Chapter 2 - Shattered Promises**
Lola's heart raced as she stared at the chilling message on her phone. Desperately, she tried to call the sender, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic flooded her senses as the reality of his absence sank in. In a haze, she shuffled to her room, her mind whirling with confusion and dread. After retrieving her laptop, she frantically searched for the contact information of Rowan Group Corporation. It was nearly midnight, the world outside enveloped in a shroud of darkness. She picked up the phone to call, but the line was busy — of course. The clock ticked mercilessly, reminding her that this was the first time in their three years of marriage that he had broken a promise.
On the following morning, determination fueled her actions; she canceled all her appointments and raced to his office, driven by the desperate need for answers. Meanwhile, in the confines of his corporate sanctuary, Mory perched at the window, staring blankly at the busy streets below, lost in thought. Just then, Stella slipped quietly into his office, her presence like a charged electric current.
"Missed me?" she purred, a sweet smile playing on her lips.
Mory sighed deeply, his expression darkening as he pushed her hand away from him with barely restrained anger. "How many times have I told you to back off?"
"Well... don't you enjoy it?" Stella's voice dripped with playful defiance, as she traced her fingers down his chest.
But Mory seized her wrist, causing her to wince as pain coursed through her. "Consider this your first and only warning," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I never let threats go unanswered. Never touch her again, not even in pretend play. You cross that line, and you won't live to regret it," he added, a smirk flickering across his lips as he released her chin.
Taken aback, Stella stumbled slightly, her hands trembling. Was this truly a warning, or merely an angry outburst? For a fleeting moment, she wondered if it was the weight of Yvonne's name that fueled his rage or simply his bad mood. She had disregarded many of his previous warnings, never once sensing this raw urgency in his voice. But now, it stirred something dark within her — jealousy mixed with anger swirled in her, tightening its grip.
"Why do you care so much about that woman? She's just—" Stella began, her eyes flaring with indignation. "We both know you married her out of obligation, for the promise you made to her sister. You never loved her! You acted for appearances, and now you're scared of breaking that vow. Pathetic."
Mory remained seated, slipping a candy out of his pocket. As he slowly unwrapped it, he met her eyes with a cool indifference. "And so? How does that concern you? Your feelings are entirely irrelevant."
"Perhaps not for you, but it's terribly relevant for her, since she thinks you married her for love," Stella pressed, a mocking tone in her voice. "She married a lie. Poor thing," she scoffed.
Outside, Lola's heart shattered further with each word that reached her ears. She pressed her shaking hand against the cool surface of the doorframe, her breath hitching in her throat. The realization hit her like a wave, drowning her in despair. 'So he married me only to honor my sister's memory?' Distressed, she fled the building, with unanswered questions trailing behind her.
Heart racing, Lola navigated the streets in a daze, her mind a tempest of confusion and betrayal. She sped through the city, ignoring the blaring horns of irate drivers, feeling utterly isolated in her turmoil. The shrill sound of her phone jolted her back into reality. With shaking hands, she parked her car, resting her head on the steering wheel as tears streamed down her face.
Had everything been a façade? Did he ever truly love her? Why hadn't she seen it before? The memories raced back — separate bedrooms, the cold silence that marked their interactions. A rush of anger mixed with confusion swirled within her. She had to confront him, but how?
Her phone rang again, insistent and unyielding. With a trembling breath, she answered. "Draft me a divorce paper," Lola said, her voice barely a whisper.
"What?!" her friend exclaimed, incredulity lacing her tone.
"Please, just do it. I'll explain later. Just trust me," Lola urged, her frustration leaking through the cracks of her composed facade.
After the call ended, armed with only determination and a shattered heart, she set off once more.
Later that evening, when Mory returned home, the shadows enveloped the quiet house, disorienting him momentarily. He flicked on the light and was taken aback to find Lola sitting on the couch, clutching a paper in trembling hands.
"I'm sorry for not coming home last night. There was something urgent I had to take care of," he offered, blaming the mechanical nature of his own words rather than the weight of his absence, but she remained silent and stoic.
Concern washed over him. "What's wrong?"
"Let's get a divorce," she stated flatly, her gaze unyielding.
The words pierced Mory's heart as if time stopped. He had never anticipated this from Lola, who had always professed her love for him so fervently. "Why? Is this about last night? I can explain," he said, a desperate edge creeping into his voice.
"No, it's not about that. I overheard your conversation with Stella." The bitterness in her voice made it clear that she had heard far more than he intended. "Did you marry me just to keep a promise to my sister?"
Mory weighed his options and, realizing there was no benefit in lying anymore, finally replied, "Yes."
As her laughter echoed through the room, a hollow sound that betrayed her grief, the tears she fought so hard to suppress began to fall. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched across his face.
Still blank, she stared at him, her hand stretching out to present him with the divorce papers. "Just sign it."
He set down his work bag, steeling himself as he glanced down at the papers she held, the finality of it all settling heavily in the air. Instead, he ripped the document into fragments, watching the pieces flutter to the floor like shattered dreams.
"What did you do that for?" she yelled, hurt and irate.
"I'm not signing it, and who gave you those papers? Stella?" he accused, defiant.
"She's not the issue! Just sign the damn paper!" she pleaded, pointing angrily at the remnants scattered on the floor.
"I'm not signing anything." Mory's resolve hardened as he prepared to retreat, but Lola stood her ground, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs.
"Is this a joke to you?"
Taking a deep breath, he returned to his bag then leaned closer, eyes intense. "I will not give you the divorce you want. It's not happening. Behave yourself; you might get to see a side of me that's worthwhile."
With a patronizing pat on her head, Mory retreated upstairs, leaving Lola in a whirlwind of emotions.
"Why can't you sign the divorce paper when you clearly don't love me?!" she shouted at his retreating figure, her voice breaking.
Crushed under the weight of betrayal and confusion, she collapsed onto the floor, sobs wracking her body as she buried her face into her trembling hands.
The next morning brought with it an air of anticipation as Stella awoke to a rattle at her door. Peeking through the peephole, her heart raced at the sight of Mory standing there, a storm brewing behind his eyes. Without a second thought, she opened the door, inviting him into a space that felt charged and electric.
"This is your first time visiting me," she said, her smile devoid of reality. "You should have let me know you were coming; I would have prepared something."
But the casualness of the moment shattered as Mory's hand encircled her neck, pushing her back firmly against the wall. Stella's eyes widened, exhilaration mingling with apprehension as she struggled against his grip, realizing for the first time that she was entrapped in a game far darker than she understood.