4. Divorce

Ariadne awoke to the sound of a beeping machine. She opened her eyes only to be hit by a bright light, and immediately closed them.

"Are you feeling better?" A voice came from nearby.

She opened her eyes again, and saw Jennifer standing beside her bed. Looking around, Ariadne realized she was in hospital.

"Why am I here?" her voice was hoarse.

"You fainted at home, so we brought you to the hospital."

Ariadne furrowed her brows as she tried to recall what had happened. She felt a wave of pain sweep over her as the memory struck her like a truck. She recalled being called by Xander's lawyer to inform her about the divorce.

'He wants divorce.' She repeated in her mind.

She had been hoping for two years that everything would work out, but she was wrong and her worst nightmare had come true.

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?"Jennifer sensed that something was wrong.

"You are alright, there's nothing wrong with your health, don't cry, Aria." Jennifer became alarmed upon seing her condition.

Ariadne kept crying without saying anything.

"Aria? Are you listening to me?" Jennifer grabbed her shoulder when she didn't get any answer.

Ariadne looked at Jennifer with tear filled eyes.

"He wants divorce, Jennifer." Ariadne said before buring her face between her knees and sobbed.

Jennifer was rendered speechless by what she had just heard. She quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. She felt bad for her friend.

She was aware of Ariadne's deep love for Xander. Unfortunately, Xander never reciprocated her feelings, and always treated her coldly.

However, Ariadne endured all his mistreatment silently as she was afraid of losing him.

Jennifer sat down and hugged her. They remained silent for a while. Jennifer allowed her to gather herself a little.

"Don't loss hope, Aria. Perhaps you can still save your marriage." after sometime Jennifer broke the silence.

"How? By refusing to sign the divorce papers?" Ariadne turned towards Jennifer.

"But he will just hate me more. It will not fix anything." she wiped the tears from her face as she sighed in defeat.

"I have some news for you." she looked at jennifer's glistening eyes, puzzled.

"What is it?"

"You are pregnant." Jennifer declared with a smile.

Ariadne gasped in shock.

"What? How?" She was utterly confused but then realization dawned on her.

"Is this true Jennifer? Are you sure?" she grabbed Jennifer's shoulder in excitement.

"Yes, you are six weeks pregnant." Ariadne covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes welled up with tears again, but this time it was from joy.

However, she paled the next moment.

"But what if he blames me again, and does not want the child?" she asked, her voice filled with fear.

"Stop thinking negatively. No man can abandon his child, no matter how heartless he is. Perhaps he will reconsider the divorce for the sake of the child. Maybe he will start to love you as well. Don't loss hope." Jennifer could not bear to see her like this, and only wanted the best for her friend.

Ariadne's eyes glowed with newfound hope.

.....

Later in the evening, Ariadne sat excitedly on the sofa of their mansion, waiting for Xander.

When she returned from the hospital, she received a surprise call from Xander informing her of his arrival.

She prepared his favourite dishes as always. She also dressed up and applied light make-up to her face. She wanted to appear confident and beautiful in front of Xander. She didn't want him to notice her dull face.

When the door bell rang, she didn't go to open it this time. A maid opened the door.

After some time, Xander appeared in the living area, where Ariadne was sitting on the couch. She stood up, excited, as soon as she saw him.

However, her face darkened, as she saw Crystal right behind him, again.

"How are you doing, Aria? I heard you fainted in the morning and rushed to the hospital. Are you okay now?" Crystal expressed her concern, making Ariadne want to roll her eyes.

If she had cared, she would have paid her a visit at the hospital.

However, except for Jennifer, no one visited her. Grandpa William would have visited her, but his health had deteriorated recently, so he called her to check on her.

She had no idea why Crystal was here today. She hadn't commented on her regular meeting with Xander untill now, despite feeling insecure. Now she couldn't even have some peace in her own house.

Crystal began to accompany Xander whenever he visited the mansion. She was losing her mind.

"Yes, I am fine." Ariadne answered with a rude tone.

Crystal noticed but didn't say anything, instead looking at Xander, as if complaining to him.

'Is he going to lecture me on my manners again?' she wondered.

"My lawyer called you this morning. He said your conversation was cut short because you fainted. I, therefore, came here personally to talk about it. Here are the divorce papers." he pointed to the file, he was holding.

He went straight to the point without wasting any time. Ariadne stared at him, motionless.

He never asked her how she was doing, despite knowing she had been hospitalized earlier that day. His only concern was the divorce.

She was disappointed. She was nervous about telling Xander about her pregnancy, and Crystal's presence made the situation more difficult for her.

However, she needed to inform him because it was her last hope of saving her marriage.

"I have something to tell you."

Ariadne glanced at Crystal before adding, "Alone."

Crystal furrowed her brows.

"I don't want to hear anything, Ariadne. I know what it could be about. But you can't change my mind about the divorce. I want a divorce, and that is final." Xander said, looking directly into her eyes.

"It's not what you are thinking. Listen to me once. Please." she pleaded desperately.

"Don't make it hard, Ariadne. I am willing to pay you alimony, if you want."

Ariadne's eyes filled with tears. She hated herself for being so weak as she did not want to cry infront of them, especially Crystal.

"Just listen to me once, this is important, Xander." she repeated.

She did not like having this conversation in front of Crystal.

It was clear from the faint smirk on Crystal's face that she was thoroughly enjoying the show.

"If she is insisting, why don't you listen to her, Xander?" Crystal said to him.

"I don't have time to waste on her. If she wants to say something, she must say it in front of you." Xander grew irritated by Ariadne's pleading.

Ariadne felt humiliated.

"I am your wife, Xander. And it's about us. Why did you bring her into my house in the first place?" she could no longer contain her rage.

"Keep your mouth shut, and don't try to be brave. It will do you no good. Don't forget that this is my house, and I have allowed you to live here. You are not the one to decide who should and shouldn't come into this house." Xander warned her, gritting his teeth.

Ariadne couldn't believe he would say that.

"Here are the divorce papers. I want them signed by tomorrow evening." Xander threw the file on the couch.

"What if I don't sign them?" Ariadne became both frustrated and furious.

He could've done this in their own privacy. 'Why must he bring the woman whom she despises the most and humiliate her in front of her?'

"Aria, I am sorry, we have something to tell you. I.." Xander stopped Crystal by raising his hand.

"Crystal is pregnant... with my child. So you will sign the divorce papers without causing any fuss."

Right at that moment, everything came to a halt for Ariadne. The tears, which she was trying hard to hold back, streamed down her cheeks. The words had been ringing in her ears.

'No, she might have misheard it.' she told herself.

"Wha.. what did you say?" Her voice trembled.

"I am sorry, Aria..it was..."

"Just shut your mouth, I didnt ask you anything. I am asking this person, who is my so-called husband. " she interrupted Crystal, her gaze fixed on Xander.

For the first time, Xander saw fire in her eyes. He was taken aback for a moment.

"Crystal is pregnant with my child and...." a wave of rage swept through Ariadne, and she stepped forward and slapped Xander hard, not allowing him to finish his words.

Crystal gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"How could you do this to me? How could you?" Ariadne grabbed Xander's collar.

"I have loved you all my life. As your wife, I endured every single mistreatment of you and so many people for two years. And you cheated on me in the end." Her eyes reflected rage and hurt.

Xander was caught off guard. No one had ever dared to talk to him in a high tone, let alone slap him. His eyes turned red with fury. He did not expect her to react like this.

"Don't act like a victim here. You are responsible for this." Xander said, grabbing her hands and yanking them roughly from his collar. She collapsed defeatedly onto the couch.

"Sign the divorce papers without causing any drama. And don't try any dirty tricks again, because this time they won't work."

There was no trace of guilt in his voice, only arrogance.

Ariadne was silent, staring blankly at the floor.

"Don't get him wrong Aria. It was...."

Crystal never got to finish her words, as Xander dragged her with him and left the mansion, without sparing a second glance at Ariadne.

...

The mansion fell into complete silence.

Ariadne stayed still on the couch and the file containing the divorce papers lying next her. She was in a daze.

Her thoughts drifted back to her wedding day and the words that Xander had said to her.

"I hate you, Ariadne Miller."

"I will destroy you because of what you have done to me. I promise you."

The words kept coming back to her.

He did indeed keep his promise.

"You finally destroyed me, Xander. You have succeeded." she smiled bitterly.

.....

"Madam, are you alright? I have brought water for you." the voice snapped Ariadne back to reality.

"You have been sitting here for quite a while, Madam. Would I serve the dinner?" the maid asked.

"No need, I am not hungry." Ariadne checked the time, it was already past nine.

She didn't realize how much time she had been in her trance.

"Your service is no longer required today, you may retire to your cottage." in a trance she stood up from the couch and began climbing the stairs, to her room.

The young maid watched her retreating figure with sympathy.