02

"Drew, hahaha! Stop! Haha!”

Hadley waited at the door, her heart hurting, as Laura’s lighthearted voice wafted out.

It never occurred to her that she’ll return back from the hospital three days later and see this. As if leaving her to die in the flames wasn’t enough for them.

Laura was blushing as she undid Andrew’s shirt and tie on the bed, and Andrew looked at her lovingly without protest.

Hadley grinned bitterly and gripped the documents more tightly as she watched them from the door. She knew this would be her final visit to this home, yet her return as his wife felt sudden and out of place.

She pushed open the slightly ajar door after taking a quick look at the divorce papers she was holding. The picture frame from her and Andrew’s wedding, haphazardly thrown on the ground, was in her way as she moved forward.

Shards of the broken glass were strewn all over the place. The frame had a crumpled registration photo with a red background that showed them both appearing unpleasant, even antagonistic.

She remembered dimly that Andrew had driven off without saying anything after taking the picture. This was the only picture they had of each other during their two-years marriage. It would also be the last, appropriately.

"....Had?"

The person inside was startled by the sound of the door opening. In a fright, Laura hastily withdrew her hand after turning around and seeing her.

Hadley gave a smirk.

"Drew got drunk at the party. I stayed to tend to him because he had a stomachache. You don't mind, do you?" Laura asked sheepishly, pointing to the half-cup of cold honey water on the table.

"I do mind," Hadley scoffed.

Pretending to be wary, Laura gave her a shy gaze and said, "Sorry, I'll go now. But don't forget to give him the honey water.”

Had they forgotten what they did to her?

The house was quiet once more after Laura left. Andrew appeared exhausted, his eyelids sagging, his entire manner icy and aloof. Nobody said anything.

Silently, Hadley picked up their wedding picture frame from the ground while rolling up her sleeves. She was abruptly embraced from behind as she set the frame back on the table.

With his arms encircling her waist in a possessive manner, Andrew rested the majority of his weight on her.

Hadley gripped the picture more tightly. "Why didn’t you answer the calls?" she asked in a final try. “The doctor had been attempting to get in touch with you."

At first, Andrew pretended not to have heard her.

"What?" he finally said in a hushed voice after a protracted silence.

"The doctor called you over several times," she said in a tone that had been calm before becoming slightly irate. “Why didn't you pick up at all? Will you be unbothered if I had died?”

There was a hint of frustration in Andrew’s voice when he said, "Didn't hear them."

Did you not hear them? Four days had passed since she was left in the flames, was admitted to the hospital. However, her so-called husband, had not expressed any worry. He didn't inquire whether she was fine, or how she  manage to survive the flames.

Wow…just wow.

He dismissed it with a simple "Didn't hear them."

Hadley lowered her eyelashes and spoke softly, "Mm."

Whatever. Alright then. 

Tiny glass fragments fell once more when she turned the wedding photo face down on the table.

Andrew appeared to be startled by the abrupt sound, which caused him to become somewhat sober and clear-headed. "Where is she?" he whispered, scanning the house.

Of course, it was Laura he was asking of.

"She's gone."

"You kicked her out?"

"If you want, I can call her back," Hadley said.

Andrew’s breath was near her ear, still smelling strongly of alcohol. "Why do you sound jealous?"

He was breathing warmly.

She felt his bottom lip tickle her earlobe. "Me jealous? Hahaha!” She averted her gaze and laughed.

Andrew was irritated by her avoidance. He took hold of her chin. "Why are you avoiding me?"

She no longer wanted to speak with him. He grabbed the back of her head and pushed her into the couch just as she was going to turn away. He kissed her right away as the sofa collapsed under their weight. It was sudden, harsh and powerful, leaving her mind spinning and her lips numb. He exuded dominance and smelled of beer and tobacco.

Hadley could feel her strength waning. He lifted her cream-colored knit sweater, revealing pale, silky skin that smelled slightly of body wash.

Their bodies were pressed close to one another, and the air around them felt hotter. With his hand on her lower tummy and a raspy voice, he nipped at her sensitive earlobe and asked, "Can I?"

"Why?" She asked, clearly rejecting him as she turned her head away.

She smiled mockingly at herself as she met his disapproving stare. He lacked self-respect.

Despite being caught cheating and leaving her to die, he still has the audacity attempting to make love to her?

"Because of this," she said, blaming herself for giving in to him over the years. She took out the contract and the signed divorce papers, tossing them in his chest. The stark word "Divorce" caused Andrew’s face to go chilly.

"What do you mean?" He yelled.

She kept quiet. 

She tried to walk away without answering, but he stopped her with one hand. "Speak."

"What do you mean?" he inquired again icily.

"I've secured  the contract deal with Sky Group. I've already signed the divorce agreement, which is on top. We'll get the divorce certificate tomorrow morning at the city’s court," she stated coolly, seemingly unconcerned with the marriage. However, only she was aware of how near her feeble body was to collapse, and her face was pale.

After a brief moment of astonishment, Andrew’s eyes went back to being as icy as normal. "Director Beck, outstanding. Many Group were unable to close that contract, but you were able to. How did you manage it, I wonder?”

Still condescending, his voice was low and uncaring, as though he thought she had employed wrong methods. It's likely that he never really respected her.

Hadley covered the agony in her eyes by lowering them slightly and clenching her hands. "Mr. Shaw, you only care about results," she said with a chilly smile. “Does the procedure really matter?”

Andrew seized the document and snorted. The divorce decree was at the top. His brows narrowed as he swiftly glanced through it. "You want to leave with nothing?"

With all her strength, Hadley answered in a raspy voice, "Yes, let's make a clean split if we're divorcing. I won't take anything with me."

She believed it was preferable to sever all links if it was finished. She never changed her mind once she made a choice. Her four-years pledge 

was kept after two years of courtship and two year of marriage. She needed to move on.

Sarcasm was evident in Andrew’s tumultuous, deep eyes. "Typical of you, Hadley Beck, always so ruthless."

The tension was abruptly broken by the ringtone of a phone. It was Laura calling, and Andrew picked up the phone immediately.

Laura spoke in a quiet, slightly agitated tone. "Drew, I just got home and realized I left my work ID on the living room sofa at your place."

Andrew said, "I’ll keep it for you.” 

“But... I'm worried Hadley might see it."

"So what if she does?" Andrew talked like he was calming a young child. "Did you not just state that you were exhausted? Now that you're at home, relax and quit worrying too much.”

Hadley hadn't heard such compassion and tolerance in his voice in a while now. She remembered how he used to talk a lot when they first started dating. He enjoyed kissing her and tilting her chin whenever they got into a disagreement, talking sweetly until she forgave him. It seems like a very long time ago.

Hadley frequently feels as though the man in front of her is a stranger because of these small recollections. All he had done for her could now be done for her sister in just two years.

The living room was silent after the call ended. Andrew raised his eyes and looked around the couch, but he saw nothing.

"Where's her work ID?" He spoke in a chilly tone. "Did you throw it away?"

The soft tone he had used with Laura earlier was entirely different from this one.

"Yes? If you think you already know the answer, why ask me?" Hadley asked, her voice as icy as the snow as she stared out at the heavy snowstorm.

Punching a cushion was how it felt.

He stated icily, "There's no need to use dirty tactics against Lau."

 

Lau? Wow, he even gave Laura a romantic shorten of her name just the same way he used to call her “Had” 

dirty tactics against Lau? Hadley never thought her own spouse would use such a derogatory term against her.