A wild surge of hope shot through Adelina. She practically leaped from her chair, her face lighting up with a joy so sharp it ached.
He had something to tell her. Could it be about their anniversary?
The thought that Andrew might actually remember their special day filled her with a fragile, tentative hope. Maybe, just maybe, he would have a gift for her for the very first time.
Fueled by this newfound anticipation, she eagerly reheated the dishes that had already gone cold-an act of faith in their marriage.
When the clock hand finally pointed to eight, the sound of bubbly laughter drifted in from outside. It was their son, Lucas Harrison.
A genuine smile finally touched Adelina's lips as she hurried to open the door.
"Why are you back so late? Did you have a lot of homework...?"
Lucas didn't so much as glance at her. He headed straight for the stairs.
Startled, Adelina instinctively reached out and gently caught his arm. "Lucas, you haven't eaten. Where are you running off to?"
Lucas finally seemed to notice her, shaking off her hand with a flash of impatience.
"Mom, just leave me alone! I'm busy!"
The irritation in his voice was like a physical blow.
She forced a smile. "I made all your favorite dishes for dinner, and even those blueberry cupcakes you love..."
"Ugh, I said I don't want any!"
Halfway up the stairs, Lucas suddenly stopped. He turned, his eyes bright with a new thought.
"Save the cupcakes! I'm bringing them for Emmalyn tomorrow. It's her favorite!"
Emmalyn?
Emmalyn. The woman Andrew had never been able to forget. His one true love.
Adelina's vision wavered. She took a half-step forward, a question forming on her lips.
But Lucas was completely indifferent to her reaction, already scampering happily up the stairs.
"Mary!"
Adelina stopped the housekeeper, who had been trying to slip away unnoticed. Her voice trembled.
"You... you already knew, didn't you? Lucas and Emmalyn... how long?"
Mary realized that there was no escape and her shoulders slumped. She sighed.
"Miss Bennett returned to the country about three months ago. She met Lucas a couple of times, and they seemed to hit it off. After that... they started making plans to go out together."
The words landed like a slap. Adelina squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe.
"So he didn't have extra classes today. He was out with Emmalyn, wasn't he?"
Mary's expression turned miserable. "He was supposed to come home after class, but Miss Bennett showed up at the school gate to pick him up. I wanted to tell you, but... Mr. Harrison..."
The housekeeper's voice trailed off as she stole a pitying glance at Adelina's face.
A cold dread washed over her. The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them.
"Andrew told you not to tell me."
Mary hesitated, then replied in a small voice, "Mr. Harrison... he was just worried you'd be upset."
Wearily, Adelina waved her off.
"It's fine. You can go."
She stumbled over to the sofa and collapsed, all the strength draining from her body.
Of course. How could a child like Lucas meet Emmalyn on his own?
Someone must have introduced them. Someone who was already seeing her.
Her own son had been spending time with her husband's old flame for three months, and she, his mother, had been kept completely in the dark.
She didn't know how long she sat there before the sound of the front door opening broke the silence.
Andrew stepped inside, the crisp night air clinging to his suit. He shrugged off his overcoat, then paused, realizing the woman who always rushed to greet him was nowhere to be seen.
He finally looked up. The dining table was covered with dishes, steam still faintly rising from them. On the sofa in the living room sat his wife, looking painfully thin and utterly desolate.
"What's the occasion?" he asked. "You made quite a spread."
Seeing that Adelina still wasn't moving to help him, Andrew hung up his own coat and loosened his tie.
"I already ate," he stated simply.
Adelina didn't make a sound. She wanted to ask if he'd eaten with Emmalyn, but the words died on her lips.
Was she just being paranoid?
After all, they had grown up together. Setting aside their romantic past, wasn't it normal for him to welcome back an old friend?
"Today is..." She finally gathered the courage to speak.
Just as she pressed a hand to the sofa cushion to stand, a document landed heavily on the coffee table.
"Sign it," he said coldly. "This has dragged on long enough."
On the cover, in stark, bold letters: Divorce Agreement.
Adelina's eyes widened. A high-pitched ringing filled her ears as her vision tunneled.
This wasn't the first time Andrew had brought up divorce.
In their three-year sham of a marriage, he proposed it every time they argued. And every single time, Adelina had been the one to bow her head, apologize, and beg him to relent.
Year after year, the cycle repeated. She had always believed that if she just poured every ounce of her love into him, one day he would finally turn around and see her.
Now she knew it was nothing but a fool's dream.
Adelina sank to her knees beside the coffee table and reached for the pen.
A flicker of surprise crossed Andrew's eyes before his expression went flat again. "You'll be taken care of financially. The money I've transferred to your account is yours. You'll also get the Azure Bay villa, the cars you use, and five percent of the group's shares..."
Adelina's fingers tightened around the pen, then she abruptly set it down.
She lifted her eyes to his, a desperate light flickering in them. "What about Lucas? Can... can he come with me?"
At her words, Andrew's detached expression instantly turned to ice. He looked down at her with contempt.
"Adelina, are you trying to use our son to threaten me again?"
His words were like ice water in her face. She stared, stunned.
"What..."
"Wasn't using the child how you tricked me into this marriage in the first place? After all these years, aren't you tired of it yet?"
Horrified shock widened Adelina's eyes. She scrambled to explain, "No! I was set up back then. I was a victim-"
"Enough, Adelina."
Andrew sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette. "Isn't three years as Mrs. Harrison enough for you?"
The slowly spiraling smoke blurred his features.
As tears finally began to spill from her eyes, Adelina heard her own voice, as if from a great distance.
"Fine. We'll get a divorce. I hope you'll be happy."
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