Anniversary

As the cold winter breeze hit his face, Zade Harper gritted his teeth, cursing lightly in exhaustion.

He was supposed to take the day off today, but his boss was a persistent pain in his butt.

She wouldn't let him leave no matter how much he pleaded and explained today was his marriage anniversary.

It didn't matter now, anyway. He was done with the delivery and ready to make the most out of what was left of the night. 

A shimmer of pride sparked in his soft honey-brown eyes when he glanced at the huge bouquet of roses in his hand.

Roselia would love them. Roses were her favorite. 

He planned to prepare her favorite shrimp sauce and rice for dinner. If he got lucky, he could borrow a bottle of wine from the bar then they could spend the rest of the night tangling in the sheets.

A surge of excitement coursed through his veins, dissolving the cold at the thought of his wife's warmth.

He stopped in front of a black gate that quickly granted him entrance after swiping his card. The huge grey mansion greeted him and a familiar wariness settled on his chest as he got on the porch. 

Sucking in a breath, he twisted the knob and the hostile air hit him. Even with no one present, the air was heavy with contempt, disappointment, and hate. 

Zade shrugged it off and stepped in, eager to take advantage of the quiet and prepare dinner.

"Zade!" He froze as his mother-in-law's voice infiltrated the silence. Taking a swift turn, he forced a smile and bowed in respect.

"Good evening, Mrs. Harper," his tone was quiet and polite. Her heels resounded against the marble floors as she made her way to the living room. 

"What took you so long? We have been waiting all day for you! It would have been less infuriating if it were someone worthy!" She snarled and he swallowed thickly.

"I apologize," Zade muttered, shame coating his voice like a second skin. A scoff drew his attention to the man next to her.

William Harper, the heir to the Harper family business, was tall, narcissistic, and arrogant.

He picked up the TV remote and Zade quickly moved out of the way, unwilling to earn more insults. He turned his attention to Mrs. Harper, who stared at him with disgust.

"What are you doing with those grasses?" Her gaze settled on the bouquet as she spoke. A tinge of red colored his cheeks. 

"They… I got them for Roselia. She loves roses," Zade meekly answered. "It's… our anniversary."

"That would not be necessary. Aside from the fact that my daughter would not be interested in those cheap legumes you have to offer, there will no longer be an anniversary."

Before he could question her, she tossed the envelope to him. His hands trembled as he reached for the envelope.

Dread formed a thick knot in his stomach as he opened it. 

His heart stopped at the header. Divorce Agreement. His eyes sped widely to his mother-in-law and then to William, who didn't bother to spare him a glance. 

"D.. Divorce? Why? How could…" His voice trembled as he stuttered, unable to piece the words together to form a coherent sentence. 

Mrs Harper's eyes flared with irritation. "Did you really ask that question, Zade? You have been leeching off us for three years! It still baffles me how my daughter ended up with a worthless nobody like you! All you have done is bring us shame and disgrace. Other influential families brag about their son-in-law's owning multinational companies and all I can say is that my son-in-law works as a dispatch rider! We put up with you this long for Roselia's sake. We brushed you up, and gave you a name while you humiliated us with poverty and classlessness!" 

Her words cut through him like a double-edged sword. It was true that they accepted him because of Roselia and he was nothing but a poor dispatch rider but they had never treated him like their son-in-law. 

For three years, he endured the insults and humiliation because of Rose. Even when they trampled on his dignity and tried to make him walk out of their marriage, he stayed.

Now they wanted a divorce?

"I can't sign this without speaking to Roselia first. There is no way she would do this to me. She loves me and…"

“Love? You must be a fool to think you can trap my daughter with that nonsense. Don’t you feel shame when you stand side by side with Roselia? Just look at her, she started out as an intern then got employed as a junior staff, a mere junior staff, Zade, yet she managed to climb up to the position of a sales representive and now, she is aiming for the position for a sales manager and you…” Her face distorted as she accessed him with disdain, “...have managed to retain the position of a dispatch rider for three solid years. Your meager salary could not even afford her skin care products.”

Zade lowered his head in shame, “I was thinking of taking up other jobs…”

“What job? Perhaps a delivery man in a pizzeria?” She mocked, “My daughter will not waste another minute of her life with you! She deserves a more capable man who will pamper and take proper care of her, not a leech who will feed off her salary. The earlier you sign those papers, the better for you.”

“I am sorry, ma’am, but I cannot sign these papers without my wife’s consent. Roselia has never talked about a divorce. I will not…”

"Are you retarded?" William finally broke his silence. "Isn't her signature clear enough on that paper? My sister is tired and frustrated. You have hindered every good that could have come her way with this bondage you call a marriage. It's time you let her go."

Zade shook his head rapidly, refusing to believe a word from their mouth. Taking out the papers, his eyes skimmed through the pages, hoping William was lying.

His heart broke when he saw the signature. He couldn't even pretend it was forged because the handwriting was hers.