said he angrily. “You do not just vanish the entire night without informing your mate of where you are going.”

His words felt ironic.

Mate.

I almost laughed.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Darius frowned.

“Who is that?”

He came to the door and opened it.

A well-dressed gentleman was standing in front of the den holding a big envelope.

“Delivery to Mrs. Selene Blackwood,” the man said pleasantly.

Darius looked back at me suspiciously.

“What is this?”

The man gave me the envelope and departed.

Darius crossed his arms.

“Well?” he demanded. “Aren’t you going to explain?”

I calmly opened the envelope. Within it were the papers of divorce that Mira had prepared. I felt my chest throbbing but I made myself tough. I grabbed a pen on the table and written my name. Then I walked toward Darius. I tossed the papers on his chest, without uttering a word.

He intuitively picked them up.

“What the hell is this,” he asked, opening up the papers.

His eyes were opened to the title.

“Divorce?”

Finally, I spoke.

“You should sign it.”

Darius gazed at me with disbelief.

“Have you lost your mind?”

I laughed bitterly.

“No,” I said. “But I did lose my patience.”

His expression turned cold. “Explain yourself.”

“Lila,” I said quietly. “Your pregnant mistress.”

Darius froze. We said nothing to each other just a moment.

“So you know,” he said flatly.

“Yes. I went through your phone.” I replied honesty.

He shrugged. “Then what’s the problem? You are abandoning me because you got me another woman pregnant? You have infringed my privacy, I should feel offended not you.

My chest tightened.

“The thing is,” I said, blinking back the tears, “that you cheated on me and now you are here running your mouth about some privacy stuff.”

Darius rolled his eyes.

“Act not like a victim,” he thought coldly. “It is you that made me have to find another one.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What?”

“You heard me,” he continued. “I need a son. But you can not even carry a child.

His words felt like knives.

“You were two times pregnant, you had two miscarriages,” he added brutally. Perhaps you should be stronger in your body, so I would not have to take another woman.

Tears filled my eyes.

“I bore your children,” I said. “They died inside me.”

Silence filled the room. He then picked up the divorce papers and hastily signed them.

“There,” he said angrily.

He tossed the documents to my face and I managed to catch them right before they hit my chest.

“Thanks, I am happy you spared me the hassle.” Darius indicated the stair. “Now get out of my den. I would not like to find myself back here and see you.

I didn’t argue. I merely went up the stairs to our bedroom. The room now seemed strange as though it was not mine. I put my clothes in a suitcase and took together all my valuable papers. By the time I returned to the ground floor, Darius had vanished. I left the den without glancing back, went to the garage and picked up the car that Mira had given me during my last birthday.

In another hour I was back at the place of Mira.

As soon as she spotted me she gave me a hug.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “You’re free now.”

In the evening, we were sitting on the dining table going through my papers. Mira had sorted the files very carefully.

Den settlement... personal accounts... jewelry... she said to herself as she checked it all.

Then she frowned.

“Selene,” she said slowly. “Where are ownership documents of your mother’s herbal elixir distillery?

My heart skipped.

I again searched the folder.

They weren’t there.

And suddenly, I remembered. The registration. Years back, Darius had insisted on doing the distillery paperwork on my behalf. Which meant…

My stomach dropped.

“Oh no,” I whispered.

Mira looked at me.

“What?”

I swallowed hard.

“The distillery…” I said quietly. “It is still registered under the name of Darius.”

Mira’s eyes widened.

The room fell silent. She sat back in her chair and folded her arms after a very long moment. Then she looked at me grave and said to me,

“How are we going to get the distillery out of him?”