CHAPTER 2

ARIANA’S POV

"Ma'am, you look absolutely beautiful! Mr. Bennett must be so proud to have you as his wife," Evelyn remarked as I walked out of my bedroom.

I could only force a faint smile. If Nathan were truly proud to have me as his wife, he wouldn't have asked me for a divorce. "Are you certain you don't want to wait for Mr. Bennett first?"

"No, Evelyn. He'll be heading straight to the restaurant from his office."

"Alright, ma'am. Please take care." Evelyn looked slightly puzzled, but she held herself back from asking what was wrong. She must have found it strange that I was going to our anniversary dinner alone.

Although Nathan and I never showed much affection in front of others, the house staff believed our marriage was perfectly fine. Little did they know that it would come to an end in just a few days. 

Would I ever get to see Evelyn and everyone I'd thought of as family after I left this house? My mind wandered as the car made its way through the glowing city lights.

The restaurant Nathan had booked was elegant, and it was my first time going there with him. Fortunately, I was well-dressed. I hadn't imagined he would choose such a luxurious place.

"Hello, I have a reservation under Mr. Nathan Bennett."

The hostess looked me over from head to toe with a doubtful expression. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there's only one reservation under Mr. Bennett's name. It was booked for a romantic dinner."

"Yes, I'm his wife," I replied with a hint of annoyance.

"Ah. Absolute certainty. Please come with me, Mrs. Bennett," she replied without apologizing, guiding me to our table.

To get there, we walked across an elegant white marble bridge that stretched over a wide pool. As soon as we reached the table, I couldn't help but hold my breath. 

The sight before me was breathtaking. Flickering candles and bright red rose petals beautifully decorated the floor and the table. A gleaming satin tablecloth covered the table, with elegant cutlery already neatly arranged. 

The sweet fragrance of roses and scented candles filled the air. Everything was perfect. But one thing caught my attention. There were three chairs around our table. Three... not two. Who was Nathan planning to bring with him?

A sudden wave of uneasiness settled in my stomach. I tightened my grip on my bag.

"Ariana, have you been waiting for a while?"

I turned when I heard Nathan's voice, and my heart dropped. Just as I expected, he had brought someone with him.

Standing beside Nathan, holding onto his arm like they belonged together, was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Her golden-blonde hair shone brilliantly, while her flawless skin looked as smooth as pearls. 

She was dressed in a deep maroon gown that fit her beautiful figure perfectly. Still, her eyes lingered on me with an unfriendly look. "Nathan, who is she?" I asked, completely confused.

"Ariana, I'd like you to meet Sophia. Sophia, this is Ariana, my wife." Nathan looked at the woman beside him before turning his attention back to me.

A smug smile tugged at Sophia's lips as she gave me a condescending look. "Hi, Ariana. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Sophia Sinclair. I believe Nathan has already told you about me, so there's no need for a proper introduction, right?"

So this was Sophia. Nathan had invited her to our dinner? How could he be so disrespectful? I knew they were supposed to meet today, but I never expected him to bring her here with him. My anger flared. 

I'm not going to share the same table with her.

"Hello, Sophia. You can call me Mrs. Bennett," I said calmly. "I'm sorry, but I can't remember my husband ever talking about you. So, who are you?"

Sophia, who was about to sit down, suddenly paused, clearly caught off guard by my reply. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the irritation on Nathan's face.

"Are you referring to Nathan's pretend wife?" Sophia's voice remained calm, even though her face had flushed red. 

"The woman who took my place as Nathan's wife. Now that I've returned, it's time for you to stop calling yourself Mrs. Bennett, Ariana. That title belongs to me, and I'm here to take it back."

I couldn't help but smile when I realized how easily I had gotten under her skin. Her words stung a little, but I didn't care.

"Nathan, this is our anniversary dinner, right? It should only be the two of us. So, I'd appreciate it if your friend could wait outside until we're done." I looked at Nathan, and he seemed caught off guard by how bold I was being.

"How dare you..." Sophia snapped. "You're the one who should leave! I'm the woman Nathan is going to marry after he divorces you. Stop clinging to your fake marriage and title, Ariana!"

"Maybe Nathan will marry you, but I'm still legally his wife. This table was reserved for Mr. and Mrs. Bennett only. The one who should be leaving is you."

I could see the fury blazing in Sophia's blue eyes. She was livid. Just as she was about to charge at me, Nathan's stern voice interrupted us. "That's enough! Stop it, Ariana!"

"Alright. I'll stop as soon as Miss Sinclair leaves my sight, Nathan." I wasn't going to let anyone disrespect me. For years, I had respected him deeply, but even on our last dinner together, Nathan failed to show me the same respect by bringing another woman along.

"Alright then. It's okay, Nathan. I don't want to create a scene and embarrass you. I'll wait outside... or in the car," 

Sophia said as she held onto Nathan's arm. The way she looked at him with those pleading eyes made me feel sick. "No, Sophia. You stay here. Both of you will stay. That's my decision." Nathan's sharp gaze settled on me.

"Alright then, I'll leave."

"Ariana!" Nathan called out in frustration as I walked away. If he was determined to keep Sophia here, then he shouldn't expect me to stay too. 

But then, suddenly, Sophia's heel blocked my path, causing me to trip. It was too late to avoid it. I stumbled forward. I instinctively reached for something to hold onto as I completely lost my balance. 

There was nothing for me to grab, and the smooth marble surface was incredibly slippery. Damn it.

"Ariana!" I heard Nathan call my name just before my body plunged into the icy embrace of the pool.