Chapter 2

JANE'S POV

The next day at exactly 2pm after my doctor's appointment. 

Teyena held my hand as we walked into the attorneys office for what would be the end of my old ties. 

Jason had been wanting that divorce for months but I'd only refused to sign them hoping that he would change by some miracle. I was stupid. Jason never loved me. But how wrong I had been. He'd decided to rub his bad attitude and inconsistencies in my face. 

I couldn't bear the humiliation, the insults and bullying anymore. He rubbed all that in my face without any iota of sympathy.  

I am done. Done with taking shit from him.He could go be with his whores now.

******

The moment the door opened Tenaya and I stepped in. Besides being my good friend, Tenaya is an attorney and she has decided to be my lawyer throughout this divorce. The attorney got up to greet us with a formal but warm smile. Jason didn't bother at all. But of course that wasn't a surprise. He still had that disgusting proud look on his face. And I can tell he thinks I will grovel at his feet just as I did yesterday.  

“You are welcome Mrs. Wilmore.” He said, stretching his hand to greet us.

“Thank you Barrister Lewis but I would prefer to go by my first name. Just call me Jane, because the Wilmore name is leaving my life for good” I managed to deliver the words with enough coldness to match the daggering looks I sent to Jason who stared back in shock and surprise.

The expression brought me pleasure. I would do the exact opposite of what he wanted while he continued to wait for something that would never happen. Three years of my life devoted to the man who had not once considered my time of day. We were married only in name or to make it worse only on paper. We just took our seats when Jason spoke.

“Have you suddenly gone blind to my presence, Jane?” Jason spoke in an attempt to get under my skin.

I tilted her head and gave him a skeptical look. “Last I checked you were supposed to have greeted us the moment we walked in. That's what real men do, but I can see you have no respect for women and I don't blame you for that so let it slide Jason, you are not my God. And for the record, I will be out of your space very soon.” I finished with a wave of my hand dismissively.

“Well good luck with that” Jason spat the words harshly. His attorney smiled and cleared his throat before going on to say

“Great! Ms. Jane we can have all the paper work signed so everyone can go about their day.”

Jason scoffed mischievously“She doesn't have any job to get to and I don't think any sane person would want to employ a low life like her. What would she even have to offer?” he completed his words with another scoff. I found the tone of his voice comical. The desperation to get at me smelt out loud. I smirked, my brows raising slightly. Even the attorney seemed disappointed by Jason's carriage. He shook his head in disbelief. It was Teyena that spoke for me this time. 

“Jason, your sorry ass is just pained that she's actually finally leaving you. As far as I'm concerned she should've done it sooner.” 

Barrister Lewis quickly cleared his throat to diffuse the situation and opened the papers before him. His soft voice waved the tension in the air off in no time. There was an awkward silence in the room after that.

 I sat quietly with my fingers laced together on the table right in front of them.

“Uhm… Ms. Jane, are you sure you want to do this?” Lewis asked with a hint of concern in his tone.

“A hundred percent. I just want to get this over with.” Despite it all, a small part of me anticipated the freedom, what it would feel like to be away from the nest of deceit and torture I've had called home for three years.

The moment Lewis pushed the paper to me for my signature, I snatched the pen from the table ready to sign when he stopped me.

“Ms. Jane, I need you to read them carefully, your lawyer here can explain everything to you just incase—”

“There will be no need for that. I don't need anything from him. He can keep whatever he thinks he has, I don't care, I just want to be free from him and his family”. I answered.

“Jane, what are you doing? This wasn't the plan from the beginning-”

“Let it slide Teyena, that’s not why I'm here. I just want to be free. And he's just some spoiled brat relying on daddy's fortune. I don't want to be tied to that even in the slightest way. So I'll leave with only what I own.” Her voice was firm. Decided. 

The shock on Jason's face broadened as he struggled to ignore the insulting comment. How dare she belittle him like that?His jaw tightened in anger, his shoulders stiffened. 

“You can keep everything. I don't need anything from you.” I gave him a long look before going on to sign the papers. The frustration on his face gave me more strength to see it through. No doubts. 

I wasn't going to let his inadequacies dictate my actions. His unrepentant behaviour and bad treatment had only toughened me up for whatever may come next. I pulled off the crown of the pen and scribbled my signature on the paper.

Finally!! The breath of fresh air!

“Is this all barrister?” I asked, pushing the paper back to the attorney carefully while ignoring Jason's gaze on me. 

“Yes Ms. Jane, that would be all.” He answered.

I turned to Teyena with a small smile. A silent appreciation for her support. But Jason wasn't having it. His annoyance was visible from his expression. My sudden defiance and strength confused him. Where had this version of me been all along? If looks could kill, I would have been dead already but I didn't back down. I met his gaze with an equally domineering look.

“Have a great day, attorney”. I shook the man's hand and got up to leave. The man gave me a firm nod back. But Jason's energy was harsh enough to cut through the air in the office.

The moment we were outside and out of earshot, Teyena grabbed my arm, bringing me to a pause.

“You handled that really well in there, are you fine?” Her tone held a hint of concern and it was nice for me, knowing that at least someone cared so much about my well-being.

“Yeah, I am fine. I'll just hang around for a while till I figure things out.” I informed her. I knew Teyena got my back as my only friend. But what was next for me? Would Jason really let things go so easily? Or would he prove to be an even worse experience?