Hailey realized Blake wasn't joking. He truly meant it. He wanted a divorce—and not just to leave her, but to be with her adoptive sister. Kaira.
Her stomach turned as the weight of his words sank in. Her fingers trembled at her sides, her lips parted in disbelief.
"You're going to do this to me?" she whispered, her voice cracking as pain surged through her chest. "After everything I've done for you?"
Blake scoffed. The sound wasn't just dismissive—it was laced with cruelty.
"And what exactly have you done for me?" he asked, his tone mocking. "You've done nothing but eat until you got fat and disgusting. You've become hideous—like some kind of monster."
Hailey recoiled, as if struck.
Blake's lips curled into a smirk. "Honestly, I don't even know why I agreed to this marriage four years ago. I should've gone for Kaira from the beginning."
Without shame, he slipped his arm around Kaira, who was lounging beside him as if she were proud of her role in all this. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, sealing the humiliation.
"Now don't waste my time," he said coldly. "Sign the damn papers already."
Hailey stared at him, at them. She wanted to scream, to cry, to claw at the betrayal suffocating her. Her hand trembled as she looked down at the divorce papers. Tears blurred her vision and dripped silently into the document, staining the ink.
This was it.
The end of everything she had fought for.
Her marriage. Her home. Her place in the family. Her dignity.
She had given this man everything—her love, her loyalty, her body, her self-worth—and now, he was throwing it all away as if it had never mattered.
But then…
Beneath the wreckage of her heartbreak, a whisper rose.
You're free now.
Her hand stopped trembling. Her tears dried mid-fall. A strange calm settled over her, like a final storm had passed.
Blake blinked. A glint of surprise flickered in his eyes—gone as quickly as it had appeared. He'd expected more. He thought she would beg. He wanted her to sob and plead, to drag herself across the floor so he could crush her pride a little more.
But she didn't.
"What about alimony?" Hailey asked suddenly, lifting her chin.
Kaira's expression twisted with disbelief. "What? You've got to be kidding me," she scoffed. "Do you seriously think Blake will give you alimony? For what? Because you were his emotional support cow?"
Hailey ignored her and stared directly at Blake. "What about our son? You're already kicking us out. You're not going to give me anything to take care of him?"
Blake's jaw clenched. "You think I'm going to give you money for a child I'm not even sure is mine?" he sneered. "For all I know, he could be anyone's. I'm not giving you a penny."
Hailey's mouth fell open slightly. The final dagger.
"I gave birth to him," she said quietly. "You signed his birth certificate."
Blake's face hardened. "That doesn't mean anything anymore. Get out of my house before I call security. Or better yet, I'll drag you out myself."
Hailey's fists clenched at her sides. But she didn't say another word. She didn't scream, didn't fall to her knees like he wanted her to. Instead, she turned around and walked out.
Her footsteps echoed in the cold marble hallway. Blake waited. He thought she'd come back. Thought she'd change her mind and crawl. But she didn't.
The door clicked shut.
"Finally," Kaira sighed, snuggling closer to him. "She's out of the picture." Her voice grew sultry. "So… when are we getting married?"
Blake didn't answer. He just stared at the door for a second longer than necessary.
**
"Mom, why are we at grandma's and grandpa's home?" Aiden asked, staring at the Monroe mansion with confusion etched on his face.
He'd been in the kitchen earlier with his nanny when his mother suddenly took him and left.
"We'll be staying here for a while," Hailey replied with a tight throat.
"Then we'll go back home?" He asked.
Hailey didn't respond. She hadn't told him about the separation yet. He was still too young and wouldn't understand. She made a mental note to tell him later, he deserved to know.
"Of course," she lied.
Together, they entered the mansion.
The Monroe family wasn't exactly the most influential in Velmora city, but neither were they the poorest. Charles Monroe was the patriarch who owned business corporations. He managed to hit it off, but that wasn't enough. He wanted more power since the Monroe name was still talked down upon by more influential families.
Blake's father, Victor Lancaster, was one of the most respected and influential families but he made an announcement he would be stepping down soon and passed down his company, Lancaster Corporations, to Blake. So, her parents took the opportunity and married off one of their daughters to him.
When they'd spoken to Hailey about marrying Blake, she'd wondered why they didn't let Kaira marry him since she was their favorite and biological child.
Desperate to finally get some recognition in the family and be valued, Hailey married Blake only for her to be beaten into a pulp on their wedding night.
Turns out Blake was an abuser, but thanks to Victor's influence, no news outlet ever carried the story. He had a reputation to protect.
When Hailey and Aiden got into the mansion, a servant took Aiden's backpack that contained some of his clothes. Hailey couldn't take hers since apparently, Blake was busy screwing Kaira in their matrimonial room.
"What are you doing here?" Diane, her adoptive mother questioned with a disgusted glare.
From her tone, it already seemed she was already pissed off by her presence. Quickly, Hailey sent Aiden off once again to the kitchen. She had a feeling the discussion was going to be a heated one.
"I found Blake and Kaira sleeping together," she said, trying to keep her voice steady but as soon as the image appeared in her mind, she felt herself tearing up once again.
Charles, who was casually watching the business news slowly turned to her, no sign of shock on either of their faces. It was as if they knew.
"He kicked me and Aiden out of the house," she added, but there was nothing.
They were emotionless, as if they were waiting for her to get to the worst part.
"Is that all?" Diane asked, cocking up an eyebrow. "But then, why did you come here? Do you think this is a home for divorcees?