Chapter 52
Freya’s POV
I let out a small, wry smile. “I don’t need you to take care of me. I can handle myself.”
“Even if you’re strong, I still want to take care of you,” Kade said, his amber gaze locking onto me. “If I’d known what Caelum Grafton–what that bastard–did to you back then, I would have…”
My phone rang, cutting off his words. The screen flashed Caelum’s name. I frowned, answering.
“Why have you cleared out all your things from the villa?” His voice was sharp, threaded with irritation.
“I moved out. If you see anything left that belongs to me, just throw it away. No need to call,” I said, my voice calm, steady.
“Moved out? What is this supposed to mean? Are you sulking at me?”
“Not sulking. I just don’t want to live there anymore,” I said lightly. “And about the divorce… I don’t want to drag it on. I can waive the hundred million in the agreement, but I need you to finalize the divorce papers as soon as possible.”
Three more days, and the thirty–day Lunar Severance Phase would end. Once he agreed, we could be done. I wanted this marriage ended cleanly, with no lingering chains.
“Fine. You want a divorce? Then come back to the villa. We’ll talk about it now!” he barked, then hung up.
I put my phone away and turned to Kade. “I need to go to the villa.”
“Is this about the divorce? I’ll go with you!” Kade said immediately, having overheard some of the call.
“No. This is between me and him. I’ll go alone,” I replied firmly.
“Are you really going through with it?” His gaze bore into me.
I glanced at my parents‘ casket in my mind, remembering their sacrifices. If they could see me now, would they want me to remain trapped in this hollow marriage?
“Yes,” I said aloud, voice low but unwavering.
When I arrived at the villa, Caelum was already sitting on the living
room sofa.
“Freya… do you really want a divorce?” His tone was a mixture of disbelief and irritation.
“My marriage with you has no reason to continue,” I said plainly.
“For such trivial things, you want a divorce? What do you even take marriage to be?”
“Trivial?” I gave him a sharp look. “Your mother and sister treated me that way–is that trivial? And your affair with Aurora- is that trivial?”
His face darkened. “My mother and sister were wrong, but they’ve been detained. They’ve paid the price. Isn’t that enough?” I laughed bitterly. “So the abuser pays, the victim should just be satisfied? Is that what you think?”
“And Aurora and I were just friends! I never slept with her, so stop aecusing me of adultery!”
“Do you really think infidelity is only about the body?” I snapped. “When everyone thinks you two are perfect together, when everyone praises you as the golden couple–did you ever deny it? Did you ever say, ‘I already have a wife‘?”
I was a business setting. I couldn’t disrupt the atmosphere. Besides, if I contradicted her, I would have embarrassed AuroralTM “No,” I said, voice cold, “you weren’t afraid of disrupting the atmosphere. You weren’t worried about Aurora’s face. You were asharned of me. You were too embarrassed to say anything because I’m your wife, because being married to me made you lose face!”
His face flushed with embarrassment, but he quickly countered, “And you? Do you think you’re flawless? You have multiple patents, were a drone specialist in the military, and yet never told me!”
“Yes, I didn’t mention it. Because you never cared.” I said, letting the words cut. “I told you I’d done research on drones. And what did you say? You thought I was boasting. You thought I was jealous of Aurora and trying to compete with her!”
Caelum went silent, realizing he had indeed dismissed my words when the company was expanding into drone tech.
“The one who truly despised me in this house was you. That’s why your mother, your friends, even Aurora, looked down on me!” I said, my voice sharp.
His expression shifted, a mix of red and pale. “I didn’t despise you… I just…” He faltered, struggling for an explanation that didn’t exist.
“Doesn’t matter anymore. I’m here only to settle the divorce,” I said.
He pressed his lips together, eyes narrowing. “Are you divorcing me… to be with Kade?”
I froze. My pulse jumped. How could he even mention Kade?
The air in the villa felt suddenly colder, heavy with the scent of tension and unspoken truths.

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