Chapter 2

Zara Pov

I quickly picked up the scattered documents on the floor.

“Zara.” Sylvester stepped in, his presence occupying the space.

For a second, I couldn't talk. I stayed frozen, staring at him, my hands shaking behind me.

“We need to talk.” He broke the silence before us, and I finally shook out of my dead posture.

Sylvester moved closer to me; the scent of Aurora's perfume covered him. Slowly, he guided me back until I was sitting on the bed. He sat next to me, and I gently placed the divorce papers beside me on the other side.

“You must have been surprised when you saw the wedding announcement—” he began, but I said nothing.

I had already detached myself from this marriage, so it didn’t hurt the way it did the first day Aurora moved in.

“Aurora is dying. The doctor said she has a little time to live, and her last request was for me to marry her. She wanted to die as a married woman.”

He wants to please his childhood friend, even if I have to suffer for it.

“Okay,” I said flatly.

“Okay?” His brow furrowed.

What did he expect? For me to fight? I'm done fighting. This marriage was over long before now.

I nodded my head, standing up from the bed. I opened my drawer and dropped the divorce papers inside it.

He walked closer to me, standing behind me. “Zara, just give me—”

The sound of crashing was heard from downstairs.

"Sylvester!" Aurora's trembling voice floated down the staircase.

I felt Sylvester body tense. Aurora had called, and duty answered immediately.

In a second, he was out of the room before I could speak.

“Are you okay?” I heard his faint voice from downstairs.

“Yes, I mistakenly broke the cup. My sickness must be acting up.”

“You should rest often, Aurora.” My husband's voice was caring, and I think I haven't heard him speak to me in such a manner in a year.

“The doctor said I shouldn't be left alone.”

I went to the door and slammed it. Concealing their voices.

When Aurora returned to the city, she moved into our house five months ago. She claimed her house was broken into, so she couldn't sleep alone and had to move in temporarily.

Sylvester has approved it before I protest.

“The Watson has been a good business partner, and Clara is sick.” He had said with finality.

And since then, she has flaunted herself in our home as if she owned it. Lunging at the pool in designer bikinis. Attending events as if she's his wife and making small private talks with Sylvester like they're lovers.

Some nights I'd catch them so close, signing legal documents. The first thing she did was to strike a business deal with Sylvester's company the moment she came to the city.

I'd always feel my heart ripping out but days of repeated heartbreak has taught me to control my emotions..

************

Sylvester didn't come back until midnight. I spent the night searching the internet for the best university to transfer to in Wellington, another city far from here, then Sylvester walked in.

The choking scent of Aurora's perfume announced his presence, and I quickly changed the search bar on my computer.

“You're still awake. What are you doing?”

“I'm done, just an assignment,” I lied, closing the computer.

I stood up, heading to the bed, but he blocked my path.

“I've missed you.” His finger brushed my shoulder as he swept my hair to the side, making the skin of my collar visible.

I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch like a starving woman finally given a crumb.

I know I should pull away, but a starving part of me that only Sylvester could temporarily fill, even if he never stayed, wanted this.

His lips found my neck, and he unbuttoned the front of my nightgown. I closed my eyes, shutting off my sense of reasoning.

Just this once, I will let myself forget—

A knock came on the door, and Sylvester paused.

“Who's there?”

“It's me, Syl,” Aurora called from outside.

She even has a pet name for your husband. A voice taunts me.

In a second, Sylvester was standing by the door, and he swung it open.

“Syl…” Aurora's weak voice trembled from the doorway. “My stomach… it hurts so much.”

She bent her back like she was in pain, hands resting on her stomach as her wailing voice filled the room.

Sylvester was quick to rush to her. He pulled her close to his chest as he examined her face, his back turned to me.

“Have you taken your medication?”

“Yes, but I couldn't sleep. The doctor said I should always have someone by my side so I could sleep.”

I saw a smile coating her lips as she was now facing me.

“Syl, I'm in pain! Am I going to die now before I get married?”

Sylvester pulled away and cupped her face. “You're not going to die now, not until I grant you your last wish.”

“I'm too weak, I can't climb the stairs.”

Sylvester scooped her off the floor and carried her in a bridal style. She gasped, wrapping her hands around his neck.

“Let me take you to your room. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep.”

With that, he was already walking away with her in his arms.

“What about Zara?” Aurora asked, clearly not out of concern but mockery.

“Oh,” Sylvester paused, as if he just remembered that I exist.

He turned to face me.

“Go to sleep, Zara, don't wait for me.” Without waiting for my reply, he was already walking away with her.

I watched as my husband left to spend the night with his childhood sweetheart in the same house I lived in.

I didn't know when Sylvester got back home, but by the morning, I almost choked on my breath when I saw him flipping through the institution research documents I had stupidly left on the table last night after printing them out.

Last night, I had distracted myself from the thoughts of Clara and Sylvester searching for more institutions and jobs in another city.

“Wellington business institution.” He reads, sipping from his coffee. “When did you prepare this overseas project?” His brow arched, raising the University transfer application.

“A classmate asked me to grab the form for her.” My voice came flat, I pinched hard on my palms, but his eyes lingered on my shaking pinky finger.

“Sure. I know you hate the winter.”

I guess he didn't remember. Two winters ago, even though it was cold, I begged him to come with me to watch the falling flakes.

He dropped the cup of coffee, then turned to face me properly. “If you can't continue, you can quit. I'll appoint you to a position in one of King's companies.”

I closed my eyes. That's exactly the problem. Every achievement, every progress, and every paper is in the King's name.

I want to live for myself now. I want a name for myself.

I was about to say something when Aurora's sweet voice swept through the room.

She was humming a melody and had the brightest smile on her face.

Without giving my application another look, he turned, facing Aurora.

“Morning, Syl, morning Zara.” She greeted me, sitting in an empty seat. Her nightgown was too short, exposing her thighs as she sat.

“Syl, the testing of our wedding outfit is today before noon.”

“You know I'm doing this for her health,” Sylvester leaned closer and whispered to me, but I'm too far gone to care.

“Let's go talk about it in the study.”

I watched them leave, concealing my own emotion.

My phone peeped. It was a message from the lawyer. It's a soft copy of my marital status, and he told me to come pick the hardcopy I submitted yesterday.

My fingers tightened around the phone.

After three years of marriage…

This was what remained.

I stared at the marital status.

Single.