The Hidden Heir

Leah’s eyes welled with tears, and even though her heart was breaking, she said, “Open it.”

Reluctantly, Derek picked up the document and opened it.

Immediately, his eyes widened in surprise, the cold facade momentarily cracking.

His expression shifted from surprise to a mix of shock and realization, baffled by how she knew about his concerns with the prenuptial clause.

“You don’t have to worry about your money, I won’t take a single cent of it. It’s all yours. After all, it’s what you said, right? This house, the company, everything you achieved, you did solely by yourself, so it’ll only be greedy of me to want something that isn’t mine, something I did not contribute to.” Leah said, her voice cracking under the weight of emotions.

Derek was perplexed when he heard the tone of her voice, and even more confused why she was suddenly asking for a divorce.

He could hear the hurt laced in them, and his heart ached at how much pain he was causing her. Even when he could see the disappointment in Leah’s gaze, he would not do anything to stop her.

Though this was not how he wanted things to end between them, this was his opportunity to take the easy way out.

He needed someone different, someone better, someone who matched his status and could help him achieve more in his professional life and build a strong status and Leah was not just that person.

Still, he asked, “Why? Why do you want this?”

At that moment, Leah could see a trace of hope, almost as if he still wanted her, but it quickly faded away.

Maybe if he hadn’t said those words with another woman holding on to him so tightly, she would have wanted him back. But as painful as this was, it was clear that if she stayed, she was just going to become the other woman in her marriage.

Her voice trembled with a mix of pain and resolve, “I can’t do this anymore Derek. It’s clear you have already made your choice, so I won’t get in your way again. I’ve given everything to this marriage and it’s still not enough. I’m still not enough. Go ahead and have everything you want with her. I won’t fight for you anymore.”

“Here’s your phone. You dropped it when you were rushing to her side.” Leah dropped the phone on the couch, grabbed her suitcase, and walked away from him.

The whole time, Chantelle stood with a triumphant look on her face, watching everything unfold with an air of pride just as she wanted, and even though Leah’s heart burned with rage, she still wanted to leave with her dignity.

Her heart was heavy with the weight of a love that had become pain and torture. As she walked out of the house that she’d called home for three years, knowing she’d never return, tears streamed down her face. She never thought she’d be leaving this way. She quickly wiped away the tears from her face, refusing to break down. Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone and called her assistant, Melanie.

“Leah?” Melanie’s voice crackled with surprise, her tone laced with concern.

“Is everything okay, Ms. Grant?”

Leah’s throat tightened as she fought back the tears.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can you send the driver to pick me up? I think my marriage is just over.”

“Over?” Melanie asked, surprised.

“What happened? Did he cheat on you?!” Her voice suddenly hardened.

“No,” Leah’s chest tightened at the thought, but she shook her head, her voice soft but full of pain, “He just wanted someone better.”

“Someone better?” Melanie interjected, her voice a mix of disbelief and confusion.

“Who the hell could be better than you? Who could be better than the first daughter and heir of the Grant family?”