004

Lisa got home later that night, still wallowing in her misery. Her heart might be heavy but she already made her decision —vacating the marriage for good and going back to her normal life again.

Lisa has never felt so lost in her life before; the situation at hand was more overwhelming than she could imagine. She didn't get what she what in the end neither did she ever enjoy her marriage —not even for once!

As she packed few of her belongings into her luggage, fresh tears stream down her face; she had thought she is strong enough to overcome anything but the truth is she isn't. Just when she was about the zip her luggage, her eyes caught glimpse of her wedding photo, hung on the wall.

In the photo, she and Alex were both smiling, looking happy and content. But as she looked at the photo now, all she could see was the lie that it represented and realized how much she has used that lie to convince herself for long!

She was at the verge of ripping the photo off the wall and throw it into the trash, not wanting to be reminded of what she had lost but she managed to control herself —this was the only evidence left that tells she was once a married woman!

Was it better to end the marriage and move on, or to try and salvage what was left? What if there was still a chance for her and Alex to work things out, to find a way to make their marriage work? But as she thought about this, she realized that she wasn't sure if she even wanted to try.

The betrayal she had felt, the pain she had endured, it was all too much. After all, for couple of months, she has endured more than enough which might start affecting her mental health soon —she would rather have her mental health safe than try saving a marriage that's more like a ship sinking violently at the middle of an ocean.

She thought about how she had tried to make the marriage work, even when Alex's behavior was making it impossible. She had tried to be understanding, to be patient, to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But in the end, it had all been for nothing. She realized that she had been holding on to a false hope, a hope that was based on a lie. And she was tired of being lied to, tired of being used.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the memories of her short-lived marriage. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of the images that were flashing through her mind. The images were like a movie playing on repeat, and she couldn't escape them which keep her wondering if she was really doing the right thing.

At this most desperate moment for her, she could have called Andy and ask for his opinion but she already know his answer. “The best thing for you is to divorce that perverted jerk, Lisa...” that has always been his advice anyway!

Lisa has never thought she would vacate the marriage with such a heavy heart, she had always thought she'll leave someday on her own accord but things had turn out in a way she would never had imagined!

To start with, Alex wasn't the type of man she had dreamed to be married to; he was nowhere near her preference aside him being rich. If it wasn't for her mission, she would never had give in to Mrs. Williams’ request no matter the amount she was being offered.

Clearing the sicked thoughts off her mind, she picked up the divorce papers resting on the dressing table alongside with the pen beside it. Two months after their marriage, Alex had thrown the papers to her face and coldly requested her signature.

“...If you know what is the best for you, woman, sign this divorce papers. If not, I can't guarantee you a peaceful life cause you won't have one as long as we are still together...” It wasn't a threat, Alex did make her stay with him a living hell and she could never had imagined anything worse than it.

The divorce papers idea had first came up when Alex and Lisa had a misunderstanding about the restriction of the other maids in the house in answering to Lisa's calls and need. Alex told the maids that Lisa isn't any different from them —his mother just cherished her the most.

The probability of Alex and Lisa divorce that day was quite huge but fortunately or maybe unfortunately, Alex's mother was around to settle the dispute. Not that her presence and interjection did change Alex's gross behavior but it did prevent the divorce from happening that day.

—since then, Lisa had been keeping the papers carefully with the thought that she would change Alex soon and give her marriage a positive aura but it all turn out to be nothing but lies!

As Lisa picked up the divorce papers, she realized that she was shaking. She tried to steady her hand as she picked up the pen, but it was no use. Her hand was trembling, and she could barely hold the pen steady.

But she knew that she had to do this, she had to take the bull by its horn and end this marriage once and for all. She signed her name where needed, a name that she no longer felt like it belonged to her; all thanks to Alex!

After signing the divorce papers, she dropped it at its initial position —the dressing table gift she has been keeping for Alex for quite a long time; whatever is in the wrapped box worth more than a million dollars! And as she set the pen down, she felt a sense of finality, like a door was closing on a chapter of her life.

Lisa picked up her phone and did some pressing on it before placing it on her left ears. In a split seconds, the look on her face had changed and her eyes were void without a going of emotion in it.

"I'm now divorced, Sergei." She uttered in a cold voice that she almost forgot the sound of it and how much chill its capable to send down one's spine. "Prepare my position and be sure to announce it —I'm resuming my duty as the owner of the company tomorrow!"

With that, she dropped the call and proceed to walk out of the building she had once try hard to make her home. ‘The Williams mansion’ is now a place of the best for her —a place she would never be stepping foot in it again!