Divorced

Zade couldn’t believe his eyes as he stared at the paper. Several thoughts ran through his mind as his brain struggled to grasp the information.

It seemed like a fragment of a very bad dream. It had to be because Roselia would never do this to him. 

He might be poor and wretched, everything his in-laws accused him of, but he always tried his best to be a good husband to her.

He couldn’t get her expensive items like her peers flaunted, but he gave her all of him. He made her happy in every way he could.

He thought she felt the same, especially after the magical moment they shared days ago.

He could still remember the sweet nothings and promises she made as he rode her to ecstasy. She professed her love to him in breathless whispers and he believed her. 

Now he didn’t know what to think. 

A part of him desperately wanted to rebuff their claims, but he recognized that handwriting. It was none other than Roselia’s.

He reached for his phone tucked away in his pocket then remembered she told him earlier she was swarmed with work and would be working overtime to catch up.

There had to be an explanation. She couldn't just divorce out of the blue and expect him to be fine with it. 

Without second thoughts, he dashed out of the house and got on his bicycle. The company where Roselia worked was only ten minutes away.

He was in desperate need of an explanation. They had been cool all week and he even assumed they had gotten closer.

The tall grey building came into sight from a distance. Pixton Corp was the biggest local beverage company in the city.

It started as a fish factory, hence its location near the sea, before the owners went bankrupt and sold it off.

In a space of one year, Roselia had managed to bag three promotions. It was a remarkable and enviable feat. While he… a wave of shame hit him and he unconsciously slowed down.

Perhaps that was why she wanted to divorce him. She was beginning to see what every other person saw. An absolute disgrace!

Zade came to a stop outside the company and took a shaky breath. It was almost 10 pm. Would she still be working or passed out in exhaustion?

The idea of working late never settled well with him. He understood she was working hard for her fourth promotion, but he didn't want her tampering with her health.

Maybe after this talk, he would convince her to come home to rest a little. 

Without further delay, he entered the company and headed straight to her office.

Just as he reached for the knob, he heard a deep masculine voice.

"....I already gave you my word, sweetheart. You are too beautiful to be associated with such a loser. I am ready to wipe this shame and make you mine as soon as you divorce that idiot. I will give you as many promotions as you want…"

"...but you know I'm still married to Zade..."

"Why do you keep being up that worthless man. He cannot give you the life you deserve, we both know that. Don't delay this further..."

Rage pulsed through his veins as he heard those vain promises. He kicked the door open in anger and froze at the sight before him.

His wife, whose blue eyes were now wide with panic, was sitting comfortably on the man's lap, with his arms wrapped around.

"How dare you barge into my office unannounced? Have you lost your mind?" The man, whom Zade recognized as Ryan Myers, chided.

Ryan was the only son of the CEO of Pixton Corp. It suddenly made sense why he made those promises.

He could easily fulfill them, all he needed to do was give the order.

The thought was accompanied by heavy bitterness. Zade glared at the man as Roselia scampered off his lap. 

Ryan accessed the intruder with annoyance.

"Why are you still here? Get out!" He snapped but Zade's gaze shifted to the dainty blonde woman with ocean-blue eyes.

She shuddered under his intense gaze, looking everywhere but him.

"How long has this been going on?" Zade's question came out with false calm even though his eyes were burning.

Roselia shifted uneasily from foot to foot. 

"Z...Zade you d-didn't say you w-were coming…" Roselia stuttered, biting her lip nervously as guilt ate deep into her.

He never visited her at the office before, for any reason.

"All the while you said you were working overtime, the exhausted expression you wear every time you come home… it had nothing to do with work, did it?" Zade's anger seeped through his voice in a slow scalding rage.

Roselia wanted the ground to open up and swallow her at that moment. She opened her mouth to explain but the words seemed stuck in her throat. 

"So what? What will you do now you know that your wife has been having a good time with me?" Ryan interrupted with a mocking smirk.

Roselia's cheeks tainted red as she avoided her husband's eyes.

"You disgusting bastard!" Zade growled, storming over into Ryan in a split second to deliver a punch that sent the man off the chair. "How dare you lay your filthy hands on my wife!"

"Zade stop it!" Roselia yelled in panic but it was too late.

Ryan attempted to return the punch but Zade easily evaded him and delivered another punch to his face. 

"Zade…"

"Shut up, you lying whore!" He fired and she lowered her head in shame.

Ryan seized the brief moment of distraction to grab a vase but before he could put it to use, Zade caught the arm on reflect, seized the vase, and smashed it against Ryan's head.

He was ready to pounce on Ryan once more when Roselia quickly got between them.

"Stop it, Zade. You are going to kill him!" She pleaded. She flinched when those soft honey-brown eyes hardened.

"Just look at you, pleading for a man you cheated on me with," he spat and she jerked back unconsciously.

"It's not what you think…"

"Not what I think? Then what is, Roselia? Go ahead and explain, I'm listening. I need to know why your mother handed me divorce papers with your signature on them. I need to know why you are comfortably in the arms of another man on our marriage anniversary!" 

Roselia was too stunned to utter a word.

"I thought so too," Zade laughed bitterly. "You betrayed our love because of some stupid promotion! You lied to my face just to get comfortable in the arms of another man. Don't worry, from now on, you don't need to worry about lying to sleep with whoever you want. I'm done with this disgusting marriage!" 

He grabbed a pen from the desk and signed the papers angrily before flinging them at her. He walked out before she even got the chance to speak.

As soon as Zade got outside the company, he dialed a number he had known by heart since he was ten. 

It was answered at the second ring.

"Hello?" A sleepy voice sounded on the other end. Zade sucked in a deep breath. They hadn't spoken in three years.

"Hello Uncle, it's Teddy."

Silence.