Chapter 46 Who doesn't want a divorce anyway?

Tomorrow is the day Alina is heading to Oklens. As she had told Caleb, she arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau at 8:00, waiting for him. By 9:50, unable to contain her impatience, Alina sent him a message, "I've been waiting for you for almost two hours, don't forget."

Meanwhile, Caleb was still in his office when he received Alina's message. The executives in the room immediately sensed the drop in air pressure, their breaths held as they witnessed the tension between them.

"That's all for today," Caleb uttered, his voice icy and commanding, causing everyone present to hastily retreat, feeling as if they had been granted amnesty.

Tomas entered the room, noticing Caleb's dark expression as if he had lost a billion dollars.

"Tomas," Caleb called.

"Yes," Tomas responded cautiously.

"What do you think women are up to, being so calculating?" Caleb pondered aloud. Alina was making a fuss about divorce while also entangling herself with Collins Castle, manipulating public opinion in the process. He had never encountered a woman with such a cunning mind. After so many years of dominating the business world, it was the first time he had encountered such a shrewd and strategic woman, a tactician he even admired.

"You mean Lady Alina, right?" Tomas felt a cold sweat breaking out on his spine.

Caleb raised an eyebrow, signaling for Tomas to continue.

Tomas explained, "By all rights, if she genuinely wanted a divorce, she wouldn't continue to involve herself with your parents. The only explanation for Lady Alina's behavior is that she is not willing to divorce."

"Not willing to?" Caleb repeated, his brows furrowing.

"Yes," Tomas affirmed.

"Then why would she make such a fuss? Isn't she worried that I will actually agree to divorce her?" Caleb questioned, realizing that Alina's growing closeness to Collins Castle was contradictory to her desire for a divorce.

Tomas was going crazy at this point. As a man who was unmarried and had no girlfriend, why was he analyzing this situation? Was it really his place to stand in a different position and see from a different angle?

"She's not afraid," Tomas responded, feeling exasperated. "Think about it, nobody at Collins Castle likes Miss Emma, and your mother, who used to dislike Lady Alina, is undoubtedly on her side."

Caleb had also noticed this. Julia and Alina were like sisters, and even his mother, despite her cold attitude, showed a preference for Alina. He began to wonder if he truly was his mother's son. It was more than just a request from Mrs. Collins to take care of Alina; it was akin to treating her as a family member.

"So, why is she taking such reckless actions?" Caleb questioned, his frustration mounting.

"It's hard to say. But knowing Lady Alina's nature, she's not someone who would act recklessly, especially considering what happened three years ago..." Tomas trailed off, leaving Caleb to reflect on his own actions from three years ago.

Tomas found himself growing increasingly perplexed.

They were well aware of Alina's nature, so everything she had done recently was simply an act of revenge, wasn't it? Caleb's eyes darkened as he contemplated the situation. Tomas, sensing the further drop in air pressure, cautiously suggested, "Or, you could try coaxing her to find out what's really going on."

"Coaxing?" Caleb repeated, uncertainty lacing his voice.

"Yes, sometimes women act out when they're unhappy," Tomas explained. "If she can't be appeased, then she must truly want a divorce." Although Tomas was uncertain, Caleb chose to believe his words.

The sun beat down, growing bigger and hotter in the sky. Alina observed the couples coming in and out, their smiles full of happiness. She thought that marriage should be like this, but in retrospect, her own marriage with Caleb didn't even involve personally obtaining a marriage license. Their union was arranged, and ultimately, it all went wrong. It made her realize that marriage should be a personal choice. If it is arranged, it may seem picture-perfect to outsiders, but in reality, it may hold nothing of substance.

As it approached eleven o'clock, anger surged within Alina. She reached for her phone and typed a message, "Master Caleb has always been punctual, don't break the rules regarding the divorce." She was truly furious. Did Caleb believe that only his time held value while everyone else's was worthless? He had declared divorce at ten o'clock yesterday, yet now he didn't show up and didn't even reply to her message. What was the meaning of this?

The frustration drove her to call Caleb directly to seek some answers. Soon, a low voice answered on the other end, sending a wave of unease through Alina. "What's wrong with you? You said it yourself last night," she confronted him.

"Oklens, right?" the man on the other end interrupted her, his words dripping with intent.

Alina questioned, "What do you mean? Are you threatening me?" The man's tone felt menacing.

Although the Oklens competition hadn't started yet, it was already causing chaos. Alina's anger reached its peak in that moment. "I've booked a flight and will be there with you tomorrow at ten," Caleb stated firmly.

"What do you mean?" Alina couldn't comprehend why he was trying to sabotage her at every turn. Caleb replied, "I'll accompany you to the competition and witness how you shine on the world's grand stage, captivating the crowd."

His words sounded ironic to Alina's ears. Unbeknownst to her, Caleb was attempting to appease her, but his approach only sent shivers down her spine, making her feel creeped out and disturbed.

"Caleb, do I hold a grudge against you? If we're talking about hatred, it's me who hates you more," Alina expressed, wondering how long this man would continue to chase her and seek revenge. First, it was Andre, and now it was Oklens. Would it ever end?

"I'll send Tomas to pick you up," Caleb responded, completely unaware of Alina's thoughts as he remained focused on work. He simply assumed she might still be throwing a tantrum.

"No, I'll wait for you here. There's still half an hour left in the day, so hurry up and come for the divorce," Alina insisted, her frustration mounting. She had been waiting here for hours, and Caleb's absence only fueled her anger.

"Then take a taxi to Mulherd Manor for now, and I'll join you later for lunch," Caleb suggested, leaving Alina wondering about his true intentions. Just as she was about to unleash her anger at him, the call ended abruptly, leaving her with a mix of emotions.