1: Divorce

Kiara's pov

I was covered in flour, focused on making Nicholas's favorite cake for his birthday, when he walked into the kitchen. I didn't hear him at first, too wrapped up in wanting everything to be perfect. It had been a while since we'd spent a real evening together.

He was always going on business trips and barely even had the time for me, his wife. Even on his birthday, he promised me he wouldn't go to work, until I woke up without seeing him by my side.

I fought back my tears and made up my mind to bake him a cake after I told my maid to leave the kitchen for me.

I just wanted to impress my husband.

“Nicholas, you're back early!” I called out, smiling, my hands busy whisking the icing. But he didn't smile back. He didn't even look at me like he usually did. He just stood there, his eyes fixed, as if he was somewhere else.

That was when I noticed the folder in his hands.

My heart started to beat fast as I dropped the whisker and moved closer to him. “Is everything okay?”

“Kiara, I need you to sign this.” The coldness in his eyes deepened as he spoke. He placed the folder on the counter without even looking at me.

Confused, I reached for it and picked it open. And then I saw it, in bold letters at the top of the page: Divorce Agreement.

I felt the air rush out of my lungs, my hands started shaking as I skimmed the paper, seeing my name, his name…everything I thought was ours, shattered on a single piece of paper.

“Nicholas,” I whispered, feeling tears sting my eyes. “Is this some kind of joke?”

He didn't flinch, he didn't move. “I'm serious, Kiara. Sign it.”

Sign it? Just like that? My heart thudded in my chest.

“I don't understand. Why? We're happy…aren't we?” I said in a cracked voice. Tears began to slowly stream down my cheeks.

“Things change.” He said, his jaw hardening. “Sarah's back.”

The name hit me like a punch. It was as if my entire being was being struck by lightning.

Sarah, his high school love. I had heard the stories, seen her picture once, but she was from his past and I was his present. Or so I thought.

“She…has my son,” He said, his voice softer this time, as if that would make any of this hurt less. “I didn't know. She only just told me.”

A son. I am done for. Nicholas had a child with Sarah and I didn't know all these while?

My breathing was fast, coming out in harsh gasps as I tried to make sense of everything.

The words sunk in slowly, each one twisting deeper than the last. I looked at the cake I'd spent hours making, now meaningless, and back to the man who was promised me forever.

Three years of marriage wasted? All because of Sarah? This can't be happening.

“So you're leaving me?” I managed, my voice shaking. “Throwing everything we have because…she came back?”

“It's the right thing to do.” He said, as if it were that simple.

I clenched my hands into fists, barely holding back the anger that burned inside of me. “Is there no turning back?”

“Kiara…” His face softened and he pulled me closer, holding my waist.

“Nicholas, tell me. Is there no turning back?” I asked again, looking into his ocean-blue eyes which was the most captivating thing about him.

It was these eyes I first noticed when we met three years ago at his dad's office. I remembered the day like it was yesterday.

Yes, I am an orphan.

I worked my ass to go to college and get a good degree. Afterwards, my first job application was at his dad's company. He was yet to be the successor at that time, and I was just a girl trying to get a job.

After getting the job, we got along and became love birds, and on my 21st birthday, he proposed.

“There's no turning back, Kiara.” He whispered into my ears, brushing his face off mine.

I was about to lose the love of my life. The only person who truly understood and cared for me.

“Nicholas, please.” I sobbed, feeling his right hand moving up to my chest.

What was he trying to do?

“I love you, Kiara.” He whispered, unbuttoning my shirt.

How could he say he loves me and divorce me?

Was I just some cheap girl to him?

“Stop, Nicholas. Let me sign the papers.” I said, pushing him off me.

I'd rather sign the papers than having him touch me one last time.

“You're my wife! And I have the right to do whatever I want with you!” His eyes turned cold, as he moved closer to me, grabbing my jaw.

“You think I'll just let you go without doing this once more? Hell no. You have to pleasure me before signing the papers.”

I winced in pain, he was way stronger than I was even if I tried to yank him off. He forced his lips into mine and I kicked his manhood, next came a muffled sound from him.

His eyes were burning like inferno crystals. I screamed for help as he regained his composure and ran toward me.

“Madam!” Agnes, my maid, called from behind, I could tell Nicholas was embarrassed as he heard her voice.

“Please don't hurt her, sir.” She walked toward me, inspecting if I was fine.

I shot Nicholas a stern look and grabbed the pen, forcing myself to sign the papers. I felt every stroke of the pen as if it were tearing through my chest.

“There, it is done.” I said, pushing the paper back to him.

He glared at me furiously and took it, then turned to leave without another word.

“Madam, are you okay?” Agnes broke into tears, as she held my hands.

Agnes was the only person I always talked to and confided in. Even though she was old enough to be my mother, we were literally best friends. She taught me a lot of things, she was there for me when Nicholas wasn't.

Nicholas just made me his housewife and wouldn't let me work. “I'm fine, Agnes. Thank you for everything you've done for me.” I said, tears breaking through my eyes.

I packed my things and left Nicholas's house with nothing less than fifty dollars in my account. I had nothing. No friends, no money.

All because I loved him, I lived like a caged bird in his mansion, having everything I wanted, but never free.

As I was about to cross the road, with a lot of thoughts flooding my mind, a car suddenly hit me, the last thing I heard was yelling.

Everything went black.