After Divorce, No Longer Waiting for Him

Chapter 9

My aunt is a strong, capable woman. Her brand carries real weight in the market, and it holds significant value for Carr Group. So, even after the chaos I stirred up at the banquet, their partnership remained unaffected. If anything, Master Carr seemed even more approving of me as his future granddaughter-in-law.

Still, I knew asking Tom for a divorce directly might put my aunt in a difficult spot if he refused. So I made up my mind to leave quietly, separate for two years, and then file for divorce. That way, it would all be clean, no messy drama.

The day I was packing to leave for the research base, Tom showed up, blocking the front door.

He looked like hell.

Disheveled, unshaven, dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Amber," he said hoarsely, "I was wrong. I really do love you. Please, just give me one more chance. Yell at me, hit me, do whatever you want… just don't leave me. Don't ignore me."

His voice trembled, like a dog begging to be let back inside.

I looked at him without emotion. "Tom, the day our daughter died… something in me died too. I gave you chance after chance for six years. And what did you do with them? What did you do to us?"

Some things, once broken, stay broken. People always seem to realize what they had only after it's gone, but by then, it's too late.

The last bit of light in his eyes flickered out. He leaned back against the wall and slid down, defeated. For a long time, he didn't say a word.

Then finally, in a low voice, he asked, "Amber… did you ever love me?"

"Yes," I answered quietly. "You probably never noticed, but I loved you for seven years."

His head snapped up, stunned. "Since college? Our senior year?"

I nodded. "Do you remember asking me if I'd seen a husky puppy?"

He had handed me his phone and said, "Excuse me, miss, can I ask if you, "

And I'd interrupted, grinning. "No, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm single."

It was such a silly, spontaneous moment, but that was when I first felt drawn to him. Handsome, polite… who wouldn't fall a little?

But later, I found out he was the young heir to the powerful Carr family, and already had a childhood sweetheart. So I buried those feelings deep, never letting them show.

"I remember," he said with a sad smile. "Back then, you were full of life. Bold, fearless… passionate."

I pulled myself back from the memory. "Tom, yes, we loved each other once. That's real. But what's also real is that I hate you now."

He nodded slowly. "Alright. I get it. Do you have time today? If you're ready for the divorce, let's do it. I've held you back long enough."

"I have time."

The divorce went through without a hitch.

What caught me off guard wasn't the paperwork, it was how decisive he was. As if, deep down, he knew he'd already lost me a long time ago.