chapter 2: Broken

It's been a week! A whole week of the handling-over shenanigans, and Jason hasn't stepped foot home since then.

She had tried calling him several times, but he never picked up her calls. She was ready to apologize and do anything to save her marriage, but he wasn't giving her the chance to.

Emilia's face brightened as her phone rang, seeing it was her best friend, Mirabel, calling.

She shared practically everything with her, and she was also aware of the current chaos between them.

She had initially wanted to go to the company and plead with Jason, but Mirabel had kicked against it and promised to speak to him since they work together.

“Jason agreed to come home.”

Emilia heaved a sigh of relief as her thoughts trailed off. The past week without Jason had been hellish for her, and she had aged a lot more.

Under her eyes were dark circles, which had formed from staying up late and crying herself to sleep.

She quickly ended the call as she drove herself to the spa for a makeover before she ended up scaring him off again once he returned.

Emilia checked herself out in the mirror and gave a satisfactory nod at the beautician. She was looking better now and was confident Jason would be drooling at the sight of her.

On her way back home, she drove to the mall and bought a bottle of wine to celebrate their reunion. She had initially planned to cook but had kicked against it as she recalled the pasta incident.

Emilia's lips curved into a smile as she saw Jason's vehicle parked in the parking lot. She quickly rushed towards the living room as she pushed the door open, beaming with happiness.

She sighed gently as she saw Mirabel's heels by the door. She had wanted the night all to herself, but Mirabel wasn't a stranger to begin with after all, she had settled the dispute between them.

She steady her footsteps as she tiptoed inside.

Emilia's face widened in horror as she took in the scene before her. Seated on the couch was Jason, and Mirabel was right on his lap with her arms around his neck, kissing like their lives depended on it.

She unconsciously let go of the bottle of wine in her hand, and the shattering sound jolted the two of them apart.

Neither of them looked embarrassed, nor did they look sorry. Instead, Jason looked annoyed. And Mirabel? She smiled.

It was a cruel smile. A smile that says, “I won.”

“Emilia,” Jason called, standing up. He brushed off his suit like nothing had happened. “I didn't know you'll be back this early.”

Would they have used the office instead if they knew she would be back earlier? How long has this been going on?

All these and many more were the questions that ran through her mind, but she didn't trust herself to ask, nor was she ready for the answers.

“What… what is going on?” she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Oh, sweetie,” Mirabel said, standing up too. She buttoned her loose shirt as she smoothed down her tight black skirt.

“Did you really not know? Jason and I have been together for four years now. Since before you even got married.”

Four years. The words hit Emilia like a punch to the stomach.

Four years ago, Jason had shown up like her knight in shining armor days after the loss of her parents and had comforted her.

So their meeting was all orchestrated by them from the very beginning?

“That's… that's not true,” Emilia said, looking at Jason, refusing to believe Mirabel's words.

“Tell me she's lying. Please, Jason. Say something.”

But Jason just shrugged. He walked over to the small table by the wall and picked up a brown envelope. He walked back to Emilia and held it out.

“What is this?” she asked hoarsely.

“Divorce papers,” he said simply. “Sign them.”

Emilia felt the room spin. This couldn't be happening. Not right after she had transferred her company to him. Screw that. He actually tricked her into signing the transfer documents.

“How could you do this to me, Jason? Why? What did I do wrong?” She asked as tears clouded her vision.

Mirabel laughed, and Emilia found it both irritating and ugly. “What did you do wrong? Nothing, Emilia. You were just too stupid to see what was right in front of you.” She said as she moved closer to her.

“Did you really think someone like Jason would love someone like you? You're boring. You're plain. The only good thing about you was your money.”

“That's enough, Mirabel,” Jason said, but there was no anger in his voice. He turned back to Emilia. “Look, let's not make this difficult. Sign the divorce papers, and let's get this over with.”

She looked at Mirabel, her best friend. The person she had told all her secrets to. The person she had cried with when her parents died.

“How could you?” Emilia asked. “I trusted you.”

Mirabel shrugged. “That was your mistake, not mine. Trust is for fools, Emilia. And you were the biggest fool of all.”

Emilia felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces as she grabbed the divorce papers from Jason's hand.

It wasn't just her heart breaking. It was everything she believed in. Love, friendship, trust. All of it was lies.

Her fingers were trembling so badly that she could barely hold the pen. But she signed her name at the bottom of each page.

“Good girl,” Jason said, taking the papers back. “Now get out of my house.”

“Your house?” Emilia looked up at him. “My parents bought this house. They—”

“Your parents are dead,” Jason said coldly. “And everything they owned belongs to me now, legally. So unless you want me to call the police and have you removed, I suggest you leave.”

Jason's words hit Emilia like a bucket of ice water. She had lost everything! Everything her parents labored for was all gone in the blink of an eye.

“It's all over. We don't have to pretend anymore.” Mirabel said, and Emilia smiled. A bittersweet smile.

As she pushed open the front door and stepped outside, the cold night air hit her face, reminding her that she was alone. She had always been.

She got into her vehicle. The only property she had left in her name, and her last birthday present before the tragic death of her parents.

She drove through the city with tears streaming down her face until she found herself in front of a bar.

Emilia stepped outside as she stared at the bar opposite the road. Soon enough, she found herself inside as she sat on a stool.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.

“Something strong,” she said. “Something that will make me forget.”

The bartender gave her a look of concern but poured her a glass of liquor, which she drank in one gulp.

“Another,” she said.

And another. And another.

The world began to blur. The pain began to fade, just a little. She made a promise to herself right there and then.

“I will get everything back,” she whispered. “I will make them pay for what they did.”

She didn't know how she would do it. She had no money. No home. No friends. But she would find a way. She had to.

Four hours later, Emilia could barely sit up straight. Her head was spinning. The bartender walked over with a piece of paper.

“Your bill, miss,” he said.

She stared at the numbers as she reached for her purse and handed him her card.

“Sorry, miss, the card is frozen. Do you have another means to pay?”

Emilia felt the alcohol temporarily clear from her system as her eyes widened in shock. Jason went as far as freezing her card. He really left her with no way out.

“I…” she started, her words slurring. “I can't pay.”

The bartender's face hardened. “Then we have a problem. I'll have to call the police.”

Emilia felt tears streaming down her face. This was it. She had hit rock bottom. She was going to spend her night in a jail cell because she couldn't pay a bar tab.

“Put it on my account.”

The deep voice came from somewhere behind her. Emilia turned and nearly fell off her stool. A man was standing there. He was tall with dark hair and sharp gray eyes. He was wearing an expensive suit that probably cost more than what most people earned in a year.

“Thank you.” Emilia whispered. “I'll pay you back. I promise.”

The man studied Emilia's face. Her tear-streaked cheeks, her red eyes, her trembling lips.

“There is no need for that.” He said, then paused as something strange flickered in his eyes. “Unless…you'll like to thank me another way.”

Emilia’s heart stopped.

She knew exactly what he meant.