03

"Let's avoid wasting each other's time because you detest me so much. Tonight, I'll move out. I'll see you tomorrow at the City’s court." Hadley said.

She then made her way upstairs to gather her belongings. She was unable to bear to spend any more time at the home that had once been hers and Andrew’s.

"I couldn’t come to the hospital because I was very busy," Andrew said, grabbing her wrist.  “Simply state what you want.”

Busy after saving his life? Really Andrew!

"There's no need to mince words," Andrew remarked. "As long as you stay my wife, name your terms."

Andrew’s reference to the divorce looked like a ploy to grab his attention, and he was already making an effort to please her. It was more akin to a deal between business partners than the consoling gesture of a husband to his wife.

Cash? An automobile? or a home? These problems may be fixed if Hadley asked her biological family.

"Why do you think money can solve everything? Don't assume everyone is like you, obsessed with work and business," Hadley said in a calm yet sharp voice. “I didn't sell myself to you, even though I married you. I am entitled to request a divorce. I owe you nothing, Andrew Shaw. You're not allowed to talk to me that way." She talked with clarity and firmness.

People have characterized her “Mrs. Shaw”  as kind and compassionate for many years. She appeared to never get upset and radiated friendliness everywhere she went.

At one point, even Andrew thought Hadley was laid back and manageable. But at last, he realized that she wasn't kidding.

Andrew closed the gap between them as he approached her, pausing just half a fist away. "Are you serious?" he queried in a quiet voice after giving her a long, silent look.

"Yes." Without flinching, Hadley addressed his stare and nodded, saying, "I'm very serious."

"Have you grown too accustomed over time, losing sight of how difficult P City may be?”

The tension in the room was evident when Andrew said, "Do you even know what it means to leave me? You cannot survive a day in this city without the title of Mrs. Shaw. You'll be pleading to return in three days."

He gripped her chin and made her look into his cold eyes. But all he could see was the composed resolve in Hadley’s eyes.

"Let's see," Hadley said, maintaining a steady gaze on him with emotionless eyes. "We'll find out if I end up begging you."

Like a stretched rope on the verge of breaking, the room fell silent. With an uncaring voice, Andrew released her chin. "Fine, have it your way."

Hadley exhaled with relief.

Andrew did not come back that evening. As dawn broke and the snow continued to fall, Hadley completed her packing.

After staring silently out the window for a while, she lowered her gaze. It had been years since she had last seen snow this heavy, as she dimly recalled.

Andrew initially told her the truth on that day. It was colder and the snow was considerably thicker than it was today. He sat at the restaurant that afternoon waiting for her. His ears were crimson, and his hands were rigid. He was a vibrant, carefree who attracted attention simply by standing there.

He had his friends bring out a truckload of sunflowers he had prepared for Hadley’s  eventual arrival.

Those vibrant sunflowers, emblems of life, looked stunning in the expansive snowy landscape. It wasn't even sunflower season, after all.

There was no other explanation, but no one knew where he acquired it. Hadley enjoyed it, that's all. Andrew couldn't even bring himself to touch her hand at the time.

He finally asked her to be his girlfriend after a protracted mental battle. He vowed on that frigid winter day, "If you ever regret being with me, just tell me, and I'll let you go. But I promise that day will never come. I won't let you regret it, Had. Trust me." 

Hadley found it incomprehensible that two individuals in love could abruptly end their marriage. Her heart ached as she thought back to the four years she had spent with Andrew- two years dating and another two years married.

Andrew’s soft look that was no longer hers. It turns out that vows, no matter how earnest, have an expiration date. In the end, she ended the relationship and went back to being “Hadley” rather than “Mrs. Shaw”

Hadley pulled out her phone and called a number she knew well.

"I lost. Come pick me up tomorrow by noon.”

…..

Andrew and Hadley went to the city’s court the following day, picked up their divorce papers, and prepared to part ways.

The driver of a fancy car drew up by the side of the road and politely opened the door for Hadley. "Ma’am, Mr. Fern sent me to take you home," he said bowing.

Pedro Fern was one of the few people who purchased the multimillion-dollar restricted edition Rolls-Royce.

Andrew’s eyes went cold as he gazed at the Rolls-Royce. He took Hadley’s  hand violently. "Is that why you're in such a hurry to divorce me—because you've found another man? Is it because he is richer than me?”

He lost his temper.

Hadley squinted. "You never truly got me, Andrew Shaw. Do you really believe that your wealth and prestige are the reasons I married you?”

She then got in the car and drove away.

For a time, Andrew was astonished as he gazed at the moving car. He seemed to be surrounded by Hadley’s scent. He was a little fixated on it, despite its faintness. However, that emotion quickly faded.

Hadley obviously has never loved him because she immediately found another man after their divorce!

***

Hadley, meantime, leaned back against the car seat. She needed immediate medical attention because the wound on her arm as a result of the flames was reopening.

Her phone rang out of nowhere. It was the  hospital's that was treating her. She had called them earlier before coming to the court with Andrew, and had told them her complaint about her wound reopening.

"Ms. Beck, your physical exam report is ready," the doctor said. "Everything is normal except for..."

"Except what?” Hadley asked eagerly, wondering why the doctor stopped taking.

"You're six weeks pregnant."

Her heart raced as the words struck her like a thunderclap. She was astounded by what she heard.

She’s pregnant? How did this occur immediately following the divorce? How was she meant to handle the infant now?

She snapped out of it and took out her phone, intending to call Andrew out of instinct. However, they just divorced not long ago-maybe an hour or so.

Hadley realized she couldn't rely on him, so she swiftly put the phone down. She would raise the child by herself, Andrew cheated on her. After all, who knows if Andrew wouldn’t even kill the child, just the same way he left her in the flames to die.

….

As Andrew returned to the car, Laura who just arrived few minutes after Hadley left, gave him a hug. "This is fantastic, Drew! You've finally been divorced by that bumpkin. Finally we can be together now, we can even tie the knot now.”

Laura was ecstatic and eager to share the good news with her parents.

Andrew’s tone was soft, yet there was a flash of disinterest in his eyes. "Lau, I'll take you home."

“Fantastic, Drew. Knowing that you're divorced will make my mom very happy. Let's tell her the good news when we get home."

Unreadable feelings were simmering in Andrew’s  eyes at that very moment. And he made a great effort to subdue them. Then he smiled softly at Laura and said, "Lau, let's go share the good news with your mum then."

"Yess!" Laura smiled cheerfully.

After finally driving Hadley away, Laura was overjoyed. She couldn't help but be astounded by her mother's intelligence.

As a result of her mother's deceit, Hadley and Andrew has finally ended their relationship, the same way her mother lied that she was the girl who saved Andrew’s life when they were young, also cut ties with Hadley and chased her out of their family after finding out she was not her biological daughter, but Laura is.

When Andrew was young, he got stuck in an elevator due to the elevator’s technical issues in an amusement park. It was young Hadley who rushed and notified the owner of the amusement park, and Andrew got saved on time. 

Young Andrew didn’t get to know who Hadley was because Hadley had already left by the time he searched for her, but Andrew never forgot her and promised to look for her. 

But it was difficult to find the girl as Andrew got older. Unknown to him that his girlfriend, Hadley is the same person he is looking for.

When Mary Beck, Hadley’s adopted mother,  finds out that Andrew didn’t know the girl he is looking for is Hadley because she was there the day young Hadley saved young Andrew, she asked Laura to lie that she is the one to Andrew, all this unknown to Hadley. 

Mary is jealous that Andrew from such a wealthy family choose Hadley instead of her biological daughter Laura, so she did this so Laura can be with Andrew instead, and now her plans worked because Hadley and Andrew is divorced now.

Laura told Andrew she’s the one who saved him, Andrew is so happy, so Laura used the opportunity to seduced him and they began dating without Hadley aware of this.

And now that he and Hadley has divorced, Laura  finally has him to herself.

~~

Thirty minutes later, Andrew’s vehicle came to a stop at Beck Villa's gate. After receiving a call from the CEO of Sky Group, he instructed Laura to exit the vehicle first.

Laura followed his instructions and waited outside.

"Hello.” Andrew said on the phone.

From the other side came a derisive voice.

"Mr. Shaw, your director is impressive. She’s the first woman to ever win my heart and secure a business deal with ease. She’s a good one, you better not let her go.”

Andrew’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Really?”

“Yes. Let me know after you’ve signed the contract.”

“Okay.” Andrew responded.

The call ended.

Didn’t Hadley seduce the CEO of Sky Group to secure the contract deal?

This was what Andrew thought.

No doubt Hadley is very intelligent and had worked in his company for close to two years and bringing deals, but since Sky Group is very picky about the kind of company they cooperate with, Andrew thought Hadley must have seduced the CEO and got the contract. 

But Hadley proved him wrong. 

He abruptly called Hadley after a while. However, the call didn’t go through. He was startled to see that she had blocked his number when he looked at the screen.

How Dare she?