Chapter 4 Chapter 4
Brooke went through her letter after writing it. She was satisfied with the content. She set it aside and went through the divorce papers and fixed her signature where it was required.
Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she fought them back.
When she got to the section of the alimony promised to her after the divorce, she felt infuriated. How could he think she needed his twenty thousand dollars? After all, she was the daughter of Jace Turner. The famous and best heart surgeon that everyone talked about. It was an insult to her.
She crossed it out firmly and fixed her signature beside it. She continued with the signatures until she got to the last one. Her heart hurt. It was like a nightmare. The only thing she ever wanted was a happily ever after with Nathan. But it was three years of living together that finally ended in divorce.
She wondered how long Nathan had been holding onto the papers he'd already signed.
Brooke signed the last page and kept it on the bedside table. She placed the letter she'd written to Nathan on top of the divorce papers. Then her wedding ring followed.
If she was leaving, she didn't want anything that would remind her of Nathan or their sad marriage.
Now it was time to pack and leave the house. But first, she called her father's driver to come pick her up.
Going through her closet, she tried to select only the few things she'd brought with her after the wedding. She left behind whatever outfits Nathan had bought for her. Although their marriage was loveless. But he never failed to give her gifts occasionally. He knew her size, her taste, and her favorite designers. Maybe all these little gestures were what had given her hope.
Soon her phone buzzed. Thinking it was the driver announcing his arrival. She quickly finished packing and went to check. Only to see it was a text message from a number that wasn't in her contacts.
She opened the message. There was an image attached. She clicked on it, and when the image came into view, her heart sank.
It was a photo of Nathan sitting in the dining area of a house. He was still in his work suit, but it was wrinkled. His hair looked disheveled, as if he'd just woken up there that morning. A cup of coffee sat in his hand.
Below the image, the caption read: "You might be the wife who trapped him. But he's mine. He loves me and wants to be with me, not you."
Brooke felt a wave of disappointment at what she saw and read. She'd always suspected Keren had something to do with the anonymous messages. the pictures and updates about Nathan's whereabouts. This confirmed everything.
She decided to reply. Her eyes were growing teary again.
"No! Not now. Not here. Wait until you leave," Brooke scolded herself. She sucked in a breath and typed.
Brooke: "So it was you all this time, Keren. You kept sending me pictures and updates. Anyway, you have nothing to worry about anymore. You can have him."
To her surprise, it didn't pain her as much as it used to. She felt a bit proud of herself. She'd already accepted defeat.
However, she felt it was important to let Nathan know. He needed to know that Karen was the one who'd been sending her information all along. Even though it didn't matter anymore.
She took a screenshot of her conversation with Keren. She then forwarded it to Nathan's phone.
Brooke: "I've signed the divorce papers. I don't need your twenty thousand. I'm the daughter of one of the greatest doctors. I'm doing perfectly well without it. Thank you for putting up with me for three years of your life. I'm sorry for everything."
She sent it.
Just to be clear about everything, she added a note below the letter she'd already written for him.
Like I said in my text message, I don't need alimony from you. I've signed the divorce papers as you wanted. Also, sorry for the screenshot I sent you. I just thought you should know, even though it doesn't matter anymore.
She finished and placed the note on top of the divorce papers.
Soon, she received a call from her father's driver, saying he'd arrived.
Brooke picked up her handbag. She looked around the room. Her eyes fell on their wedding photo that was enlarged on the wall. She'd been so full of life, smiling from her heart. Then she looked at Nathan in the photo. Her heart sank. It was as if she'd been too happy then to notice his expression. Nathan had kept a very serious face—not anger or sadness, but something difficult to define.
That image gave her more courage. She believed the decision she'd made was best for them both.
She picked up her suitcase from the bed, gave the room one last glance, and exited. She finally left her matrimonial home.
The night before Brooke left, Nathan was in a club with his friends. Music was blasting. People were dancing and chatting among other things.
Nathan gulped down another glass in one swift motion. He clenched his jaw and gripped the glass tightly. He was acting very strange.
"What's up with you, man?" one of Nathan's friends, Ryan, asked, noticing his friend's odd behavior.
"You see it too, Ryan? Something's definitely up with him," the other friend, Matt, acknowledged.
The three had been childhood friends. They'd grown up together but attended different colleges. They'd meet up whenever they were back in town. until they finally graduated and returned home for good.
Nathan's glass was refilled, and he immediately gulped down the contents.
"Brooke and I are getting a divorce," Nathan blurted out.
"What?!" Ryan exclaimed, spilling his drink.
"What the hell!" was Matt's comment.
They were both shocked by what Nathan had just said.