Alison had just left the shop, where she had bought a gift for her husband to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
It was their fifth anniversary, and she wanted to surprise him. Her feet moved swiftly towards the room, unable to contain her joy. But just as she opened the door of their matrimonial room, she was greeted with the worst thing she could ever imagine. Bruno was in bed with another woman, having sex without a care in the world. She stood frozen, unable to utter a word, even though many thoughts were running through her mind. "Bruno?" Her voice, now almost lost, filled the room, putting a distraction between the two, as the gift box fell off her hands. He turned, a hint of surprise crossing his face before it hardened to something she could not place a hand on. "Alison, what are you doing here?" His voice came through, breaking her heart further. "What am I doing here?" she echoed, her voice rising with anger. "What are you doing here, Bruno? With her? Worst of all, it had to be on this special day of ours!" Bruno frowned, "what are you talking about? What's so special about today?" He asked, getting off the bed. Alison's gaze locked onto Bruno, her eyes burning with a pain that she had never felt before. "You don't know what I'm talking about? You don't know that this is our anniversary? Five years, Bruno, five years of marriage, and you choose to celebrate it with her? You chose to defile our matrimonial room with another woman?" He scoffed, his eyes cold. "Don't be ridiculous, Alison. This is my house, I can do what I want. Besides, there is nothing special about the wedding anniversary." "This is our house," she corrected, her voice filling the room. "And you call this 'doing what you want'? And then, you say you love me." Bruno's lips curled into a sneer. "Love? Do you think this is about love, Alison? This is about freedom, about doing what I want, when I want, with whomever I want. And when have I ever told you I love you, genuinely? Heck, those are facades for the public to not be skeptical." His words were like a dagger, plunged deeply into her heart. Although her marriage with Bruno was an arranged one, because her father could not pay his debt before he died, she didn't think it would get to this point. "You're a monster," she spat, clutching the fabric over her chest. "I'm a man who wants to live his life," he retorted, his voice cold and resounding. "And you, Alison, are a woman who is holding me back. Have some sense, will you? Why are you even so bothered when this marriage is just a disguise." Alison's heart ached, as she moved forward immediately, standing in front of the woman, whom she now recognized to be one of the employees working in the company. "You...how dare you?" She said, smacking her right cheek. She clutched her reddened cheek and looked down. "I.. I'm so—" Bruno, whose face was now filled with anger, grabbed Alison's arm tightly. "Alison, you've gone too far!" He pushed her away, causing her to hit her back hard on the wall. "Don't you dare touch her," he hissed. "You think you can just throw me away like a piece of trash? After five years of marriage, after everything we've been through, you think you can just walk away? You told me you married me, not because it was an arranged marriage, but because you were interested in me. What did I do wrong to you, Bruno? I tried my best to be a good wife, yet you don't ever appreciate it." He stood there, waiting patiently for her to finish ranting. Just as she was done, he looked at her in the eyes, and said, "It is over, Alison. We are done." Alison could feel her world-shattering as those words left his lips. "Wha.. what did you say?" She asked, trying to confirm if what she heard was true or maybe, she was only hallucinating. Bruno did not say a word, he turned to the table and picked up a large brow envelope. He moved closer to her as he shoved the envelope roughly into her hands. She looked down at it with tears in her eyes, as her voice became lower than a whisper. "What is this?" She asked, looking back at him. He leaned in on the table and shrugged. "Open it, will you?" She swallowed hard, not sure of what the envelope held inside. As she split it open, she brought out a white paper with words imprinted on it. The heading caught her attention, and she stepped back a little. "DIVORCE AGREEMENT" was its heading, and now she was sure that this was no joke. "Bruno, you can't just divorce me!" She said, unable to accept the reality of things. He scoffed, shaking his head. "Oh, I can. I can divorce you anytime I want to, and that's what I'm doing now." Tears fell from her eyes, and she replied, "Why? What did I do to you? I'm sure we can work it out—" "Stop making this seem hard, Alison. Sign those papers and be free. Isn't that what you have always wanted? To be free from a man like me; a monster as you call me." "When you said you were interested in me, was it a lie?" She asked, swallowing hard. "I never loved you, Alison. I was interested in your capability and what you had to offer to the company. Your father owed our family a huge debt, of course, you had to pay for it with your skill, and now that I no longer need your service, I'm done with you," he paused, picking up a pen. He stretched it over to her, "Alison, do yourself a favor and sign these god-damned papers!" He yelled, shoving a hand into his hair. The words hit her hard like a storm. She had been used and dumped. She looked at him, and a flash of all that had happened in the past few years rushed into her mind. She grabbed the pen from him and signed her name. "You want a divorce, here it is, Bruno Francisco."The moment she signed the papers, she turned her gaze to him, "Are you happy now, Bruno?""Happy?" he repeated flatly, a chuckle escaping his lips. "This isn’t about happiness, Alison. Let's stop lying to ourselves." She stared at him, her heart shattering into pieces. Without another word, Alison walked out of the room, unable to hold in anymore. She had no one else now, except her son and her mother. She headed to his room so they could leave since they no longer belonged to the Francisco's.When she pushed the door open, the room was eerily quiet. The bed did not look like it was even touched. It was still neatly arranged, unlike other times. Panic rose in her as she called out, "Theo? Sweetheart, are you hiding?"But the only thing that greeted her was the silence that followed her words.She hurried out of the room and found a maid, who was just about to enter the kitchen. "Where is Theo?" Alison asked, her voice tinged with desperation.The maid looked startled. "I haven’t s
The cold prison cell reminded her of how cruel the world was for the low-class people. For months, she had begged Bruno to allow her to see their son, and today was no different. She sat in the visitors’ room, her heart beating fast as Bruno entered with his mother.“Bruno, please,” she began, her voice hinting with desperation. “Let me see him. I just want to hold my son. Or at least, let me hear his voice.”Before Bruno could respond, his mother interrupted, her voice sharp, as always. “Absolutely not. I won’t let you traumatize the poor boy. He’s better off without a criminal like you. He needs to focus on Zurich. You can speak with him after you have served your jail term.”She clenched her fists, her glare piercing through the duo. “You will regret this,” she mouthed, her voice low, but filled with fury. “Both of you will.”Margaret laughed mockingly, the sound echoing in the room. “Regret it? What can you possibly do from prison? You will rot here. That is where you belong. Le
Four years had passed since she escaped the confines of the prison gates. With a strong desire for revenge, she fled to Germany. There, she rebuilt herself to become stronger and more powerful. Every time she thought to give up, she remembered how her son was taken away from her, her mother's death...Establishing her law firm had not been easy, but she proved herself by winning every case she handled and becoming the go-to lawyer for high-profile divorces and corporate disputes. Due to that, she became famous and known as the Queen of Justice.One evening, as she celebrated her latest win with her aunt, Megan, she finally made up her mind.“I’m ready to go back,” she said, her voice low.Megan set down her glass of wine, her eyes narrowing with concern. “Are you sure? You have built so much here. You’re safe, successful—”“It’s not enough,” she interrupted. “They took everything from me. My son. My mother. My dignity. I have waited long enough. It is time they pay for what they ha
Alison stopped in her tracks, looking back at Oscar.Her gaze on him was as though the answers lay written on his face."What’s in it for me?" she asked, "how do you plan to help me?""I can help you get your son back," Oscar had replied, his tone low, and desperate. "You just need to help me win this case. There is a lot more at stake than just the law. You could be the key, Ms. Harper. It's why you are the queen of justice."She had to get him back, no matter the cost. For all she knew, The Franciscos were not ready to hand over custody of her son to her, and now that she was fully established, she would use all means to get her son back."I understand your conflict. Here is my card, just in case you change your mind," he said, handing her a white card with his phone number and email address written on it.***After her encounter with Oscar, she had forgotten about his ordeal. Her focus was to get her son back; nothing else mattered.Just as she was thinking, her phone buzzed, and t
The moment she found out that Travis was the main client, she shook her head vigorously, already terminating the contract.She was not sure she could do this; having to see the same man that broke her heart...Out of anger and pain, she turned to leave, her heart thumping faster than usual, as the memories of their past together flowed in like a river.Just as she reached the door, he rushed forward and grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.“Alison, please,” he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation and frustration.“You can’t just walk away like this.”Alison pulled her arm away. She felt pain and anger towards him. He was someone she never wished to see, at least, not now. The pain of what he did in the past filled her heart and she felt disgusted by his sight. She just wanted to leave.“And why not? Do you think I’m just going to stay here and pretend like we are cool? You broke my heart, Travis. So, don't expect that I will help you."Travis ran a hand through his hair,
The moment she found out that Travis was the main client, she shook her head vigorously, already terminating the contract.She was not sure she could do this; having to see the same man that broke her heart...Out of anger and pain, she turned to leave, her heart thumping faster than usual, as the memories of their past together flowed in like a river.Just as she reached the door, he rushed forward and grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.“Alison, please,” he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation and frustration.“You can’t just walk away like this.”Alison pulled her arm away. She felt pain and anger towards him. He was someone she never wished to see, at least, not now. The pain of what he did in the past filled her heart and she felt disgusted by his sight. She just wanted to leave.“And why not? Do you think I’m just going to stay here and pretend like we are cool? You broke my heart, Travis. So, don't expect that I will help you."Travis ran a hand through his hair,
Alison stopped in her tracks, looking back at Oscar.Her gaze on him was as though the answers lay written on his face."What’s in it for me?" she asked, "how do you plan to help me?""I can help you get your son back," Oscar had replied, his tone low, and desperate. "You just need to help me win this case. There is a lot more at stake than just the law. You could be the key, Ms. Harper. It's why you are the queen of justice."She had to get him back, no matter the cost. For all she knew, The Franciscos were not ready to hand over custody of her son to her, and now that she was fully established, she would use all means to get her son back."I understand your conflict. Here is my card, just in case you change your mind," he said, handing her a white card with his phone number and email address written on it.***After her encounter with Oscar, she had forgotten about his ordeal. Her focus was to get her son back; nothing else mattered.Just as she was thinking, her phone buzzed, and t
Four years had passed since she escaped the confines of the prison gates. With a strong desire for revenge, she fled to Germany. There, she rebuilt herself to become stronger and more powerful. Every time she thought to give up, she remembered how her son was taken away from her, her mother's death...Establishing her law firm had not been easy, but she proved herself by winning every case she handled and becoming the go-to lawyer for high-profile divorces and corporate disputes. Due to that, she became famous and known as the Queen of Justice.One evening, as she celebrated her latest win with her aunt, Megan, she finally made up her mind.“I’m ready to go back,” she said, her voice low.Megan set down her glass of wine, her eyes narrowing with concern. “Are you sure? You have built so much here. You’re safe, successful—”“It’s not enough,” she interrupted. “They took everything from me. My son. My mother. My dignity. I have waited long enough. It is time they pay for what they ha
The cold prison cell reminded her of how cruel the world was for the low-class people. For months, she had begged Bruno to allow her to see their son, and today was no different. She sat in the visitors’ room, her heart beating fast as Bruno entered with his mother.“Bruno, please,” she began, her voice hinting with desperation. “Let me see him. I just want to hold my son. Or at least, let me hear his voice.”Before Bruno could respond, his mother interrupted, her voice sharp, as always. “Absolutely not. I won’t let you traumatize the poor boy. He’s better off without a criminal like you. He needs to focus on Zurich. You can speak with him after you have served your jail term.”She clenched her fists, her glare piercing through the duo. “You will regret this,” she mouthed, her voice low, but filled with fury. “Both of you will.”Margaret laughed mockingly, the sound echoing in the room. “Regret it? What can you possibly do from prison? You will rot here. That is where you belong. Le
The moment she signed the papers, she turned her gaze to him, "Are you happy now, Bruno?""Happy?" he repeated flatly, a chuckle escaping his lips. "This isn’t about happiness, Alison. Let's stop lying to ourselves." She stared at him, her heart shattering into pieces. Without another word, Alison walked out of the room, unable to hold in anymore. She had no one else now, except her son and her mother. She headed to his room so they could leave since they no longer belonged to the Francisco's.When she pushed the door open, the room was eerily quiet. The bed did not look like it was even touched. It was still neatly arranged, unlike other times. Panic rose in her as she called out, "Theo? Sweetheart, are you hiding?"But the only thing that greeted her was the silence that followed her words.She hurried out of the room and found a maid, who was just about to enter the kitchen. "Where is Theo?" Alison asked, her voice tinged with desperation.The maid looked startled. "I haven’t s
Alison had just left the shop, where she had bought a gift for her husband to celebrate their wedding anniversary.It was their fifth anniversary, and she wanted to surprise him.Her feet moved swiftly towards the room, unable to contain her joy.But just as she opened the door of their matrimonial room, she was greeted with the worst thing she could ever imagine.Bruno was in bed with another woman, having sex without a care in the world.She stood frozen, unable to utter a word, even though many thoughts were running through her mind."Bruno?" Her voice, now almost lost, filled the room, putting a distraction between the two, as the gift box fell off her hands.He turned, a hint of surprise crossing his face before it hardened to something she could not place a hand on. "Alison, what are you doing here?" His voice came through, breaking her heart further."What am I doing here?" she echoed, her voice rising with anger. "What are you doing here, Bruno? With her? Worst of all, it had