She looked up at him. “We don’t want to owe you anything.”
His voice dropped. “Hasn’t your family already owed me plenty after all these years?”
Their eyes locked.
The air between them grew heavy and tense.
Aella finally looked away, her cheeks burning with shame.
There was nothing left to say. She brought this humiliation on herself.
Silence stretched between them until Tyrone sighed.
“As long as we stay married, you can use any of my resources and assets,” he said.
Aella wasn’t as steady as Tyrone.
She burst out, “I don’t want to use your money. I want a divorce!”
Tyrone stared at her, calm and steady.
His voice never rose. “If you want a divorce, I can give you one anytime-as long as you can come up with one billion dollars.”
Aella had a mental meltdown; she buried her face in her arm.
They’d known each other since they were kids. She had chased him for over 20 years and married him three years ago.
He was leaving her no room. He hurt her.
And he didn’t show any pity.
He was ready to divorce her at a moment’s notice.
She felt like her heart was being ripped out; she couldn’t even cry.
Tyrone watched her reaction closely; the look in his eyes was complicated. “You saw Zera, didn’t you?” he asked, testing her.
Aella lifted her head to meet his judgmental gaze.
Tyrone’s voice hardened. “What did you tell her?”
She saw a flicker of pain in his eyes-but that pain wasn’t for her. It was for Zera.
That stung.
Aella pushed herself up, shoved Tyrone hard, and raised her voice. “Tyrone, on what grounds are you questioning me-as my husband or as her lover?”
His brow tightened. “I told you not to see her.”
Aella felt a tightness in her chest. “I have something better to do than seek her out,” she snapped.
“Do you realize that she almost got hurt because of you?” Tyrone said.
Aella let out a bitter laugh.
She had only run into Zera at the hospital and said hello.
She sank back down like someone had stolen all her strength. “So you dropped everything and flew back overnight because you were worried Zera might get hurt?”
Tyrone, clearly irritated, stood up.
He looked down at her from the bed. “Aella, I know what you’re like. Zera’s health is fragile. She also needs to take care of a child. I don’t want anything to happen to her again.”
Aella lost control. She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him.
Then she climbed onto the bed and screamed, “Tyrone, you jerk!”
He bent and picked up the pillow.
Aella snatched a book from the nightstand and hurled it at him. “You cheated on me. You betrayed me. How can you stand there and act so concerned about her? How can you say such cruel things to me?”
Tyrone stayed calm and easily avoided the things she threw.
When she reached for her laptop, he stepped forward and stopped her. “Are you done?” he asked.
He took the laptop from her. Aella’s broke down.
She cried out loud, smashed things, and raged like someone losing their grip on the world. “Fine! Then protect them 24 hours a day. Every time I see her, I’ll hit her!”
Aella screamed and cried, her voice breaking, “My family already went bankrupt! I don’t care if I lose everything-I’ll drag you down with me!
“Tyrone, I’m filing for divorce!
“I’ll let the world know you cheated and betrayed our marriage!
“And I’ll make sure everyone sees your beloved branded as a homewrecker forever!”
Her rage spun out of control. Tyrone stood at the side of the bed and grabbed her to prevent her from falling on the ground.
She fought to break free but couldn’t escape his arms. Then she bent her head and bit down hard on his shoulder.
Her whole body shook from the effort.
Tyrone felt the sharp pain but didn’t move.
When the metallic taste spread through her mouth, Aella finally let go.
“Enough,” Tyrone said softly. “Lie down. I’ll get you some water.”
He eased her onto the bed, poured a glass of water for her, and helped her rinse her mouth.
She had spent all her strength, and now she lay there numb.
Aella rinsed her mouth and lay back down. Her eyes shut, but the tears wouldn’t stop.
Since Tyrone’s affair, every fight has ended the same way.
He pushed her to the edge, then acted calm-either caring for her like it was an obligation, or just walking away.
He never explained. His heart never ached for her and never showed guilt; he simply carried out his duty.
Tyrone cleaned up the mess, climbed into bed, and turned off the light.
He reached for her, tried to hold her in his arm, but Aella pushed him away without thinking.
His body froze. Then he rolled over and gave her his back.
That small gesture touched a raw nerve again, but Aella stayed quiet, biting her lip hard and drowning in hurt.
Three years of marriage. After each fight, there was nothing left to say.
Even while lying on the same bed, Aella knew Tyrone’s heart was miles away from hers.
His silence, his lack of explanation, stood like a wall that kept pushing them farther and farther apart.
When Aella woke the next morning, Tyrone was already gone.
She got herself ready in a hurry and went to the hospital.
She threw herself into work and talked with coworkers. To her surprise, it didn’t hurt as much when she kept busy.
After work that evening, Aella unexpectedly ran into Daniel Hill, the senior Samuel had introduced to her.
“Hi, Daniel,” she greeted politely.
Daniel wore a sharp, casual suit, his gold-rimmed glasses giving him a polished look. Handsome and refined, he smiled with warmth. “I heard you live on Petal Lane. I’m heading that way for some errands. Want a ride?”
Aella quickly shook her head. “Thanks, Daniel, but I drove here.”
Samuel had told her Daniel was the youngest medical PhD holder at Smeina.
The Hills came from a long line of doctors, with private hospitals spread across the world. Though young, Daniel already carried the weight of a billion-dollar family fortune.
As Aella walked out of the outpatient building, she accidentally spotted Tyrone.
Thinking of the look of concern he had given her the night before made her chest ache.
He must be at the hospital for Zera.
Her heart sank, but she kept her composure as she passed by him.
Yesterday, in a storm of rage, she had shouted about divorce and burning everything down with him. Those were angry words, not real threats.
Even if she didn’t care about herself, she had to think about her parents and her younger brother.
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