"Just state how many you need, Bella. I will give you anything you want as much as you ask."
Hearing Tristan humiliate her with his words, she'd surely cry if she were alone in the room. Bella tries to hold back her tears while calming her emotions.
"Tr-Tristan—" Bella's voice slightly shaking. "I want to hear your reasons. Why did you ask for a divorce?"
Instead of answering her, Tristan asked, "Do you remember why we got married?"
Bella didn't respond. Of course, she remembers. Their marriage was an arrangement between their grandpas.
Old Donovan forced Bella to marry into the Sinclair family. This marriage started because of money and power, with no love between two people involved.
If she can bear a son for Sinclair, they promise to give her family good fortune; their family business will no longer become a mid-core company. Sinclair pledged to help Donovan Group become the top company in the country.
Married for benefit, something Bella hated the most, but she couldn't refuse her grandpa and father at the time. She was powerless; her only option was to accept the arrangement and marry the man she never met before.
However, She was stupid enough to make a big mistake after marrying Tristan Sinclair; she fell deeply in love with him. Now, she regrets it.
"Bella, maybe you already forgot after four years. Let me remind you. Our parents want you to carry on the Sinclair family line. But you haven't gotten pregnant yet."
Tristan continued, "What am I supposed to do now? I can't wait another year. You know that, right? Why you—"
"I understand!" Bella interrupted him. Her heart was truly hurt to hear his reason. She didn't need his words to slice her already wounded heart.
During their four-year marriage, she had tried so many ways to give him a child but was unable to get pregnant until now. She couldn't possibly get pregnant just because she wanted to, as she couldn't force God to let her get pregnant.
Bella felt like she was living in hell during their wedding, stressed about not getting pregnant. She had to endure the humiliation she received from her mother-in-law; she verbally abused her almost every day.
The most painful part was that her parents also despised her because, for four years, she couldn't bear a child and couldn't hold Tristan's heart.
'Well, Bella, at least you are now free from all those painful...' She tries to cheer her broken heart. However, Tristan's following words once again shattered her last bit of patience and calmness.
"Glad to know that. Alright, now sign the papers and stop creating drama, Bella! Ah, you don't have to worry… I will give you alimony, enough for you to spend the money for the rest of your life. You will not suffer after divorcing me." He said casually, but Bella felt like all her blood was rushing to her face.
She feels utterly angry hearing his words.
'Who needs your money? I can make money without you!' Bella vents her frustration.
However, just before she wanted to refuse his money, she heard a voice in her mind.
'Don't refuse his money. Take it!!'
Bella was stunned. She pressed her lips to stop the words she was about to say.
"I will sign," Bella said without hesitation. "But, if someday you regret this decision and want me back, you won't get a chance, Tristan. So—"
"That will never happen!" Tristan ended the call without giving her a chance to say anything.
Beep!
Bella felt her eyes blurry as soon as the phone line abruptly ended. She pushed back her tears while trying to cast a spell on herself.
'Arabella Donovan, don't cry. Tristan Sinclair isn't worth your tears!' She gritted her teeth while returning John Turner's cell phone.
...
Bella didn't say a word but just listened to John Turner explaining the divorce papers.
Her mind was sunk into a dark abyss in her heart's pond. She felt torn apart. The marriage she dreamed of had ended just like that.
This divorce never crossed her mind. She thought Tristan would never divorce her, as he was always gentle toward her and never asked her to do anything.
But now, she realized, her four-year marriage to Tristan was just a facade; his gentleness was only a mirage. She hated herself because she always believed that Tristan would love her one day.
'What should I do now?'
Faced with this sudden situation, Bella's brain could not think straight for a moment.
'Should I return to my hometown to my family or stay here and start my new life?' Bella felt like her brain was in a thick fog, and she did not know what to do next.
Bella sat in her chair, looking at John Turner before her. She couldn't understand a single sentence that came out of his lips. She felt like she was watching a movie without sound.
Before long, she finally heard him.
"Ms. Donovan, you just need to sign here," John Turner pushed the paper toward her and pointed to the part she had to sign.
Bella took the pen, but before writing her name on the paper, her hand stopped when something flashed through her mind.
When John saw Bella didn't sign, he said, "Ms. Donovan, I want to clarify the alimony; Mr. Sinclair will transfer it to your account. And also, the house you live in now will be handed over to you. You will also get some shares in the company..."
"Please send all the money to this account." Bella write her bank account, which she never accessed after marrying Tristan.
"Swiss bank account—" John Turner looked surprised that this woman had an account at a bank known only for tycoons.
"Yes. I need your help selling the assets Tristan gave me. All the money and shares he gives me should also be sent to this account," Bella instructed.
Bella will never stay at their marital house alone because she will always remember him if she remains there, and her mother-in-law's house is just next to theirs.
How could she survive life in that place?
"Ms. Donovan, that house—" John was surprised this woman wanted to sell the house.
The houses are located in the most expensive neighborhoods in this country. Only famous and wealthy people can own a house there, and not just anyone can buy property there.
"Yes. Why do you look confused?"
"Are you sure you want to sell that house, Mam!?"
"Of course. Sell it after I move out," Bella said. She signed the marriage annulment paper without hesitation.
After she finished signing the paper, she turned to see John again.
"Mr. Turner, you can go now and tell him, if he sees me one day, ask him to ignore me because I will do that too."
Bella averted her gaze from John Turner because she didn't want this man to witness her sadness. She wanted John to tell Tristan that she was okay with this divorce.