CHAPTER 5

Elysia went about her day's routine, shopping for groceries and reading books, she always enjoyed going out for the grocery shopping with the maids so she often did.

Also, the doctor had told her the importance of exercise while not stressing herself at all.

A lot was about to change, she had not even gone through the details of her assets to know if she was going to keep the house or not.

She wasn't certain which she wanted either.

The day was long and lonely and even if she stayed that way every other day, the image of her signature on the documents kept her conscious of the fact that it was real.

She was no longer married to Orion.

She was no longer Mrs Steelhart.

"Should I clear the plates Ma'am?"

"Hmm," she nodded.

"You have barely eaten today." The maid was concerned, Elysia knew that she had to eat healthy for the sake of her baby but none of the food appealed to her appetite.

"I'll have a bowl of mushroom soup," she requested knowing she had to eat for two people.

She sat in the living room staring at the wall clock waiting for the door knob to turn but it never did. Orion still wasn't back home.

Thoughts of him in the arms of his lover easily clouded her head and she tossed her phone aside, lying flat on the floor with her hands joined over her belly.

"I guess Daddy really doesn't want us here anymore," she whispered to herself or to the baby.

"Your soup,"

she smiled and sat up when she was served. The soup smelled good, a good stimulus for her appetite indeed, she slurped it till she emptied the bowl's content.

She was ready to run a bath and retire for the night when she saw her phone's screen bright with light, it didn't take long for whoever called previously to call again.

"Elysia!" The person on the other end of the phone sounded upset.

"Hi Orion," the compusure in her voice was a stark contrast to his.

"Where did you keep your phone?" His tone was a bit more gentle, he got a grip of himself when he heard the coldness in her voice.

"With me, why?" She asked audaciously and he gritted his teeth.

"So why haven't you been replying my texts?" He asked running his free hand through his hair to calm his pulsating nerves, for some reason he felt as though she was distant and he wanted to breach the gap between them.

"I was busy, I had other engagements."

"Elysia, you know we are a family and you keeping me in the dark or not responding to my texts gets me worried, you can ask me for anything." there was a certain texture in his voice but she refused to be swayed by his kind words.

"You know I really think we should contact each other less now that we are divorced." She bit her lower lip after saying the words, she didn't need his pity.

"Oh really?" Orion flared, "Is this what this is all about? The divorce?" He queried but she remained quiet and hopeful.

"Were you waiting for it all along because my assistant told me that you were not pleased with the compensation money I offered." Elysia froze, her disapproval earlier in the day had nothing to do with the amount or assets, She didn’t want the divorce, didn’t care about the money, but she was being accused of it all.

She scoffed, pulled herself up and lounged on one of the sofas, was that really what he thought of her?

"Answer me Elysia!" His tone was firmer.

In frustration, she said, “That’s right! I only ever thought of you as family anyway. Now that we’re divorced, I’ll go find someone new, someone I love as well.”  she paused.

"Someone that will love me," the last sentence was an inaudible whisper.

As she said the words, a tear escaped, trailing down her cheek dropping to her lap.

“Don’t act out of spite. I’ll give you more money for security. We’re still family, and you can come to me if you need anything.”  she shook her head, some things were just meant to be the way they were, she couldn't tell him the truth of their relationship and her love for him.

Orion placed a call to his secretary with his official phone without dropping Elysia's call.

"Add another zero to the money for the divorce, make sure her wellbeing is not jeopardized either." his assistant gasped doubting the credibility of her ears.

Orion was really going to give out hundred million dollars to his ex wife excluding the property, jewelry and shares he already assigned to her, one divorce with him was instantly going to make her a millionaire indeed.

Elysia also hearing it over the phone felt a mix of emotions, she was sad about that he only thought of her as a platonic part of his family but she was happy that he still cared about her.

Opening her heart up to him again, she asked, "Are you coming home? where are you?"

"Will you join me in the shower—" at the sound of a female voice in the background, Elysia hung up.

She had thought that she was wrong about him, she had thought to give him another chance but she was wrong again.

Nothing had changed.

Her heart felt heavier as the weight of his betrayal gnawed at her.

She couldn't carry herself to the same room that contained everything about him so she stayed there, tears streaming down her face as she cried bitterly.

Did he really betray her since he was honest with her from the start?

Her chest was tight, her body quaked with sobs as she mourned what was left of her broken home. It was definitely the voice of his lover, she was only a stand in replacement and the real owner of his heart had returned.

She was going to give them space.