1. Petitioning For Divorce

If it is hard to endure the pain, then it will be better to let him go.

***

Even in a dream, Qeiza never thought that the marriage she had lived in for four years with Ansel would end soon. Oh Gosh! This was insane! In a short time, she would assume a new status as a virgin divorcee.

“Are you sure that you wanna get a divorce, Qei?”

“Yes. Please take care of it ASAP. I trust you.”

The man named Adnan took a deep breath. He was Qeiza’s best friend who worked as a lawyer.

Although after graduating from senior high school they lived in different countries, their friendship was timeless.

“Don’t worry, Qei. I hope you’ve thought it pretty well.”

They kept silent for a while. Perhaps, Qeiza was thinking what Adnan had just said.

“No doubt in my decision, Adnan,” said Qeiza on the other line. “There’s no point in maintaining this marriage.”

“Okay. If that’s what you really wish, I’ll do it ASAP,” Adnan replied. “But, if you change your mind, please let me know within twenty four hours.”

“My heart’s absolutely determined to end this tiring marriage.”

“I know. I'll do my best to help you.”

“Thank you, Adnan. You’re the only one I can count on.”

Adnan chuckled at her confession. “Hey! We’re close friends. You don’t need to hesitate.”

The conversations ended with a solid decision made by Qeiza.

Qeiza opened her bedroom’s curtain wider, spoiling her eyes with the stars that weren't twinkling so bright.

Thinking that the gloomy outside just made her soul felt lonelier, Qeiza leaned back on the headboard. Her nice fingers began tinkering with the video features on her smart phone.

Her heart was interested in replaying the video of the solemnization of the marriage which was done by Ansel Ivander Malik four years ago. She wanted to watch it for the last time.

It’s a record of a long distant marriage because she couldn’t go back to her hometown. She was having level up semester exams. As a result, she could only attend that crucial agenda by watching all the process of solemnization of the marriage through a video call.

Unexpectedly, tears rolled down on her cheeks. That touching solemnization fully turned out to be meaningless. Since they became a married spouse, Ansel had never come to meet her. Even, he’d never called her either.

Qeiza realized that he was forced to marry her under his parents' enforcement. However, as a real man, shouldn’t he behave like a true gentleman? Not to hide behind the mask of his busyness?

Four years were enough for Qeiza to endure all the inner burdens of a false marriage. It’s time for her to organize her own ways of life. It’s better for her to focus on reaching her ambitions than being shackled by an uncertain status.

Qeiza wiped her tears. “You don’t want this marriage, right?” she said while staring sadly at the picture of Ansel that was sent by her husband’s personal assistant.

“I’ll let you go, enjoy your life then!” Qeiza smiled wryly. Her heart was throbbing like a sore slash. “I hope you won’t regret it later.”

Qeiza closed her device then lying down on the soft mattress. Her conversation with Ansel before she called Adnan was ringing back in her ears. That was her first conversation with her husband and the last as well.

“Why are you calling me?” asked Ansel as soon as he responded to her call after the seventh trials.

“A—”

“Darling, you've made me wait for you too long,” said a woman on the other line, interrupting Qeiza’s speaking.

That spoiled, melodious and flirting voice was also followed by the sound of a deep kiss.

“Who are you talking to?” Again a woman’s voice came out with a suspicious tone.

“No one, Honey,” replied Ansel. “She’s just a crazy person who’s punching random phone numbers.”

Another kiss sounded again. Increasingly tearing Qeiza’s heart and forcing her to end the phone call.

Qeiza exhaled strongly. Trying to close her eyes and hoping that all miserable things she faced were only nightmares which would disappear when the sun rose the next morning.

***

There’s the sound of knocks on the door. “Who’s that?” Ansel asked from his bedroom.

He was tidying his appearance in front of the mirror. That day, he had a schedule to meet one of his business colleagues to discuss about their partnership projects.

“It’s me, Xander.”

“Come in!”

Xander walked into Ansel’s bedroom soon after he got the permission. For a few seconds, he stood frozen three steps away from Ansel.

“What’s wrong?” asked Ansel. He glanced at Xander’s reflection in the mirror. “You look nervous,” he said.

“Th–that ….” Xander hesitated. Making Ansel’s eyebrows knitted together. Nevertheless, his hands were still working, putting a tie on his white shirt.

“You’ve found black notes about the colleague we’re gonna meet?”

Xander waved his hands. “No. It’s not that,” he denied.

“Then, why are you looking so anxious?”

Ansel had finished his last touching on his appearance and stepped closer to Xander. His sharp eyes narrowed as he saw the folder in Xander's palm.

“I’d like to hand you this,” said Xander, handing the folder to Ansel.

“What is this?”

“It’s a divorce lawsuit sent by Miss Qeiza.”

Ansel’s mouth drooped sarcastically when hearing Xander mentioned his wife’s name. His hands made a movement, pushing the paper that half pulled out back into the folder again. He thought he didn’t need to read it at all. It’s clear enough.

“She’s pretty good at stalking the perfect time!” Ansel said in a sarcastic tone. “Or she was spying on me on purpose?”

Xander didn’t answer Ansel’s question. He just felt concerned about the marriage of his friend and boss as well. Precisely, he took a pity on Qeiza. That innocent bird had become an object of Ansel’s hatred for no apparent reasons.

“Don’t you think you should meet her?”

“What’s for? Just follow the game,” Ansel replied in a nonchalant manner. “Call my lawyer and ask him to take care of everything!”

“Alright,” Xander lowered his gaze. His voice was very languid.

Deep inside his heart, he regretted that Ansel made such a rash decision.

“Why does your face look so depressed?” asked a beautiful woman to Xander. “Did my cousin spill a bowl of hot porridge on your head?”

“Just ask your stubborn cousin, Edrea!”

Edrea frowned, glancing a bit at Ansel’s frozen face. She grabbed Xander’s left hand and took him away from Ansel.

 “Is this all related to the last night call?” she whispered into Xander’s ear.

Xander's eyes widened. He’s pretty sure that it’s Qeiza who called Ansel and that bastard had used Edrea’s help to hurt Qeiza. How cruel he was!

***

Qeiza looked at her wedding ring that she had just taken off. She frequently took deep breaths.

“Thank you for accompanying me in disappointment for the last four years,” Qeiza muttered, talking to the diamond ring as if that ring could talk back to her like a human.

Once more time she wiped the clear liquid flowing from the corners of her eyes before she finally put the wedding ring into a small box and kept it in the nightstand drawer beside the bed.

The clock’s short hand pointed at ten o’clock when Qeiza glanced at the wall clock. It meant it’s eight in the morning according to Western Indonesian Time.

Qeiza grabbed her smart phone and found the contact of Adnan. It didn’t take a long time when she heard the ring tone and a greeting from the other line.

“Please send me the files as soon as you’ve finished them all, okay?” asked Qeiza after a small opening talk.

“God! You’re really impatient,” Adnan tried to tell her in a joking tone. “Everything needs a process.”

“Faster is better, Adnan!” said Qeiza. “I believe that you won’t let me wait for a long time.”

“Is that a must?”

“Just conclude as you please. You know how to contact me later, don’t you?”

 “Okay. Take care!” Adnan said. “I’m sure I’ll miss you so much.”

 “You can visit me anytime.”

Qeiza ended her talks to Adnan. She smiled miserably, staring at the suitcase that was standing next to her bedroom’s door.