Chapter 2: Breaking Free
The words hung in the air, cold and final. "Divorce papers?" Belinda repeated, her voice cracking as she looked at Lucas, her hands trembling. The indifferent look on his face was like a slap.
“I only married you to appease my father and keep Verena out of harm’s way,” he said, his tone devoid of warmth. “But now that she’s back, I don’t need you anymore. I can protect her.”
The weight of his words crushed her chest. Belinda’s entire life had been a lie—a strategy, a calculated move to keep Verena safe. To Lucas, she was just an instrument. Once she had served her purpose, she was nothing but an inconvenience.
A bitter smile spread across her lips as tears welled in her eyes. Resignation washed over her. She had clung to hope for so long, but it all evaporated instantly.
“Lucas... After all these years, have I been nothing more than a tool to you?” The question escaped her lips, quiet but full of raw pain.
Laughter erupted around her, cutting through the silence like a knife.
"Does Belinda think Lucas would care for her?" one voice sneered.
"Look at her. She’s pathetic," another chimed in.
Belinda ignored the venomous words. She couldn’t focus on them. She kept her gaze locked on Lucas, her heart pounding.
His response was ice-cold. “Yes.”
The word hit her like a bullet. She stumbled backward, the tears she had fought so hard to hold back finally spilling over. Her heart felt like it was being torn in half.
A hollow laugh bubbled up from within her, bitter and desperate. “I understand,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She nodded slowly, the weight of his indifference sinking in. “Don’t worry. I’ll sign the papers as soon as I get home.”
“See you tomorrow at ten at the registry office,” Lucas said, his voice distant as if speaking to a stranger. He turned away, his attention already elsewhere.
Her heart was heavy as lead, and Belinda reached the door. As she was about to leave, Verena’s soft voice echoed through the room.
“Lucas, I’m delighted. Can I throw the cake away?”
The words felt like a punch to the gut. Belinda paused. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but she couldn’t.
“Of course,” Lucas replied without a second thought.
Her vision blurred, and the tears fell faster. She stumbled out of the room, mocking laughter fading behind her. The world outside was a blur of rain and grief, but she didn’t care.
She had to leave.
She found the divorce papers on the coffee table at Reverie Mansion, which should have felt like home. The terms were cold and clinical: three hundred million dollars and two luxury properties.
Her mind barely registered the amount. It was just a number. Three years of marriage reduced to a price tag. Was this what it meant to be loved by Lucas? Was this her worth in his eyes?
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she signed the papers. A tear fell onto the document, but she wiped it away quickly—no more tears.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from the papers. It was a message from her mentor.
