HE LOST HIS DAUGHTER ONCE, NOW HE’S A RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

Let's Get Divorced

But before she could take a step away from Jake, Jake groaned loudly.

“Ah, my shoulder! Lyra, I think something is broken.”

Lyra looked back at Jake, who was covered in blood and wine, as she bit her lip, then decided to stay.

“I’ll stay,” Lyra muttered as she turned back to Brandon, who had stopped and turned to look at her.

He scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment as he walked out of the room.

The rain had started to fall heavily. He entered his car and drove home in complete silence.

The moment he arrived home, it was dark and quiet.

He went upstairs to Maggie’s room as he sat on her bed and watched her sleep.

She looked so small and innocent.

She didn’t deserve this.

He stayed there for a while before he got to his feet and walked down to the kitchen. He didn’t turn on the lights. He just walked to the counter, sat there, and thought about his marriage.

Jake had been Lyra’s first love.

Years ago, Jake had broken up with her to take a job overseas, leaving Lyra devastated. She had almost been assaulted at a bar that night as Brandon had stepped in, fought them off, and carried her home.

Ever since then, he had spent seven years taking care of Lyra. He thought that if he was kind and loving, he would make her forget the past, but now he was realizing how foolish he had been.

Over the six years Brandon had given up three major promotion opportunities at his own engineering firm choosing lower-paying stable hours so he could take full responsibility for raising their daughter. He cooked every meal, washed every load of laundry and comforted Maggie through every midnight nightmare.

He did all of this for Maggie and for Lyra.

More than that, when Lyra's company was on the verge of bankruptcy two years ago Brandon did not hesitate. Brandon emptied his personal savings account hundreds of thousands of dollars left to him by his late father to keep Lyra's business afloat. He had sacrificed his career, his financial security and his own dreams for Lyra and for Maggie.

What did Brandon get in return? 

Lyra had gradually come to treat Brandon's sacrifices as something Brandon "should" do by default. 

To Lyra, Brandon was the convenient housekeeper who kept the home running while she conquered the business world. 

Brandon's kindness was treated as weakness. His devotion was treated as a given.

He felt no anger, just deep tiredness and exhaustion.

If Lyra thought this family and his love were a burden, then Brandon was willing to let her go. He wasn’t going to fight her anymore. He would just agree to a divorce.

But Maggie was totally innocent.

No matter how much Lyra hated him, no matter how much she thought he was a liar, she had to know the truth about their child.

Thinking of his daughter made Brandon’s heart hurt really bad. He knew the facts. Maggie only had one wish left.

On her birthday, she had to be there with her. It was their daughter’s final wish.

Brandon didn’t want this marriage anymore. He did not want the money. He didn’t want the love. He just wanted this one thing for his dying child.

Brandon stayed awake all night, sitting still in the kitchen and waiting for the front door to open.

And before dawn, around five in the morning, the sound of the key scratched against the front door lock.

The door opened as Lyra walked in.

The morning light started to peek in through the windows as Lyra looked really tired. Her expensive dress was a bit wrinkled, her hair was messy, and she had a tired, angry look on her face.

She stepped into the kitchen, and she froze up when she saw Brandon sitting there at the counter, staring at her.

Her expression immediately changed to anger and irritation.

She threw her purse on the counter with a thud and crossed her arms.

“Oh great, you’re awake sitting in the dark like a ghost,” she said in a cold manner as she looked around in exhaustion. “Listen to me, Brandon. Stop making such a big deal about this. You need to know when to quit.”

She walked over to the kitchen tap, poured herself a glass of water, and she took a sip, then turned back to him with a dangerous glare.

“What you did tonight was totally crazy. You embarrassed me in front of my company, and you hurt Jake. But I’m too tired to argue with you,” she said in a dismissive voice. “As long as you apologize to Jake tomorrow, go back upstairs and do your job as a househusband, I will pretend nothing happened tonight. We can just move on as a loving family.”

Brandon looked at her, but didn’t yell. He didn’t even get angry.

All he let out was a bitter laugh.

She still thought this was about his jealousy.

She still thought he was a servant who could clean up the mess and stay quiet.

He looked her straight in the eyes, as his voice came off in a calm and smooth manner.

“I want a divorce, Lyra. Let’s get divorced.”

“Divorced?”

Lyra repeated, as if she could not understand what he was saying.

She then let out a mocking laugh as she slammed her glass onto the counter, then turned back to him.

“Are you being fucking serious, Brandon? You are really pushing your luck here.”

But Brandon did not move. He kept his eyes on her with a blank expression.

“I’m very serious, Lyra.”

“No, you’re not!” she shouted, stepping close to him. Her face twisted with annoyance. “You are just using this to threaten me. You’re throwing a tantrum like a child because of Jake. You think if you say divorce, I will get scared and do whatever you think? You always do this when things don’t go your way. You think I’ll promise never to speak to Jake? Isn’t that your plan, Brandon?”