002. Divorced. Now what?

The sound of the door closing behind Dan echoed through the house, and Chloe finally allowed herself to break. She sank onto the living room couch, her cane slipping from her grasp as the tears she had been holding back poured out.

She had loved Dan with every fibre of her being. Even after losing her sight, she had found hope in his presence, in the belief that he cared for her as deeply as she did for him.

But now, all that love felt like a cruel joke, a one-sided affair where she had been nothing more than a convenient pawn in his life. Three years... wasted on a man who only needed my blood.

The realization brought fresh waves of pain, and she buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs.

The room was silent, save for the soft ticking of the clock on the mantelpiece. Chloe could feel the cool air of the early evening brushing against her skin, but it did nothing to soothe the ache in her chest.

The house, which was once a place she thought of as her home, now felt like a prison—a place where she had been used and discarded.

How did it come to this? she wondered, her mind drifting back through the painful memories of her life with Dan. 

In the beginning, she had convinced herself that his coldness was just a phase, that the man she had fallen in love with was still there, somewhere beneath the surface.

But as time went on, it became harder to ignore the signs that he didn’t cherish her, that she was more of an obligation than a partner. I was so desperate for love, I ignored everything.

Her thoughts wandered further back, to a time before Dan, before her life had taken such a tragic turn. 

Chloe wasn’t always blind. Once, she was the proud daughter of the Greyson family, a name that commanded respect and wealth in Sun Crest City. She had grown up in luxury, with every need catered to, every desire fulfilled.

But all of that changed when she turned twenty. Rumors had spread like wildfire that Chloe wasn’t actually a Greyson by blood, that she had been swapped at birth with the real heiress, Nancy. 

The news shattered her world, turning her life upside down. Her supposed parents had wasted no time in discarding her, choosing to believe the rumors without question. 

Chloe was kicked out of the only home she had ever known, stripped of her title, her wealth, and her identity. Nancy, the true Greyson heiress, had reveled in Chloe’s downfall. She despised Chloe, not just because of the mix-up, but because of the life Chloe had lived in her place.

That hatred led to everything that followed, Chloe reflected, a shudder running through her. 

Just a day out of Greyson mansion, she was attacked by thugs and that’s how Dan came to be in her life.

"Sofia," she whispered, the name bitter on her lips. "Sofia, Sofia, Sofia."

She hated the way the name rolled off her tongue, and she hated the fact that her whole life had been shaped by a woman who was not even related to her, a woman who had once been the centre of Dan's world, who still held a part of his heart. I was never the one he loved. I was just a replacement, a tool.

Chloe sat in silence, her mind drifting back through the memories of her life with Dan, each one more painful than the last.

In the beginning, she had convinced herself that his coldness was just a phase, that the man she had fallen in love with was still there, somewhere beneath the surface.

But as time went on, it became harder to ignore the signs that he didn’t cherish her, that she was more of an obligation than a partner.

There were so many moments that she had dismissed, convincing herself that they didn’t mean anything, that she was overthinking.

Like the time she had suggested they go out for dinner, just the two of them, to celebrate their anniversary. “Why would we go out?” he had asked coldy. “You can’t even see the place. Let’s just eat at home.”

She had tried to argue, to explain that she wanted to feel normal, to experience life outside the walls of their house. But Dan had dismissed her concerns, telling her that it was too much of a hassle, that it was safer for her to stay inside.

At the time, Chloe had let it go, telling herself that he was just being practical.

But now, in the cold light of hindsight, she could see the truth—he had never wanted to be seen with her, never wanted to share the world with her.

Then there were the nights when he would come home late, reeking of alcohol and perfume. Chloe would lie in bed, her heart aching as she waited for him to join her, to at least say goodnight.

But Dan would always slip into the guest room without a word, leaving her alone in the darkness. She had told herself that he was just stressed, that he needed space, but deep down, she had known the truth—he was avoiding her, distancing himself from her as if she were a burden.

Even the smallest gestures, the ones she had once cherished, had become rare. He no longer touched her hand when they spoke, no longer brushed a kiss across her cheek when he left for work.

It was as if he had slowly erased her from his life, bit by bit, until she was nothing more than a ghost in their home.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she remembered the night he had returned from a business trip. She had been excited to see him, eager to tell him about the new audio book she was listening to, the one that had filled her lonely hours while he was away.

But when he walked through the door, he didn’t even acknowledge her.

He had walked straight past her, muttering something about being tired, and locked himself in his study for the rest of the night. She had sat in the living room for hours, waiting for him to come out, to show even a flicker of interest in her life.

But he never did.

“Why didn’t I see it sooner?” Chloe whispered to herself. “Why did I let him treat me like I didn’t matter?”

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Startled, Chloe quickly wiped her tears and straightened up, her heart pounding. Who’s there? she wondered, her senses on high alert.

There was a brief silence before a man spoke, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Sawyer.”

Chloe choked on her breath. She recognized the voice—Mr. Dorian, Dan's lawyer. She had heard him in the home a few times. What is he doing here?

“Dan isn't around,” she said immediately, her voice trembling with residual tears and anxiety.

“I’ve brought the divorce papers, Mrs. Sawyer,” he said in a cold, professional manner. "Mr. Sawyer told me to deliver them to you personally.”

Chloe felt a cold chill run down her spine. So quick? she thought, a sarcastic chuckle escaping her. That jerk couldn't wait. His sweetheart just woke up and now I'm disposable?

As Mr. Dorian approached, she heard paper rustling as he set the paperwork on the coffee table. “If you could sign here,” he continued, tapping the papers. “And here... and here.”

Chloe stared in the direction of his voice, her mind reeling. It was happening so fast—too fast. Just hours ago, she had been Dan’s wife, clinging to the fragile hope that their marriage could somehow be salvaged. 

Now, she was nothing more than a discarded piece of his life, someone he could toss aside the moment she was no longer useful.

Despite her wrath and hurt, something else made her heart ache even more. She loved him despite his lies and betrayal. That she could still care for someone who had treated her cruelly made her despise herself.

But the love she had for him was not something she could simply turn off. It was a part of her, as much as her blindness, as much as the memories of the life they had shared.

With a sigh, Chloe grabbed the pen from Mr. Dorian. Her fingers trembled as she located the dotted lines, her heart breaking with every stroke of the pen. 

Signing those papers felt like tearing out a piece of her soul, like closing the door on a part of her life that she had once believed would last forever.

When she was done, Chloe let the pen fall from her hand, her fingers brushing against the cold surface of the papers. “Is that all?” she whispered, her voice hollow.

“Yes, Miss Chloe,” Mr. Dorian replied in his usual polite tone. “I’ll take these back to Mr. Sawyer. You’ll receive your copy in the mail.”

Chloe nodded, though she felt numb, disconnected from the world around her. She could hear Mr. Dorian gathering up the papers, could sense him moving towards the door. 

But it all felt distant, like she was watching it happen to someone else.

“Thank you,” she muttered, though she wasn’t sure why she was thanking him. Maybe it’s just a habit, she thought. A way to maintain some semblance of dignity in the face of everything falling apart.

The next few days passed by without any event or drama. Dan never came home for once while Chloe packed her belongings, still trying to come up with a plan on where to go when she leaves.

One particular evening, Chloe was in the living room, listening to an audiobook, the only thing that kept her sane and offered company when suddenly, her phone rang. 

Startled, Chloe fumbled for the device with trembling hands.

“Unknown number," came the words of the call announcer installed in her phone.

Her heart pounded as she hesitated before answering. Who could this be? "Hello?"

"Chloe?" A male voice on the other end called, sounding relieved. "Oh Chloe, thank goodness. Finally, we found you!"

Chloe froze, wondering what this was all about. "Who... who is this?"

"It’s your brother, Adam!" the man said. "We’ve been looking for you for years all over Sun Crest City. Where are you now?”

Her mind raced. Brother? She had no idea she had any family, aside from the Hansons, who had treated her so badly. But... I thought…

"I'm so sorry we took this long, Chloe," Adam’s voice softened. "We’ve been searching for you for so long. And now we’ve found you. Please, let us bring you home."

"Home?" Chloe repeated, the word foreign and unfamiliar. What does home even mean anymore?

"The Westbrook Mansion in Sun Crest City. Just tell me where you are, and we’ll come get you. I’ll explain everything once I come for you," Adam replied quickly.

The reality of the situation began to sink in. I have a family—a real family. "I’m in Sawyer Estates." Her voice trembled slightly.

“We’ll be there soon, Chloe. Just pack your things and hang on."

When the call ended, Chloe sat in stunned silence. Everything had changed in an instant. A swirl of emotions surged within her—shock, disbelief, and the tiniest flicker of hope. 

She had a family, people who had been searching for her, who wanted her. The emptiness that had consumed her for so long began to lift, just a little.

She stood up abruptly, her mind made up. It was better to be anywhere else than here, she thought with newfound determination.

Within minutes, she was pushing her already packed suitcase. She stood in the living room, taking one final breath, before she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside.

A moment later, the door opened, and Chloe froze, her heart skipping a beat as she heard the unmistakable voice of Dan. The warmth she had felt just moments ago, the sense of hope and newfound purpose, was abruptly replaced by a cold wave of dread.

"I didn’t expect you to still be here,” Dan remarked scornfully, his deep voice making Chloe’s stomach churn. He’s already brought her here, hasn’t he?