2

Chapter 2

Jessica Hemsworth

My phone screen lit up with a text as I walked back inside the room from the bathroom.

‘Come over to the house. The divorce agreement is ready now’.

My heart suddenly felt light as though a weight had just been lifted off it. Excitement sparked through my stomach, and a smile crept up my face. Finally! I was going to be free.

‘Alright, aunt. I will be there in a few minutes.

I replied to her text, dropping to the bed afterwards.

My mind wandered off to years ago, where it all started from.

After the death of my mom, I ended up with her only sister, Lucy, who has been the one raising me.

She was supposed to be a family, but living with her has been nothing but hell. She raised me as her toy. Her slave. Someone she could do whatever she wanted with, and it got worse when her biological daughter, Anna, died eight years ago.

'I've raised you for fourteen years, Jessica. It's only right that you do this for me. It's just eight years, Jessica. You can't sacrifice eight years for me when I've sacrificed fourteen years of my life to take care of you?'

And just like that, I threw away eight years of my life. My youth, to pay the debt of being adopted by her.

It is finally over now.

The door opened, and Viktor walked inside. He was still wearing his pyjamas.

After what happened two days ago, he has been giving me cold shoulders , as if I cared. I didn't regret doing everything I did, and I would do it again if given the chance to.

“Jessica,” he said, voice low. “Let’s not do this. We can move on from what happened.”

He stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“I forgive you. Let’s forget it.”

I huffed in disbelief, shrugging his hands off. He forgive me?

He leaned in slightly—as if to kiss me.

I backed away.

“Don’t.”

The sight of him irritates me. Having his hand on me makes my skin crawl. I had never hated anyone the way I loathed this bastard, and I just couldn't wait to get the hell out of here.

He frowned, his jaw clenched tightly. "Don't mess with me, Jess." And without warning, he pushed me onto the bed and climbed me.

“Let me go!” I tried to push him off, but he grabbed my hands with just one hand, pinning them above my head on the bed.

“Fuck!” He yelped as I squeezed it so tightly. I so wanted to burst them, but I resisted the urge to. He wasn't worth going to jail for.

I pushed him off once I overpowered him, and rolled off the bed.

He groaned in pain, squeezing his eyes shut and wrinkling his face while leaning over the bed. “Come back here, Jess.”

I dashed into the dressing room and locked the door behind me, crashing onto the wall as I struggled to catch my breathe.

"Open the door!" My heart skipped a beat when a loud bang came on the door, accompanied by Viktor's voice.

"Jessica!" He yelled again, but I stood still, not attempting to open the door.

Then, I heard the faint ringing of his phone, and his silent curse before the ringing tone stopped abruptly.

"What is it?" His angry voice snapped from outside.

"Alright. I'll be there." He went silent for another five seconds before he banged on the door again.

"I'll be back for you."

Then his receding footsteps and the sound of the door opening and closing followed up.

I breathed out in relief.

I changed into something else, and left for aunt Lucy's apartment.

I felt heat caught in my throat as I strode down the hallway of the mansion minutes after I arrived.

My aunt was one of the wealthiest businesswomen in the country. Her husband died early, leaving behind his multi million dollars business for her and Anna before the poor girl passed away.

The air around me suddenly felt dense the moment I walked inside the living room and saw her sitting on one of the beautiful couches, her gaze on her phone.

Even at fifty-three, she still looked as though she was in her thirties. Tall, slim, flawless pale white skin, oval-shaped face, sharp jawlines, pointed nose, and piercing almond eyes. Her lengthy black hair was cascading down her shoulders. She hasn't aged a bit since I've known her. Not even for one day.

“Aunt.” I walked over to sit across from her on the couch.

“You are here.” she barely spared me a glance as she reached for the brown file lying beside her on the couch, throwing it on the center table along with a pen.

“Are you sure about this?” She raised her gaze to look at me.

That question had my heart wrenching painfully. It wasn't my wish to throw away everything. Yes, Jeremy had become a part of me. I had sacrificed a lot to raise him. The boy was once good to me. He once cherished me, but suddenly changed once he found out I wasn't his biological mom.

I still wanted to believe that there was something left of me there, but sadly, there was nothing more to hold on to.

“Hmm. I'm sure.” I nodded.

“Sign the divorce agreement.” She stated coldly, turning her gaze back to her phone.

I felt a sting in my heart. It hurt. That she didn't appreciate everything I did for her grandchild, but this was bound to happen anyway, and I was only glad it was all over now.

With a heavy heart, I picked up the pen and attached my signature, putting an end to this misery of a marriage.

Finally! I am free.

“I will send some money to your account. You can get an apartment and start a new life.” She said, rising to her feet.

She looked at me and said, “Give the file to Viktor… And make sure you lock the door on your way out. I am busy.” And with that, she walked past me, while I sat there until she was out of my sight.

Tears brimmed in my eyes, pouring down my cheeks. Did she ever love me?

I wiped my tears with the back of my palm as I headed out of the apartment, not before picking up the file, and as I stepped outside through the gate, my phone pinged with a text.

An alert of five hundred thousand dollars was displayed on the screen when I checked it.

I was still staring at the alert when a text from my aunt came in.

‘This should be enough to start a new life. Good luck’