Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Xavier glanced over the divorce agreement. His dark eyes briefly scanned the words.
He let out an incredulous laugh, filling the empty space where his heart had once ached. Now, all that’s left was a sense of bitter irony.
“Do you really think this will make me rush to bail Hayden out? Does everyone in your family ever use their brains?”
Lily looked at him, bewildered. “This has nothing to do with Hayden.”
Xavier bent down and picked up the divorce agreement, flipping a couple of pages until he reached the section on asset division.
The last time they had considered a divorce, it didn’t state this part. If they had gone through with it, Lily would have left with nothing. Now, she was asking for five million.
He scoffed and tossed the papers on the table. “Trying a new tactic, huh? When will this end? What do you really want this time?”
“It’s not as complicated as you think. I just want a divorce. Nothing more and nothing less.”
Lily hated how he always twisted her intentions. He always labeled them as “unreasonable demands” or assumed she was scheming She simply wanted to be free of this marriage.
“Cut the act, Lily. It’s getting old,” he said. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
He put one between his teeth and lit it.
The small flame illuminated his sharp features and highlighted the fine lines around his eyes.
He had that undeniable allure of a man in his prime. For a moment, the sight of him made Lily’s heart ache.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in a marriage devoid of love! I want-”
She wanted his love, but she knew he wouldn’t give it.
Admitting that would only deepen her humiliation.
Xavier didn’t care what she wanted. He was only interested in proving that she had some ulterior motive.
With a flick of his fingers, he waved away the swirling smoke around him and stubbed out the cigarette. It was only half–smoked.
“Just say what you really want. Stop acting like I’m the one who owes you something. Who are you trying to fool?”
He tossed the divorce agreement into the trash and spared her a dismissive glance before striding toward the door.
“I’ll be out of town for a couple of days. Use that time to reflect. When I get back, you’d better be back to your old self.”
His voice echoed away. It got swallowed by the sound of the door closing behind him.
The night stretched on. The cold wind cut through the darkness and took some of Xavier’s frustration with it.
Hayden had just lost in court, and Lily was undoubtedly upset. She was likely planning some outrageous demand.
If he refused, she would probably use Bobby’s old tricks to harass him.
Better to leave for a while and let her cool off, he thought. Maybe by the time he returned, he hoped that she would be ready to talk reasonably without pushing too far. He had a strict rule: once, twice, but never a third time. If he actually signed those divorce agreements, she would likely end up sobbing, lost, and desperate.
Then she would come crawling back while begging for his forgiveness. What was the point?
Before getting into his car, Xavier couldn’t resist glancing back inside.
The house was brightly lit but felt emptier than ever. There stood Lily, slender and motionless.
He got into his Maybach and drove away.
Lily didn’t run after him. Instead, she stared at the crumpled divorce agreement in the trash. She was lost in thought.
What would it take for Xavier to believe she truly wanted this divorce?
What had she ever done to make him think she was faking it or trying to extort something from him?
He hadn’t really looked at her for the past two years, so he didn’t understand her at all.
She knew this divorce would be a struggle. It would be a battle drawn out over time.
So, she resolved to wait for Xavier to come to her.
The last time she left, she had packed so hastily that she hadn’t taken much with her.
This time, she carefully packed everything she could.
On the nightstand was a photo of her and Xavier.
She had edited it herself because, other than the marriage certificate, they had never taken a picture together.
