Chapter 6 : Shattered, Signed And Sealed

Chapter 6

Candice’s POV

Joshua’s laugh sent a surge of anger coursing through my veins. It wasn’t just the sound—it was the blatant mockery, the complete lack of remorse. Without thinking, I grabbed the divorce contract and threw it at him.

The papers fluttered in the air before landing against his chest. “There!” I spat, my voice trembling with fury. “I’ve already signed it. All you need to do is sign, and we’re done. You can live happily ever after with your bastard child and your lying mistress!”

For the first time, his smug expression faltered. He caught the papers midair, his brows knitting together in mild surprise. “You’re serious?” he asked, as if the concept was unfathomable to him.

“Dead serious,” I replied, crossing my arms. “Once you sign, you’ll never have to see me again. That should make you happy, right?”

His lips curled into a sneer, and the flicker of hesitation in his eyes vanished. “Fine,” he said, his voice icy. “But don’t think for a second you’re getting anything out of this. No property, no money. Nothing. You leave with what you came with: nothing.”

I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “Property? Money? Joshua, you’ve never given me anything to begin with. I paid for the rent, the bills, even your goddamn groceries. I don’t need a penny from you. All I want are my clothes and my freedom. You can keep the rest of your trash.”

His jaw tightened, and his grip on the papers grew white-knuckled. “You’re going to regret this,” he hissed.

“No, Joshua,” I shot back, my voice firm. “The only regret I have is wasting years of my life on you.”

As I turned on my heel to head to the bedroom, I couldn’t resist one last parting shot. “And don’t you dare come crawling to me for help when everything falls apart. Because I’ll watch you suffer before I lift a finger.”

Joshua’s laugh was colder this time, “Help? From someone who can’t even do the one thing a woman’s supposed to do? Don’t make me laugh, Candice. I’ll never need anything from you, especially not a barren woman like you.”

The words hit like a slap,. I wanted to scream the truth in his face, to tell him I wasn’t barren, that I was pregnant. That it was his fault we never had children, not mine. He was the one who couldn’t give me a family.

But I swallowed the urge. No, he didn’t deserve to know. Let him believe his lies. Let him rot in his ignorance. He’d find out the truth someday, and by then, it would be too late.

I stormed into the bedroom and closed. the door behind and I began parking my clothes in silence, each item shoved into the suitcase with a force that made my arms ache.

I was done and I came downstairs , dragging the suitcase behind me, Violet was waiting. Her arms were crossed, and her lips curled into that signature smirk that made me want to slap her.

“Hold on,” she said, stepping in front of me. “I need to check your suitcase.”

I blinked, incredulous. “Excuse me?”

She shrugged, feigning innocence. “Just making sure you’re not stealing anything that doesn’t belong to you. You know, like Joshua.”

My grip on the suitcase tightened. “Get out of my way, Violet.”

She didn’t budge. Instead, she reached for the suitcase, and in the scuffle, the zipper burst open. Clothes spilled onto the floor, scattering across the living room.

Violet’s laugh echoed through the house. “Seriously?” she sneered, nudging a pair of my jeans with her foot. “This is what you’re so protective of? A bunch of cheap, ugly clothes? Honestly, Candice, it’s all garbage. I don’t know why you’re even bothering.”

I dropped to my knees, hastily gathering my things. My hands trembled as I stuffed them back into the suitcase, ignoring the sting of her words.

“Aw, don’t cry,” Violet cooed mockingly. “If you’re nice, maybe I’ll let you keep your precious rags.”

She kicked the suitcase, sending it sliding toward the door. “Oops,” she said with a fake smile. “Guess you’ll have to pick that up outside.”

I glared up at her, my vision blurred with unshed tears. “You’re vile, Violet,” I said, my voice shaking.

“And you’re pathetic,” she shot back, her smirk widening.

I grabbed the suitcase and marched to the door.

Just as I stepped outside, a drop of rain struck my forehead, cold and sharp. I clenched my jaw, tilting my head up at the dark clouds above.

“Not now,” I muttered, my voice tight with frustration.

Then the sky opened.

The rain came down in heavy sheets, soaking me instantly. My hair stuck to my face, my clothes clung to my skin, and the suitcase handle grew slippery under my grip. I pulled it forward, only for the wheels to sink into the mud.

I let out a ragged breath and tugged harder. Nothing.

The suitcase tipped, sending my clothes spilling onto the wet pavement.

A hollow laugh bubbled up from my throat. “Of course,” I whispered bitterly, staring at the drenched mess before me. “Why not?”

A sharp, mocking laugh rang out behind me.

“Wow,” Violet drawled, stepping onto the porch, completely dry as she watched me struggle in the storm. “This is just sad.”

I clenched my fists, ignoring her.

“You really thought you could just walk away from this, didn’t you?” she sneered. “Like some noble, wronged woman who gets to keep her pride? Face it, Candice, you’re a joke. No husband, no money, no family to back you up. Just a washed-up, barren woman who couldn’t even keep a man that never loved her to begin with.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Violet smirked, stepping closer, her voice like poison. “Did you honestly believe Joshua ever wanted you? Please. He pitied you. That’s why he married you. And even then, you weren’t enough. You were just the boring, lifeless wife keeping his bed warm until someone better came along. And guess what?” She leaned in, her lips curling in amusement. “I came along.”

The words sliced through me.

“Look at you,” she continued, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Crawling in the mud like the worthless thing you are. No one is coming for you, Candice. No one cares. You don’t even have a place to go, do you? Pathetic.”

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. My hands shook as I reached for my clothes, my fingers curling into the wet fabric.

Violet laughed again, stepping back under the porch’s cover. “Enjoy your new life, Candice. Oh, wait—you don’t have one.”

She turned on her heel and disappeared inside, slamming the door behind her.

I sat frozen, rain pouring down, mixing with the hot tears I could no longer hold back.

No one was here for me. No one was coming to help.

A shuddering breath left my lips, my body trembling from the cold

I lowered my head, my hands falling limp against the soaked ground.

Lightning flashed in the distance, and I froze at the sudden crack of thunder. “Oh, great! Just great!” I shouted at the sky, my voice breaking. “Why don’t you just strike me down while you’re at it?”

The rain didn’t answer, of course. It just kept falling, relentless and cold, as I sat there on my knees, soaked and shivering. My fingers trembled as I reached for another piece of clothing, but my hands were too numb to grip it properly.

“Forget it,” I whispered, dropping my hands to my sides. “Just… forget it.”

I hung my head, letting the rain hammer down on me, as hot tears mixed with the cold drops on my face until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

But then, just as I was about to give up entirely, the rain stopped.

No… it hadn’t stopped. I could still hear it pounding all around me. But above me, it was dry.

I blinked, confused, and looked up. A large black umbrella hovered over me.