Sera’s POV
The beating of my heart was loud and clear as I walked along the hallway, heels clicking against the smooth surface. My nails were almost tearing the folder in my hand, inside was a document that screams intense betrayal and intentional disrespect.
Divorce Agreement.
Creed Sullivan, my husband for three years, sent this to our home in San Francisco from Vancouver. I had to travel for two and a half hours after attending a business conference, still wearing my red dress, glimmering with beads, designed meticulously.
My husband, the man on business trips two weeks this month, nearly three last month, and at least a week every month last year, had the guts to send me this piece of paper. On the very night the industry recognized me as a powerful leader.
My steps slowed down as I saw the person I’m looking for. He was smiling happily, eyes glistening with joy and contentment. And in front of him was a beautiful woman, wearing a sexy white dress.
My hand cupped my mouth, my lips trembled along with my fingers. “How could you…”
I’ve received reports from my private investigator about his affairs. About the girl he had been seeing since last year. But I turned a blind eye to it. Because I still believe he’d change. I still believe that he was just fooling around. Because he was born carefree and rebellious.
I ignored my pain. I cried in silence. I gave him a chance. A million chances to tell me about his betrayal, but he didn’t say a thing. Not even a hint.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, hot and bitter. My heart twisted painfully.
Three years ago, I said ‘I do’ in a dress I didn’t choose, to a man who would never look at me romantically because he had always seen me as a prey.
It shouldn’t be me. It should be Sara, my adopted sister, but she ran away with her boyfriend that time. The marriage shouldn’t have happened after Sara escaped, but an unwanted pregnancy forced us to unite.
And that’s when everything started. My dream, my fantasy, my suffering.
“You are so sweet, love,” the woman giggled. “You don’t even have to rent this whole place for us. But thank you so much. You really love me.”
My breathing started to become uneven, a warning tremble crept in my fingers, my knees weakened.
“Of course,” Creed chuckled, holding her hand like she means the world to him. “My beautiful Natalia deserves all the best in the world.”
I wiped my tears. A sarcastic laugh escaped my lips, earning their attention.
Creed he saw me. His eyes locked with mine, shocked but he immediately recovered. “Sera…”
His tone sounded like a poison, hearing it tasted death.
I crossed the distance between us and stopped just a half meter away from him.
His brows furrowed, annoyed. "What are you doing here?”
“Who is she, love?” His mistress asked, her hand snaked on his arm.
My eyes dropped on her hand as my fists balled slowly. The pain crawled beneath my skin like a poison, witnessing how my husband didn’t even flinch at her touch, like it was more familiar than his wife’s.
“Uhm…I don’t think a secretary should interrupt her boss’s private matters, Miss?” The mistress even had the guts to check me whole.
I could no longer hold back my overflowing rage. I grabbed the wine glass and splashed it on the woman, but he protected her. The red wine stained his suit, wetting his hair and face, but I didn’t feel the satisfaction.
“Oh my God!” The woman screamed. “Love, are you okay?”
Shaking my head, I balled my fists, tasting another betrayal.
“You’re asking why I’m here?” I punched his chest, hard, painful. My tone was sarcastic and spiteful. “Everything you have is also mine, so technically, I have the right to come to this place because you rented this with our money!”
His jaw clenched, eyes dark, grabbing my wrists. “Let’s talk somewhere else—”
“No!” I shouted and pushed him. My vision was blurry, but I looked at his mistress. “This man is married, you bitch!”
The woman looked shocked. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’re his wife, I thought you’re his secretary—”
“Shut up!” I screamed.
“I said let’s talk somewhere else, Seraphina!” Creed growled at me, grabbing my arm again.
I felt like my chest was about to explode. My heart was stabbed a million times.
He started dragging me, his grip was tight, almost crushing my arm.
“Let me go!” I screamed, trying to break free, but he didn’t let go. I almost stumbled but he didn’t care.
We entered the elevator and he slammed me against the wall. I shot him cold glares, my chest heaving, heart clenching. I was so close to crying, but I held my tears back.
He shook his head, jaw tight, after the elevator door slid close. He slammed his fists on my sides, eyes lingering with evilness.
“What did you fcking do?!” He shouted, enough to hurt my ears. “You came here and created a scene. You even cursed at Natalia. What are you? A cheap war freak? You’re an elite, a businesswoman. Act like one!”
I punched his chest, but he didn’t flinch. “Act like one? What about your attitude? What about me, Creed? What about your betrayal? You made a fool out of me! While I was working my ass off in your darn company, you were here having a good time with your bitch—”
“Don’t call her that.” His tone was darker, angrier. “She’s better than you in everything—”
My palm hit his cheek as my whole body trembled in rage. My vision was blurry. My heart felt suffocated. I’ve always been familiar with his spiteful insults, but I must admit I was never used to it. The more he mocks me, the more I drown in pain.
“Better than me?” I cried. “How dare you? I am your wife!”
“That’s why I sent you the signed divorce agreement,” he growled. “Because I’m tired of having you as my wife. Besides, you just lured me into marrying you. If you didn’t trick my family, you would remain as a nerdy prey during my high school days.”
It cut not only through my heart, but also my soul. He shattered my pride. He pushed me down and left me to drown. Those words hurt a million times more than any other betrayal. The regrets on his face were evident, like marrying me was the worst decision he ever made.
What did I even do? I loved him with all my heart. I devoted myself to him.
“It’s your fault,” his tone was dripping with poison. “You did this to us, Sera. You killed my child.”
I pushed his chest, the only thing I could do, but my strength was betraying me. “Y-You’re not the only one w-who lost a child! Y-You have no right to blame me because I carried that baby for f-five months. If it was painful to you, it was a hundred times painful to m-me because I am the mother.”
He shook his head, lips curling into a sarcastic grin. “You don’t have the right to be a mother. And don’t talk about pain with me. I know you wanted it to happen.”
My lips trembled. When the elevator door slid open, I walked past him, wiping my tears with the back of my hands.
My chest rose and fell, and I’m already too weak for another argument. But he has no intention to let this go. He grabbed my arm again, forcing me to face him after I stepped out of the elevator.
My tears were warning to fall, my heart won’t stop bleeding. All for this man who didn’t even see my suffering and pain. All for him who didn’t see my worth, my high school bully I ended up marrying.
And my foolish heart still beats for him.
He lifted his hand, showing the folder I slapped him with earlier. His eyes were shooting daggers, his jaws were tight. “Sign the divorce agreement, Sera. There’s no reason to stay in this useless marriage. I didn’t want this in the first place.”
“Is this because of her?” I asked, chest rising and falling violently.
“No.” His brows furrowed. “Don’t drag Natalia in our mess. And I know you wanted this too. You even killed my child because you want to be free. Don’t act so clean now that I’m giving you a chance to walk away.”
I slapped him. So hard that my palm sting.
“That’s not true!” I screamed, eyes burning with rage. “Don’t ever use our baby to cover up your dirty affair! If I had known, I wouldn't have married my sworn rival!”
His lips curled into a sarcastic and devilish smirk as he turned to me again. “I knew you still hated me like in high school. That’s why you’re doing everything to make me suffer. Tell me what more do you want? Sex? Money? Is that why you fled all the way here after I mailed you the divorce agreement? You just couldn’t give up my name and wealth.”
I slapped him again, my hands trembled, my knees warning to crumble.
He gave another devilish smirk as his eyes turned blank. “No matter what you do, I won’t change my decision to divorce you. I won’t survive being tied to an ill-mannered and war freak wife. Sign the divorce agreement and let's not cross paths again as husband and wife.”