Let's Get A Divorce

{BREAKING NEWS}

LUCIEN DELACROIX PERSONALLY WELCOMES EX-GIRLFRIEND GWEN LEIGH BACK TO VERDANTIA

The first thing Nova saw on her phone was her husband standing beside another woman.

For several seconds, she simply stared at it.

The video had been taken at the airport.

Lucien Delacroix stood beneath the bright terminal lights, dressed in a dark suit with one hand casually tucked into his pocket. Beside him stood a beautiful woman in a beige dress, one hand resting protectively over her visibly swollen belly.

Nova's fingers slowly tightened around her phone.

The news reporter's voice could be heard in the background.

"Big news out of the airport today.

Delacroix Group CEO and Chairman, Lucien Delacroix spotted at the airport just this morning with ex-girlfriend and renowned designer, Gwen Leigh, fresh off her flight from London. The two looked closer than ever."

The footage changed.

Gwen was smiling as reporters crowded around them.

"Miss Leigh, are you and Mr. Delacroix getting back together?"

"Are you returning to Verdantia permanently?"

"Is it true you're getting married?"

Neither of them responded.

One reporter suddenly stepped in front, excitedly:

"Mr. Delacroix, is it true that you're the baby's father?"

Nova's eyes stopped on the screen.

For some reason, she found herself waiting for his answer.

Lucien remained expressionless.

He said nothing.

Gwen lowered her head shyly, one hand resting protectively over her stomach.

The reporter asked again, but Lucien simply replied,

"No comment."

Nova stared at the screen.

He didn't deny it.

She lowered her eyes and told herself it meant nothing.

But her chest felt strangely tight.

The footage changed again.

This time, the two of them were walking toward the private exit.

Gwen was holding Lucien's arm, leaning against him for support.

The reporter's voice followed them.

"Although neither party has confirmed their relationship, sources close to the Delacroix family suggest that Gwen Leigh and Lucien Delacroix may be rekindling their romance."

Another headline appeared across the screen.

IS GWEN LEIGH ABOUT TO BECOME MRS. DELACROIX?

Nova stared at the screen silently.

An hour ago, Lucien had called her.

He had sounded as calm as usual.

"Something important came up. I won't make it tonight."

He hadn't explained what the important matter was.

And she hadn't asked.

After all, they had been married for three years.

She knew Lucien well enough to understand that when he said something had come up, he didn't feel the need to explain himself.

But tonight was different.

It was their third wedding anniversary.

They had never celebrated their anniversaries before, but this time, she'd wanted to.

She'd spent the entire afternoon preparing for it.

She had personally reserved the private dining room and even arranged for the chef to prepare the dishes he liked most.

But, he'd cancelled because something had come up.

Apparently, that something was Gwen Leigh.

Nova's gaze returned to the screen.

The footage showed Gwen laughing at something a reporter said.

Lucien stood beside her, calm and completely comfortable.

As though standing beside his former lover at the airport was the most natural thing in the world.

Nova lowered her eyes.

She had never met Gwen personally.

But she knew the name.

Everyone around Lucien had never failed to mention the beautiful and talented designer whose relationship with him had ended shortly before Nova entered his life.

According to the news, Gwen had been in London.

And Lucien had been traveling abroad far more frequently these past few months.

At first, Nova had assumed it was because of work.

He had always been busy, and she had never been the kind of wife who questioned his movements.

But now...

Her eyes slowly returned to the screen.

Had he really been working?

Or had he been going to see Gwen?

Her gaze dropped to the woman's stomach.

If Gwen had been pregnant all this time...

Nova's fingers curled around her phone.

She had never expected Lucien to love her.

Their marriage had been an agreement from the beginning.

Three years ago, he'd proposed the marriage simply to fulfill his grandmother's wish.

During that time, he'd treated her well and fulfilled his responsibilities as her husband.

But now, it seemed it was all about to come to an end.

She lowered her eyes to the table.

The food in front of her had gone cold and the candles had burned almost halfway down.

She had been waiting for him.

Now she suddenly felt a little foolish for doing so.

A waiter approached cautiously.

"Madam, would you like us to serve the next course?"

Nova looked at him.

Then she forced a small smile.

"No."

She glanced at the untouched dishes.

"Please pack everything."

The waiter blinked.

"Everything?"

"Yes."

Nova's smile remained gentle.

"I'll take it home."

The waiter nodded and began gathering the dishes.

Nova leaned back in her chair and looked through the restaurant window at the glittering city lights outside.

---

The lights in Wyatt Estate were still on when Lucien returned.

The driver stopped outside the mansion, and Lucien stepped out of the car with a tired expression.

The day had been longer than expected.

After leaving the airport, he had spent several hours dealing with other matters.

By the time he was done, it was already late into the night.

The moment he entered the house, Madame Greene greeted him.

"Master, you're back."

Lucien nodded.

"Where is Madam?"

Madame Greene hesitated slightly.

"She's in the dining room."

Lucien paused.

Usually, Nova would already be asleep at this hour.

He walked toward the dining room.

The moment he entered, he found Nova seated by the window, holding a cup of tea.

She was looking outside silently.

Lucien frowned slightly.

"Why haven't you slept?"

Nova turned around.

The moment she saw him, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"You're back."

Lucien stared at her for a moment.

There was nothing unusual about her expression.

But somehow, he felt something was different.

He looked toward the dining table. There were several takeouts from the private diner they frequently visited on the table.

It seemed she couldn't eat the dishes she'd ordered alone and brought them home.

Seeing that, his brows creased.

He didn't understand why the sight bothered him.

He loosened his tie and walked closer.

"About tonight..."

Nova looked up.

Lucien paused.

For some reason, he suddenly felt like he needed to explain.

But he wasn't sure why.

"It was unexpected."

Nova remained quiet.

Lucien studied her calm face for a few seconds before he added, "I'll make it up to you later."

Nova looked at him silently.

She almost smiled.

He'd already missed the chance when it mattered.

But she didn't correct him.

Instead she said lightly,

"I saw you on a news channel today. You were at the airport.

Lucien had already walked toward the fridge. He was in the middle of twisting the cap off a water bottle and paused.

Then he looked up and met her eyes.

Her gaze was calm and he couldn't tell what was running through her mind.

But he nodded anyway.

"Yeah, something happened with Gwen."

The moment the name left his mouth, Nova's fingers tightened slightly around the cup.

It was a small movement that Lucien didn't notice.

"Gwen Leigh?" She asked.

Lucien looked at her.

"You know her?"

"Everyone knows her."

Nova's voice was calm.

"The famous designer who was abroad for years."

Lucien nodded.

"She just returned."

"I saw."

There was a brief silence.

Then she said,

"The reporters asked if you were getting back together."

Lucien glanced at her and nodded.

"You didn't deny it."

If Lucien had been more perceptive, perhaps, he'd have noticed a trace of accusation in her tone.

But he simply nodded and explained,

"It's just media speculation. It'll die down soon enough."

Nova fell silent at his calmness.

Eventually, she nodded gently.

"I suppose."

But before she could say more, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pockets.

Lucien took it out and glanced at the screen before answering.

"Gwen?"

Nova's fingers paused.

She didn't intend to listen.

But the quiet room made every word impossible to ignore.

Lucien's expression suddenly changed slightly.

"Is it very bad? Are you bleeding? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Nova couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the line, but she saw Lucien's brows furrowed and he looked at the time on his watch.

Then he asked, "Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

It was unknown what Gwen said, but eventually, Lucien nodded.

"Okay, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Nova paused.

He was leaving again?

Lucien ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Then he grabbed the bottle of water and turned toward the door.

Nova's fingers tightened slightly.

Unable to help herself, she suddenly stood up.

"Lucien."

He looked at her.

"We're not done talking."

For the first time that night, there was a trace of something unfamiliar in her voice.

Lucien paused.

But only for a second.

"Gwen needs help."

The words were simple yet Nova found herself unable to refute it.

She stood there silently.

Earlier that evening, a reporter had asked whether the baby was his.

He hadn't denied it.

And now, in the middle of the night, Gwen had called him once, and Lucien was already leaving.

Suddenly, everything from the past few months seemed different.

His frequent trips abroad, the calls he sometimes took in private, and the increasing number of times he returned home late.

Nova had never questioned him.

She had trusted that their marriage, even if it had begun as an agreement, deserved at least that much.

But perhaps she'd been the only one treating it like a marriage.

Gwen was back, heavily pregnant.

And she...

She was still standing here, holding on to a husband who might already have another woman and a child waiting for him.

The thought was almost laughable.

Nova lowered her eyes.

What exactly was she still holding on to?

She looked up.

"Lucien."

He stopped walking.

Nova met his eyes.

"Let's get a divorce."

For the first time that night, Lucien's expression changed.