TRASH HUSBAND TO TRILLIONAIRE EX-HUSBAND

Chapter four: Trillionaire heir

What!" 

 Hannah gasped, her expression cracking in genuine shock. Then an ugly laughter broke out from her lips, a crackle at d child throwing tantrums

 "Divorce?" She chuckled, her expression shifting from the divorce paper to Benjamin. "You're joking, Ben? Huh?"

 Benjamin's expression was indifferent now.

 "Sign it, Hannah." He simply said. "I'm done. Done with this marriage."

 Hannah snatched the envelope from the table and tore it open. Her expression completely crumbled seeing the bold heading: DIVORCE AGREEMENT that looked like a cruel joke. Her eyes darted to the bottom to see Benjamin's paper carefully scribbled there.

 Her laughter was an ugly hysterical thing rattling Condominium fittings.

 She waved the paper like it was trash. "This— it doesn't suit you, Ben. You're nothing without me." Her voice rose to a shriek. Her pride wavered because she hadn't expected Benjamin to make the move. "You're angry because I got busy? and you couldn't handle petty responsibility?"

 Benjamin shook his head in disbelief, his voice calm. "You called showing up for your daughter 'Petty responsibility?'

" You never care about her. You've never bothered if anything happens to her."

 "I told you I was busy! Don't you just get it?!" Hannah's scream tore out from her throat, gold chain jangling on her wrist. "You're acting childish! You have no idea what it takes to perform on those screens and  take interviews and fans paparazzi." 

 Benjamin let out a low bitter laugh.

 "It's always people over your family." His voice was quiet, detached. "You should be disappointed in yourself."

 Hannah exploded with rage. Her palm shot out in a blur of motion to smack Benjamin in the face but it was stopped mid-air. Flesh met flesh sounding like a gunshot.

 Benjamin gripped her wrist, staring her down. Up close, Hannah saw it. The shift in his eyes that she'd never seen before in four years. She blinked.

 "Don't you dare." Benjamin warned, a quiet thunder in his voice.

 Hannah yanked free from his grip, throwing insults behind him about REGRET and ARIA DRAGGING HER DOWN. Benjamin didn't look back as she continued to break things behind, her pride torn by the bitterness of a worthless husband leading divorce agreement when she could have initiated it.

Benjamin stepped inside Aria's room and closed the door with a gentle click, the silence enveloping him.

 Aria laid on the bed inside the dim Ambiance of her room, sleeping peacefully and unaware of the exchange in the living room. Her chest moved up and down slowly under white sheet.

 He stepped closer to the bed, making sure his footsteps were silent on the floor to avoid interrupting her sleep. He exhaled in relief watching her sleep without any disturbance.

 "She needs to relax for today to recover properly." He said in his mind.

 He smiled seeing her calm face. Aria was everything to him the world could not give him. 

 With a last glance at her, he turned away from the bed to leave but a gentle voice and soft rustling of the sheet made him pause.

 "Daddy."

 His heart skipped. 

 He turned to the bed to see Aria opening her eyes. 

 "You're awake, baby." He crouched beside the bed, staring at her face with a smile that warmed somewhere inside where fatherly love lives. He brushed a stand of her hair away from her face gently.

 "Yes, Daddy." 

Benjamin nodded. "I see. I just came to check on you. You have the day for yourself dear. You can rest all you want."

 Aria nodded gently, smiling in excitement. "Will you take me out with mummy, Daddy?" She said. Benjamin's expression dropped noticeably even when he tried to mask it. "Mummy doesn't love me. She didn't come to the hospital yesterday when I was sick." She said smartly.

 Benjamin froze beside the bed. The silence stretched. He was unsure of what to say again.

 He'd always given her excuses when Hannah refused to show up, always assuring her that her mother would come even when he knew she wouldn't come so that she won't feel sad.

 Telling her more lies won't make anything better. If anything, it would only make it harder to tell her the truth later.

 Her next statement dropped his jaw.

 "Mummy doesn't deserve you, daddy." 

 "Aria—" Benjamin was stunned.

Aria continued, her voice firmer.

 "She doesn't like you and she doesn't like me too."

 Benjamin opened his mouth to speak but no words formed. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that her mother doesn't care about her but hearing her speak about it boldly gave Benjamin a mixed strange feeling of guilt and relief because he'd kept the truth away from— that her mother doesn't care about her, about him, about the marriage.

 Benjamin smiled at her.

  "We need to be somewhere. Let me get you prepared."

 Moments later, Benjamin dressed up in a simple shirt and slacks while Aria in a crimson balloon gown. 

Stepping into the living room, it was silent and littered with shards of broken vases. Hannah left the divorce paper on the table. 

 Benjamin held Aria's wrist gently, looking at the apartment for the last time because today would be the last day in the apartment.

 "Where are we going, Daddy?" Aria asked.

 "Somewhere safer, sweetheart."

 Together, they walked out of the building.

 Fleets of expensive cars— three were already waiting at the curb with Jackson Voss  standing beside the main ride— Deep Black Cadillac Escalade. He stood straighter as Benjamin approached.

 "Master Hayes," He greeted with a gentle bow. "Good morning."

 "Morning, Jackson." 

 "Uncle." Aria rushed to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his leg in embrace.

 "Aria.." Jackson crouched to her height, tugging the shoulder of her gown playfully. "You look wonderful in that dress."

 "Thank you, Uncle." She beamed.

 Jackson lifted her from the floor and opened the door with one hand and placed her in the back seat. Benjamin stepped in and Jackson closed the shut behind with an expensive thud.

 Jackson stepped into the passenger's seat at the front. The fleets moved from the street.

 "It'll take 20 minutes to get to the Hayes family house." Jackson announced without being asked. "Everyone is already waiting."

 Benjamin had spent the night reading and analyzing the letter his grandfather left before he died. It wasn't just an apology letter. Benjamin detected something more—Silent War brewed in the family over his inheritance.

 "Change of plan, Jackson." He said, his voice was sharper. "I won't be going to the family house. "Take me to a nice restaurant. I need to spend some time with Aria." 

 Jackson glanced back in surprise.

"Master," he said, "but the family are waiting al—"

Benjamin nodded. "I know. Just do as I say." He said firmly without saying more.

 Minutes later, the car pulled over at one of the most expensive restaurants in the city.

 Benjamin didn't step out immediately. 

"I need detailed information about every member of the family. Those in the city and outside. Don't overlook any small details—past scuffles, forgotten disagreement, recent activities and their relationship with my grandfather."