Chapter 2 - I want a divorce

Alora didn't get home early,she was wondering what got wrong."It's because I couldn't give him a child but I'm not God"She said while crying.

"Where are you coming from, Alora?" Grace asked with a displeased look on her face. She had received innumerable calls from Dalton who kept asking about his wife.

"The hospital!"

Grace's eyes remained as cold as ever. If she noted how puffy Alora's eyes were or how tired she looked, she refused to show it. She didn't even care to find out what happened. Instead, she waved her hand dismissively.

"Get me a glass of water, now!"

Quietly, Alora walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. She looked like someone who had been whacked by a truck. Her shoulders were slumped, her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her beautiful face was drawn and wearied.

She had left the hospital before the Doctors could inform Dalton about what was happening. It was still hard for her to believe she had lost control and attacked Carolina. She was always calm and collected, no matter what was thrown her way. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡?

And where was Dalton?

"Spacing out again, Alora?" Grace asked, walking into the kitchen. She glared at Alora who immediately spun around with the glass of water she demanded.

"I'm sorry Mother, I..."

"Is there anything you are good at, aside from sitting around and basking in my son's wealth? You cannot even give him a child!" She glared at her and continued. "I asked you for a glass of water, still, you couldn't even deliver it!"

"I'm sorry Mother..."

"For the last time, stop calling me mother! I cannot and will never be your mother!"

Taking a deep breath, Alora lowered her head and stared at the glass of water she was holding. She still didn't know where she had gone wrong or why her mother-in-law despised her so much. If she wasn't picking a fight with her, she was laying thousands of complaints about her.

"Here is the water you requested for!" Alora spoke calmly, choosing to ignore her words as always. She took a step closer but was shoved down by Grace.

The glass of water was the first to slip from her hand and shatter into pieces before her butt painfully hit the ground. She let out an agonizing cry which resulted from the broken glasses tearing into her skin.

"That is where you belong, you shameless woman!" With that being said, she turned around and exited the kitchen.

Alora could barely hold it in. She started sobbing as blood gushed out of her hand and arm. A sharp shooting pain cramped up in her stomach and her body tensed. Her face contorted in pain, her breathing became shallow, and she was sweating and all pale.

She lowered her hand to her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold herself together through sheer force of will. She looked like she was on the verge of collapse. What was happening to her?

"Holy Mercies!" The maid yelled and rushed over to kneel beside her. "Hang in there, Ma'am... Please!"

Without asking questions, she helped her up from the ground and led her out of the kitchen. She quickly grabbed the first aid kit and attended to her injury. First, she managed to pull out the broken glasses before she stopped the bleeding and bandaged her hand. She insisted on calling Grace or the Doctor but Alora assured her she was alright.

"Are you sure, Ma'am? You do not look alright!"

She forced a little smile. "I am fine. Just get back to work!"

Just then, the door opened and Dalton walked into the house. The moment his eyes found her, something veered in the atmosphere. The air thickened, suffocating Alora with a tension that ticked like a bomb waiting to explode.

Quietly, she rose to her feet, ignoring the cramps in her stomach. "You're back!"

Instead of responding, he started walking towards her, his eyes fixed on her bandage. There was something about the look in his eyes that made her heartbeat seize and her skin crawl.

"Who did this to you?" He asked, holding up her arm gently. When his eyes finally met hers, they softened.

"It was an accident. I fell and broke a glass!"

The look in his eyes changed so fast as he released her hand which dropped to her side. Alora mourned his touch but didn't utter a word. He had suddenly gone silent and she wondered what was going through his mind. 𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔? The thought of him being with Naomi burned a hole in her chest.

"So it wasn't Carolina!" He uttered finally.

"You were with her, weren't you? I stayed up all night trying to reach you. Don't tell me you forgot about our anniversary!"

"Why did you hurt her?" He asked instead, ignoring her question or anything else she said. "How could you do such a thing, Alora?"

𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡, She said in her mind as she stared back at him. She couldn't believe he was asking so many questions instead of apologizing for everything. He even ignored her question!

"Do you even know how I feel right now, Dalton? You..."

"It is nothing compared to what she's feeling right now. How could you hurt her that way? She has always been good to you!" He paused and stared at her for a brief moment. "What came over you, Alora?"

And that was it. She couldn't take it anymore!

"Don't you dare!" She gritted as her teary eyes flashed with warning. "You, Dalton Steel, are a shameless man. I should've known all along. I should've believed your mother but I trusted you!"

"This has nothing to do with me. You hurt someone and you're going to do what responsible people do!" His voice was as calm as ever, quiet venom running underneath it. "You are going to apologize to Carolina.

Everything went still. His words repeated in her head, ramming into her skull like bullets. The knot in her chest tightened as silent rage oozed out of her pores. How could he ask her to apologize to his Mistress?

"No, I won't. You can both rot in hell!" She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill and turned to walk away but he grabbed her bandaged arm. She yelped and tried to withdraw her hurting arm from his grip but couldn't.

"You will do as I say, Alora!"

She glared harder at him with bloodshot eyes. "And what if I said I wanted a divorce?"

He stiffened.

His eyes widened with shock first and then narrowed into thin slits, brimming with fury. Without a word, he released her arm and walked away, taking the silence with him. Sobs wracked her body as she watched him leave and finally, she let the full flood of tears flow.

•°•°•°•°•°•

Alora got into the room she shared with Dalton, and began packing her things, leaving behind everything he had bought for her. By the time she was done, Grace was standing beside the door with a surprised look on her face.

She had heard them arguing for the first time since they got married and was intrigued. She wasn't interested in what caused the argument but she was more interested in Alora's last words. 𝐴 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒! And just to be sure she wasn't bluffing, she had waited some minutes after she entered the room before she finally joined her.

"Where are you going, Alora? Have you finally decided to listen and move away from my son? Have you now realized you are no good for him?"

Instead of replying, Alora zipped up her luggage and picked up her phone. She walked over to where Grace stood and held the phone in front of her. A moment passed but there was no reaction from her. She had expected her to laugh at the picture displayed on the screen but instead, she furrowed her brows and looked up at her.

"What is this? Where did you get it from?"

"From your son!" She replied curtly, her voice hoarse from sobbing hard. Turning off the phone, she smiled. "You must be excited. You always said this would happen anyway!"

"So what? You're leaving?"

"Isn't that what you always wanted?" Alora asked in response and could see the gleam behind her eyes.

"Then what are you waiting for? I'm happy my son was able to finally get away from you Be gone oh ye barren woman!"

Without a response, she rolled her luggage and started walking off. The last thing Alora needed was entertaining any more drama from her mother-in-law.

"What's in the box? Hope you haven't stolen all of my son's money. Hey... Come back here this instant... Alora!"

•°•°•°•°•°•

"You can always sort this out, Mrs Steel, divorce is not the answer!"

Without response, Alora picked up the pen and signed the papers. When she was done, she removed her wedding ring and dropped it on top of the paper.

She had gone past the point to care if her decision was right or wrong. What difference would it make? Dalton would always care more about his Mistress and Grace would never stop maltreating her because she couldn't bear a child.

She was so sick and tired of everything already. If this was going to give her peace, then so be it. "Thank you for processing everything in a short time. Please ensure Mr. Steel signs them as well!"