Her Perfect Betrayal

Chapter 6

Dorothy stormed out of the apartment, still seething with anger.

She walked quickly through the building's entrance, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. The anger on her face hadn't faded. Raphael had actually told her to leave.

Worse, he had ordered her to meet him at the courthouse the following morning to finalize their divorce. She couldn't believe it.

After everything, he still thought he could speak to her that way.

Outside the building, a sleek black car was already waiting by the curb. The driver's door opened, and a tall, handsome man stepped out.

It was Jake Ashford.

He had spent the past few years building his career overseas and had only recently returned home. He had barely been back for long, yet he had already reconnected with several old friends.

Most importantly, he had reached out to Dorothy. Jake had never forgotten their relationship.

And he knew Dorothy hadn't forgotten him either. That was precisely why he had personally driven over to pick her up.

Tonight, he planned to reunite with their old group of friends and spend the evening reminiscing about the past. But there was another reason.

Jake had deliberately come to pick Dorothy up himself.

He wanted Raphael to see them together and feel uncomfortable.

After all, Raphael had always been painfully aware that Jake was Dorothy's first love.

If Raphael saw Jake personally picking up his wife on her birthday, laughing with her, and behaving as though the two of them had never been separated, Jake believed it would be enough to disgust him.

Perhaps Raphael would finally understand that Dorothy's heart had never truly belonged to him. At least, that had been the plan.

Jake glanced toward the entrance as Dorothy approached. Then his eyebrows lifted slightly.

He looked past her toward the building. "Where's Raphael?"

Dorothy stopped beside the car and Jake gave her a casual smile.

"Didn't he come downstairs to see you off?"

Dorothy's expression immediately darkened. "Don't mention him."

"What happened?" Jake's smile faded slightly.

Dorothy opened the passenger door and climbed inside. "That idiot tried to stop me from going out."

Jake followed her with his eyes. "He did?"

"Yes." She slammed the door.

"He's throwing another tantrum."

Jake remained silent for a moment before getting into the driver's seat. He had expected Raphael to appear as he imagined the scene clearly.

Raphael standing at the entrance, watching them with a dark expression. Perhaps he would confront Jake or demand that Dorothy stay home.

Maybe he would even lose his temper. Jake had been looking forward to it. But nothing happened.

Raphael hadn't even bothered to come downstairs. A faint disappointment flashed through Jake's eyes. He had deliberately driven over himself.

He had wanted to flaunt his closeness with Dorothy, making Raphael feel humiliated.

Yet Raphael hadn't even shown enough interest to watch. It was almost as though Jake wasn't important enough to provoke him.

Jake found that strangely irritating. Still, he quickly hid his disappointment and started the engine.

"So he didn't want you to come?"

Dorothy scoffed. "He thinks being my husband gives him the right to control me." She folded her arms.

"I told him that going out and meeting my friends is my personal freedom."

Jake glanced at her. "And what did he say?"

"He told me to leave." She frowned angrily.

"He even told me to meet him at the courthouse tomorrow."

Jake's hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel. "The courthouse?"

Dorothy nodded. "He wants a divorce."

Jake was momentarily stunned. Then he gave a small laugh. "He's just angry. That's what I think. I’m sure he’ll have forgotten about all this by tomorrow morning.”

Jake was right.

Raphael had never been capable of staying angry with her for very long. In fact, she probably wouldn’t even have to wait until morning.

Give it half an hour, and he would most likely come back with that remorseful expression he always wore after their arguments, looking like a chastened child before apologizing to her.

So why should she waste even a moment worrying about a man like him?

Dorothy turned toward the window. "I don't want to deal with him tonight."