CHAPTER 5

Victor’s POV

I wondered what my mother’s agenda was this time. With her, it was never just plain dinner. Something was always up. 

I opened the door and was greeted by the warm, familiar smell of home-cooked meals.

“Victor, you're here!” Shane's voice rang out as she came into the hallway, her face lighting up with a welcoming smile. Behind her, I saw Mom and Aunt Felicity waving at me from the dining area. 

I wasn’t really surprised that Shane was also there, because she and my mother were quite close. 

“Hey, Shane,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Listen, I wanted to apologize for what happened at the party last time. Aria—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shane interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. “It was my own carelessness. I should've been more careful.”

I sighed, relieved by her understanding. Shane was always like this—so forgiving, always speaking well of Aria no matter what happened. It was something I admired about her, but it also made me feel a bit guilty.

“You're too kind, Shane,” I said, patting her shoulder.

“Yes, she definitely is,” Mom seconded as she came up to me and gave me a quick hug. “Not like that wife of yours,” she added sourly. 

“You didn’t invite his wife then?” Aunt Felicity asked curiously. 

“Of course not. She’s not welcome in my home, especially after what she did to Shane. I think that was really done on purpose.”

“Mom —” I began, not wanting to talk about it any longer. 

She simply brushed me off with a wave of her hand and led us all to the dining room. My eyes widened at the spread on the table. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a dozen other dishes I couldn't even name all made my stomach growl. 

“Looks delicious!” I exclaimed. “I’m getting hungry.”

We all took our seats. I was more than eager to start digging into the mouthwatering dishes.

But strangely, those dishes didn't really suit my taste. Aria used to cook for me often. I didn't know at first; it was the maid who told me. 

But I didn't find it odd. She was my wife, after all. That's what she was supposed to do. Aria's cooking was always delicious; I couldn't find any fault with it. Cooking seemed simple for her, not a hassle at all.

I suddenly remembered one time when we argued, and she told me it took her over an hour to cook dinner! I guess she was just exaggerating.

As we ate, my mother and Aunt Felicity started fussing over Shane. 

“You know, Shane, you're such a sweet girl,” my mother said, her eyes twinkling. “It's no wonder Aria was always so jealous of you.”

Aunt Felicity nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Your kindness is such a threat to someone like Aria. She never knew how to handle it, did she?”

Shane smiled, her cheeks flushing. “I don't know about that,” she murmured.

I felt a headache beginning to form at the base of my skull. The last thing I wanted was another conversation about Aria. 

“Can we not talk about Aria tonight?” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Let's just enjoy the meal.”

My mother looked at me, her expression softening. “Of course, Victor. We're here to have a nice family dinner.”

I nodded, but I knew that she probably arranged this to get me away from Aria again and to push me toward Shane. She was always at my back, wanting me to pursue Shane instead, pointing out that I didn’t have a partnership with Aria’s parents anymore, anyway. 

Aunt Felicity smiled. “We didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Let's focus on the good things.”

To be honest, I really didn’t know how to handle these relationships among women. Their emotions and dynamics were a maze I often found myself lost in.

“So, Shane,” I said, trying to change the subject. “How's your company going?”

She brightened up, launching into a story about her latest project.

But just after a few minutes, I found myself tuning her out. I was lost in thought, staring at the flickering candle on the dinner table, my mind replaying Aria's words from this morning. 

Divorce. She had spat it out in one of what I deemed her typical tantrums, but something about her tone felt different this time. A chill ran down my spine.

“Victor, are you listening?” My mother’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Shane's calling your attention.”

“What?” I said, turning toward Shane and trying to focus on her words. “Sorry, what was that?”

“I was just saying,” Shane repeated patiently, “that we’re seeing significant growth in our social media campaigns. But enough about that… When are we going to meet about that new app of yours? I’ve already got a ton of marketing ideas for it!”

“Oh, right.” I shifted in my seat, my mind switching gears. “The app development is on track. We’ll need to have a meeting at the company tomorrow to go over the final integration steps.”

“Great! I’ll see you there!” 

Shane and I were engrossed in a conversation about our new project, the excitement bubbling between us. 

“This new software could really change the game, Victor,” Shane said, leaning forward, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. “Imagine the possibilities—”

Just then, my phone rang. It was Aria. My wife. To my surprise, I felt a flicker of anticipation.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I said to Shane, standing and stepping away from the table. I answered the call. But the words that came out were not what I tried to say, “Coming to apologize?”

Before I could say anything else, Aria's voice came through, sharp and unwavering. “Victor, I wasn’t joking about the divorce. My lawyer is currently drafting the divorce agreement, and I want to sign it with you tomorrow.”

I was momentarily at a loss. “An agreement?” I echoed, confusion tightening my grip on the phone.

My mother looked up from her plate. “Is that Aria?” she asked in a tone of disapproval. “She should come and apologize. I can't believe someone so ill-mannered! It was so embarrassing how she behaved during such a high-profile, important party.”

“Mom, please,” I said, raising a hand to stave off her inevitable tirade. But I knew Aria had heard her.

There was a brief, heavy silence on the line. Then, without another word, Aria hung up. She actually hung up on me. It was the first time she had ever done that!

And, what did she just say? Divorce agreement? Is she really serious about this divorce? Or is she just trying to get my attention again? 

Honestly, I'm really sick of her tricks. What she's doing is so ridiculous.