Divorce papers

Adeline

I set the table for two, even though I knew better. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, its sound echoing in the silent kitchen. The aroma of roasted chicken filled the room, a blend of herbs and spices that I’d hoped would be enticing enough to lure Xander home for dinner. But I knew it wouldn’t work. It hadn’t in years.

“Why do you bother, Adeline?” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. “He’s not going to walk through that door.”

I took a seat at the table, staring at the empty chair across from me. I could almost see him there, his tall frame and stern expression, but it was just a trick of the mind, a ghost of what never really was.

Xander had always been indifferent to me in our marriage. He barely acknowledged my presence, his attention constantly absorbed by work or his own thoughts. In the beginning, I had tried to reach out, to break through the wall he had built around himself, but over time, I realized my efforts were in vain. He didn't love me. He never had.

I sighed, picking at my food with my fork. “Maybe it’s me,” I mused aloud, feeling a pang of self-pity. “Maybe I’m just not worth the effort.”

The thought made me chuckle softly, my chest rumbling. I knew it wasn’t about me. Xander had his own demons, his own reasons for keeping me at arm’s length. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.

I glanced at the clock again. It was almost eight. By now, he was probably still at the office, buried in paperwork or attending some endless meeting. I had stopped expecting him to call long ago. He never did. Why would he? I was just the woman he had married out of convenience, not love.

“Why do you even cook for him, Adeline?” I asked myself. “He doesn’t care.”

I looked down at the plate in front of me, the roasted chicken and vegetables looking less appetizing by the second. “Because you have to eat too,” I answered my own question, pushing the food around with my fork. “And because some part of you still hopes.”

I took a small bite, chewing slowly. The food was good, I had to admit. Cooking had always been my way of coping, of finding control in a life that felt increasingly out of my grasp. It was my therapy.

I couldn’t help but think about the early days of our marriage. Back then, I had been naïve, believing that I could break through Xander’s coldness, that my love would be enough for both of us. But now, those memories felt like a joke. It was a reminder of my foolishness.

I had long since given up on the idea of us sharing a life together. We were just two people living under the same roof, bound by a piece of paper but nothing else.

But to my astonishment, as I sat at the table, ready to resign myself to another solitary meal, I heard the door open.

There was no way in hell.

My heart skipped a beat, and I turned, hardly daring to believe what I was seeing. There stood Xander, his tired eyes meeting mine with an intensity I hadn't seen in a long time.

A rush of joy flooded through me. Maybe my efforts had finally made a difference. Maybe he had realized how much I missed him, how much I longed for just a moment of his time. With a smile spreading across my face, I rushed to greet him.

"Xander! You're home early," I exclaimed, unable to contain my happiness.

He gave me a small, tight-lipped smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes, I had some things to take care of."

I didn't care about the reasons; all that mattered was that he was here. I ushered him to the table, eager to share the meal I had prepared with so much love.

But my excitement was short-lived. As I began to serve dinner, Xander stopped me with a raised hand.

"There's no need for that, Adeline," he said, his voice flat.

Confusion crept into my heart, stealing away the joy I had felt just moments ago. "But... I thought you came home to eat," I stammered, my voice faltering.

Xander shook his head, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "No, I came home to talk."

He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers, placing them on the table in front of me. I scanned the sheets, and my eyes widened as I realized what they were.

A freaking divorce agreement!

My hands trembled as I reached out to touch the papers, as if by doing so, I could make them disappear, make this nightmare end. But they were real, as real as the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Xander, what is this?" I whispered, my voice barely audible above the pounding of my heart.

He looked at me, his gaze steady. "I think you know what it is, Adeline. We both know this marriage isn't working anymore."

Shock coursed through me, leaving me numb and speechless. How could he do this? How could he come home, give me hope, only to shatter it into a million pieces?

Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "But... but I thought... I thought maybe things could be different," I choked out, the words catching in my throat.

Xander's expression softened, just a fraction. "I'm sorry, Adeline. But it's time for both of us to move on."

"Xander, please," I pleaded, my voice trembling. "Can't we talk about this? Can't we try to work things out?"

He hesitated, his eyes flickering with a glimpse of remorse. "Adeline, nothing will ever change. We're just... not meant to be together."

His words felt like a knife to my heart, each one slicing deeper than the last. "But I love you," I whispered.

Xander sighed, his gaze softening with a hint of pity. "Adeline. I'm sorry, but love isn't always enough."

“I can't believe this is happening," I murmured, more to myself than to him.

Xander reached out, his hand hovering over mine before he pulled back. "I know it's hard, Adeline. But it's for the best. For both of us."

I shook my head, unable to accept what he was saying. "I can't sign these papers," I said.

I couldn't understand why, couldn't fathom how everything had unraveled so quickly. With trembling hands, I gathered the strength to confront Xander, to demand answers to questions that seemed to multiply with every beat of my heart.

"Xander, please," I implored, my voice trembling. "Why are you doing this? Why now?"

But he remained silent, his expression unreadable.

"I deserve an explanation, Xander," I pressed on, my voice growing more insistent. "We owe each other that much."

Still, he refused to meet my gaze. It was as if he had already checked out, as if the man I had loved, the man I had hoped to love, was no longer there.

"Why won't you talk to me?" I demanded, my voice rising with frustration.

Finally, he spoke, his voice cool and detached. "Adeline, if you sign the papers, I'll make sure you're taken care of. You’lol be compensated with 5,000,000 dollars.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of me. Was that all I was worth to him? A sum of money, a transaction to be negotiated and settled?

"I don't want your money, Xander," I replied. "I want... I want us to find a way back to each other."

“If you think that 5 million is not enough for you, you can ask my assistant to give you a satisfactory number.” He raised his voice and said impatiently.

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with the evidence of rejection, the divorce papers.