From the night of her eighteenth birthday when she first fell for him to now, at twenty-five, feeling utterly disillusioned... Seven years! The prime of her youth, all for a man like him. There was now hatred in Lyla Hunt's eyes as she looked at Westley Grant.
Westley tossed the divorce papers onto the coffee table, rising swiftly with a gaze that was icy and fierce. "Lyla Hunt, are you out of your mind?"
Lyla stood her ground, meeting Westley's eyes without a hint of fear. Norah Warren was present, and if Westley dared to lay a hand on her, it would all be caught on video.
Lyla crossed her arms over her chest and raised her voice. "I'm perfectly sane. It's you and her who are the ones out of line." After glancing at the wan-looking woman beside them, Lyla continued to address Westley. "Tomorrow morning at nine, in front of the courthouse."
If it weren't already approaching six in the evening, Lyla would have gone to finalize the divorce papers right then and there. Tears welled in the other woman's eyes, making her appear more pitiful.
"Lyla, you've misunderstood," the woman said meekly. "I'm too frail to possibly have anything going on with Westley."
Lyla, however, was well aware that nothing physical had happened between Westley and the woman, Winona, as she had seen all the tender gestures Westley offered her on social media. The more Lyla thought about it, the colder her smile became. She mimicked Winona's soft-spoken manner. "Winona, are you telling me you don't have even the slightest affection for Westley?"
Winona blushed, casting a sidelong glance at Westley. "Lyla, Westley is amazing. Isn't it normal for me to admire him? But we have never done anything to betray you."
Recording the whole scene, Norah couldn't help but click her tongue. Lyla remained calm, arching an eyebrow at Winona. "You adore him, and he takes such good care of you. I'll step aside and let you two have each other. Everyone wins."
Westley's eyebrows knit together in frustration. "Lyla Hunt, how long are you going to keep this up?"
It took all of Lyla's restraint not to pick up the letter opener from the table and throw it at Westley. "Lyla, are you divorcing Westley because you don't want to donate your kidney to me?" Winona asked, her voice full of feigned innocence.
Lyla shook her head firmly and waved her hands dismissively. "Whether or not I get divorced, I won't be donating my kidney."
"I'm divorcing your beloved Westley because I've finally come to my senses." Lyla moved to the hospital room door, linking arms with Norah. She shot a cold glance at Westley, her words as icy as her gaze. "Mr. Grant, tomorrow morning at nine, don't be late."
Westley's eyes were full of disdain. "Lyla Hunt, are you using divorce as a threat?"
Lyla nodded without hesitation. "Yes, I'm threatening you. If you're late tomorrow, face the consequences."
Westley smirked, countering, "Before you try to threaten me, think about your own worth. If it weren't for Winona, I would never have married you."
"Lyla Hunt, you're going to donate that kidney whether you want to or not. If you keep causing trouble, there will be payback."
Seeing Winona's smug smile and Westley's cold demeanor, Lyla couldn't hold back any longer. She stomped her heel hard on Westley's foot. "Let's wait and see."
With that, Lyla grabbed Norah and left quickly. She knew full well that when it came to physical confrontations, neither she nor Norah stood a chance against Westley.
Lyla had a fresh copy of the divorce papers printed and made sure Norah sent her the video and audio recordings. Back at the mansion she shared with Westley, she unpacked some still-steaming takeout.
She ate while watching the video of Westley. The more she watched, the less appetite she had. She flipped her phone face down on the table as memories of the past two years flooded back—how she had cared for Westley, cooked for him...
And just like that, she lost her appetite completely. But thinking of tomorrow's "showdown," she forced herself to finish the tomato basil soup.
Since their marriage, Lyla and Westley had always slept in separate rooms, and Westley had never come to her room. As a result, she was careless and didn't lock her door.
When the door swung open, Lyla quickly sat up in bed. Her feet had barely touched the ground when Westley roughly hauled her up.
His gaze was icy enough to freeze her in place. "Lyla Hunt, you refuse to donate a kidney to Winona and use divorce as leverage. Do you doubt my resolve?"
Feeling utterly unsafe, Lyla's small frame went rigid. "...," was all she could muster before Westley roughly tore her nightgown.
Slap!
In utter shock, Lyla struck Westley across the face. She had once thought of having a child with him, but now all she wanted was a divorce.
Westley, not expecting Lyla to hit him, stood momentarily stunned. Lyla quickly wrapped a blanket around herself and ran for the door.
She feared Westley's retaliation; he could end her as easily as squashing an ant. As Westley came to his senses, his expression grew as dark as storm clouds.
"Get out."
Even though it was her room, Lyla knew when to strategically retreat. "Alright, I'm leaving. Mr. Grant, don't forget: nine o'clock tomorrow at the courthouse."
Wrapped in a blanket, Lyla dashed down to a guest room. This time, she was smart: she locked the door and blocked it with a chair.
She didn't sleep well, waking up to see panda-like circles under her eyes in the mirror. She decided a little makeup wouldn't hurt before she left.
Since it was still early, and unsurprisingly, Westley wasn't home. He probably left last night. By 8:50, Lyla was already at the courthouse.
But by nearly ten, Westley still hadn't shown up or answered her calls. Frustrated, Lyla muttered under her breath, "Westley Grant, if you're going to be so heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Hailing a cab, she instructed the driver, "To Grant Enterprises, please."
Having often delivered lunch to Westley at work, the receptionists knew her well enough not to stop her. Arriving at the CEO's office, Lyla didn't bother knocking and stormed in.
Seeing Westley alone, she approached his desk with determination. "You're deliberately avoiding the courthouse, aren't you?"
With no trace of guilt, the man nodded. "Yes, I'm busy and have no time for petty games."
Lyla's smile was chilling. She placed her phone on the desk, pointing at the screen. "If you don't proceed with the divorce, I'll have no choice but to give this video to the police, and you'll have to answer for coercing me to donate a kidney to Winona."
Once Westley saw the video, he quickly stood, his gaze turning vicious. His voice was frigid. "Lyla Hunt, you have a death wish."
Lyla had already put her phone away and stepped back. She smirked defiantly. "Westley Grant, maybe you're avoiding the divorce because you've fallen for me?"
Westley's laugh was harsh. "I'd sooner fall for a pig than ever care for you."
