The lawyer seemed not to notice the choked tremor in Virelle’s voice. His tone was calm, steady.
“Hello, Madam. Could you describe your situation?”
“The grounds for the divorce, as well as your expectations.”
Virelle paused for a moment, then told him everything.
“Mrs. Ashen, I am very sorry for what you've been through."
His voice measured.
"If you truly wish to leave, I can assist you with the division of assets.”
“Although I cannot make your husband walk away with nothing, I can ensure you receive fair...”
Virelle cut him off.
“Mr. Wolfe, I don’t need any assets. I just want the divorce to be finalized as quickly as possible, and the freedom to leave at any time.”
Virelle clenched her hands unconsciously.
Her grandfather was about to undergo surgery, and the doctor had repeatedly warned that he must not be subjected to any shock.
And on top of that, she still needed the two hundred thousand dollars from Grayson, the very price for all the sacrifice she had made, and the humiliation she had endured.
She could not leave immediately.
But she needed to be ready to leave as soon as the surgery was successful and his condition was completely stable.
"I understand."
The lawyer did not ask further, just calmly replied.
"Please prepare the necessary documents, and I'll handle the rest."
Finally, Virelle could breathe a sigh of relief.
...
The next morning, Virelle woke up as usual. After getting dressed and putting on light makeup, she picked up her bag, preparing to head to the hospital to visit her grandfather.
As she stepped into the living room, the space was unusually quiet.
Jaxon had likely already been taken to school by Grayson. In the living room, only Grayson and Selene remained, seated at the table having breakfast. At that moment, Selene was leaning close, feeding Grayson a bite of salad with intimacy.
“Grayson, eat this one.”
Virelle glanced at them, then looked away as if she hadn’t seen anything. Grayson, however, seemed uneasy. He quickly pulled back from Selene, stood up abruptly, and cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment.
“Virelle, are you heading to the hospital?”
“I’ll take you. I promised last night I’d go with you to visit your grandfather.”
Every time he did something wrong or hurt her, Grayson would always act this gently afterward. Virelle shot him a brief glance before nodding.
After all, her grandfather truly liked Grayson.
“Wait a moment, I’ll grab my coat, and we can go together.”
Seeing her agree, Grayson let out a breath of relief and quickly reached for his jacket.
“Wait, Grayson...”
Selene’s voice cut in at just the right moment, soft and sweet.
“Can I come along?”
“I was thinking of stopping by the mall nearby, it’s on the way.”
Without waiting for his answer, she cheerfully cleared the table and stepped to his side.
“Virelle, you don’t mind, right?”
Selene blinked, putting on an innocent and harmless expression, while Grayson looked at Virelle as if gauging her reaction.
“Up to you.”
Virelle no longer wanted to argue. She gave a lazy shrug and turned away. She had no interest in wasting words or emotions on someone as shameless as Selene anymore.
When they reached the garage, Grayson, as usual, gently opened the front passenger door for Virelle. But before she could react, Selene swiftly slipped into the seat, acting coy.
“Virelle, I get carsick. Can I sit in the front?”
“You’re so generous, you wouldn’t get mad, right?”
Selene blinked, looking at Virelle sweetly.
“Besides, I’m used to sitting next to Grayson anyway.”
At the sight of Selene’s fake smile, Virelle felt her stomach churn with nausea. She didn’t bother responding, simply opening the backseat door herself and sitting down calmly.
Seeing how “understanding” Virelle was, a trace of satisfaction flashed in Grayson’s eyes.
The car started moving.
Selene casually picked up a bag of snacks from inside the car and opened it. The smell of food quickly spread through the space.
Watching Grayson’s indifferent expression, Virelle couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.
Grayson had always hated it when she ate in his car. There was once when she had worked overtime until she was trembling from hunger, her blood sugar dropping. She had tried to open a small snack in the car just to ease it.
Yet Grayson had slammed on the brakes in anger, snatching the snack from her hand and throwing it out the window.
“Virelle, I’ve told you before. Eating in the car smells disgusting and makes me sick."
"Don’t ever do that again.”
At that moment, Virelle even felt guilty for making him mad.
Up until now, when Selene did the same thing, he indulged her. There wasn’t even a trace of displeasure on his face.
Love and the absence of it were, in truth, painfully easy to see.
It was only that, all this time, Virelle had been blinded by love.
“Grayson, have a bite. This snack is really good...”
Selene leaned closer, holding the snack right to his lips. The gesture was so familiar, as if she had done it countless times before.
Grayson smiled indulgently, tilting his head as he opened his mouth and ate the snack.
At that exact moment.
A container truck hurtled toward them from the opposite direction, heading straight for them.
The piercing blare of its horn tore through the air, sending Grayson into a panic as he jerked the steering wheel.
“Ah!”
Selene screamed as her body lost balance, the world spinning around her.
Bang.
The car slammed violently into the roadside barrier, the front of the vehicle beginning to smoke almost immediately.
Everything descended into chaos.
“Selene, watch out!”
With all his strength, Grayson lunged forward and pulled Selene tightly into his arms, shielding her just before she crashed into the window. In the next instant, the glass shattered.
As for Virelle, seated in the back, the force of the collision hurled her body hard against the car door. Her head struck the window with a dull, heavy thud, and blood quickly began to flow as the glass shattered.
Fragments of glass flew everywhere, slicing into her skin and leaving her dazed, her reactions delayed.
The world around her gradually blurred.
“Selene, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Struggling, Virelle forced her head up, only to see Grayson cry out in alarm as he held Selene tightly, frantically checking her for injuries.
His voice was filled with concern, as if she were the most precious person in the world.
Selene, as though frightened out of her wits, clung to Grayson, sobbing softly that she was fine.
A self-mocking laugh escaped Virelle's lips.
An accident had just happened, and at the very line between life and death, yet the person her husband protected and cared for had never been her.
He did not spare her even a single glance, while frantically shielding and soothing his mistress.
How ironic.
If he had only turned his head, even just once, he might have seen her collapsing in a pool of blood.
Her heart pounded violently, as if it might burst through her chest.
She tried to lift her hand, tried to call his name for help, but no sound came out.
Her body felt as if it had been drained of all strength, and Virelle slowly slid downward.
It will be alright. She will be fine.
She won't die.
Virelle tried to comfort herself.
Her vision gradually blurred until, at last, Virelle’s world sank into darkness.
Perhaps… this was for the best.
At least now, Virelle no longer loved him.
And, she would no longer hurt because of him.
