Becoming A War God: Rise Of Darius Holloway

Chapter 8: Let Play Games

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Meanwhile, Lisa stared at her phone in disbelief.

"He hung up on me," she said, her voice trembling with indignation. "He actually hung up on me."

Harry, who had been sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water, looked up with practiced concern. "What did he say? Is he coming back?"

"No," Lisa said, her jaw tight. "He's being unreasonable. He won't even listen to reason. He kept on splitting rubbish!"

Harry stood and walked over to her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Maybe he just needs time. You know how men are. Their pride gets wounded, and they lash out."

Lisa shook her head. "It's more than that. He's never acted like this before. He's always been so soft and predictable. So easy to manage. But last night, when he walked through that door, he looked different. He looked dangerous."

Harry's eyes flickered. For just a moment, something cold and calculating crossed his face. Then it was gone, replaced by the soft, helpless expression he wore like armor. "Darius would never hurt you, Lisa. He loves you too much. He's just trying to scare you. That's all."

Lisa nodded slowly. "You're right. You're right. He's always been a little controlling. A little jealous. This is just his way of punishing me for paying attention to someone else."

She walked toward the kitchen to fix herself a cup of tea, still muttering under her breath about how unfair Darius was being. Harry watched her go, his smile thin and satisfied.

And then Lisa stopped.

She was standing in front of the dining table. Her hand, still reaching for the kettle, had frozen mid-air. Her eyes were fixed on a single sheet of paper placed in the center of the table, weighted down by a vase of 

flowers.

She picked it up. Her fingers trembled as she read the words.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

Harry saw the color drain from her face. He hurried over. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Lisa didn't answer. She just stared at the paper, her lips moving soundlessly as she read the same lines over and over again.

Harry peered over her shoulder. His eyes scanned the document quickly—the simple terms, the signatures, the date.

He's actually doing it, Harry thought. He's actually leaving her.

But out loud, he said, "How could he use this to threaten you? This is low, even for him."

Lisa's hands were shaking now. "Threaten?" She looked up at Harry, her eyes wide and uncertain. "Do you think it's just a threat? Do you think he's trying to scare me into coming back?"

Harry hesitated. Just long enough for Lisa to notice. Then he smiled reassuringly and squeezed her arm. "Of course it's just a threat, baby. Think about it. Darius can't survive without you. He's been obsessed with you for years. He'd never actually leave. He's just trying to make you feel guilty."

Lisa's breathing slowed. Her shoulders dropped. "You're right. He's always been like this. Always dramatic. Always trying to control me with his emotions."

She set the paper down, but she couldn't stop looking at it. Something about the words felt different. More serious. More final.

"Maybe I should call him," she said quietly. "Maybe I should—"

"No." Harry's voice was firm. He stepped closer to her, his hands on her arms, his face inches from hers. "If you call him now, you're giving him exactly what he wants. He'll think he can control you with this kind of behavior. You need to call his bluff. Agree to the divorce. Let him see that you're not afraid."

Lisa bit her lip. "But what if—"

"He'll come running back," Harry said confidently. "Men like Darius always do. They throw their tantrums, and then they realize they have nowhere else to go. He's nothing without you, Lisa. He knows it. You know it. Once he sees you're willing to walk away, he'll beg you to take him back."

Lisa stared at him for a long moment. Then she nodded slowly.

"You're right," she said, her voice growing stronger. "You're absolutely right. If he wants to play games, I can play games too."

She picked up her phone and dialed Darius's number.

---

Darius answered on the first ring.

"Lisa."

"I've read your little note," she said, her voice cold and dismissive. "You want a divorce? Fine. I agree. Show me you're serious. Meet me at City Hall in an hour."

There was a pause. A long, heavy silence.

Then Darius spoke, and his voice was different. It was lighter. Almost cheerful. "Really? You agree? Just like that?"

Lisa's stomach twisted. Something about his tone was wrong. "Yes," she said, forcing confidence into her voice. "I agree. If you want to throw away three years of marriage because of your jealousy, that's your choice. I'm not going to stop you."

"Good," Darius said. "See you in an hour."

The line went dead.

Lisa stared at the phone, her hand trembling slightly. She looked at Harry.

"He actually wants to meet at City Hall," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's... he's actually serious."

Harry frowned. "He's just trying to save face. He can't back down now without looking weak. But when you show up, he'll fold. He always does."

"Right." Lisa nodded, trying to convince herself. "Right. He's always been so stubborn about his pride. This is just his way of trying to regain control."

"Exactly." Harry smiled, but there was something sharp behind his eyes. "Go. Show him that you won't be manipulated. And when he begs you to take him back, make him work for it."

Lisa grabbed her keys from the hook by the door. She was dressed in her most expensive outfit, her makeup perfect, her hair freshly styled. If Darius wanted to play games, she would show him exactly what he was losing.

"Come on," she told Harry. "Let's go to the City Hall! I need to show him he just a pawn in this game."

Together, they both walked out and headed to the City Hall.