Joseph's voice was barely audible, but it had a firmness that couldn't be ignored.
Harper's grip on her phone tightened, leaving her momentarily stunned.
She felt the surge of emotions in her heart vanish instantly, like a lighthouse collapsing in the blink of an eye.
So, after being with her, Joseph still chose Olivia?
Then what about last night?
A drunken joke?
Or did Joseph consider it a final gift from their marriage?
Harper let out a self-deprecating laugh. Only now did she realize she had always held expectations for this marriage. Even just a second before this call, she was still hoping Joseph would say something to her.
But now, it's all over.
Harper swallowed her bitterness, trying to make her voice sound rational and calm. She restrained herself and said, "Isn't the marriage certificate with Dad? You said before..."
"No," Joseph interrupted coldly. "The marriage certificate has always been with me."
Hearing this, Harper felt her heartbeat pause . She bit her lip and struggled to say a sentence.
"Alright, see you in court later."
With that, she hung up, unwilling to hear Joseph's voice any longer.
Harper sat on the bed in a daze for a long time.
How ridiculous and pathetic. The marriage certificate had always been with Joseph.
Then why did he lie to her when they talked about divorce before?
Was it because his relationship with Olivia was unstable at that time?
Harper laughed mockingly. What a fool she had been!
Joseph's tone just now was so resolute about the divorce, there was no wiggle room.
In that case, there's nothing for her to hesitate about.
Harper got out of bed, feeling the discomfort from last night's intimacy.
Harper carefully chose a dress and quickly put on some decent makeup.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Harper gave a self-mocking smile and turned to leave.
Around noon, at the hospital.
Joseph had just changed his clothes and was heading to the parking lot when he bumped into Olivia, who had come looking for him, just outside the hospital corridor.
"Joseph."
At this moment, Olivia was glowing. From the moment she saw Joseph, her face carried a hint of shyness. "Are you going out?"
"Yes," Joseph said, looking at her with no emotional fluctuation. "Got business to attend to."
One word of business was enough to explain everything.
Olivia didn't press further, understandingly saying, "Will you come back to have lunch with me this afternoon? I know a place that makes great soup."
Joseph initially wanted to refuse, but thinking about last night, he seemed to have no reason to refuse Olivia anymore. And even later, he should be with her.
"Alright, I'll call you after I'm done."
The sweetness on Olivia's face was unmistakable. "Okay."
Watching Joseph's back as he left, Olivia's smile carried a sense of determination.
Joseph was going to divorce Harper, wasn't he?
Given Harper's strong-willed, she definitely wouldn't come forward about last night.
They were definitely going to get divorced!
When Harper arrived at Civil Court, Joseph hadn't arrived yet.
She stood by the flower bed at the entrance and waited while Harper gave a chuckle to herself.
How familiar this scene was. Wasn't it the same last time?
Harper waited for Joseph, but he didn't show up.
But this time, her state of mind was completely different.
Harper clearly realized that this marriage, where she was the only one giving love, was slipping through her fingers and it was time to end it.
As Joseph drove up, he saw Harper standing on the steps from a distance.
The breeze gently lifted her hair and the hem of her white dress, giving her an innocent look that was uniquely hers.
Just like when they first met.
Joseph felt a sudden, unexpected pang in his chest, but it quickly subsided.
He parked the car, got out, and walked towards Harper.
"Have you been waiting long?"
Harper looked at the approaching Joseph, momentarily at a loss for words.
He was so composed, speaking as if chatting with an old friend he hadn't seen in a while.
But just last night, they had been so intimate.
Harper suppressed the pain in her heart and replied calmly, imitating Joseph's demeanor, "No, I just got here."
Joseph's deep eyes grew even more intense under the sunlight. He lowered his voice and asked, "Did you bring the documents?"
"Yes."
Harper didn't want to stand there talking to Joseph, feeling like she was always at a disadvantage. So she took the lead and walked inside, saying, "Let's go in quickly; the staff will be off work soon."
Joseph watched Harper's back as she turned away, his thin lips pursed and his brows furrowed slightly.
In the end, he said nothing and followed her into the courthouse.
Whether the recent divorce rate had dropped or it was just not a good day, there were very few people seeking a divorce.
There was only one couple lined up in front of them, two people who looked to be around forty years old.
Harper sat on a chair, her gaze fixed on the couple going through the procedures.
The couple had no interaction, a tacit understanding between them, answering the staff's questions separately.
Harper felt that this state was very much like her usual state of being seemingly at odds with Joseph.
Thinking this way, she felt even calmer.
Joseph sat beside her, with a seat between them.
He also noticed the couple ahead, his handsome brows slightly furrowed, his eyes deep, lost in thought.
Joseph caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a faint smile on Harper's lips. Was Harper smiling?
Smiling because she could finally be free?
"The house you're living in now, and the card I gave you before, they're all yours," Joseph suddenly spoke.
Harper had a momentary trance. She turned back to look at him, then realized what he meant. She shook her head. "No, I don't want your things."
"I promised your father I would take care of you," Joseph said, his gaze hidden. "He'll only be at ease if you're doing well."
"I said I don't need it."
Hearing Joseph mention her father, Harper felt the marriage was even more absurd. She couldn't help but raise her voice, "I'm not an invalid who can't live without you."
Joseph stared at her, not looking away for a long moment.
"Alright."
Now that Brian was back, she couldn't go bad.
Harper had been eager to leave him so she could move in with Brian sooner, hadn't she?
Neither of them spoke again, and soon it was their turn.
The divorce process went surprisingly smoothly.
Then it was time for court hearing.
Harper read the documents very carefully, every item, every letter.
It was as if she was reviewing the years of this marriage and her feelings for Joseph.
At this moment, everything turned to ashes within these cold papers.
Harper couldn't suppress the pain in her heart, but she had to endure it.
She gripped the pen tightly and, after a long while, signed her name without hesitation.
Joseph sat beside her, his furrowed brows never relaxing.
He watched Harper sign her name, and at that moment he was torn between conflicting emotions.