In the mist-filled bathroom, Michael Anderson indulged in a relaxing bath, while Andrea, clutching the quilt, arose from the bed. The memories of their satisfying intimacy tingled in her mind, causing her cheeks to flush with embarrassment. Despite being husband and wife, the aftermath of their intimate moments still left her feeling remarkably bashful.
The cessation of water flow signaled Michael's emergence, draped only in a towel. Andrea handed him a set of clothes, her words trembling slightly, "Breakfast is prepared. I'll be waiting downstairs."
"Understood," he responded with a nod.
Descending the stairs, Andrea gingerly retrieved the cake from the refrigerator and positioned it at the center of the dining table. Clasped in her hand was a pregnancy test result sheet, her heart pounding nervously in her chest. Today, on their second wedding anniversary, she anticipated and dreaded the moment she would reveal her pregnancy to him.
Michael appeared, having changed into a meticulously crafted black suit that accentuated his elegance, charm, and undeniable handsomeness. Following breakfast, Andrea mustered her courage, clutching the test result report, and took a deep breath before speaking with trepidation, "Michael, there's something I need to tell you."
"Actually, I have something to discuss as well," he interjected.
"In that case, please go ahead," she replied.
Michael rose from his seat, retrieved a document from the drawer, and meticulously handed it to Andrea with his slender fingers. "This is the divorce agreement. Take your time to review it."
Caught off guard, Andrea fought to maintain her composure, trying to not fall down. Inhaling deeply, the air scorched her throat like a blade. Divorce agreement? The words echoed in her mind, leaving her momentarily stunned. Eventually, she regained her voice and posed a bewildered question to him.
"Are you planning to divorce me?"
"Yes," he responded softly, his voice barely audible.
Clutching the pregnancy test results, Andrea contemplated asking him if there was no room for reconsideration. What about the child they might have? Would he not have second thoughts? But before she could utter a word, his voice pierced the air.
"Hanna has returned. I wish to expedite the termination of our marriage. We agreed to a three-year limit, but circumstances have changed. Let's end it a year earlier."
"I understand that this seems sudden. This is a preliminary draft of the agreement. Take your time to review it. If you have any reasonable requests, I will do my best to accommodate them."
Andrea responded, her mind still in a daze, "Okay, I will examine it later."
She clasped her hands behind her back, gripping the pregnancy test sheet tightly, causing a cascade of perspiration to bead on her palms.
The need to reveal it seemed unnecessary to her.
"And one more thing," Michael spoke up.
Andrea tightly clasped her hands, lifting her head to meet his gaze with a forced smile. "Sure, tell me. I'll do what I can to help."
"When it comes to the divorce, you should be the one to tell Grandpa about it. If I bring it up, he won't agree."
"Alright, I understand," she replied.
She had always been an ordinary girl, born into an ordinary family with a nurse for a mother and a gambling father. Her family couldn't possibly compare to the prestigious Anderson family in any way.
Fate had intervened when Michael Anderson's grandfather and father were victimized by their business rivals, resulting in a car accident that left both of them with heart conditions. Andrea's mother happened to be passing by and selflessly came to their rescue. Many years later, her mother succumbed to cancer, and her father succumbed to his gambling addiction. Worried about her well-being, her mother had reached out to the Anderson family, pleading for them to take in her orphaned daughter.
His grandfather wasted no time and promptly arranged for her to marry Michael upon her graduation.
At the time, Michael had said, "I can marry you, but my heart belongs to someone else. Our marriage will last for three years. After that, you can request a divorce from Grandpa. We'll be alright."
She suppressed her pain, concealing her true emotions. Calmly, she replied, "I understand. I also have my own crush, and when our marriage ends,I will fulfill my promise and leave."
After marriage, he fulfilled his duties as a husband—loving her, pampering her, and providing her protection. He truly treated her well.
Her friends were oblivious to the fact that she was the cherished treasure of Michael, believing her to have married a wonderful man and a doting husband. Whenever she felt down, they would envy her luck. Little did they know that their marriage had nothing to do with love; it was merely a contractual arrangement.
All the kindness he showed her had no connection to love—it was merely fulfilling an obligation. If there was any genuine love, it was solely directed at her physicality, an obsession of the flesh.
They agreed to marry for 3 years, now the woman in his heart had returned, and it was time for Andrea to step aside.
Andrea bent down and picked up the "divorce agreement" from the table. Her appetite vanished, and she turned to retreat to her room when Michael Anderson suddenly grabbed her arm in frustration, urging her to stop.
"When you bring up the topic of divorce, Grandpa will definitely ask for the reason. Didn't you mention that you had someone you loved for many years before we got married? Now that I'm setting you free, you can go to him and pursue your own happiness. This answer, even if Grandpa doesn't agree, he'll find it difficult to refuse."
Andrea nodded. "Alright, I'll explain it to Grandpa that way."
Afterward, she couldn't wait to leave. Lingering any longer would only lead to regrets. She would tell him, Michael, I don't want a divorce.
In a sudden motion, Michael reached out his hand, causing Andrea to instinctively retreat, fearing that he would discover what she held in her own hand.
Growing more and more anxious, Michael persisted, gripping her hand. "Why does your face look so pale? Is something bothering you?"
"No," Andrea hastily withdrew her hand from his grasp.
"After being husband and wife for two years, do you think I can't see through your lies?" Michael's eyes darkened.
Andrea was finally defeated. "It's nothing serious, just that my period started."
"Rest well then."
As he finished speaking, Michael noticed her tightly clenched right hand and asked in a low voice, "What were you holding? You were gripping it so tightly."
Andrea swiftly discarded it in the trash like a hot iron in her hand and forced a smile. "It's nothing, just trash. I was holding onto it and forgot to throw it away."
He would never know the extent of her heartache. It felt as though someone had taken an axe and cleaved her heart open, leaving it in two bloody, mangled pieces. Each petal was still dripping with pain, and she held her broken heart in agony.
"Michael, Michael Anderson..." Andrea murmured in her heart, "How can a good couple simply break apart?"
When she had married him, she had mustered the courage to put all her hopes in one place. But now, the parting felt hasty and desolate.
"Andrea, you foolish girl, you lost the bet after all. He doesn't love you, not at all."
Seeing her weak and stumbling, Michael instinctively picked her up without hesitation.
Andrea was taken aback and quickly protested, "Let me go. I can go back by myself."
"It's all a façade, don't pretend to be brave," Michael's voice was gentle and enchanting, resonating with its alluring depth.
It was this voice that she had listened to for two years, become intoxicated with for two years, but now it abruptly receded, leaving her longing.
Andrea blinked, unable to hold back her tears.
Michael scoffed at her, ". Crying because of your period? You're not a little girl anymore. Don't cry. I'll take you to see a doctor later."
"I'm not crying," Andrea stubbornly asserted.
He was clueless, utterly clueless about the reason behind her tears.
"Alright, alright, you are not crying then!" Michael relented.
"Can you tell me who he is?" he suddenly asked, out of the blue.
Andrea was perplexed. "He?"
"Didn't you mention a man you had loved for many years? I'm curious. Who is the lucky person you yearned for all those years?" Michael inquired.