Divorce Paper

"Sit."

Christen sat on a small sofa in the living room upon Forrest’s insistence, curious and worried about what it was he wanted to talk to her about. She may not know what the topic will be about, but for some reason, something in her told her that it wasn’t anything good. Especially not with the tone he had used earlier.

“Okay. What did you want to talk about?” she hesitantly asked, deciding to put her trust her husband. In the one man who accepted her as a person.

Forrest let out a sigh at the question, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You know… I was actually hoping I would think of something to say this in a lighter tone, but in the end, it has to be blunt,” he spoke, bringing upon more worries to his wife. “Firstly, I want to be sure of one thing. Christen. Do you love me, truly?”

Christen became more worried than she was confused by the sudden inquiry. Her dislike at the situation steadily growing. “Of course I love you. So much, I’d do anything for you. I have always supported you for so long, Forrest. Surely, you know that. Right?” she carefully answered.

“Good. Then this will be quick,” Forrest then said, taking out something from his person, and placed it on the table in front of her. The sight of it left her speechless, as her eyes widened in sheer bafflement.

“What… is this?” she asked, her hands trembling as she stared at the document on the table between them.

“What else does it look like?” he coldly answered. “I already filled out my part of the agreement. Fill out your part, and I’ll deliver it to the office first thing in the morning.”

Christen couldn’t believe her ears at the response. Neither could she believe her eyes at the sight of the form placed before her; the Divorce Paper.

She didn’t want to believe it. For after all, why? Why now did he decide to bring this up? When she had tried so hard to prove her love for him. To win his heart just as he had done to her’s. When he showed no interest in other women. Sure, he has rarely ever been home since their marriage, but was that truly reason enough to call for a divorce? Did she do something that displeased him? Something she was not aware of?

Most of all, why...? Why have this conversation on the day of their wedding anniversary?

“If this is supposed to be a joke, it is a terrible one,” Christen said, wanting to cling onto the small bit of hope she still had for her husband.

“I believe I did not stutter or laugh,” Forrest retorted, making her lose her hope. “Get that signed. The sooner we get this done, the better. Same for when you pack up your belongings.”

That last part most especially shocked her. “‘Pack up’? What do you mean by that? Why should I pack up?”

“What do you mean ‘why’?” he simply retorted. “I only bought this house so you can keep that housewife role you seem to enjoy so much. Once we’re done with things here- once you get your part of that paper signed- there will be no need for you to stay here. Nor will there be a need for me to keep this small, useless place any longer.”

Words cannot express what Christen was feeling after hearing her own husband say such things. ‘Useless’? When this was their home? Granted, it was just a small house very easy on the money for him, but for him to just toss it aside so easily?! How could he do that?!

“How could you say that?! This… This is our house!” she demanded.

“It’s not a ‘house’. Not when we had been living in the life of riches. Or at least, I was, and have always been,” Forrest denied, shocking her at the last part, which did not go unnoticed by him. “You didn't think I had truly been so busy these past three years that I would not retire to a comfortable living space, did you? This place may as well be a shack compared to the house I do live in. As for you… I had thought your siblings were only saying such things about you to stop the marriage from happening, but as it would turn out, they were right. You truly are a disappointment. You, the youngest daughter of McGuire Lighting- a large electric company that would’ve fallen into ruin had it not been for me- are unfit to be anywhere.”

Christen couldn’t believe the words that came out of his mouth. Words that he has never said to her before. Even if they were not any ordinary couple, at the very least, he had always treated her with even the smallest form of respect. He never once said the very same words her own family had often say about her.

“What are you waiting for? Just sign the agreement form, and we can be done with this act,” Forrest demanded.

“Wait, please. If we really do go through with this, my family… They’ll disown me,” Christen pleaded. While it may sound like some weak attempt to get him to change his mind, and nothing more than an assumption on her part, Christen knew her family long enough. If they find out about the divorce, they will definitely disown her.

Sadly for her, Forrest did not seem to buy that, as he shook his head and said, “For what reason would anyone have to disown a child? Certainly not because they got divorced. Besides, you’re a big girl, aren’t you? Since you seem to like to slave yourself away, I’m sure anyone would like to hire you.”

Christen shook her head at his assumption. Hire the useless youngest daughter of McGuire Lighting? No one would want her. Why else would her parents try to sell her off instead of just honestly trying to find a potential marriage partner for her?

“Forrest… Please. Can’t we talk about this?” she asked then. “Why now? Why are you asking for a divorce?”

Forrest was not amused with the constant questions, as he scoffed at her. “I don’t see why I have to answer that to you. We may have been married, and yes, I took you out on various company outings and parties, but when have we ever really acted like a real couple? Last I remember, I never did any of such thing with you.”

The more words that leaves his mouth, the more shocked Christen was getting. At the same time, though, she couldn’t say anything to refute to his claim. Not once did they act like a loving couple. And though they were married, aside from any business gatherings that included family or lovers, Forrest never spared even a second with her. And the rare times when he actually made it home? It was so late into the night, Christen was asleep by then. There was a time when she tried to stay awake and wait for him, greet him upon his return, but she fell asleep at some point, and woke up to a written message stating for her to not wait for him.

Christen knew Forrest may be right about them not being a real couple, despite their marriage, but she had hoped he had even the slightest of care for her. He may have been indifferent, but he never treated her horribly like everyone else in her life did. So why…?

Before she could ask him once again for his reason for this sudden divorce, the doorbell suddenly rung.

“I didn’t order anything,” Forrest neutrally said, turning to the door with a raised brow.

Wanting a bit of time to recollect herself first, Christen got up and walked to the front. Like Forrest, she also didn’t make any order for deliveries. Given the very little connection she had with others, she wasn’t expecting any sort of visitors. Thought there were usually advertisers in the area, there was never one who approached her house. Most likely because it was one that belonged to one of the world’s most powerful billionaire. She highly doubted it was her family at the door, as she hadn’t even spoken to them since the wedding.

Once she arrived at the door, Christen shook off her worries and opened it, where she laid eyes on a beautiful woman with wavy light brown hair and kind blue eyes, wearing a yellow, sexy dress that hugged her curved body so.

'Wow... Who is this beautiful woman?' she wondered, shocked to see such a person in the neighborhood. At the same time, though, she couldn't help feel something familiar about her.

Shocked as she was, she was more baffled by the words that soon came out of the visitor's mouth.

“Hello. Is Forrest Riverdale here?”