Rebirth: From Devoted Wife to Ice Queen CEO

Aria's pov.

Aria traced invisible patterns on the tablecloth, a nervous tic that betrayed her.

Her heart raced, its thundering beats echoing in her ears, each pulse a reminder of the anxious torrent coursing through her.

She stood in the softly lit living room, fluffing the cushion for the hundred time, making sure every detail was in place.

Everything had to be perfect, from Adrian’s reaction, his shock, joy, everything.

Rose petals trailed from the entrance to the dining table, which she had set with trembling hands just an hour ago.

In the center, a cake sat proudly, its white icing adorned with the words “happy 5th Anniversary” written in delicate red frosting.

She had even went ahead to make his favorite food, grilled sea bass, ginger chicken, and spicy tofu.

She let out a weary sigh, the sound heavy with the weight of accumulated exhaustion

Pacing towards the window, she stared down at the street below. Empty. The phone trembled in her grip, the screen dark.

She rubbed her temples with a gentle, circular motion, seeking relief from the persistent ache that throbbed behind her eyes.

He promised he’d be home by 7pm, she made sure to remind him, again and again, because tonight mattered to her.

She fidgeted restlessly, unable to find a comfortable position, her hands trembled against the relentless anxiety coursing through her body.

Maybe he got caught up at work, or traffic, maybe he forgot his phone somewhere.

She dialed his number again, and it went straight to voicemail. Again. For the hundredth time.

Her stomach churned with a nauseating mixture of dread and anticipation. The tick of the clock echoed in her ears, each passing second a reminder of time slipped away, fueling her anxious thoughts of what might have gone wrong.

She tried to steady her breath, smoothing down her dress and brushing a stray hair behind her ear, beads of sweat dotted her forehead despite the coolness of the room.

Her movement lacked their usual precision and grace it once had, it was now replaced by clumsy uncoordinated motions.

With effort she moved towards the door, with hope of going to the office to inquire about him.

She barely took two steps when the front door’s handle turned.

Adrian Wu walked in like a stranger. No smile, no apology, just cold narrowed, unreadable eyes.

She smiled in an attempt to hide her concern, as she swallowed a lump in her throat.

“Adrian?” her voice quivered. “Where have you been? I was worried. You didn’t pick up my calls. I… I cooked your favorite dishes, I also made cake. Did you see the…”

“I was busy,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible, as though he were speaking to himself rather than to her.

She clutched the hem of her dress, the fabric bunching in her hands.

“I cooked. Your favorite. Won’t you say anything?” she asked her voice trembling.

“I don’t really care about the food Aria.” He muttered.

His words flat and lifeless, lacking any hint of enthusiasm or interest.

Her smile faltered, voice quivering like a fragile bird taking flight, each word a delicate wing beat that fluttered with the weight of her nervousness.

“What do you mean?” she bit her lip.

“We need to talk." He trailed off.

There was a flatness to his eyes, a lack of depth and warmth that was disturbing. His gaze was distant, as though he was looking through her rather than at her.

She ran her fingers through her hair with shaking hands, hard knot constricted her throat, making it hard for her to breath.

“Sure. What’s going on? You’re scaring me. Is it the company?” she asked.

He walked pasts her, tossing a folder onto the table. The usual warmth in his voice was replaced by distance coldness.

“I need you to sign these.” he answered.

Her thoughts spiraled in a dizzying whirlwind of anxious whispers that drowned out reason, leaving her feeling helpless and vulnerable, and her voice cracked.

“What… what is this?” she choked out.

He crossed his arms, his eyebrows arched in a high, mocking fashion.

“Divorce papers.” he sneered.

Her breath catches in her throat, she clutched at her chest, fingers trembling as if trying to keep her racing heart from leaping out of her body.

“Adrian… what are you saying?” she asked her voice breaking.

Her voice was a fragile thread threatening to snap under the weight of her panic.

Her skin pricked with a clammy cold sweat, Goosebumps rising in its wake.

His eyes narrowed to slits as his face bunged up into a disgusted sneer.

“I’m saying I want a divorce.” his top lip curled up in disdain.

It was as if she was looking into the face of a total stranger.

Her skin lost all its color, and she tried to block her face, to hide the terrified scream that was trying to come out of her mouth.

Her chest tightened that it became hard for her to breath.

“But… but yesterday… you made me sign over my company to you.” her eyes burgeoning with tears.

Her heart hammered against her ribcage, a thunderous beat that reverberated through her body.

“You said it was to help me, that was too sick to manage it. You told me we were partners for life and that nothing would change.”she whispered.

Her limbs turned to jelly, knees buckling beneath her as fear coursed through her veins, weakening her resolve a little more with every passing second.

Her hands shook uncontrollably, an involuntary tremor that betrayed her terror.

His wrinkled nose and furrowed brows screamed of distaste, he turned his head to the side, refusing to look at her.

“And what do you expect? For me to stay married to you? That’s laughable.” his gaze hardened.

She took a step back, her face ashen. She clung to the nearest chair for support, fingers digging into the hard surface, seeking an anchor in the storm of her panic, desperate for something to hold unto.

“No. I won’t sign it. Not after what I gave you… what we built.” her lips trembled.

His mouth twisted into a sneer, and he slammed his hands down on the table. Hard. Which made her flinched.

“You didn’t build anything. You inherited that company, I just took what was always meant to be mine.” his eyes hard.

The light in her eyes dimmed, taking on a hollowness that was almost distant.

There was a disconnect in her eyes, a sense that she was no longer fully present in the moment.

“You married me for the company.” her lips quivered.

“Finally catching up Aria? Yes. That company was the only thing I ever wanted. You? You were just the key to getting it.” he said glaring at her.

She flinched, her thought sluggish, as though they were slogging through mud.

She felt like she was floating on a cloud, disconnected from the world below, free from the weight of emotions.

Her stomach contracts into a tight ball, she could feel the wave of acid welling up in her belly and a sharp pain shot through her chest.

“But I loved you. I still do.” she said, her voice breaking as she spoke.

“That was your mistake.” he bit out, making her flinch.

The way he looked at her made her sink further into the depths of despair. It was the way he was looking at her with so much contempt in his eyes that made her breath catch.

“You made me believe you loved me Adrian.” Her voice caught in her throat, a strangled whisper that betrayed the fear coiling within her.

“And you made it so easy. You were desperate for love.” his eyes twitched with distaste.

Her vision blurred, the edges of her surroundings warping and distorting as fear and panic clouded her perception.

She leaned on the table, pressing her hands to her heart, trying to elevate the pain coursing through her chest.

She used her hand to cover the cough that raked her body and was surprised to see blood bloomed across her pale skin.

“Please Adrian… I made everything perfect tonight. I wanted to surprise you. I… I was going to tell you…” her eyes blinking hard.

she pressed a shaking hand on her still flat stomach.

"I’m pregnant.”she confessed, biting her lip hard.