05

2 years later…

Her eyelids gently trembled, responding to the caress of the cool morning breeze that delicately kissed her exposed skin, while a quilt modestly concealed the other half of her body.

Her eyes struggled to open, but her other senses were acutely aware. Outside the window, a chorus of cheerful birdsong filled the air, signaling the arrival of a new day.

The subtle fragrance of a familiar male cologne lingered in the room, intertwining with the soft, fresh breeze that gently swept over her skin, causing delightful goosebumps to rise.

Her heart seemed to have a mind of its own, beating rapidly in response to the presence of someone she knew well. Slowly, the fog of sleep lifted, and her brain began to register her surroundings. As her vision cleared, memories of the previous night flooded back - wild memories of passion and connection shared with her ex-husband.

She realized that the coming days would be filled with difficult decisions and emotional challenges, but for now, she took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the morning, the serenade of the birds, and the fragrance that held memories of love.

How did that happen?

When? Why?

She mentally slapped herself but then she could not  hide the contentment she felt as if she was complete now, she could not  stop but felt happy again.

Why does she feel like she's falling in love all over again?

For a brief moment, she felt a sense of calm and tranquility, enjoying the comforting cocoon of her bedsheets. However, the peaceful atmosphere shattered when he entered the room.

He walked into the bedroom, emerging from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets glistening on his toned, tanned skin. His wet, dark hair accentuated the rugged handsomeness that defined him.

As he moved, the scent of his freshly applied cologne filled the air, instantly permeating the entire environment with its alluring fragrance.

She could not  help but smile at the sight of him, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her like a cozy embrace. Nestling on the bed, she curled up like a contented kitten, savoring the moment as she watched him with admiration.

His cold eyes locked onto hers, and the weight of his words was enough to crush the little dream she had been holding onto.

"I see you are still the bitch you were back then."

The hurt in her heart was palpable, and she struggled to find the right words to defend herself. But he did not  seem to care about her feelings as he continued, "A desperate woman like you, who can sleep with her ex-husband, can not  imagine being around any man."

Her vulnerability turned into a mix of anger and sadness. She wanted to explain that the night they spent together was an attempt to find closure, but she knew it would be futile. He had already made up his mind, and there was no room for understanding or empathy.

'How can he do this to me?' she thought

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her strength and wrapped herself in a robe, refusing to let his hurtful words break her spirit. "I won't let you define who I am," she declared, her voice shaky yet determined.

She sat up in bed, her expression a mix of discomfort and indignation, pulling the sheet up to her breasts for a semblance of modesty.

"I did the right thing by divorcing you." A cold smile crossed his face as he looked into her sad eyes. "How much do you charge for one night?"

The callousness of his words stung, but she refused to show him the pain he was causing her.

He walked over to the side table, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the tense silence. With an air of arrogance, he picked up his wallet, almost as if he were calculating the price of their past intimacy.

She felt a mixture of anger and sadness bubbling within her. How could he reduce their shared moments to such a heartless question? The wounds of their failed marriage were still fresh, and his callous remark only deepened them.

He took out a wad of bills from his wallet and carelessly tossed them onto the bed beside her. "Here!" he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "Take an extra $500 for old time's sake."

The sight of the money resting on the bed sent a surge of mixed emotions through her. It felt like an insult, as if he were trying to put a price on their past, on their shared memories, and on her dignity.

Her heart sank, feeling anger and sadness at his callous gesture. She had hoped for some understanding or remorse from him, but instead, he seemed intent on further demeaning her and their time together.

She had always promised herself never to cry in front of her husband, believing that showing vulnerability was a sign of weakness. But what he said now shattered her soul beyond repair.

The pain in his trembling body and the emptiness in her hollow eyes spoke volumes of the agony they both felt at that very moment.

She instinctively wrapped the sheet around herself, as if to shield her wounded spirit from his callous gesture of throwing money at her. With tears threatening to escape her eyes from her, she mustered the strength to walk away from the bed and the money that represented everything she refused to accept.

In a shaky voice, she managed to say, "Sorry." It was not an apology for anything she had done, but rather an acknowledgment of the deep hurt that now hung heavy in the air between them.

### 01 

"Your Honor, I would like to advise that this is the fifth time that Mr. Mason Ali has not  appeared at the divorce hearing. He deliberately harassed my client, Ms. Allora Noor, by postponing the hearing," said Thomas, Allora's attorney.

"I object, sir. Mr. Ali is experiencing serious health problems that require him to attend the hospital and stay for treatment," argued the opposing lawyer.

"So, Mr. Nathan is saying that since the day he filed for divorce from my client, he is not  well or out of town. My lord, for two years, Mr. Ali has not  attended any court hearing, and he is not  even answering my client's calls, while my client, Mrs. Allora, never missed a single court appearance, despite her demanding career," Thomas countered.

The courtroom was full of new lawyers or interns who wanted to learn the art of live courtroom debating.

"I would say again that Mr. Ali is deliberately delaying the session as he has no valid reason to divorce my client, and she may sue him for mental harassment."

"Mr. Mason, this is the last time I am adjourning the hearing. Next session, I want your client to attend, unless he is on a ventilator," laughed the crowd, hearing the sarcasm in the judge's words.

"Sir, on behalf of my client, I request that the next hearing be held after 2 months. By then, he would recover and appear in court without fail."

"Request granted. The next hearing on the case will begin after the break," with that, the judge adjourns the hearing.

Allora left the courtroom along with her lawyer.

"Mrs. Allora, have you tried to speak with your husband again?" Thomas asked as he dug through the file his assistant had given him for review.

"Yes, but now it says the number is invalid. He is no longer using that number," replied Allora, heartbroken, realizing that there was no way to reach Mason, and it had been more than 2 years since that fateful day.

"Do not  worry, this time the judge has given the ultimatum. The case is now in our favor, plus he does not  have a valid reason for divorce," Thomas assured in his professional tone.

"Fine, thank you very much. I will get your leave now. I need to get to the office," with that, Allora broke away.

Boarding a passing taxi, Allora lost herself in the past. As she reminisced about the role, a lone tear escaped her eye.

"Why, Mason? What did I do to you? You left me when I was vulnerable and needed you the most," she cried inwardly.

The taxi driver gave her a sympathetic look in the rearview mirror.

She was brought out of her thoughts when her mother called to her.

"No, Mom, again, he did not  come," she quickly hid her sadness and spoke as if she did not  care.

"God only knows what that guy is doing. He does not  speak directly to you or go to the hearing. It seems like he's punishing you for no reason," she could hear her mother complain on the other end of the phone.

"Thomas assured me that the case is in our favor because of his absenteeism." She tried to cheer her mother up, sensing the sadness behind her voice.

"Why do not  you let us be with you?" Her mother could not  help but complain.

"Mom, do you know how long it will take for the case to come up for hearing? I can not  let you wait for long hours anymore. I have to go to the office from there too. I can not  let you and dad be alone," lied Allora, knowing how emotional her mom would become when the reality of the courtroom hits her.

Before her mom could snap back, she immediately interrupted, "I got to the office now, and I need to go. Love you, bye." With that, she ended the call while still in the cab.

Blowing out a deep sigh, she stared out the window until she reached her office.

It took her almost an hour to get to the office, as the civil courts were located in one corner of the city while her office was in the main shopping area.

"You are late, and I am sure the asshole again did not  show up," Sharon said as she rolled her eyes in Allora's face.

'Anyone can guess what's going on in her mind, and yet she pretends like it does not  affect her,' Sharon thought.

"Well, we must always look for the good even in bad times. The case is in my favor because he is not  there," Allora said with her signature smile.

The unusual part of her smile was her canine teeth, which made her smile more charming.

"Yes, Mother Teresa, now move your ass like we have a meeting with the boss, and later we're going to a party." Seeing that Allora was turning down her offer for that party, Sharon abruptly interrupted: "I am not  taking no for an answer. Either you come willingly, or I am kidnapping you."

 "Sharon, you know my family and I, we do not  party. We're lower middle class, who value their virtue more than anything else, remember?" Allora said as she shook her head at Sharon.

"There's a reason I call you Mother Teresa. You live for others, and look where that landed you?" Seeing that Allora was hurt by her words, Sharon immediately apologized. “I am sorry, I did not  mean to hurt you, Allora, but you have to learn to live for yourself too, darling."

"I know you are worried about me, but I can not  lie to my family. They trust me, and I can not  break this.."

"You are not  lying. It is just that you are not  telling the truth either, plus we're not  going to do anything wrong. Just hang out and have fun."

Sharon has always been good at manipulating things, and she knows that Allora was the type of person who thinks with her heart instead of her brain.

"I have already spoken to your mother, and she's fine with you staying with me for the night. Now, end this discussion, or we'll be late for our weekly meeting." With that, Sharon dragged Allora toward the elevator.

Both worked for a multinational company that offered customer support services to various corporate clients. They worked as business analysts and mostly managed customer data for millions of customers, predicting future roadblocks.

"Today's appointment schedule includes a client visit, as well as a new assistant vice president joining us along with the client. He worked in the US branch, but now he has moved to our Indian branch," Shela Tau, Allora's manager, told his team.

"Now, I do not  want mistakes from the business analyst team. Your agenda for the visit to the Indian branch is to renew our team with new technologies. This customer visit is essential for us. So pull up your socks and give your best next month.” With that, he dismissed the meeting.