Andrius froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard by my words, then frowned slightly, his gaze sinking into mine.
He studied me, a trace of probing in his eyes. “You never used to ask for these things on your own.”
“People change,” I said flatly, then urged him, “Sign it.”
Andrius looked at me for a long, heavy moment, then finally nodded. Casually, he asked, “Which house did you choose? I remember you liked the development by Eastwood Lake… should we buy one there….”
He abruptly stopped, the pen hovering midair. From my angle, I saw Trisha’s fingers brushing across his back, one leg pressed tightly against him beneath the desk.
Andrius paused for two seconds, his gaze darkening. Then he picked up the pen, signed the papers, and handed them back to me.
“If there’s nothing else, go rest early.”
Though his tone was composed, the suppressed desire in his voice betrayed him.
I took the papers, my gaze sweeping once between him and Trisha, the corner of my lips lifting in a faint, mocking smile.
When I closed the door, the sound of rustling clothes drifted out again. My chest tingled, but the pain was gone.
The next morning, I brought the signed agreement to the City Hall, only to halt when a familiar figure appeared before me.
“Titus Morgan?” My eyes widened. “Why are you here?”
He was the man who had once kidnapped me, Andrius’s half-brother, the illegitimate son of the Velasquez family who could never show his face.
Leaning against the car, he smoked lazily, the curling smoke blurring his features, though his gaze made my breath catch.
“Don’t be nervous.” He stubbed out the cigarette and walked toward me. “You betrayed me before. How could I not keep an eye on you?”
His words tightened my chest, a bitter pang twisting deep inside. Five years with him, only to end up choosing his brother, his enemy, in the end. No wonder he was here, watching me stumble and humiliate myself.
Stopping before me, Titus chuckled, a low, knowing sound. “Here to finalize the divorce, huh? Andrius didn’t even bother showing up?”
I lowered my eyes. “He doesn’t need to.”
Titus only smirked, neither agreeing nor denying. “Then go on.”
Fear pricked my spine, wary of his intentions, so I hurried into City Hall.
The process was startlingly fast. When the seal pressed down, memories of the day Andrius and I had received our marriage certificate flashed before me.
“Maxine, I’ll repay you and protect you for a lifetime,” his voice echoed in my mind.
Seven years of marriage, five spent in a coma. His so-called lifetime had lasted only two years.
Now the marriage certificate had turned into divorce agreement, and the whole process had taken less than ten minutes.
When I stepped outside, Titus was still there, leaning casually against the car. I approached him and pulled another document from my bag, the one I had signed yesterday.
“This is ten percent of Velasquez Corporation’s shares. Take it as a token of my sincerity.”
Titus’s gaze lingered on the paper for a long moment, then lifted to meet mine.
“Trying to prove your loyalty?” His laugh was sudden and dangerous. He reached out, gripping my wrist. “I have a better way.”
Before I could react, he dragged me back into City Hall.
In my hands, a new marriage certificate appeared. I opened it, and in the photo, Titus wore a half-smile while I stared blankly, emotionless. No matter how you looked at it, we didn’t look like a loving couple at all.
Titus suddenly pinched my chin, his gaze boring into mine. “Maxine, this time, I won’t give you another chance to betray me.”
