Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Stranger
They held their divorce certificates, walking silently down the hallway.
She watched as everyone else there was getting married, all leaving happily.
A pang of bitterness welled up inside her, and she couldn’t help but think back to three years ago.
Three years ago, she had been just like these other young women, naively believing that getting married meant living a happy life.
She remembered that day, clutching their marriage certificate and holding onto Tristan’s arm, unable to stop herself from laughing out loud several times.
"Tristan!" she had exclaimed with a smile, looking at his picture on the marriage certificate.
"Is it that interesting?" Tristan had leaned in and whispered by her ear with a devilish smile.
"Of course! You’re my husband, so of course you look good. Besides, this is our first picture together! And our very first picture is from our wedding day." The more she thought about it, the sweeter she felt.
The memories from three years ago flooded her mind, and Mika’s expression turned grim. A dull ache started to spread somewhere deep in her heart.
She stopped walking and pressed a hand to her chest, trying hard to calm her swirling emotions.
’I dreamed of leaving him, dreamed of getting a divorce. Now that I’ve finally done it, why do I feel so sad, so reluctant? Am I crazy?’
For the past three years, she had lived every day in fear, in unbearable pain.
’I haven’t had a single good day. I’d have to be crazy to be reluctant to leave a marriage like this.’
She stared at Tristan’s cold, retreating back. He didn’t even glance back at her. Not even once. If he had, she felt her reluctance would have been worth it.
But he didn’t. He didn’t wait for her just because she had stopped.
Whether they were married or divorced, he was always so cruel, so cold to her. Their relationship was worse than that of strangers.
She gave a self-deprecating laugh. ’What’s there to be sad about, Mika? Isn’t this the day you’ve been waiting for?’
’I have a check for five million now, and a house.’
’I can live an even better life on my own.’
’Without Tristan, I’ll only get happier with each passing day.’
’Maybe I can even find love again.’
’That’s right, I’m only 25. I can probably find someone a hundred times better-looking than Tristan.’
’What’s so great about Tristan anyway? Besides having some dirty money, being handsome, and acting all cool and aloof, he has no real skills.’
’He just got lucky being born into the right family.’
She kept comforting herself with these thoughts as she walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Just as she stepped outside, she was suddenly yanked into a car.
By the time she came to her senses, she realized it was Tristan who had pulled her into the car.
She was about to speak when Tristan’s cold voice cut in.
"Let’s find a place to talk."
"We’re already divorced, what is there to talk about!" she snapped.
"Heh. We are divorced, but some things still haven’t been dealt with."
"Fine. What else do you need me to do."
"This is a divorce agreement. See if you have any other demands. If not, sign it."
"A divorce agreement? Aren’t we already divorced? Or are you saying you regret giving me the money and the house now?" she sneered, glancing at the document in Tristan’s hand.
"We are divorced, but my mother doesn’t know yet. I don’t want them to find out."
’Oh, so you’re afraid you won’t be able to explain this to them after the divorce.’ That made sense. His mother had always been fond of her. If she found out Mika and Tristan were divorced, Tristan would probably have a hard time. But she had no obligation to care about his problems anymore. How he explained it was his business. She had finally escaped him and wanted nothing more to do with him.