Chapter 5: Richard, Let's Get a Divorce

When everything finally quieted down, Arabella lay there catching her breath, her mind completely clearing up.

She looked at Samuel washing up in the bathroom, caught the heavy scent of passion and lingering alcohol in the air, and bit down hard on her lower lip.

She couldn't believe she had actually gone all the way with Samuel...

*Ding—*

Her phone suddenly rang out loud, cutting right through her thoughts.

Seeing Richard's name pop up on the screen, her heart skipped a heavy beat.

It was already eight in the morning—why was Richard calling her now?

Arabella bit her lower lip, her fingers trembling as they hovered between accepting and declining the call.

The next second, the call dropped.

A text message appeared on her screen.

*[Arabella, open the door. I'm outside.]*

Arabella's heart leaped straight into her throat.

Why was Richard here?

She hurriedly threw on some clothes, tiptoed over to the door, and peeked through the peephole.

Sure enough, Richard stood outside in a sharp suit, his clean-cut face showing clear signs of impatience.

At the exact same time, the water in the bathroom stopped running.

Samuel's deep, husky voice echoed from inside.

"Little mate, I forgot to grab a bathrobe. Can you hand one to me?"

If Richard found out she had spent the night with Samuel, knowing his temper, he would probably try to kill Samuel on the spot.

She couldn't let Richard see him!

Her phone started ringing again. It was another text from Richard demanding she open the door immediately, or he would get hotel security to unlock it.

Behind her, Samuel was still calling out for the robe.

The pressure from both sides felt like a death sentence closing in on her.

Arabella gripped her phone tightly, spun around, shoved the bathrobe through the crack of the bathroom door, and hissed at Samuel.

"Richard is outside! Stay in there and don't make a sound!"

Without waiting to see if he listened, she slammed the bathroom door shut, quickly smoothed down her hair, and pulled the hotel door open, coming face-to-face with Richard.

Richard radiated an air of total dominance. His cold, piercing gaze swept over her as if he could see straight through every secret she was hiding.

"Why did it take you so long to open the door?"

Arabella’s heart pounded, she didn't even notice her fingers shaking. Acting like nothing was wrong, she pulled the door shut behind her, forced a fake smile, and said, "You aren't home taking care of your big star, so why on earth did you bother coming to find me?"

Hearing the mention of that woman, she remembered the sounds she had heard through the walls earlier, and open disgust flashed in her eyes.

Richard's expression softened slightly. He reached out, pulled Arabella straight into his arms, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

He chuckled quietly. "What? Are you mad that I came to see you? Were you worried I'd interrupt something?"

Arabella went completely stiff, cold sweat breaking out across her palms.

A sharp, cheap perfume scent—the exact one Celeste wore—lingered on Richard's clothes. She shoved him away hard and turned her head.

"What could I possibly be doing? I was just worried your precious star girlfriend wouldn't like you running off."

Richard grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles as he looked down at her with an arrogant, superior smirk.

"Hmm? Are you jealous? I'm only treating her well so she stays calm and healthy enough to carry this baby. Stop being so petty."

Arabella stared at him, watching him try to smooth things over like nothing was wrong. A storm of bitter emotions churned in her chest.

Before she could speak, Richard dropped another bomb.

"Arabella, Celeste is five months along now, and my mother heard the news. She's hosting a family dinner at the main estate tonight to meet Celeste. You know how difficult my mother can be when she wants to make someone miserable. Make sure you come back tonight and help smooth things over for Celeste so my mother doesn't give her a hard time."

Arabella stared at the man she had loved for three full years, her face draining completely of color. "Richard, what is your game here?"

He wanted his actual wife to stand in front of his mother and sing praises for his mistress, helping the home-wrecker squeeze her way into the family?

What did Richard take her for?!

Richard coaxed her softly, "Arabella, I'm only doing this for your own good. Just be a good girl and go along with it. Once the baby is born, things will go right back to normal."

*Baby, baby, baby!*

Everything was about the baby!

With red eyes, Arabella pressed a hand over her own flat stomach and clenched her teeth.

"Richard, I don't care about her child! I can have my own!"

Hearing that, Richard's face instantly hardened. The fake smile vanished, replaced by cold annoyance.

"Arabella, you and I were in that terrible car accident three years ago. You took heavy damage to your lower abdomen, and elite doctors diagnosed you back then—you can never bear children. Why do you always refuse to face reality?"

"You know better than anyone that the pack will never accept a Luna who can't provide an heir. I let Celeste get pregnant entirely for your sake. Can you stop throwing tantrums over this?"

Hearing those words, Arabella felt a hot spike of fury. "Richard, that accident three years ago... it wasn't because I couldn't have children..."

*It was you.*

She swallowed the last two words back down.

A proud, high-ranking wolf like Richard would never survive the blow to his ego if he learned he was the sterile one, and it would throw the entire pack into chaos.

Besides, since Celeste was carrying a pup now, maybe Richard's condition had somehow healed over time.

Even if she told him the truth now, he would never believe her.

Richard looked at her hesitant expression and the strong smell of alcohol clinging to her clothes, a heavy sigh of exhaustion escaping him.

"Arabella, look at yourself right now. You smell like liquor, your hair is a mess—do you look anything like a proper Luna? I liked you a lot better when you were obedient."

He softened his tone just a fraction, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Arabella, be a good girl. Okay?"

Arabella watched him try to manipulate her into accepting his mistress, and it felt like a thousand rusted blades were twisting inside her chest at once. The pain made her vision spin, leaving her pale, shaking, and utterly drained.

She couldn't play along anymore. Gathering every ounce of strength she had left, she looked him straight in the eye.

"Richard, let's get a divorce."

She was done being obedient. She wanted a divorce, and she wanted out of his life completely.