Chapter 2
"I don't want anything." I put my phone away, my smile gone, replaced by icy indifference. "Alex, I just want a divorce."
The air seemed to freeze.
Alex and Sophie both stared at me in utter disbelief like I'd grown a second head.
"Divorce?" Alex stared at me for a solid 30 seconds before bursting out with a mocking laugh. "Lydia, are you out of your mind? Divorce me? You're a spoiled housewife who's never done a day's work in your life—how do you expect to survive without me?"
Sophie, putting on her best innocent act, climbed out of bed, wrapped herself in the blanket, and tried to persuade me. "Yeah, Lydia, don't say things just because you're angry. Alex just messed up for a moment—give him another chance, okay? It won't happen again."
As she spoke, she nervously glanced at Alex, her eyes practically dripping with love and grievance.
Watching this disgusting duo put on their little show right in front of me, I felt my stomach twist with revulsion.
"I'm not just saying that. I mean it," I said.
I pulled out the divorce papers I'd prepared ahead of time and slapped them down on the bed. "I've already signed. Now you sign."
Alex picked up the papers, and when he read the terms, he froze again. "You're leaving with nothing?"
The agreement spelled it out in black and white—I was giving up every single joint asset: the luxury mansion downtown, the two cars in the garage, and even half of his company's shares.
I didn't want a thing. All I wanted was a divorce.
Alex's eyes shifted from shock to suspicion, then lit up with greedy excitement and scorn.
"Lydia, you better think this through! Once you sign, you'll have nothing left!" he said.
His greed was written all over his face. "Don't crawl back crying when you regret this!"
"Don't worry." I met his gaze coldly. "Even if I jumped off this 30-story building, I wouldn't ever look back at you."
*****
Early the next morning, we showed up at the courthouse.
Alex, probably worried I'd change my mind, barely slept a wink. He had huge dark circles under his eyes, but he clutched the divorce papers like they were some priceless treasure.
Sophie tagged along too, looking all sweet and innocent. She stood next to Alex, shooting me a timid glance, but I could see the smugness flickering in her eyes.
The whole process went by without a hitch.
The moment the papers were finalized and the decree was stamped, I saw Alex let out a long sigh, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
"Lydia, we're done for good now," he said.
He stuffed the final divorce decree into his pocket, then pulled Sophie into his arms, grinning at me like he'd just won the lottery. "By the way, Sophie and I are getting engaged next week. You'll come to the party, right?"
"I'll be there," I replied, my face blank.
Sophie cuddled up to Alex, shooting me a smug, winner's grin. "Lydia, thanks for letting us be together. Alex and I will be so happy. Hope you find your happiness, too."
Watching them gloat, I felt nothing—just icy indifference.
Happiness?
Let's see how long your so-called happiness lasted when the world went to hell in a month.
As soon as I walked out of the courthouse, I didn't waste a second—I headed straight for the bank.
Sure, I wrote in the agreement that I'd walk away with nothing, but that was just to put Alex at ease and make him sign without hesitation.
All these years after we got married, I was the one in charge of the family finances.
To keep up his act as the devoted husband, Alex would send me a hefty allowance every month.
After covering our daily expenses, I stashed away all the leftover money and put it into some steady, low-risk investments.
This money wasn't listed in the divorce papers—it was my premarital personal asset.
Three million dollars.
In my last life, after I died, Alex and Sophie got to enjoy every cent of it.
This time, it was going to be my greatest asset for surviving the apocalypse.