Chapter 8: For To Love Is to Let Go
It was such a hefty amount that she would not need to work her whole life if she accepted it.
But wouldn't that mean she was living off him?
Wouldn't he call her a gold digger even more?
Loreen tore up the documents about the alimony.
She never asked for his money. She never begged him for alimony. Nor did she wish to ever get one from him.
She thought she would be his wife forever.
'Heh. What a naïve and childish thought,' Loreen mocked herself.
With the documents done, it was time to pack.
Edric told her to leave so she would leave immediately. There was no reason for her to stay here anymore.
As of today, she was no longer Loreen Harvey but Loreen Ross Garcia.
Her original name felt so nostalgic.
She quickly grabbed her things and packed.
Almost everything in this room was bought by Edric so there was nothing much for her to take.
Only the clothes and shoes she bought with her own money from when she was still working. She kept everything in a box even when she hadn't been wearing them anymore.
Now it was all she could take. And those were quite a few since she hadn't been buying much since Edric kept getting a lot for her.
She left all the accessories, bags, shoes, and clothes that he bought for her.
She tried lifting her bag. Her luggage ended up so light.
"Hahaha."
Loreen mockingly laughed at herself as she realized that Edric was right.
She had nothing. He gave her everything she needed. But that one thing he wanted; she could not give him.
'He didn't have to be this roundabout. He could have just told me without all this mess.'
Did he have to hurt her like this?
She would have preferred it if he simply admitted he no longer loved her. Or that he wanted children so he could no longer continue his marriage with her.
Loreen glanced at their wedding ring on her finger and eyed each of their wedding photos plastered in their room.
Her heart ached again. She wanted to take them with her. But what for?
Loreen gulped and took a deep breath as she strengthened her resolve. But her hands still trembled as she pulled off their wedding ring.
She gave it one last kiss and placed it on top of the wedding picture she had placed on her bedside table three years ago.
They do not even need that picture anymore. She used to kiss their wedding ring and that picture before she went to sleep.
But she was a divorced woman now. There was no need for those.
Inside her wardrobe, she saw the box where she put the envelopes with money that Edric had been giving her for the past three years.
Eric was not stingy with her. He gave her monthly allowances despite already providing all the basic needs she would ever need. And when he successfully signed new contracts with huge earns, he would deposit a sum in her bank account.
Loreen had no use for all those though since she usually just stayed home and focused on exercises advised by the doctors who checked her.
She only went out on dates with Edric, and he paid for everything, so she had nothing to spend on.
Thus, all the money had accumulated. Her allowances had become several hundred million in a matter of three years.
How much more in the bank account? Out of curiosity, Loreen checked it online.
It was several billion!
'It was this much?!!' Loreen gasped.
Edric told her whenever he sent a sum to her account. But he never said the exact amount and she never asked either, since she knew she would not use it.
She did not know it was this huge so she couldn't help but be shocked.
'Is this why he called me a gold-digger?! All the money he had given me had accumulated this much?!'
But she never asked for these. She had repeatedly told him she did not need the monthly allowances, but he still gave her those envelopes with a bundle of cash.
She only accepted the bank account he had made for her in cases of emergencies, and she thought she would spend it for their children once they had some.
That was also the reason she did not spend a penny on the cash he had been giving her.
She was thinking of spending it on their children in the future, so she was saving it up. But now, there was no need for those. They had no children, and they were divorced now.
She pulled out the box and settled it on their bed along with the bank card he had given her that contained the billions.
Loreen wrote a note to him since he didn't want to listen to any of her words.
"I don't need alimony from you. I never plotted to get it from you either.
"Please remember, I never begged you for money or your property.
"Here, you may have these back as well. These are the monthly allowances you have been giving me. I did not even spend even a single cent.
"The bank account you made for me is also here. Please take it back and transfer all the money to your name. I did not spend a cent either. And I don't need it.
"Thank you for your generosity, all these years. I wish you all the best."
She left the note on top of the box.
She picked up the divorce papers, checked that she signed everything right, and put it back in the folder. She placed it on her bedside table and put their wedding photo and her ring on it.
Loreen made another note.
"I signed the divorce papers. Not because your accusations were true, but because today you broke my heart and disappointed me.
"Our marriage ends on this very day you forced this marriage on me.
"Remember, you were the one who stamped my finger on those papers. But now, you are also the one who asked me to sign these.
"The trust and love I worked out for you for the past three years were all shattered.
"But I will set you free since that's what you want.
"I love you, Ed. Goodbye. I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for."
It may sound like a plea for him to change his mind, but Loreen still wrote that last line. She wanted him to know she loved him all these years.
This would be the last time she called him Ed. The shortened version of his name she had called him with love all these years.
Yet, she could not even say it aloud. He almost strangled her earlier when she said his name. She won't repeat the same mistake.
'I hope you don't regret this day,' Loreen wanted to add but did not since it would make her seem like she was still begging to be with him.
She already said her feelings for him when they were in the living room. She asked for his. And he said it only clouded his mind.
'For him, our marriage and our feelings did nothing good. So, I should not insist on staying.'
Her heart felt so heavy, but this was the end for them.
Loreen left the note beside her ring.
She took a photo of her notes since he might tear those up in anger without even reading them. She would send the pictures to him once she had left.
'He did provide everything I needed so I did not even need to spend those. But I did not feel like spending those for myself either since those were the reason, he was always busy and could not be with me,' she sighed deeply.
There were many days and nights she wanted to be with him, but he was busy with work, so she was all alone in this huge house.
'Ah, why am thinking about those like a needy wife again. He doesn't need or want me anymore. No need to reminisce those times.'
Loreen scolded herself and focused on what she needed to do. She had to leave as soon as possible while she had gathered some resolve.
She searched for the cards she had before their marriage and checked online to find out how much money she had left.
Ever since her marriage, Loreen hadn't been taking care of them, but she had not touched her personal savings and old payroll accounts. She knew she still had some money in those.
Thankfully, Loreen had 1.5 million. She still had enough money to survive while looking for work.
The latest deposit to her account was a separation fee from the NGO she worked for three years ago. They still sent her separation fee even though she suddenly had to resign back then.
'I believe I will be able to live with this.'
She had to begin living alone again so she had to look for work and an apartment.
Loreen easily got hired when she applied right after graduating so she was confident she would be able to find work again. She worked part time even when she was in university, so she had years of experience working.