The divorce

Three years later

Cherry’s POV

It’s been three years since I had gotten married . I would be celebrating my third anniversary the next day. I was excited and could not just wait for my husband to come from work. My whole day had been drain from making preparations for the anniversary ceremony. But I was sure I knew Leonard was in love with me and cared about the ceremony.

Suddenly, My husband’s personal assistant knocked on the door while I was trying to handling the preparation .

“Alice, Go and open the door,” I ordered one of my maids.

“Good evening ma’am,” Kenneth greeted me.

“How are you?” I exchanged greetings.

“I am fine ma’am”He replied

“ What’s with the meeting today? How is my husband ?”I asked.

“He is fine ma’am. He sent me to give you these documents .” While seeing my husband’s secretary, I was guessing my husband had sent my anniversary gift.

I guess the documents might be for a building or land but nothing was indicated on the documents. I wondered what my husband would have given me for our third anniversary because he gave me a car for our second anniversary.

“Okay, ma’am. I would like to take my leave now, If you may excuse me.”

“Okay goodbye,” I said as he headed to the door. I sat down to check what the document contained. I was shocked by what I saw.

“What?”I screamed.

”What does Leonard think he is doing? One of my maids came in rushing to see why I shouted.“Ma’am, I hope there is no problem at all?” She asked.

”No, no problem,” I said trying to comport myself.

“You can go back to what you are doing it’s nothing,” I said trying to cover up what I was feeling.

“A divorce?” I whispered .

Why would Leonard ask for such? But I thought he loved me. He promised me heaven and earth. After six months of our contract marriage , we both fell in love deeply with each other. I thought the contract marriage was like a ship for our destinies to meet. I thought we were both destined to be.

“Or was I not good enough?”I said to myself as my hands shivered as I held the divorce paper. I checked the documents again to see if I was seeing them properly because I did not remember any time that I and my husband had ever had any disagreement.

Why will he ask for a divorce? The divorce paper already had his signature on. Did I do anything wrong? At that instant, I did not know what to do. I quickly went upstairs to get my phone in the bedroom. I dialed his number severally, but he was not picking up.

I remembered after all, that he was coming home that day, so there was no need to call him. It was best to talk to him face-to-face in this kind of situation that I had found myself.Five hours later, I was already feeling uncomfortable and impatient.

I took off my phone and sent him a text saying; “Leonard, why have you not been picking up my phone calls? Please I need to see you urgently.”

After sending the message, I heard a familiar car horn and then realized it was my husband‘s. Leonard is a very busy man, he does not stay at home quite often. He’s always going from one business trip to another.

“Thank goodness, just thinking of the devil,” I said. I waited for Leonard to come into the bedroom.

“Welcome back, Leonard,” I said with a serious face.

“Have you seen the document I sent you?” he said without greeting me back from his three-weeks business trip.

“Leonard, what is this?”I asked as I grabbed the documents with my right hand.

“A divorce! Why would you ask for something like this? Have I offended you in any way? Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary and you are offering me a divorce paper. Is this a prank or What?”

“Cherry, it is what is it. As you can see on the paper, I have already written my signature and it is best you sign this paper on time, to finalize the divorce procedure on time. “

I was surprised after he said that without emotions. He was so cold. But why would you want a divorce? Why do you choose to embarrass me when you know our wedding anniversary is just tomorrow? What do you think people would say? I asked with disappointed eyes.

“Let them say whatever they want to say,” he said trying to unloose his shirt button and change his dress.”As for why I want a divorce, I guess I just fell out of love for you. You know just like how you drink too much water, after a while you get tired.

I have never seen Leonard speak to me in that cold manner after five months that we got married. He had always been kind, loving, and caring for me. He may not always be around to show me more affection but he makes sure that he spends more of his leisure time with me.

I had had a little crush on him back then when I still used to work as his Secretary. But the crush was not like love like that. I guess I can just say I liked his charming looks.

After leaving together as husband and wife during our fake marriage contract after five month, Leonard started developing feelings for me. He became possessive and obsessed with me. His cold nature started to diminish anytime he was with me. He became so affectionate and polite with me.

From that time, he never treated me as less or inferior to him. After he had shown me his loving nature, he asked me out. He wanted our fake marriage to become real.

After he had given me his proposal of a serious relationship; I declined it at first because that was not what I had bargained for. I did not have a deep feelings for him but later within some time the feelings I had for him grew stronger.

I also started having feelings for him and then we got into a relationship. This happened within the one-year contract marriage . We continued to live as real husbands and wives during those period.

I just continued to go with the flow as the relationship started getting sweeter. I never for once asked him why he wanted the contract marriage.

As he was asking me for a divorce right now, I started wondering to myself;” Did this guy love me in the past two and a half years of getting married? Or am I delusional?”

Leonard was every girl's dream man.Every woman of high caliber wanted him but he decided to choose me from all of them, a nerd Secretary.”Or was he just using me as a plaything?”I reasoned within myself.

”No I can’t be put to shame like this!” I thought to myself that if the media found out the billionaire CEO of the Alphonso construction company was getting a divorce, the blame would be shifted on me. People would call me a gold digger and am not one to be like that.

Not even considering what people might say, I still love my Leonard and I didn’t want to lose him. I could not stand watching him be with someone else and because of this, I would have to decline to sign the divorce paper.

“No, Leonard! I am not signing any divorce paper whether you like it or not.” I protested.

”I can’t lose my marriage for anything. I would stand still and make sure my marriage is protected. I am not getting any divorce.”

“You think you would have this easy. You had better sign the divorce paper before the end of tomorrow.”My mouth was wide open after he had said that. He tried to walk out on me after changing his clothes and then turned his back before heading to the door.

“Oww! And before I forget, I hope you know that tomorrow is Mathew’s birthday. I would not want any of my friends to know that I am getting a divorce now .You would have to follow me to his birthday party and keep your f**king mouth shut. Understood?”he said authoritatively.

“Really?Your friend’s birthday party. Is that what is important to you right now? What of tomorrow, which is our wedding anniversary.”I kept my gaze on him as tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Urghh…?” he heaves.

”You must be kidding me.”He nodded and walked out of me.