CHAPTER 2: THE DIVORCE PAPERS

Nadia stormed the bedroom they once shared, holding a piece of paper in her hands. Her eyes, blaring hot, like she was about to break down. The past few days had been hectic; calls from the board requesting her presence. Her own personal business is taking a huge toll on her and now Asha is sending a divorce paper through her assistant. Not even having the guts to give her by himself.

Looking at the scenario in front of her, she said calmly, holding it up. “Asha, what is this?”

He let go of Victoria and walked towards her. “What exactly is written on it?”

“I'm not signing this fucking papers Asha,” her words coming out of a gritted teeth. “You are my husband and that you will remain.”

Throwing the papers in his face and about to walk out, Asha grabbed her roughly by her forearm. “You don't tell me what to do. You sign these papers or I will make your life miserable.”

“Fine, go ahead, do it,” her outburst took Asha back. “That's all you've been doing ever since you married me. Yes, I wanted to marry you but you could have said no. But you didn't. So, yes, you are my husband.” She had always been this quiet wife who did all she was told. She'd always make the bed, cook, clean; basically doing everything without complaining but here she was standing eye to eye with him.

“I want to believe that tone wasn't for me,” he said.

“Oh dear husband, it is,” tears were streaming down her face by now. “I have lost everything and trust me when I say I'm not losing you again, better believe me.”

He tightened his grip on her hands. “You will sign these papers and let me be with the woman I love. Right now, you are nothing but a crybaby begging to be loved.”

His words hit a very delicate place in her. She yanked herself from his grip, ignoring the burning sensation on her arm. “Fuck you Asha. Mark my words, you will definitely regret this.”

Walking back to her room, her mind wandered back to the past. The past where she begged her father to make sure she married Asha Ashton, the billionaire. Her father had made findings about him and found out that his business was almost hitting the rock. That was the bait used to make the marriage successful.

Her father–Elliot Gray—had asked if she really wanted to marry him. For reasons best known to her, she agreed. Out of joy, out of love; but here she was facing otherwise in her marriage. Maybe her father had sensed something like this and decided to put that clause in his will. Even in death, he was still protecting her.

She held the picture on her bedside table up. They had taken it at a musical concert when she was still much younger. The happiness both reached their eyes, their smiles twice as hard as she took a selfie. A single tear dropped, causing her to break into a full blown one. “I miss you so much dad. I miss you so much. Why did you choose to leave now? I have no one except you.”

She knocked over the glass of water on her table by accident. Gently, she stood up and wiped the area clean before she settled in bed.

Her head ached terribly, gently laying on the bed and closing her eyes to find some sleep. Some peace, some solitude.

After what felt like forever, she heard the door to her room open. Tiptoeing, hushed voices; she wondered what they really wanted.

“I think she drank the water,” Victoria's voice came on. Instantly, her senses became alert. What was inside the water?

“I'm glad you thought about that,” Asha said. “So what's the plan now?”

“Just the same we've made. Give it time, for the next few days, act sweet and calm to her. Impregnate her, and when the baby comes, we take her out of the picture.”

The silence in the air stretched a bit longer. Asha's voice shrieking. “I'm not killing her. There's no way I'm doing that.”

“I'm not asking you to,” she said. “Maybe we could say she's psychologically not okay and then transfer her to a psych ward. Anything but killing her.”

Nadia's heart rate ran faster. Shocked that Asha was ready to go this length just to acquire her father's wealth. A wealth that he spent the early years of his life gathering. Maybe he was right. She really needed to sign the divorce papers.

“Let's go out to celebrate our upcoming victory,” Victoria proposed. “I love you Asha.”

“I love you too,” the kissing sound renting the air after, before departed footsteps followed.

Sure that they had left the house, Nadia opened her eyes and scanned her environment. The sting of betrayal caused more tears to fall.

“Never will I cry for you again,” she swore. She needed to get out of there before they came back. Her life was in danger, so was her father's properties, and she would make sure it never fell into the wrong hands. And right now, Asha was looking like the wrong person.

A small bag, her necessities; that was all she needed to start a new quiet life. She walked over to their bedroom, picking up the divorce papers. She appended her signature everywhere necessary and dropped it on the dining table. Coupled with it, a ring that she held on to for the past 20 years. Given to her by the boy she saved from the fire and fell in love with. The ring a younger Asha had given the mysterious girl that saved his life from years ago. It was her all along. A letter saying her goodbyes was attached to the ring.

With one last look of the house she once shared with a man she called her husband, she carried her bag and drove out of the compound, ready to start a new life. She rang a number. “Marcus, I need your help.”