Chapter 3.

“Are you okay?” Brie whispered from behind me. We stood at the entrance of the courthouse, where Kelvin was waiting inside with his lawyer.

It had been a week since I found him cheating, and today we were getting divorced. Mr. Adams worked fast, and that was the reason why I had kept him as my lawyer. He made sure Kelvin was not able to refuse signing the divorce letter.

Kelvin had tried multiple times to contact me, but I didn’t answer his calls. I didn’t need to hear excuses. Nothing would ever excuse cheating in my books.

“Lucy?” Brie called again, and I turned to her. I had gotten lost in my thoughts. It had become a common occurrence in the past week.

“Are you okay?” She asked again. Her voice was soft as she spoke. It was as though she was afraid of saying something that would make me angry. I was not proud of it, but I had lashed out a lot these past few weeks.

I was lucky to have Brie with me. She never got angry, even with my mood swings, and was always there for me no matter what.

“I’m not, but this is the only and best decision,” I told her before entering the courthouse. Mr. Adams was waiting by the door.

“It’s not too late to change your mind. I know you still love him,” she whispered.

She was right. I still loved Kelvin. It wasn’t easy to unlove someone in an instant, but what he did was unforgivable in my books. It may not be to someone else, but it was to me, and the weight of his mistakes weighed more than the love I felt.

“Right now, the hurt I feel is more than the love. If I don’t divorce him, I will always look at him as the man who cheated on me. I will never trust him again, and I will always question everything he does. This is better than an inevitable toxic marriage.”

This was it. Five years all down this drain with just a sign of papers. It’s not your fault. I tried to tell myself, but Stephanie’s words still hung at the back of my mind like a part of me.

My gaze met that of Kelvin's, who stood at the other end of the courtroom with his lawyer. His eyes had dark circles under them as a storm of regret brewed in their depths.

Out of instinct, I took a step towards him to ask if he was fine and had been sleeping before the cold reminder of the judge clearing his voice slapped me with a harsh dose of reality.

“Lucy, please,” he began, the same words that made my skin blaze with fury. I wanted more than Lucy, please, but he seemed unable to do that, so I raised my hand to stop him.

“I don’t want to hear it, Kelvin." I said it with my voice as firm as I could make it. I didn’t want to hear him list out all the reasons why I was the one who made him invite another woman into our bed. “There is nothing you can say to make me change my mind."

Kelvin’s face held shock, like he didn’t know me, but that should be me. He wasn’t the one I married. Kelvin’s mouth opened and closed without another word. I’m sure he had rehearsed the lines he wanted to say that would have made me change my mind, but I wasn’t going to give him that chance.

“Lucy, I...” He started again.

“You what? Sorry? Didn't mean it? Made a mistake?” My laughter was bitter as it echoed off the high ceilings of the courthouse. “Sorry and regret would never change what you did.”

“I’m not saying it changes things, but...” He fumbled over his words, but I wasn’t listening, so I turned to the judge.

“I’m ready to sign,” I told the man, who had been quietly watching.

The judge called us forward, and the decree was read. I had been clear about what I wanted. Nothing. I didn’t want anything from him, and even though he had offered to give me the house, I refused.

I would take nothing that would remind me of the failed marriage and my time with him except my baby.

“Are you both satisfied with the terms?” The judge asked when he was done reading the agreement.

"Yes,” I answered immediately.

“And you, Mr. Carter?” The judge asked when Kelvin didn’t provide an answer.

“Anything she says” He replied miserably, and I scoffed but didn’t turn to look at him. If he thought acting pitiful would change my mind, he hadn’t even started.

“The proper documents have been signed and all requirements fulfilled. With that, I declare this marriage dissolved." The judge closed the case and walked out of the courtroom.

The silence was deafening afterwards. I waited for the liberating freedom I thought I was going to feel, but I felt nothing.

“Are you okay?” Brie asked quietly. It seemed to be the only question she asked me these days.

“I will be." I replied with a small smile. “Let’s leave this place.”

I stood up and began to make my way out of the courtroom when I felt a hand suddenly dart out to stop me. I recoiled from the familiar touch and slapped the hand away.

“Don’t touch me." I hissed, and Kelvin’s hand fell to his side, defeated. “Don’t you dare lay a hand on me."

“Don’t do this. It's been five years, Lucy. You can’t let it all go to waste.” He tried again.

I stepped up to him, poking a finger in his chest painfully. “You did that, Kelvin. You took the five years we’ve spent as partners and stepped on it like it was trash. You threw what we had to the wind, and I’ve decided to let you be with the woman you love, so don’t try to act like I am the one who destroyed our marriage.”

“That’s not what I meant. I ...”

“I don’t want to know what you meant. I just want you out of my life.” I warned and turned away.

On a second thought, I turned to him to make a promise: “Be prepared, Kelvin. This isn’t the end. You will pay for this. For breaking my heart."