001

Almyra’s POV

“We need to talk”.

Xavier sighed before asking so calmly, “What is it now? If it’s money…”

“I want a divorce, Xavier.”

I could almost hear a pin drop, but in a flash, his cutlery hit the plate; just like I expected, he was about to continue eating like he didn’t hear me, so I repeated, “I want a divorce.”

His eyes tried holding mine, but I looked away; I didn’t trust myself, especially with him.

“Why?”

“Lately, I have been faithful in sending your daily upkeep.”

There he goes again; of all things to ask, it had to be money he pinpointed.

Without waiting for his permission, I opened the envelope containing the divorce papers and signed it before pushing it over him.

“I want nothing from you, not your money or properties, Xavier,” I reassured, promising myself that the tears threatening to fall didn’t.

He glanced at the paper before scoffing, “You are serious?”

“Yes, you can hasten this up and sign. Before you return from work, I will leave your house.”

He glanced through once again, frowning. “You have got to be kidding me, Almyra. Where would you go?”

Anywhere but here.

“You have nowhere to go”.

I scoffed if only he knew. “This isn’t any of your business, Xavier.”

"How long have you been planning this huh?" he asjed throwing the papers.

What the hell is this going to?

"Kitara and Mom were right about you all along! so this is your plan, so the media could go around dragging me for abandoning my wife with nothing?” he accused me, and I couldn’t believe I had held on to the hope of being loved by him.

“Abandoning your wife?”

“So, you do know I’m your wife?” I added before bursting into laughter, ignoring the tears that had dropped alongside it.

“Just a week ago, I had an accident, and where was my husband? On TV with his late brother’s wife!”

“You said it was nothing, so why mention it now? Kitara means nothing to me, so what are you bringing that up?” He sounded so calm while I struggled to control my emotions.

‘Nothing? I almost died!’ I wanted to scream at him, but there was no need… I was done with whatever was left of our sham marriage.

“You don’t get it; you think everything is about your stupid ass money; if perhaps she had called you…you would leave instantly, but I did, and all you could do was offer to pay my bills?” I asked as more angry tears dropped.

“Kitara was sick was your excuse, and without asking me what happened and perhaps how I was feeling or, better yet, still coming to see me, you had ended the call and sent the money!”

He dabbed his mouth, but I could sense his anger eradicating from his glare.

“You treat her that way, but your wife has been your deposit account for years, and now I want an out. Do you think it’s better to argue?”

“I’m sorry,” Xavier sighed; I knew better.

He didn’t mean it…

“Let’s discuss this when I get back,” he coldly responded, adding, “I have no idea what this is about, but you seem to have forgotten that this was a marriage of convenience.”

I didn’t forget.

“We made a mistake; you got pregnant, and due to the media, I had to marry you to save both of us the disgrace.”

No, he married me to save his name and when I lost the child, he realized that I wasn't useful.

“Even after the reason behind our marriage was lost, I did you a favor by feeding and housing you so you don’t get to wake up and opt-out.”

“Xavier, you can’t do that!”

“Watch me, I dare you.” Without sparing me another glance, he walked out.

“Xavier!” I stood up to go after him, but his car pulling out of the driveway stopped me. All I could do was fall on my knees and cry.

I cried for the last three years of my life. I had wasted waiting for a man who didn’t value me.

If he loved her so much, why not marry her and put me out of my misery?

It was funny because I was sure this would be a perfect love story from the start, and dam, was I so wrong.

Xavier was a cold-hearted son of a bitch that wanted me just for keeps, or maybe he just enjoyed seeing me under his grasp.

It was amusing, especially knowing that I could leave anytime and he wouldn’t have any access to me. His belief that I was nobody and had no one gave him this control, and I let him because I did love him and held unto memeories that were better off forgotten.

“You made a mistake, and I won’t throw you out, but you can’t expect this to make us any closer than we already are. Mourn your child another way; I can’t offer that comfort.” That was what my so-called husband had told me on the night I had lost our child, and I longed for his comfort, but he had run into her arms... Kitara's arms.

That night, I had night terrors over and over again.

The tears were never-ending as I cried for the child I never met, the one I had lost because of my carelessness.

I don’t know how long I had sat on the floor crying, but my phone ringing pulled me out of my reverie.

It was Malum.

“Happy birthday to the one I love the most in the wide world,” he sang, and I held back the tears from dripping while struggling to control my breath so he wouldn’t suspect.

“Are you okay, Al?” he asked, and I said yes, controlling the urge to cry out to my best friend.

“I doubt if you are. Do you want me to come over?”

“Malum, what do you think Xavier would think when THE MALUM RIVERS comes asking after his wife?” I jokingly asked with a sad chuckle.

“He doesn’t even know he is married to The Almyra…”

“Malum!” I warned while standing up from the ground where I had sat crying.

The day I chose Xavier, I put everything aside, including my family.

My brothers all believed that Xavier had only accepted to marry me because of our child and pity because he thought I had no one.

I thought we had something! Or I could build something. The night we met, I thought there was a connection, I had held on desperately to that man but now, I could see that he was long gone.

Xavier, though the most eligible man, was in love with his late brother’s wife and saw me only as a release button or deposit box.

Just when I was about to tell Malum of my plans to leave, Xaviercalled.

“I will call you back”.

“Be ready before six, Ben will come pick you up,” he coldly said, and without saying anything, he ended the call.

It took me all the restraint I had not to scream. Could it be that maybe he didn’t want me to leave?

Or could he remember that he didn’t wish me a happy birthday and wanted to start from there?

One certain thing was that he never called me, and his calling me after I announced my desire for a divorce spoke volumes.

Maybe... I didn’t need to leave anymore.

I spent the whole day contemplating and about thirty minutes early, I was ready.. not wanting to test fate. To make things spicy, I had put on the dress I had worn the day we met, but upon sliding into a parked car, a frown greeted my face. He wasn’t there.

“Mr Farrell was coming home with me when he got a call he tagged as urgent.”

Kitara.

“He did say I should tell you that he promised, and you should wait for him.” I smiled sadly and nodded.

“You look beautiful, though; happy birthday, ma,” A sad chuckle escaped my lips as I thanked him. Even my driver knew, but he didn’t.

I shut my eyes before praying, as this was the last chance I would give Xavier to prove himself.

The empire I left behind was already calling to me.

I sat down in my reserved seat and shrugged off the waitress who approached me, telling her that my husband was on his way there.

“Excuse me, ma’am, are you ready to make an order now?”

“I am sorry…” I cleared my throat in embarrassment before whispering, “It is my birthday, and my husband promised to come.” unconsciously, my eyes turned to stare at the door as I added, “He would soon be here…he promised”.

“It is all right, madam… I will leave you now.”

A big part of me knew he would come up with another excuse, but deep down, I hoped that maybe, for once, Xavier wouldn’t treat me like I didn’t matter to him, even if it was just for today. He never had, not once.

I loved him despite our relationship being built on a one-night stand gone wrong. The only reason he had proposed marriage was long gone, and I had been living in denial, refusing to accept it.

As time passed, so did my nerves rise; I couldn’t stop staring at my phone now and then,

The stares I received from the servers were unmistakable, and my face was starting to burn with shame and embarrassment.

My phone pinged, and my heart skipped a beat as I saw his name on the screen. But it was another excuse: ‘Kitara fell ill, and I had to fly her out in a hurry. I know you aren’t at the restaurant, so I sent you money to buy whatever you want.’

I immediately called, and he answered, “What is it?”

“Xavier, you promised, and I already…”

“I will transfer the amount immediately! Kitara needs me now”.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I realized I had been waiting for nothing, yet again.

It was time to face the truth—I deserved so much better than this. I deserved to be loved, respected, and cherished. And I wasn’t going to find that with Xavier.

Of all people, it had to be her. Even if it was just for today, I couldn’t have my husband to myself.

A tear slipped down my cheek as another message popped up — an alert for a transfer of $500,000, slightly higher than usual.

I don’t know who gave him the mentality that marriage was all about money.

Who was I kidding? I was supposed to be his wife, not his deposit box, but that’s undoubtedly what I had become — a means for him to deposit his guilt and a reminder that I was nothing more than a transaction to him.

I felt anger wash over me as I thought about Kitara. Not only that, but I had tried to convince myself that she was just his late brother’s wife, but deep down, I knew the truth. Xavier’s priorities were clear, and I was not at the top of the list.

Not caring, I let the tears flow as my subconscious recalled the warnings I had ignored from my brothers and the consequences of my marriage to Xavier.

Just as I stood up to leave, a familiar face appeared before me — dressed in a waiter’s attire, likely as a disguise to avoid drawing my bodyguards’ attention.

It took all my resolve not to jump into his arms.

“Happy birthday to you,” Malum, dressed up in a waiter's cloth, began singing with a sad smile, and to my surprise, the remaining staff joined in, presenting me with a cake.

‘Happy birthday to me,’ I whispered, blowing out the candles with a solo tear dripping down my cheek.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I knew that his small act came with great risk, but at that moment, I felt a sense of hope and connection that I had been missing for so long.

“We have something for you,” the waiter said, his eyes locked on mine with an unreadable expression.

What was he even thinking about attempting a stunt like this?

“You didn’t have to…” The staff handed me the gifts, and upon my request, the cake was shared among everyone.

It took me a while to realize that the restaurant had been empty when the waiter approached me.

After thanking them, I headed home.

“Do you mind me asking, ma’am?” I heard Ben asking, pulling me out of my reverie.

“No, everything okay?”

“I don’t think the boss knew it was your birthday today, Mrs. Farrell,” he said, eyeing the gifts in the back seat.

I shrugged, my gaze fixed on the expensive presents. “Maybe we could...” I started to say but then stopped myself. What was the point?

“He shouldn’t know then,” I cut him short, my voice laced with sarcasm. I couldn’t remember when Xavier had dropped everything for me, but he always seemed to find time for Kitara.

Just then, my phone dinged, and my heart sank.

The message from an unknown number made my blood run cold. It was a photo of Xavier lying on top of Kitara, who was grinning from ear to ear.

The text read: “Happy Birthday, Almyra! Guess where Mr. Farrell is right now?”