Chapter 1 - Signing the divorce papers

Paige North and Cedric Brooks 

"You agree to divorce?" Cedric asked Paige, cold as always, 

"Yes!" Paige nodded in agreement, "And I'm here to talk about my compensation,"

"Compensation?" Cedric sneered, "I heard you had many lovers while I was abroad. Don't they pay for you?"

"What?!" Paige yelled in response. She wasn't surprised that he reacted like this, Cedric has always been like this, cold, judging, and hateful of her.

"What? Did they lie?" Cedric snorted, "You don't have to pretend in my presence, I already knew that about you, I know what and who you are," 

Paige looked disgusted by the words that Cedric said to her and she opened her mouth to respond to him, to explain to him that some of those words that he said were true, that she hasn't been with anyone apart from him, since their wedding night, that she didn't even like to get touched, but she didn't,

"How am I going to get paid the compensation money after signing the papers?" She asked instead, 

Cedric wouldn't believe her anyways. 

"You are just after the money, aren't you?" Cedric asked again, his voice rough, dipped in something sharp and painful, "My mother has always been right, you are a gold digger who is just after my money, you don't love me, you have never loved me." 

Paige sighed in frustration, she was slowly losing control of her emotions, as those words were cutting deep into her heart and she was literally on the verge of tears. 

But she couldn't lose her composure right now, she was desperate and really in need of the compensation. 

Her poor mother who is barely fighting for her life in the ER needs to get surgery as soon as possible. And the surgery is so fucking expensive. Paige had thought hard about how to raise the money for her mother's surgery and after she had exhausted all her options, her divorce compensation was the only lifeline. 

Before now, she didn't want to accept Cedric's divorce proposal, but right now, that was her only source of raising such a huge amount of money and she wasn't going to lose that source.

"What do you mean I'm just after the money?" She spat, straightening her posture as she responded to Cedric's gimmicks,  "I wasted three years of my life on you and this marriage, don't I deserve a reward for that? Or do I have to remind you what the significance of our marriage was and who benefited more from it,"

Cedric grunted in annoyance, he knew exactly what Paige was talking about, he had agreed to the marriage on the account that he was going to continue running his company freely. He loved his company so much and will do anything to protect it but apart from the freedom to run his company, Cedric hasn't enjoyed any other marriage benefits. 

His marriage life with Paige was almost nonexistent and the thoughts of the money he was going to pay to Paige when he had enjoyed no personal benefits from her or the marriage annoyed him to no end. 

Why did he have to pay for what he barely touched or enjoyed even after three years?

"What makes you think you deserve the compensation, Paige?" Cedric chastised, "You barely did anything for me, why would you even ask for compensation when this marriage was non-existent?"

Paige was dumbstruck.

What?!

"You were barely a wife and never performed any wifely duties for me, so what makes you qualified to receive a divorce compensation from me?" Cedric added, 

His eyes were icy cold as he stared daggers at Paige who was busy fidgeting in her seat,  Cedric was right and it hurt her to admit it even to herself. 

In her three years of marriage with Cedric, they had only been together once, which was during their wedding night, and even that night was a sour memory she would rather forget. 

But after that night, Cedric never made any attempt to be with her again, three years of marriage, not one time did Cedric make any move on her, so how was she supposed to be qualified when her husband never wanted or desired her? 

Paige really wanted to yell and tell him that he was the one who never wanted her, but as usual, she didn't, she never speaks her mind because he never believes her anyway.

Besides, right now wasn't the right time to tell him what she really felt, it would only annoy Cedric more and annoying Cedric was the one thing Paige couldn't afford right now. 

She needed that money.

"What about Merlynn?" Paige questioned suddenly, "Don't you need to hurry up our divorce process so you can marry and settle down with her already?" 

The question took Cedric aback, Merlynn was the girl his mother wanted him to get married to. 

But that didn't even phase Paige at all, Cedric thought, she wasn't moved or displeased by the fact that he was supposedly getting hitched to someone else, she didn't even feel sad, didn't feel bad talk less of feeling jealous for him.

Cedric grabbed his cigarette pack as he stood up and stepped over to the window, lit up a stick of cigarette, and started smoking.

Paige watched him with a worried expression, it was a huge surprise to her to see Cedric smoke, he never smoked, when did he start smoking, does he even know how dangerous smoking is to his health? All these questions ran through her mind as she watched the man she had once fallen hopelessly in love with. 

It also made her realize how much both of them had changed, not in appearance though, Cedric remained the hottest, the sexiest and the most beautiful guy Paige has ever met or even came in contact with. His long curly back hair was still tied up in a man bun just how he liked it, and his piercing ocean blue eyes that still makes her want to get lost in them still held their intensity, today he was dressed casually since the meeting was held in one of his houses. 

So no, they didn't change in appearance but their personalities and demeanor have changed a lot and Paige was yet to decide if it was a good or bad thing. 

The silence grew and awkward tension hung in the air, as Cedric seem not to have any response to the question that Paige asked and it made Paige feel sick with guilt. 

Maybe she has come off too strong in portraying the gold digger character she was currently playing. She felt sorry for her behavior, it wasn't a behavior she was pleased with, and felt so regretful already. This wasn't the way one was supposed to behave with someone they loved, especially someone they have loved for years. 

And Paige has loved Cedric for years.

Maybe this was one bad idea, after all, it wasn't too late to pull out now before she becomes stuck with regrets forever. 

That's it! She thought she was going to let go of the money and move on with her life, she will just need to work extra hard to earn enough for her mother's surgery and medical expenses. 

She stood up and straightened her dress, patted her hair to settle the stray hair and keep them in place, then picked up her bag and started for the door,  she will just leave silently and unnoticed…

Hopefully,

"Did I allow you to leave?!" Cedric yelled her to a stop and walked in her direction. But the closer he approached, the more Paige wanted to just run away, she was still not used to being so close to men even if that man was Cedric. 

"I changed my mind," He lifted her chin, and before Paige could pick up her hopes, his next words tore her heart apart.

"We have been married for three years, but I never enjoyed any rights of a husband?" He stated, "Tonight, satisfy me on the bed and the money will be all yours. I'll give it to you,"