4

“A divorce?” I sniffed in. “Dale, you can't do this. I've loved you for so long already. I've endured a lot, all for this marriage—”

“You should be lucky I didn't let anyone know when I found out this morning and instead just told the lawyer to make the papers.” His grip on me tightened, eyes sharp, burning with anger.

“It's Nora plotting evil.” I blurted quickly, desperate for him to believe me.

“Enough with that nonsense and just sign.” He dropped my hand, his broad shoulders squaring as if I was nothing more than a nuisance..

“But… you should know this isn't the type of thing I'd do.” I muttered, my voice cracking. I already knew no one would believe me.

If Dale didn’t… then who else would?

My husband didn’t believe me.

Still, I decided to give it one last try. “Please believe me.”

“Sign it.” He said more firmly, retrieving the divorce papers from the suitcase and handing them to me. “Or go to jail.”

“Bu—”

“I'm already tired of this marriage as it is. I've gotten my CEO position so you're not needed anymore.”

The words hit harder than any hammer would.

He just admitted to using me.

I'd known that was the reason we got married, but I at least thought he had some feelings in there.

Some love in there.

But the words proved me wrong.

I was just a tool to him. I had always been one, and I probably would always be one.

After everything. All the insults from his family, family friends.

After me letting go of all my friends to follow him.

It all ended with him still seeing me as a useless cheap commodity who'd steal from him.

If this was how marriage was, then I didn't want to be a part of it.

I never wanted to be a part of it.

That made me dry off my tears and take the papers, dropping them on a table beside me and placing my signature everywhere it was needed, then I handed it to him.

“Here. I'll stop being a bother. Goodbye.”

Probably the last words I'd ever tell him.

Then I walked past him, to where his family were.

Their insults were instant like they'd practiced it before my arrival.

“Such a bitch…”

“Dale should've let her rot in jail…”

“Dogs like her only know how to spread their legs for men…”

“She's just like her parents, useless till their downfall…”

“You all should just let her be,” that was Nora's voice, “we all knew nothing good could ever come out of her.”

All the while, I didn't stop. Just walked out of the mansion, but Nora's words stuck.

‘Nothing good could ever come out of her.’

They really thought nothing good could ever come out of me.

And that day, I vowed to prove them wrong.

Once out, I stopped the first cab who drove me straight to Emery's place.

I wasn't going to go back to Dale's place. Not even to get my belongings.

The moment the car stopped in front of her house, I got down, rushing to give the door a knock.

When I got no reply, I gave it another try, fighting back tears very badly.

“Who's that?” Her voice called, before shuffling of feet could be heard, then the door opened. “Chloe? What are you—? What happened?”

Seeing her poured the tears out, and I rushed to wrap my arms around her.

She quickly hugged back, that elder sister instinct covering me as I soaked her robe with tears.

“Come. Come, have a seat.” She closed the door, then wrapped an arm around my shoulders, gently leading me to the couch where she sat, then I took the space beside her, leaning my head against her shoulder.

“Dale and I… just got a divorce.”

“What? Why?”

“Because of that bitch, Nora.” I sniffed in, then began explaining it all to her.

The scandal. Me being framed for plotting the murder of Dale.

My so-called boyfriend who I was sure probably didn't exist.

It could very much have been AI. Even the audio of me talking to this guy.

Everything could have been AI.

“Yet no one believed me.” The tears just won't stop coming. “Not even Dale.”

“I've always had a bad feeling about him.” She gently patted my hair, brushing her fingers into it as a soothing way of comfort. “It's alright.”

“It's not. I hate Nora than ever, but I'll still have to see her face again even after all she's done these past years.” Because obviously if Emery was going to marry Nora's brother, then there was no way I wouldn't be seeing her.

“You won't have to.” She continued. “I'll break up with him.”

My eyes widened as I stared up at her through my tears. “No, you-you shouldn't.”

“I do, as long as it keeps you happy.” She wrapped me in a hug.

Maybe it was because of how emotional I was at that moment, but that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me and I could not love her more that night.

‘Nothing good could ever come out of her.’

Nora's words once again came back to me.

I would prove her wrong.

I would prove all of them wrong.

“Emery,” I whispered, lifting my tear-streaked face. “I want to take over Dad’s company. The one that flopped.”

She pulled back slightly, eyes widening. “But… it would need a lot of experience and help to get it running again.”

“And I will do that.” My voice was steady now. No more trembling. No more weakness. “I don’t care how long it takes. I’ll make that company better than anything else.”

A small smile tugged at her lips. “Then you’ll need help. Let me contact Cole.”

That day, I vowed to make them regret how they treated me.

I would make all of them regret it.

Even Dale.