I hired a renowned divorce lawyer, someone with a ruthless reputation, determined to strip Aldric of everything.
The legal battle dragged on for months. Aldric stalled the divorce, floating in a haze of confusion, making more mistakes in company decisions, and allowing Cedric Linton to slowly cut him down. Even his former ally, the elder brother he had once ousted, began assembling a team to take over his position.
As for Vivienne…
She was just an ambitious woman who deliberately seduced him, a perfect match for his selfish, greedy nature. I hated Aldric more than I hated her.
If it hadn't been for Sammy, I wouldn't have bothered with Vivienne.
After severing ties with Vivienne, the industry quickly turned its back on her. No one dared to work with her, and soon, her dark secrets were all over the media. She had no solid foundation, and once she fell, no one was there to catch her.
Aldric no longer cared, even going as far as to encourage it. Within a week, the once-promising movie star had been drowned in a sea of online insults.
That night, I went to meet Cedric for dinner. Just as I arrived, I happened to see Vivienne dining with several men. Even though one of them tried to make advances, she kept smiling that perfect, practiced smile.
Cedric Linton said, "The investor is notorious for being terrified of his wife, but he still manages to keep ten lovers on the side."
I just nodded.
Once upon a time, she'd refused to be humiliated, even if it meant self-harm. But now, she willingly allowed herself to be "kept." Indeed, once you've traversed the entertainment industry, you're reborn.
The meal lacked any flavor, and later, Cedric drove me home. The night was heavy, and rain poured down in sheets.
As I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Aldric standing in front of my door, drenched in rain, wearing his old high school uniform. For a moment, it almost felt like I was back in high school.
"You were with Cedric Linton. Are you two together?" he asked.
The motion-activated light flickered on. I took out my phone and messaged the culprit: "Was that you?"
"That restaurant owner is a friend of mine. He just posted a promo on social media. Five-Star Private Chef restaurant, you don't need me to publicize it." I scoffed, but didn't call him out.
A few seconds later, Cedric Linton sent me another message: "Are you upset?"
"Sorry."
He sent me a cat meme with a bowing gesture to apologize.
Looking into Aldric's menacing eyes, I typed out a message: "Go away."
Cedric sent another text: "I'm right behind you. Don't be afraid."
If he wanted to watch a show, he could've just asked directly—there was no need for all the excuses.
I really didn't expect him to look so prim and proper, but still have the qualities of a mischievous troublemaker.
I ignored him, putting my phone back in my bag and folding my arms as I turned to Aldric: "Made up your mind? Meet me at the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow at 8 a.m."
Aldric ignored me completely and raised his right hand. "Yamilet, my hand hurts. It's been aching since the rain started, like being pricked with needles. You can't just ignore me."
His hand had been injured when he fought for me at sixteen.
Back then, I was a nerd, an obedient student, the child of two teachers. I had no intersection with Aldric, a known troublemaker, until that fight.
A gang of punks had tried to intimidate me at my parents' school, but Aldric stepped in and beat them senseless. He got hurt too, with a broken finger. During high school, his "finger injury" was his go-to excuse for everything.
He'd use it to drag me out of school, sing songs for him, or let me watch him play basketball under the guise of needing to rest his hand...
I glanced at him. "You know, even if this reason would let me fulfill all your demands, it has an expiration date."
The moment you even glance at Vivienne for just one second longer, it expires.
Aldric kept staring at me, his eyes red, stubbornly unblinking. Really, I was fed up with him.
I was so tired of Aldric's endless entanglements.
I hated what Aldric had become at 26, how he'd failed to live up to the pure, passionate boy he used to be. I opened the door and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a kitchen knife and tossing it in front of him. "End it."
Implying, "End it, and the pain stops."
Aldric froze for a moment, then looked at me with wide eyes. His gaze fixed on the knife in a trance, and with a manic intensity, he suddenly looked up at me. "Is this it? Is this the answer? Is this how we can start over?" he gasped.
"Is this the way, Yamilet?!"
Panting, Aldric grabbed the knife from my hand, his tear-filled eyes blurry. "Give me one more chance, let's start over, please!"
He lifted the knife, and for a brief moment, his face turned pale before rapidly blushing with embarrassment. His severed finger tumbled onto the floor.
My heart raced: "Are you out of your mind?! Aldric!"
"Yes!" Aldric laughed through his blood-soaked hand amidst the storm. "I'm insane!"
"Ever since you left, I've regretted every single moment!"
"You really don't love me anymore, do you?"
I was backed up against the doorframe, my heart pounding in my throat.
Trying to maintain some semblance of composure, I coldly told him, "Yes. I don't love you anymore."
Cedric Linton stopped watching the drama unfold. "Holy shit! Is he that insane?"
I couldn't take it anymore and kicked Aldric: "Take him to the hospital!"
Aldric was struck by Cedric Linton's fist, his head slumping down to his knees.
It took a while before I heard him weakly say:
"We've been together for ten years. You've really let it all go, haven't you?"
"Yamilet, you really are heartless..."
