Aria’s POV
Shane was still chattering away, showing me off. Her voice grated on my nerves. "You see, Aria, I've been working with Victor's company for years while managing my own. I know everyone and everything here," she said condescendingly. "Victor's lucky to have me as a good friend and business partner."
"Oh, there's Samantha," Shane pointed out, waving across the room. "She handles all the important accounts. I recommended her for the position, actually."
"And over there," she continued, oblivious to my lack of enthusiasm, "that's Peter. He's in charge of marketing. I often give him tips."
“Are you done? I don’t have time for this, Shane, just take me to Victor’s office.” I interrupted her, feeling my patience wear thin.
She paused and sneered. Just as we turned a corner, she stopped suddenly and I looked back at her in confusion. But then I collided with someone carrying a glass of water. The cold liquid splashed all over me, soaking my blouse and making me gasp.
"Oh, my god, I'm so sorry!" the person exclaimed, looking horrified.
"It's okay, really," I said quickly, even though I felt the wet fabric clinging uncomfortably to my skin.
Shane immediately stepped in. "Aria, let's get you out of those wet clothes. I have some extras in the room down the hall."
Now I knew why she'd just stopped; she'd seen someone there. But she didn't warn me. She just wanted to see me make a fool. I'm so sick of her boring behavior.
Before I could protest, she gently but firmly steered me into a nearby office. She rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a dry shirt.
I took the shirt, but threw it to the side. “Just stop pretending already, Shane.”
Her expression changed instantly, morphing into that familiar mean look. “Look at you, no wonder Victor doesn't want to recognize you as his wife.”
Her words stung, but I refused to let her get to me. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I'm already divorcing Victor, Shane. So, no matter what you say, it won't piss me off anymore.”
Shane was momentarily surprised, but then she laughed, a cruel sound that echoed in the room. She thought she had won.
“Hmm… Divorcing Victor? Don’t be silly, Aria!” she said sarcastically. “Nobody will believe that for a second. Victor probably realized already that you’re just a nuisance in his life. He no longer has any use for you, after all.”
She continued to taunt me, trying to provoke a reaction. But I was done playing her games. I looked at her flatly, uninterested in her attempts to rile me up. And strangely, that seemed to anger her even more.
“Stop pretending you don’t care!” she suddenly snapped at me. Then to my shock, she took out her phone and began showing me photos of Victor and me lying naked in bed together. “You think he’d learn to love you after tricking him to sleep with you?!”
My heart stopped for a second as I stared at the familiar photos. That familiar feeling of dread and humiliation washed over me. “H-How did you get hold of those?” I stammered, not believing my eyes.
She scoffed and looked at me mockingly. Then it hit me. What a stupid question I had just asked! Of course it was her all along! She’d taken those photos of us and sent them to Victor!
I stood there, my hands clenched into fists at my sides, staring at Shane with disbelief and rage burning in my chest.
"It was you!" I accused, my voice shaking with anger. "You took those photos and sent them to Victor and put them in my phone! You set me up!"
Shane smirked as if reveling in my anger. "See? All it takes is a miniature camera, and a hack, and I can get you hated by Victor. I thought it would make him despise you, but he married you anyway... but I guess it worked out just as well.”
I wanted to strangle her. She just grinned at me devilishly with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She said, “Don't bother speaking ill of me because it will do you no good... you won’t be able to find a single thing to use against me! So guess who Victor will believe?"
I couldn't believe the audacity, the sheer cruelty of what she had done.
I stepped forward quickly, trying to grab Shane's phone to take evidence and prove my innocence to Victor. If I could just get my hands on it, I could expose Shane's lies. But of course, Shane wouldn't let me near it.
"Stay back, Aria!" Shane shouted, clutching the phone tightly. Her face contorted with fury, and her voice echoed through the lobby. Almost instantly, security guards rushed over, drawn by the commotion.
She suddenly started yelling, but now she played the victim, casting fearful glances my way. "She's trying to attack me!" she cried out.
The guards, unfamiliar with me, moved to intervene. "Ma'am, step away," one of them ordered, his tone firm.
Shane's smug expression was infuriating, a twisted mix of triumph and deceit. I clenched my fists, feeling the heat of my anger boiling just beneath the surface.
Just then I glanced at the divorce agreement in my hand, its stark black letters almost mocking me. The reality of my nearing freedom stared back at me, and in that moment, a wave of calm washed over me. Why did any of this matter when we were on the verge of divorce?
I took a deep breath and straightened my posture, meeting Shane's eyes with a cold, steady gaze. "Fine, you win," I said, my voice steady and resolute.
I placed the divorce agreement on the table, pushing it towards Shane. "I don’t want to waste any more time here. Just give this to Victor. Tell him to sign this damn agreement and send it to me immediately.”
Shane blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She hadn't expected me to surrender so easily. But this wasn't surrender. It was liberation.
As I walked away, leaving the chaos behind, I felt a sense of freedom I hadn't experienced in years. This would be the beginning of my new life, free from the toxic marriage that had imprisoned me and made me so unhappy.
Aria’s POVI emerged from Victor’s company building, feeling unsure of my next move. As I hailed a cab, I found myself giving the driver Jessica's home address. Jessica had been my best friend since high school, but our communication had dwindled. Since I’d gotten married, she had persistently advised me to consider divorce, a sentiment she had expressed numerous times. Perhaps I should heed her advice. I’ve just been too stubborn, not listening to her all these years. Despite Jessica's disapproval and anger over my unwavering support for Victor, I held onto the hope that he would eventually reciprocate my feelings.Oh God, I was so stupid.I stood at her doorstep, mustered up the courage, and knocked on the door. When Jessica opened it, she didn’t say anything at first but just looked at me as if she'd seen a ghost. “Hi,” I tentatively greeted her and managed to force a smile. "Aria?” She let me in, but then, she seemed to instantly notice the troubled look on my face. Frowning,
Victor’s POVFor a moment, Aria seemed stunned. Then, she quickly recovered, attempting to wrench her hand away. "I'm not your possession. Not anymore, Victor."Behind her, Jessica glared at me. “I think you should leave now. This is my house and you are not welcome here.”I wanted to say more. But Jessica pushed me away and slammed the door. “This isn’t over, Aria,” I shouted angrily. I stormed back to my office, my mind reeling with anger and confusion. How could Aria do this? And why didn't Shane tell me about the divorce agreement earlier? I barged in, slamming the door behind me."Shane, what the hell?" I demanded, my voice sharp with accusation. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"Shane looked flustered, her eyes darting around the room. "I... I thought it was just some petty fight," she stammered. "Aria was being dramatic, as usual. I didn't think it was serious.""Petty fight?" I repeated incredulously. "She filed for divorce, Shane! This is serious!"Shane took a step bac
Aria’s POVI sat on the couch, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt, lost in my thoughts. My hand, which held my phone, was trembling. I was trying my best to be brave, but I was also scared and uncertain of the future. I honestly still hadn’t thought about where to go from here. Why does Victor have to make it so hard? He never cared about me, anyway!Troy, my friend Jessica's boyfriend, sat across from me, his eyes filled with concern.“Sorry, Aria… Am I causing you trouble?” he asked, his voice soft.I looked up, meeting his gaze. “No, not at all,” I replied, forcing a smile. “It's fine.”“Okay. I was just calling you because Jess is done cooking dinner for us.”“Alright, I’ll be right there. Thanks.”Jessica was like a sister to me, and staying at her house felt more like home than the mansion where I’d been living with Victor for the past years. As Troy and I walked to the kitchen, the delicious aroma of Jessica's cooking filled the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation.D
Aria’s POVI glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time. It was 11 o'clock, and Victor was exactly an hour late. My fingers drummed impatiently on the polished mahogany table in Atty. Parker's office. “He demanded I be punctual all the time,” I muttered, my voice edged with frustration. “He'd start urging me the moment I was even a little slow. Now look at him.”Atty. Parker, my lawyer, gave me a sympathetic nod. “We'll give him a few more minutes, Aria,” he said, her tone calm and professional. “He's probably stuck in traffic.”I wasn't convinced. I felt like he was doing this on purpose. I pulled out my phone and dialed Victor's number again, but it went straight to voicemail, just like the previous times. “He's not answering,” I said, exasperation seeping into my voice.“Let's wait a bit longer,” Atty. Parker suggested, trying to soothe my impatience.Just as I was about to lose my temper completely, the door swung open. Victor walked in, looking disheveled and tired
Aria’s POV“What does this have to do with Shane?” Victor's voice cut through the silence, sharp and accusing.I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to remain calm. “Victor, just sign the agreement. We don't need to drag this out.”Victor's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, his tone condescending. “She and I are just friends and business partners. Why are you always so suspicious?”I took a deep breath, swallowing my frustration. “This isn't about Shane.”Victor scoffed, turning his attention back to Atty. Parker. “She's always like this. Always looking for a reason to argue.”Atty. Parker cleared his throat, trying to maintain his professional demeanor. “Let's stay focused on the matter at hand.”Victor ignored him, directing his gaze back to me. “If you leave me, you won't be able to do anything, right? You haven't worked for five years. How will you find a job? If you don't divorce me, I can give you money, jewelry, or a job. Why are you so damn eager to leave?”His words stung, but t
Aria’s POVSamuel looked surprised to see us. His expression was guarded as he approached Victor and me on the street. “Hello, Aria,” he greeted me with a hint of warmth. “Victor,” he added, barely acknowledging his presence.“Samuel,” Victor replied, his tone clipped and icy.I glanced between the two men, sensing the tension. “Samuel, what are you doing here?” I asked.“I arranged to meet someone for business in this building,” Samuel explained, gesturing vaguely towards the entrance. “Their office is here. What about you two? What brings you here?”Before I could respond, Victor cut in. “That's none of your business, Samuel.”I noticed the sharpness in Victor's voice and wondered what had transpired between them. Ignoring the hostility, I decided to answer Samuel's question myself.“We're here to finalize our divorce at my lawyer's office,” I said matter-of-factly without any feelings. “It's almost done.”Samuel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really? The two of you are getting
Aria’s POVI stood at the doorstep of my childhood home, my heart heavy with the news I was about to deliver. Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell and waited. The familiar sound of footsteps approached, and the door swung open to reveal my parents, their faces lighting up at the sight of me.“Aria, darling! What a surprise,” my mother exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug.“Come inside,” Dad urged with a big smile. “What brings you here, Aria?”“Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you,” I said, stepping back to look at their concerned faces.We sat down in the living room, and I braced myself for their reaction. I decided it was best to just be direct and get it over and done with quickly. “Victor and I are getting a divorce,” I blurted out, my voice barely above a whisper. “We’ve already signed the documents.”They looked shocked. Mom gasped and seemed like she was about to cry. “Divorce? Why, Aria? Has Victor been treating you poorly?” My father's voice was filled with anger and conce
Aria’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed, phone in hand, my heart suddenly thumping very fast. Why is he calling me?“How are you?” Samuel's voice was as gentle and strong as ever. “Do you have a moment to talk?”“Yeah, I'm free. What's up?” I replied, trying to sound casual. I found it odd that he was calling me. “I just wanted to let you know that my assistant found a bracelet in my car after it went for maintenance. I think it's yours.”My heart skipped a beat. How did he know it was mine? Did he remember me wearing it that night? “Oh, right. I do remember misplacing a bracelet. I didn't realize it was in your car.”“Yeah, it must have slipped off your wrist. When can I drop it off to you?” Samuel asked.I hesitated. The bracelet wasn't anything too valuable, and I didn't want him to go out of his way. I also felt like meeting up with him right after my divorce wasn’t appropriate, especially since Victor was suspicious of us. “You know, it’s not worth much,” I said slowly, choosin