Fine, I’ll Sign the Papers

🌸Eden🌸

“To deliver this.”

She reached into her designer bag and pulled out an envelope. I was anxious as she placed it on the coffee table, right next to the divorce papers. I didn’t need to open it to know what it was—a check.

One hundred thousand dollars.

My stomach twisted.

“Sign the papers, Eden,” she said, her voice smooth but sharp. “And the money is yours.”

I stared at the check, disbelief and anger boiling inside me. “This has to be some kind of joke.”

“It’s not.” Nalani walked over to the couch, sitting on the armrest like she owned the place. Her eyes scanned the room as if she were inspecting her property. “You’ve had your time with him. But Liam and I… we belong together. Always have.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Belong together? Is that what you think?”

“Yes.” She leaned forward slightly, her voice soft but dripping with arrogance. “Liam met me long before he met you. We dated in high school. Life pulled us apart, but now I’m back. Sure, my first marriage didn’t work out, but this time, it’s right. Liam knows it. I know it.”

Her words hit me like a slap.

“We’re meant to be,” she continued. “It’s time for you to step aside. And just so you know….he needs me, more than I need him.”

I felt frozen for a moment, my mind struggling to process her boldness. She had the nerve to walk into my home, throw money at me, and tell me to leave my husband like I was disposable.

“This is insane,” I finally said, my voice trembling with anger. “My husband is the one for you?”

Nalani’s smile grew, smug and confident. “Yes. You were nothing more than a mistake, Eden. And you should know when it’s time to walk away.”

My hands curled into fists at my sides. Every part of me wanted to yell, to throw her out, to do anything to make her stop talking.

But instead, I stepped closer, looking her straight in the eye. “Get out.”

Nalani’s smile wavered for a moment before she stood, brushing imaginary dust off her expensive jacket. “Think about it,” she said, her tone calm and condescending. “One hundred thousand dollars. It’s a good deal, considering what little you’ve brought to Liam’s life.”

My chest burned with rage, but I didn’t let her see how much her words hurt.

She turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking against the floor like a countdown. “You have until the end of the week to sign the papers. After that, the offer’s off the table.”

And just like that, she was gone, leaving the door open behind her.

I stared at the check, the divorce papers, and the open door, my mind swirling with anger and pain.

One thing was certain.

I wasn’t giving up that easily.

As soon as she left, I grabbed my laptop.  I couldn’t just sit here, not after what she’d said. I needed to know who I was up against.

The name “Nalani Caspian” was everywhere. Her life was a polished masterpiece of success and privilege. Pictures of her attending high-profile events, cutting ribbons at charity galas, and standing beside political elites flooded the screen.

The Caspian family wasn’t just influential—they owned influence. Her father, Harold Caspian, wasn’t just a wealthy businessman; he was the man behind the scenes, pulling strings that shaped the entire country. If power was a currency, the Caspians had an endless supply.

I scrolled through articles about Nalani herself. She wasn’t just the daughter of power; she wielded it. The heiress of the Caspian Empire. She’d been married once to a real estate mogul, now divorced.

Meanwhile, I was… nothing. A failed chef. A woman who gave up her dreams to make a marriage work, only to be discarded when I was no longer convenient.

I felt a pang in my chest as i stared at a photo of Nalani and Liam at some gala, his hand resting lightly on her back. It wasn’t recent, but the familiarity between them was undeniable.

Anger bubbled beneath my skin. Was this why he’d been distant for so long? Had he been planning this all along while I was here, playing the dutiful wife, trying to hold us together?

I closed the laptop, my hands shaking. I couldn’t compete with Nalani. Her family, her connections, her polished image—it was a world I didn’t belong to.

But then, another thought crept in.

I had something she didn’t.

The life growing inside me.

Liam called me, his tone calm as if nothing had happened. “Let’s meet at The Sterling Lounge,” he said, naming one of the most expensive restaurants in the city.

I hesitated for a moment after he hung up. Just hours ago, his first love had come to my home to humiliate me, and now he wanted to talk? Still, I needed to hear what he had to say.

I grabbed my purse, slipping the divorce papers inside. Maybe this was my chance to finally get some clarity and start moving on.

Jessica gave me a small smile as I headed out the door. She didn’t ask where I was going, and I didn’t feel the need to explain.

As the cab drove through the city, I stared out the window, my thoughts a mix of pain and hope. Maybe it was time to let him go. To stop holding on to something that wasn’t mine anymore and focus on picking up the pieces of my life.

When I arrived, I saw Liam sitting at a table with Nalani by his side.

Was this supposed to be a meeting? Was he seriously introducing me to his mistress?

I sat down quietly, my heart heavy.

“Eden,” Liam began, his voice calm. “I hope you know why we’re here.”

Nalani cut him off with a sharp tone. “Oh, just tell her already.”

She looked straight at me, her words cold and deliberate. “I’m carrying Liam’s child, and we’re getting married as soon as possible.”

The words hit me hard, but I refused to show how much it hurt. I glanced at Liam, hoping for some sign of remorse, but he just stared at the table.

I stood slowly, clutching my purse. “You win,” I said softly. “I’ll sign the papers.”