Chapter 4

ESSIE

“Hello?” I answered weakly, exhaustion weighing heavily on my voice.

“Mrs. Richardson?” a deep male voice asked. His voice was deep enough to make me pause.

“Yes?”

“This is Mr. Thompson.”

I frowned immediately, I haven’t heard of this name.

I rarely received calls from unfamiliar numbers. Leo had changed my number himself after we got married, insisting it was for privacy. Over time, everyone disappeared from my life one by one…even Serena, my best friend.

And I had allowed it because I loved him. How stupid.

“I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Leonard Richardson,” the man continued, jotting my thoughts back to him.

Every word made me more alert, my mind searching for any clue about this caller’s identity. Something about his tone unsettled me instantly. It was Cold, and it felt too Careful.

“He wants to ensure you sign the divorce papers tomorrow.”

My grip tightened around the phone. “He hasn’t even given me any papers yet,” I replied quickly, choosing my words with deliberate caution.

“The sooner this is finalized, the easier it will be for everyone involved,” he said flatly.

A chill crept down my spine. “Easier for who?”

He didn’t reply as a brief silence followed.

“It’s not my place to explain,” he replied. “Miss Bella is pregnant, and Mr. Richardson is eager to move forward with his future wife.”

My stomach twisted painfully. Surely, Leo would not start announcing that he got someone else pregnant while I am still married to him, right?

“I am still his wife,” I snapped.

“Yes,” he answered coolly. “Legally.”

Something is definitely wrong. Very wrong. Why would Leo’s lawyer contact me before I had even seen the papers?

“Mr. Thompson,” I said slowly, “can we meet in person?”

“No. I was only asked to deliver a message.”

“By who?” I found myself sitting straighter without realizing it. My fingers curled around the edge of the table as I listened.

The line went quiet for half a second…I assumed the call had disconnected before his voice came on again.

“Make sure you sign the papers tomorrow,” he repeated before disconnecting.

I lowered the phone slowly, my brows drew together, I sat forward as my pulse raced. This was suspicious.

Leo was cruel right now, but this felt calculated in a different way. My thoughts spiraled as I walked upstairs toward the bedroom.

Our bedroom. Or maybe Mine now because Leo had stopped sleeping there months ago. The last time he had spent the night beside me was nearly a month earlier, and even then, he had come home drunk.

I still remembered standing frozen in the bathroom doorway that night, water dripping down my skin while he stared at me in silence.

There had been hunger in his eyes.

Desire.

For a moment, I had foolishly believed something between us still existed. That maybe he still wanted me…just maybe he still loved me.

I swallowed hard and pushed the memory away as I sniffed my nose. There was no point thinking about that now.

After showering, I went downstairs to heat the untouched food from yesterday.

A sour taste rose in my throat before I rushed toward the sink, barely making it in time. By the time it passed, my entire body felt weak.

I pressed a trembling hand against my forehead.

“I think I’m getting sick,” I whispered.

Terrible timing.

After forcing down a few bites of food and taking medicine, I crawled into bed and drifted into a restless sleep.

When I woke again, darkness filled the room.

11:07 PM. Leo still hadn’t returned. The feverish ache in my body had only gotten worse.

For a moment, I lay still, staring blankly at the ceiling while sleep slowly loosened its grip on my mind.

Then I remembered.

Divorce.

The word hit me all over again.

My chest tightened as I recalled everything.

He hadn’t given them to me yet but somehow, that made it worse.

The waiting and anticipation. Knowing they were coming.

I swallowed and rolled onto my back, dragging a hand across my face. It was strange.

Not a few cold words delivered with the same emotion someone would use to discuss the weather.

The memory stung more than I wanted to admit.

The strange call earlier today worried me more.

My brows pulled together.The stranger.

Unfamiliar, yet there had been something about the way he spoke that refused to leave me alone.

Maybe it was because it had interrupted one of the worst moment of my life.

I let out a slow breath. This was ridiculous. Especially not when my entire life was about to change.

Closing my eyes, I buried myself deeper beneath the blanket.

The thought of the pending divorce sat heavily in my chest and the memory of the phone call lingered stubbornly at the edge of my thoughts.

Eventually, exhaustion began to dull both.

And with my husband’s words and the stranger’s voice tangled together in the back of my mind, I slowly drifted back to sleep.

The next morning, I barely had the strength to sit upright. My stomach churned violently, and I had thrown up twice before noon despite barely eating anything.

I reached for my phone, intending to call Leo despite everything. Before I could dial, the front door opened.

Leo walked in first, looking sharp and composed in a tailored grey suit….An envelope rested in his hand.

Bella followed closely behind him, one hand in her purse while satisfaction gleamed in her eyes.

“Leo…” My voice came out weak.

“Sign it,” he said immediately, tossing the envelope onto the table.

I stared at it silently.

“Now.”

I pushed myself slowly to my feet, dizziness hitting almost immediately.

“Leo, I need to go to the hospital.”

“Sign the damn papers first, Essie.” His impatience startled me.

“I need to read them before signing anything,” I replied, trying to steady my breathing.

There is no way am signing those papers after the suspicious call I had and I need to tell Leo about it.

“Then read them,” he snapped. “But you’re not staying here another night.”

That alone confirmed my suspicions further. If Leo truly wanted me gone immediately, why would someone call trying to pressure me beforehand?

Someone else was involved in this. But who?

“We’re getting married in two weeks,” Bella announced casually. “Feel free to let a lawyer review everything if you want.”

I ignored her completely.

“You’re leaving with what you came with,” Leo said coldly. “Nothing here belongs to you.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Leo… where am I supposed to go?”

“I don’t care.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“Please,” I whispered. “Just give me a few days. I’m sick.”

Leo grabbed my wrist impatiently—

Then suddenly stopped.

His expression shifted slightly. “Why are you burning up?”