Chapter 5

Mark drove straight to Emily's house, barely able to contain his excitement. The moment she stepped outside, he unlocked the passenger door, and she hurried toward the car with a curious smile.

“What happened?” Emily asked as she climbed inside. “Why are you smiling like that?”

Mark waited until she had closed the door before pulling away from the curb.

“There’s no need for us to hide anymore.”

Emily turned toward him, her brows lifting. “What are you talking about?”

Mark glanced at her and smiled. “Clara agreed to the divorce.”

Emily's eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. She even agreed to give me the house.”

“The house?” Emily asked, her voice rising with excitement.

“The whole house.”

A delighted laugh escaped her as she reached for his hand. “So we're finally going to be together openly?”

“That’s the plan.”

Emily leaned closer, already imagining herself living in the spacious house she had admired from a distance for years. “Then what are we waiting for?”

Mark's smile faded slightly.

“There’s one condition.”

Emily frowned. “What condition?”

“Clara wants Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars before she'll transfer the house to me.”

Emily stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? That's all?”

Mark looked at her. “You think that's nothing?”

“Mark, we're talking about a house worth nearly a million dollars. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is hardly a problem.”

He hesitated. “I don't have that kind of money right now.”

Emily waved dismissively. “Then borrow it. Take a loan if you have to. Once the house is ours, you'll make that money back easily.”

Mark studied her face.

“You're not worried?”

“Why would I be?” Emily asked with a smug smile. “That stupid woman is practically handing us a million-dollar house. If she's foolish enough to accept that deal, we should be smart enough to take it.”

Mark laughed.

Emily leaned against his shoulder. “Besides, once you divorce her, you won't have to deal with that fat, miserable woman anymore.”

Mark's lips curled into a smile.

Emily continued, her voice filled with contempt. “She probably thinks nobody else would want you and that's why she's holding on so tightly. I can't believe she actually agreed to let you go.”

“She did,” Mark said proudly.

“Then don't waste time worrying about the money. Get the divorce finalized first. We can deal with everything else afterward.”

Mark smiled and leaned over to kiss her.

Emily laughed softly against his lips before pulling back.

“Come on. Let's get to the notary's office before that fool changes her mind.”

Within the hour, they arrived at the government notary office. The building was quiet, with several people waiting on wooden benches while civil servants moved between their desks.

Mark handed the divorce agreement to the notary, who adjusted his glasses and began reading. His expression changed when he reached the section concerning the property. He read it again before looking up.

“Your wife is transferring this property to you?”

Emily could barely contain her excitement. “That’s the agreement,” she said before Mark could respond.

The notary's gaze shifted from Emily to Mark before returning to her.

“Are you related to either party?”

Emily quickly shook her head. “No.”

The notary studied her for a moment, his expression hardening slightly. He had seen enough eager faces in his line of work to recognize the look of a mistress who was already counting what she believed was hers.

He glanced back at the divorce papers and paused when he noticed something.

“Did you really read this agreement?” he asked Mark.

Mark shifted impatiently. “Yes, I read it. Can you just hurry up?”

The notary said nothing more. He finished reviewing the papers, then indicated where Mark needed to sign. Mark signed without hesitation and pushed the documents back across the desk.

“The notarization is complete.”

Mark collected the papers with a satisfied smile. Outside, Emily slipped her arm through his. “That house is worth almost a million dollars.”

Mark smiled, already imagining himself as its owner. For the first time, the future he had dreamed of with Emily felt within reach.

Then his phone vibrated.

He checked the screen.

“You have less than an hour to transfer the money. After that, the agreement expires.”

His smile disappeared.

“What is it?” Emily asked.

He handed her the phone.

“She gave us a deadline,” Emily said.

Mark cursed under his breath. “We need to move.”  

They hurried back to the car, and Mark drove toward the nearest bank.  

During the loan application, Emily confidently assured the loan officer that their clothing business was doing well and that they only needed a short-term loan.

After reviewing their documents, the bank approved  the loan.

The moment the money entered Mark's account, he transferred the Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to Clara.

Transfer successful.

Emily stared at the confirmation before she threw her arms around him, laughing as she buried her face against his chest.

“We're finally getting married!”

Mark held her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

By the time they returned, evening had settled over the neighborhood. Emily stepped out of the car and hurried toward the entrance, her excitement returning as she imagined herself finally living there.

“I can't wait to see it again.”

Mark followed with a smile and unlocked the door. The moment he pushed it open, however, both of them stopped.

The house was empty.

The television, sofas, dining table, chairs, refrigerator, beds, curtains, appliances, and decorations were all gone.

Emily stepped inside slowly, her excitement draining from her face as she looked around.

“What the hell happened?”

Mark walked into the living room, staring at the empty spaces where the furniture had once stood.

“Where is everything?”

Emily rushed into the kitchen, but it was just as bare. She ran upstairs and checked the bedrooms before returning several minutes later, her breathing uneven and her face pale.

“She took everything.”

Mark's hands curled into fists. “How could someone her size move all this in such a short time?”

Emily ignored the remark and turned sharply toward him.

“Where are the house papers?”

Mark's expression changed. “They're with Clara.”

“You gave them to her?”

“I never took them. The plan was to come back after making the payment and collect the papers then.”

Emily's face tightened with panic.

“Call her.”

Mark pulled out his phone and dialed Clara's number. The first call went unanswered, and the second ended the same way. When Clara finally answered on the third ring, Mark's patience had already disappeared.

“What did you do to the house?”

There was a brief silence before Clara's calm voice came through the phone.

“What house?”

Mark's face reddened. “Don't play games with me. Where are the house papers?”

A soft laugh came from the other end.

“You have less than two hours to pack your things,” Clara said calmly.

Mark's eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

“You don't own the house, Mark.”