The Mysterious Midnight Magnate

03: Disappointment

"Is that all you have to say?" Claudia's voice was shaky, betraying the stiffness of her body.

A quick snort from Eric made his upper body tremble. He pursed his lips as he looked at the woman in front of him. Of course, he had loved her throughout the years, that was the solid reason why he kept making the sacrifices for her. But now, he was starting to see her in a different light.

Distasteful, greedy and self-centered.

"Answer me," Claudia pressed on.

"I don't know what it is that you want from me," Eric voiced out. The look on his face gave out that he felt sorry for her.

Still hanging around frustration, Claudia rummaged through her handbag and slipped out a cheque.

"Here's $5,000,000, take it and start life afresh," she held it out.

Eric accepted the cheque, only to tear it into pieces.

"What are you doing?" To say Claudia was stunned was an understatement. Everyone else in the office wore the same expression as her.

"My marriage with you wasn't based on money, it was wrong of me to think we had mutual understanding, I don't want your money." For Eric, it was sad that money was the only thing that mattered to her, that was why he wasn't acting fool anymore.

"But you're poor, it will be hard to survive on your own," Claudia was close to pulling out her hair in frustration and yelling at Eric. She at least wanted him to accept the money so she wouldn't live with any guilt at all.

"Don't worry about me, Claudia. I wish you good luck with Mayor Skillsgard,"

"Who the heck rejects $5,000,000!?"

"You're a coward, Eric!"

After her insults, Eric chuckled to himself and shifted his gaze back to the divorce attorney.

"Can you lend me a pen?"

Mr. Smith nodded and obliged.

"Now where do I sign?" Eric continued.

A few minutes later, Eric was done scribbling his signature on each page of the document.

"We're officially divorced, as good as strangers." Claudia held out her trembling hand for a handshake, "no longer man and wife," she added after swallowing hard.

Eric stared from her hand to her face, and her face to her hand, before shaking his head in disappointment once more.

"I'll move out of your house today, and give me two days to get my stuff," he added without even a slight hesitation.

Claudia blinked, stunned by Eric's lack of emotions. The fact that he was determined to accept the divorce and also move out of the house, left a sour taste in her mouth.

"You can take the house if you want, it will be of no use to me," She shrugged a little as if she wasn't a bit affected by this.

"I don't want it," Eric swiftly dismissed her suggestion.

And Claudia's nostrils flared in anger. She was frustrated that Eric seemed way too calm and relaxed. His nonchalance was close enough to make her start second-guessing herself.

"How dare you behave so pridefully when you have nothing, Eric?" She berated him.

"I am moving out of your property, you ought to be happy," Eric jammed his fists into the pockets of his shabby trousers, as he offered his now ex-wife a little smile.

"Of course I am happy, I have never been happier. Too bad I'll have to go through the torture of a six-month waiting period before you'll be out of my hair for good," Claudia offered him a friendly smile.

And Eric nodded, upon knowing it was completely over and already his time to go.

"Good luck with your life and career, Claudia Michaelson," with this saying, he turned his back to her and walked right out, without bothering to cast one last glance at her.

"Ugh! I can't believe he would try to guilt-trip me," Claudia rested her back in front of the Attorney's desk, stared at the ceiling, and fanned herself with her fingers.

For some reason, she was stunned that what transpired wasn't what she had hoped for. It was hard to shake off the unpleasant feeling spreading across her chest.

"He just gave you what you wanted, Ms Claudia. You're now a free woman," Mr. Snow reminded her.