Chapter 7: The Divorce Papers

For the next two weeks, Elena continued living inside the Ashford Mansion as if nothing had changed.

She attended family dinners.

She smiled when necessary.

She fulfilled every responsibility expected of her.

But internally, she had already left.

The apartment she rented across the city was nearly ready.

Most of her personal belongings had been moved quietly.

No one noticed.

No one cared enough to notice.

That realization no longer hurt as much as it once had.

One morning, Elena sat alone in a lawyer's office.

The room smelled of coffee and old books.

The attorney adjusted his glasses while reviewing documents.

'Mrs. Ashford, are you absolutely certain about this?'

'Yes.'

'Divorce from a family like the Ashfords will attract attention.'

'I know.'

'The financial settlement could be substantial.'

'I don't want anything.'

The lawyer looked genuinely surprised.

'Nothing?'

'Not a single dollar.'

'Why?'

Elena stared out the window.

'Because I already paid enough.'

The lawyer said nothing more.

A few minutes later, he slid the papers across the desk.

Elena looked at them quietly.

Three years of marriage.

Reduced to a stack of documents.

Perhaps that was fitting.

After all, their marriage had started with signatures.

Maybe it was destined to end the same way.

She picked up the pen.

For a brief second, her hand trembled.

Then she signed.

Elena Whitmore.

Just like that, it was done.

When she stepped outside the building, the sky was gray.

Rain threatened in the distance.

Yet she felt strangely calm.

Not happy.

Not sad.

Just lighter.

For the first time in years, she was choosing herself.

That evening, she returned home carrying the divorce papers.

The mansion was preparing for another charity event.

Servants moved through the hallways carrying decorations.

Claire was directing arrangements in the ballroom.

Margaret praised her constantly.

'Perfect, Claire.'

'Wonderful choice, Claire.'

'You always know exactly what to do.'

Elena walked past without stopping.

A few years ago, the comments would have hurt.

Now they simply sounded distant.

Like voices from another life.

Inside her room, she placed the divorce documents inside a drawer.

Not yet.

Soon.

But not yet.

Later that night, Julian entered unexpectedly.

'You're still awake?'

'Apparently.'

He frowned.

'You seem different lately.'

'Maybe I am.'

'What does that mean?'

'Nothing important.'

Julian studied her carefully.

The silence stretched.

Finally he spoke.

'Claire thinks you're angry with her.'

Elena almost laughed.

'Claire thinks about me far more than I think about her.'

'You don't have to be rude.'

'And you don't have to defend her every time someone breathes near her.'

Julian's jaw tightened.

'There it is.'

'There what is?'

'The bitterness.'

Elena stared at him.

For a moment she simply couldn't believe what she was hearing.

'Bitterness?'

'You've changed since Claire came back.'

'No, Julian.'

She stood slowly.

'I changed because I finally opened my eyes.'

'Meaning?'

'Meaning I'm tired of pretending.'

His expression darkened.

'Pretending what?'

'That this marriage is real.'

The room became silent.

Julian looked genuinely shocked.

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'You know exactly what it means.'

'No. Explain it.'

Elena laughed softly.

Not because anything was funny.

Because she was exhausted.

'When was the last time you asked how I was?'

Julian remained silent.

'When was the last time you chose me over work?'

Silence.

'Over your family?'

Silence.

'Over Claire?'

A muscle jumped in his jaw.

That was answer enough.

Elena nodded slowly.

'Exactly.'

'This isn't about Claire.'

'Everything is about Claire.'

'You're being unreasonable.'

'And you're lying to yourself.'

For several seconds neither spoke.

Finally Julian stepped closer.

'What do you want from me?'

The question stunned her.

Because once upon a time, she had wanted everything.

Love.

Attention.

Respect.

A future.

Now?

She wasn't sure she wanted anything at all.

'Nothing,' she answered honestly.

For the first time, uncertainty flashed across Julian's face.

He looked almost unsettled.

'Nothing?'

'Nothing.'

Then she walked past him.

Leaving him standing alone in the room.

The next morning, Elena received another call from the hospital.

Additional test results had arrived.

The doctor wanted to see her immediately.

By noon, she sat across from him once again.

His expression confirmed her fears.

'The condition is progressing faster than expected.'

Elena felt her stomach drop.

'How much faster?'

'Months, not years.'

The room spun.

'How many months?'

The doctor hesitated.

'Perhaps six.'

Six months.

Half a year.

One hundred and eighty days.

The number echoed endlessly inside her head.

'Are you certain?'

'I'm sorry.'

Elena looked down at her hands.

For a long time, she said nothing.

Eventually she asked the only question that mattered.

'If I choose not to tell anyone... can you keep this confidential?'

'Of course.'

'Thank you.'

The doctor looked concerned.

'You shouldn't go through this alone.'

Elena forced a smile.

'I've been alone for a very long time.'

When she left the hospital, rain was falling heavily.

People hurried past with umbrellas.

Traffic crawled through the streets.

Life continued normally.

Only Elena knew her world had just ended.

Six months.

She sat inside her car for nearly an hour.

Thinking.

Crying.

Remembering.

Then, for the first time since receiving the diagnosis, she made peace with it.

If she truly had six months left, she would not spend them begging for scraps of affection.

She would leave.

She would disappear.

And she would finally live whatever time remained on her own terms.

That night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Elena opened the drawer beside her bed.

She removed the divorce papers.

Then she placed them neatly on Julian's desk.

Right where he couldn't miss them.

For several seconds she stared at the documents.

A strange sadness settled over her.

Not because she was ending the marriage.

Because she realized she had been mourning it for years.

Finally, she turned off the light.

Tomorrow morning, Julian Ashford would discover the papers.

And for the first time since their wedding day, the future would no longer be his choice.