Chapter 4

Wonderful. My dress and I really were meant for each other. The time had come to say goodbye, and the gown would give me one last grand entrance.

Everything was falling into place. Once I caught Ivan cheating in public, I could make a scene and have every reason to demand a divorce.

Ivan cared deeply about his reputation. As long as I did not ask for too much, he would certainly agree.

Ha!

I was even impressed by my own intelligence.

-

Soft piano music filled the restaurant as couples entered one after another, and I slipped in with them.

"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?" A waiter asked.

Ivan owned shares in the restaurant and had told me I could charge meals to his account. Even after the restaurant earned a place in the Michelin Guide, I had never come here alone.

We had been married for two years, but I still felt awkward telling people I was Ivan's wife.

"I don't have a reservation. Give me any table by the window." I was a woman on a mission, so I tried my best to look natural. I had studied the photo from the Facebook post. Ivan had been sitting in the window section.

Sure enough, I spotted them nearby. I watched Ivan and Brenda closely with my eagle eyes, scanning their interaction.

They were not holding hands.

They were not wearing matching clothes.

They were not gazing into each other's eyes.

They were not even talking!

Ivan was staring at his phone while Brenda carefully replied to a message from her devoted admirer.

I had come all this way, and this was all they had to show me?

No! The dress had already arrived, and there was no reason to wait any longer.

It was at this time that Brenda's admirer stood up and left while Brenda called Ivan's name. Then, Ivan handed her something.

Their hands had barely touched before I rushed in, seized the moment, and blew everything wildly out of proportion.

I recited every tired line from a telenovela. Then, before anyone could react, tears were already streaming down my face. "Ivan, have you been sneaking out to meet her every day? I'm so disappointed with you! I want a divorce!"

My voice drew the attention of the other diners, who turned and stared.

Brenda looked deeply embarrassed, but before she could explain, Ivan pulled his hand away. Then, he caught my wrist and dragged me outside.

"Don't pull me. I can walk by myself..." I took whatever time I had left and continued with my outdated telenovela performance without pause.

Ivan had an access card, and he used it to open a private elevator, pulling me inside. The moment the elevator doors closed, I stopped crying.

"Keep going. Why did you stop?" Ivan asked as he stepped closer, unfazed by how abruptly my tears had vanished.

"I know everything now. I want a divorce, and I have nothing else to say."

"Did your cards stop working, or have you finally had enough of my body?"

I blinked.

This shameless piece of…

He spoke so bluntly, too. Was he not concerned that the security cameras would record all of this?

"Stop talking nonsense. I don't want anything that belongs to you. All we need is to sign the papers."

Even if I had only been his second choice, I had made full use of his resources. I had opened my own dance studio, and it was doing quite well.

Ivan had given me plenty over the years. Even without the luxurious house by the beach, I would still have somewhere to live.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

I nodded. I already had everything I wanted.

"Ellena, you must really hate me..." The usually arrogant man stepped back and put some distance between us.

He leaned against the opposite wall, lowered his head, and murmured, "Do you hate me enough to give up your tailored gown just to divorce me?"

"What are you talking about? The gown has already arrived," I blinked.

The moment I argued back, the man standing in the shadows could not help but snicker.

Ah, crap.

It was a trap!