Divorce

Lillian's POV

I smiled as I looked at the simmering pot of buffalo stew, my husband's favourite, on the gas cooker, before donning a pair of oven mittens.

Opening the oven, I sighed blissfully as the delectable aroma of the chicken lasagna wafted into my nostrils.

I could only hope Stefano would be pleased with these dishes that I had specially made to break the news of my pregnancy to him.

Earlier today after a visit to the doctor, I found out that I was pregnant. I could already feel that our baby was going to be so loved, given how today was Valentine’s Day.

A day of love.

Three years ago at twenty one, I dropped out of culinary school and became Stefano's housewife to secure his investment in my father's company.

To say those three years had been hell for me, was probably putting it tame.

From the start of our union, both Stefano and his mother had given me little to no regard as his wife.

Doris, his mother, had repeatedly told me that I was just a placeholder for his true love.

Now that I was pregnant, I knew without doubts that Doris and Stefano would most definitely change their minds about me.

Stefano would stop hiding me and would start taking me to charity dinners and other social functions.

We would start sleeping on the same bed and in the same room, everyday, and not only when he was in need of a sexual release.

For the past three years, I had been mostly stuck within the four walls of Stefano's mansion. The only time he allowed me out was when I had to go to the grocery store.

I couldn't do as I liked or he'd threaten to dissolve the deal between his and my father's companies. I knew if that happened, my father would hate me forever and my stepmother would kill me.

Although being Stefano's wife came with various travails, I always reassured myself that I had it better.

He gave me a roof over my head in the one of the most exquisite mansions in the world.

But that's his responsibility and he never buys you things, a voice in my head unhelpfully supplied, and I pushed it down.

So what if the only thing Stefano had ever bought for me was my wedding ring, it wasn't as if I had places to go to that he would waste his money on clothes, jewelries, shoes, and the likes for me.

Now that I thought of it, he was even too busy with work and attending various seminars to have time for me.

And if he even asked me to accompany me to those charity dinners he usually attended, I would probably be lost in a gathering of business owners.

I understood him now.

Also, after I married Stefano, my relationship with my father and stepmother had tremendously improved.

For the first time in the fifteen years that I've known her, my stepmother had hugged me tightly on my wedding day.

They would also pay me visits at least once in a month, to see how I was coping at Stefano's place. I didn't want to lose all that affection, after I lost my mum to death's cold hands at infancy.

Even the thought of it, made my chest constrict with pressure.

No matter what happened, I had to stay married to Stefano because being his wife was the ticket to both my father and stepmother's love.

“It smells nice in here, Madam Lillian,” One of the maids, Beatrice, said, as she entered the kitchen. “Please don't forget to leave some for me. But do it secretly because I don't want to share your masterpiece with Rachel and the rest.”

“Don't worry, I made more than enough for everyone,” I beamed. “Also, I thought I told all of you to take the evening off yet here you are.”

“I just came over to check if you needed help,” Beatrice said, as I turned off the gas cooker. “Even though I knew you probably wouldn't because you are a wonder woman. How did you manage to make buffalo stew, lasagna and rotisserie chicken in just three hours?”

“Like you said, I'm wonder woman, so I performed wonders’’ I joked, and she laughed.

Beatrice was the closest thing I had to a confidant in the house, and she was the only person, who had asked if I was truly happy being Stefano's wife about a year ago.

The qestion had taken me aback and I had mulled over it for days, but somehow, I had found a way to convince myself that I was.

I mean I had an attractive and wealthy husband, who was yet to leave me for his ex-girlfriend who according to my mother-in-law, was the embodiment of perfection.

Thankfully after that day, Beatrice never asked me that question again.

Despite my protests, Beatrice assisted me with dishing the foods and taking them to the dining area, before heading back to the staff quarters.

I was about to go upstairs to take a shower and make myself look presentable, when Stefano strode into the house, his expression cold as always, with the butler, Gideon, carrying his briefcase and trailing behind him.

“You're back,” I said, mustering a smile in spite of the violent scudding of my heart. “Welcome. How was work?”

Stefano ignored my greeting, motioning Gideon to open his briefcase instead, which broke my heart even further, but I reassured myself that after I told him about my pregnancy, everything would become alright.

Retrieving a brown envelope from the briefcase, Stefano finally looked at me, his expression icier than the snow, causing me to inhale sharply.

“Have it,” He said, outstretching the envelope to me.

Inwardly wondering what the contents of the envelope was, I collected and opened it. My legs nearly buckled under the weight of my body when I saw a divorce agreement.

“My fiancée will be moving in before the week runs out but I'll give you the grace of today and tomorrow to leave my house.” Stefano barked, as I perused the divorce paper in disbelief.

Cold shivers raced down my spine at his declaration and for a moment, I was spellbound as the realization that his true love was back, dawned on me.

“Y-Your fiancée?” I stuttered. “But you have a wife. Me.”

“Do you really think of yourself as my wife?” Stefano hurled. “You are nothing but a lazy pest and a fucking liability.”

“I will start working then,” I said, instantly sinking to my knees. “I will do everything you ask of me but please not this. Don't leave me please.”

Several thoughts raced through my mind as I clung to Stefano's feet.

How in the world was I going to face my father and stepmother?

How was I going to even take care of a child all by myself with no money and no job?

How was I supposed to live without him, the love of my life by my side?

“My mind is made up,” Stefano spat. “Get your hands off me before I do something drastic.”

“No, you can't do this,” I continued like a broken record, shaking my head vehemently like a senile woman. “I won't let you do this. I will never sign those papers.”

“Don't do it and I will immediately withdraw my investment in your dad's company,” He said, and I instantly plucked my hands off his feet.

“How pathetic.” Stefano scoffed, before storming upstairs.

Darting me a sympathetic look and a shake of head, Gideon followed him, while I stared into space, wondering what would become of both me and the baby in my womb.