C3 - Divorce Grounds.

"Divorce?" Atty Baltazar repeated her words as if it was the most unbelievable word ever.

"Yes, Atty., divorce," she confirmed.

"Mrs. Villareal," he leaned back on his chair and looked at her intently, like he was wondering what the hell she was thinking. She met the old lawyer's gaze. She needed to show him that she was being serious. She had thought about it for several months and was able to convince herself that it was the right thing to do. She knew she could also convince Atty. Baltazar if he saw the determination in her eyes.

"Mrs. Villareal," he said again. He clasped his hands on top of his glass table before continuing. "Do you even understand what you’re saying?"

She stopped herself from raising an eyebrow. Did she look like she did not understand what she wanted to happen? Her? The Lara Andrade, who graduated summa cum laude just this past month?

What she wanted was really simple -- divorce her absentee and overly mysterious husband!

Did she need to prove to him that she understood every letter of the word divorce? Atty. Baltazar won't ask her to define it for him, right?

"I know, Atty.," she answered gently and respectfully. "And I also know that you know that I have solid grounds to present." She added confidently. "First of all, he wasn't even there at our wedding. Second, I haven't been with him, seen him or even heard his voice in the last five years." She would have even added that their marriage was not consummated, but she stopped herself. It was embarrassing to even mention that and she never looked forward to that either. All she ever wanted was his presence.

Lara tried to keep her voice void of any resentment while saying the reasons she wanted to use as grounds for divorce. It hurts to admit it, but on their wedding day, his assistant came to tell her that her groom had flown to another country. He was just given the marriage certificate already signed by Migo which she had to sign and voila, the wedding pushed through with only her present.

Yes, just her. Nobody cared about the ceremony. How was that even valid? Lara didn't know. All she knew was that it was registered and she became Mrs. Villareal. 

However, she never used Migo's last name. She didn't even tell Chester and Tasya that she had been married to her guardian on her eighteenth birthday.

It's embarrassing. It was a great shame that she got married without the presence of her groom.

"Mrs. Villareal," Atty. Baltazar took a deep breath.  "How can you prove everything that you mentioned?"

"Atty., you were there. You’re my witness, together with Uncle George and Auntie Rosette. All of you can testify that Migo was not present on our wedding day," she insisted.

"I work for your husband, Mrs. Villareal. I suppose George and Rosette's loyalty also belongs to him."

She was dumbfounded.  So, did that mean no one would confirm Migo's absence at their wedding?

"You were saying that you have not been with your husband for five years, Mrs. Villareal. I have here on my record that Mr. Villareal has gone home five times since you got married."

She was surprised that she even stood up from her seat. "Atty., I am the one who lives in our house and I tell you, Migo never came home. To tell you the truth, I have not seen him since I was seven! I'm twenty-three now, Atty.!"

"Just because you didn't see him doesn't mean he didn't come home. Well, if you want proof, just review your CCTVs at home. I can give you the time stamp, Mrs. Villareal."

She was speechless. Was there really any proof?

"Your husband knew this time would come. So, he made sure he had an answer to the grounds you would file. Anyway, I will still draft the divorce papers per your request and I will mention it to Mr. Villareal."

"Thanks, Atty.," she said softly. 

She almost knew that nothing would happen to her divorce request. But she still took the timestamp he’s referring to. She will check if it was true. She couldn’t be fooled easily. She’s not even sure if their CCTVs are working.

"I'll update you, Mrs. Villareal."

She was very annoyed when she left the lawyer's office. She couldn’t understand why Migo would have to make her a Villareal that way. He could have just adopted her to be his child. After all, she could pass as his daughter anyway, if it was possible for a twelve-year-old boy to get someone pregnant.

How she wished that he had just adopted her! That way she was not stuck in a marriage that she couldn't even figure out how it became binding and legal!

Ah, the wonders money can do!

_____

Pissed, Lara decided to meet with Chester and Tasya instead of going home. She couldn’t tell them her problem though, because they didn’t know that she was already married. 

For starters, she never wore her ring, no matter how grand and expensive it may be. She would never appreciate that it was a sign that she was a married woman and especially because Migo just gave it to her through his assistant.

Second, she opted not to use Migo’s last name. Why would she? Besides, it was not required for married women to use their husband’s family name. So, she took advantage of that. 

So, her friends didn’t have any idea that she was already married, unless it would slip out of her own mouth. So, because she couldn't tell them the reason why she was so pissed, she just said she wanted to spend her guardian's billions. 

She would just treat them randomly. 

But in reality, Lara’s lifestyle was not extravagant. She almost hadn't touched her allowance from Migo. So, she already had huge savings. 

Even so, she wasn’t thinking that it was her own money. Even though legally, everything that Migo has also belongs to her. 

"What’s the occasion, Señorita?" Chester was the first to arrive at the club.

Lara was not a club person. But Chester and Tasya are. Majority wins, so she was always the one adjusting to their preference. She was going there even if she felt disgusted with everything that she saw inside.

Not because they were frequenting a high-end bar, the sin was also high class. A sin is a sin. The same as the ones committed inside an average or lower class bar.  And heaven’s tolerance level was not greater for rich people.

"Nothing," her voice had a hint of irritation.

"That’s exactly why I love you, Señorita! You treat us even without reason! You’re really one of a kind!” Chester immediately ordered his drinks.

Lara doesn’t drink alcohol, so she would settle with juice. The bartender already knew that. So, it would just be served to her automatically whenever she and her friends go there.

"Where the heck is Anastacia again?" Chester asked, emptying his glass of hard drink in almost one gulp.

"Traffic.” She rolled her eyes when she noticed that Chester was already eyeing a beautiful girl not far from them.  "Chester, I am warning you, you’re going to pay for your own drinks if you dare leave me alone here!”

"Don’t be jealous!" He teased her. "I won’t look again!" He returned his full attention to her. "What is really the reason for this meeting? Do you know that I cancelled my plans just to be here with you?”

"Me too. I’m supposed to have a meeting tonight,” Tasya interrupted from behind them. "Sorry guys, I'm late!" She kissed her and Chester’s cheeks. 

Tasya was sporting a club goer outfit. A short black leather dress that hugged every curve of her body. So much for saying that she had to cancel a meeting for her. It was not obvious in any way. If not, she looked prepared.

Tasya and Chester were managing their respective family businesses right after graduation. So, right after graduation, they were already busy. Lara, on the other hand, was still waiting for Migo’s instructions.

But it was a shame to her credentials to just stay at her husband’s house. So, she decided to just divorce him and look for a job.

She could live alone. She would prove to Miguel that she could live without him.

"So, what really is the matter?" Tasya asked. She had also already placed an order.

"Nothing! I just wanted to waste money," she answered, sipping her juice.

"Who pissed you this time, Señorita?" Chester insisted. "You’re just treating us whenever you’re in a bad mood.”

"When do you plan to get married?" She asked out of the blue. Her friends both choked from their drinks.

"Wait, are you getting married, Lara?" Tasya asked after coughing violently. 

She wanted to tell her that no, she was getting a divorce.

She shook her head and was about to say something, but Chester beat her to it.

"Why are we talking about marriage? We're just twenty-three, Lara. I’ll get married when I’m already forty!"

Lara sighed.

"Does Mr Villareal want you to get married already, Lara?" Tasya further asked, there was concern in her voice.

"No, someone was just asking me what grounds could be the basis for divorce.”

"Oh, now, it’s divorce!" Chester exclaimed. "That’s why I don’t want to get married now, or else, it will just end in divorce!”

"Then don’t get married!" Tasya rolled her eyes at Chester.

Lara just shooed Chester away. He wasn’t helping anyway. Chester was happy to leave them though. He approached the chic he noticed a while ago.

"One day, we will just take him out of here forcefully before someone beats him to death. He’s approaching just anyone without caution," Tasya said while shaking her head. “What if that girl has a boyfriend around?”

"Let him be. Maybe he needs to experience that to learn his lesson,” she answered without care.

"Hmn, so, what's your problem again, Lara?"

Lara tried to tell Tasya without mentioning that it was her who needed advice. 

In the end, she didn’t get anything from Tasya because she started flirting with the man who sat beside them at the bar counter. 

Lara sighed. She should’ve just met them somewhere else.

She suddenly wanted to get wasted. She heaved a sigh. But before she could order any alcohol, her phone rang.

It was Uncle George who was calling… She declined the call and just sent him a text that she was somewhere noisy. 

The old man replied at once. 'Come home, Miss Lara. Mr. Villareal wants to have a word with you…'

It was a short message, but Lara felt like she was burned in the bum.

Miguel was fast to react to her divorce issue. But was it really about that, so he wanted to talk to her? Atty. Baltazar was old, he couldn't have drafted the papers and sent them to Migo at once, right? 

It's barely two hours ago. Was that really the reason?

Wait, did he say he wanted to talk to her? 

Will they talk? How? Did he come home? Or would he call her?

She tensed and felt butterflies in her stomach as she looked around to find her friends. She quickly bid them goodbye after that. They didn’t even protest that she was leaving them because they were both already busy. Good thing that she didn’t need to explain.

Lara booked herself a ride. She didn’t want to drive, so she refused to learn even though they had a lot of cars that she could use. To add, she also didn’t want a driver and act like a boss. 

Lara and Uncle George had already fought about it many times. The old man said he was the one being scolded by Miguel. Her guardian slash husband wanted to make sure she was always safe.

Safe? If he really wanted her to be safe, he should've shown himself to her! Didn't he say he would protect her? 

Instead of getting pissed with her thoughts, Lara thought of things she would want to tell Migo. She needed to convince him to let her go. 

She was tired of living like his prisoner for more than two-thirds of her life. That feeling of knowing she couldn't do everything she wanted because she needed to ask for his permission first? She hadn't been living a normal life because all she ever wanted was to please him so he would show himself to her. 

But all was in vain!

When she got home, Uncle George told her that Migo would call to talk to her.

She couldn’t believe it. It’s a call! Would Miguel call her? After sixteen years, she would be hearing his voice again! 

Lara felt like there was a parade inside her chest. Her heartbeat was like drum rolls, it was too loud, she could barely hear anything else! She even felt like she could no longer breathe.

When the phone rang beside her, she felt like her heart was already in her throat.

"Mr. Villareal. Yes, Sir. She is here," Uncle George picked up the call and passed it to her.

Lara's hand was shaking when she accepted the device. She pressed it against her ear while almost not breathing. 

"H-hello?" She stuttered. 

"Lara."

Miguel Villareal's enigmatic voice filled her ears. Her brain cells dried up and she forgot to speak for the next whole minute.