Chapter 3
That evening, I sat on the terrace drinking. Henry came back.
“Gabriella.” His voice was much gentler than during the day, with deliberate flattery, “There are many mosquitoes outside. Come in.”
I didn’t move, just stared at the dark ocean outside.
Henry sighed, walked over to me, and reached out to take the wine glass from my hand.
I slightly turned to avoid him, and his fingers awkwardly froze in the air for a few seconds.
“Don’t be like this.” He said softly, “We need to discuss this calmly.”
I looked up at him.
Then I put down my wine glass, stood up, and walked past him toward the room.
“Fine. Let’s talk about the divorce agreement then.”
“Gabriella!” Henry caught up and grabbed my wrist, “What exactly do you want?”
“You know how much I love you. I don’t want a divorce!”
I stopped, turned around, and looked directly into Henry’s eyes.
“If you don’t want a divorce, it’s simple.”
“Fire Lily immediately and promise you’ll never have any contact with her again.”
“Can you do that?”
Henry’s expression instantly froze. He let go of my hand and stepped back.
He frowned deeply.
“Just because she’s my assistant, you want me to fire someone who’s crucial to the company?”
“Crucial?” I mocked, “In the six months since she joined, she hasn’t completed a single independent project, only kept her position by revolving around you.”
“Henry, you’re not stupid. You’re an adult. Stop pretending to be naive.”
Henry’s face flushed with anger: “You’re being too petty! Lily works diligently and responsibly. Without her for this acquisition case…”
“Without her, it wouldn’t affect your ability to complete the work at all.”
I directly interrupted him.
“But you chose to let her enter every corner of our lives.”
“Our anniversary trip, you brought her.”
“Our dinner dates, she sits at the table next to us.’
“Now even during our bedside conversations, you defend her.”
Henry’s chest rose and fell rapidly, trembling slightly with his breathing.
“You don’t understand.” He tried to explain, “Company work is like this. I need her assistance.”
My voice grew louder: “Henry, I’m not negotiating with you now.”
“Either she goes, or we end all of this.”
“There’s no third option.”
Henry’s eyes widened, seemingly not expecting me to be so firm.
Suddenly, a shrill phone ringtone broke the tense atmosphere.
Henry quickly walked to the bedside table, and after seeing the caller ID, he became visibly nervous.
I didn’t need to guess-this call was definitely from Lily.
After answering, Henry’s expression quickly changed from worry to panic: “What? You fell? Is it serious?”
“…Okay, I’ll be right there.”
After hanging up, Henry hastily grabbed a jacket and headed for the door, not even having time to change out of his pajamas.
“Henry.” My voice was terrifyingly calm, “If you walk out that door today, we’re definitely getting divorced.”
Henry’s hand was already on the door handle. He froze when he heard my words.
Time seemed to freeze. I could even hear my own heartbeat.
Three seconds, five seconds.
Henry turned his head, his eyes showing an unfamiliar emotion I’d never seen before.
“Gabriella, don’t do this.” His voice carried pleading, “Lily is really hurt. This isn’t our home country. She’s alone with no one to take care of her. It’s pitiful…”
“So what?”
I straightened up.
“The hotel has doctors, staff, and can even call an ambulance.”
“She’s not a child, and you’re not her father.”
“Are you the only one who can take care of her?”
Henry: “But she got hurt because of working overtime…”
“Make your choice, Henry.”
I interrupted him, “Now. Immediately.”
Henry’s lips trembled, and an emotion I couldn’t understand flashed in his eyes.
Finally, he took a deep breath, seemingly making up his mind.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be back soon.”
The door slammed shut with a “bang,” shattering my last bit of hesitation.
I took out my phone and dialed a number.
“About the divorce agreement, let’s talk after I return home tomorrow.”
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.