CHAPTER FIVE

RHEA’S POV

“We don’t have to end things messily, we don’t need to fight, just sign it.”

I blinked, my vocal cords felt too heavy to produce a sound. I turned and continued walking to the kitchen, before I could get in, Ms Rita already made my coffee and handed it to me.

I took a deep breath and turned back to the impatient looking Leonard, tears clouded my view at once, he wasn’t kidding, Leonard really wished to leave me at this point, a vulnerable time in our marriage, Leo meant to humiliate me in the eyes of Malibu elites.

“Say something, Rhea! Hell, just sign the paper, we don’t have to pretend the last few months has been great, there is nothing to work on if you’re thinking of giving me that lecture…” He

straightened the paper and extended it to me again. “Here, sign it.” The haste in his tone felt like a direct stab to my heart.

“Leonard, is this how you want to end eight years of relationship, like we meant nothing to each other… ever? We are married, Leo, we took for-better-for-worse vows, we were in love when we said those words to each other, I meant it, I’m certain you meant yours, you really want to end

our marriage like a mindless boyfriend and girlfriend break up?” I choked on my words as tears rolled down my eyes, my heart pounding anxiously. “I still love you, Leo, what we have is special, please…” I continued as I walked towards him, his eyes glaring down at me. “Don’t do this, we have time to work on our marriage, we can still…”

“Stop it, Rhea! Stop! This isn’t about our marriage anymore, our marriage ended months ago, there’s no counseling us back together. I do not love you anymore, I was never meant to love you, that was just teenage infatuation that I failed to end earlier!” He snapped, rage lacing out his voice. All I could hear was his voice, I could no longer see him from the glossiness of my eyes. “Seriously, are you delusional, Rhea? Elites are meant to marry elite, how do you think rich

people stay rich? You’re a slum girl, looking twice at you was the first mistake I ever made, I can no longer stand the humiliation of not knowing how to introduce you when acquaintances ask which family you came from, who your father is in the society, because well… your father is possibly a nobody and you’re just a homeless girl in gilded outfits.” My fingers were trembling around the cup almost spilling out the steamy coffee, my legs were unsteady, gently I found my way to a chair and sat down, he followed.

“The paper.” I murmured and he handed it to me with a pen, my hand trembled on the pen as I signed with my tears leaving wet marks on the paper. “You’re free,” I sniffled and wiped my

eyes as I stood from the chair. “I will go pack up my bags, I will be gone before the day ends.”

He grabbed the paper and immediately headed for the exit. I stood, watching his retreating back hoping he would turn back and say it was all a prank and everything he said was a fluff. The door slammed shut, he was gone.

“Ma’am, I would like to quit here and work for you wherever you go.” Ms Rita’s gentle voice said from the kitchen, I smiled and wiped the fresh tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Sure, Ms Rita. I will call you whenever I get a new place, but you have to hold on to your job here.” I nodded, took a deep sigh and headed upstairs.

Once I got into the bedroom, I felt like weight had been added on my chest as tears started rolling down my cheeks again and I slowly slipped to the floor.

It was all real, my life with Leonard was over, my first love and relationship and might as well be

my last, first kiss, first sex, ended like it all meant nothing, like it was all an illusion.

I had tried not crying because of the inhumane words Leonard threw at me, he had said hurtful things to me these past months, but this… It ached my heart. He had reminded me of the life I have long forgotten, I had trusted him with my truth out of love and transparency even after my mom warned that my past was too raw for him.

Talking about how embarrassed of me he had been all these years was another stab in my heart, saying that to me knowing too well that I had suffered inferiority complex most of my years with the Malibu elites.

Did Leonard ever truly love me or I have been delusional all along? I sacrificed my

independence for him, I believed him four years ago when he suggested that I didn’t need to apply to a college, saying that my degree would end up collecting dusts as I would be at home taking care of our future kids, and if I really needed motion, I should join a club or Pilates class like other wife’s.

I did the kept-wife thing for him, his mom was doing great as one so I didn’t think much of it. I loved Leonard too much that I forced myself to love that lifestyle.

After a much needed cry, I wiped my tears off and got up from the floor; looking into the mirror, a ghost was staring back at me, my eyes looked shallow and bloodshot, my face red like I had been slapped multiple times.

I thought to call my mom and tell her about the divorce, but I knew how dramatic she would get over it… And she was in Miami for her honeymoon.

I started packing up my clothes and folding them into a luggage, after about an hour, the room was half empty with my belongings all cleared out, I had changed into more decent clothing but my eyes gave my emotions away.

My luggage were packed into the booth of my car, I took one last look at the house ignoring the pitiful gazes of the staffs, got into the car and zoomed into the road.

Soon I was parked at the lot of a hotel, tears threatened to prickle out my eyes and I blinked it

back in. I got out of the car and walked into the building.

“Good day, Mrs Klein.” The receptionist greeted once she saw me, I swallowed in humiliation, I and Leonard used to be regulars here for our mini staycations. I nodded. “The presidential suite as usual?” She asked and I took a deep frustrated breath.

“No, a standard room. I’m alone, thank you.” I said and handed her my card. She typed into her system and then swiped my card, I watched her expression go from normal to a frown. “Is there a problem Ms?” I asked and she shook her head with a gentle smile.

“Your card declined ma’am, it must be the machine, I will try again.” She said and swiped my card in the machine again, her brows raised and she looked at me. “Your card declined again ma’am”