Chapter 2 Rid of her

I pushed open the door to our bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, my hair falling over my face, shielding me from the light above. I wanted to brush it away, but I couldn't find the strength. Soon, sleep claimed me, bringing a temporary end to my misery.

A loud knock on the bedroom door startled me awake. I blinked groggily, glancing at the clock-it was just past two in the morning.

I forced myself out of bed and opened the door, only to be shoved aside by Quinn. Raymond was with him.

"You sleep like a log too?" Quinn's voice was rough, his appearance disheveled yet still strikingly handsome. Even in his drunken state, he managed to show his disdain for me.

"Hi, Anastasia," Ray greeted, pushing Quinn into my arms. "Sorry for bringing him home like this... he had a bit too much to drink."

Ray was Quinn's closest friend, and a bad influence at that. I never liked him, but Quinn was not someone easily swayed by others.

"Oh..." I muttered, trying to steady Quinn as he leaned heavily on me, pushing me against the wall.

Ray gave us a quick glance before tapping Quinn on the shoulder. "Don't get too carried away, man. She arrives tomorrow."

"She?" I asked, confused, but Quinn's intense gaze held me captive. It was unlike him to look at me this way, with a warmth I had never seen before.

"Why did you leave me?" he suddenly asked, pulling me closer. "Just why?"

"Quinn, you're drunk. Don't do something you'll regret," I whispered, my heart racing. I couldn't resist him, but I feared the aftermath.

"I want you now..." he murmured, pressing me tightly against his chest before his lips crashed into mine.

I was stunned, but I kissed him back. I loved Quinn, and I wasn't going to waste this rare moment of affection. I closed my eyes, savoring the taste of him. But before I could fully immerse myself in the kiss, he pushed me onto the bed, tearing my clothes off with a roughness that shattered the fragile illusion of love.

He took me quickly, without tenderness, leaving me no time to even call his name. The act was over as abruptly as it began, a stark reminder that being his wife was a title I should be grateful to hold.

Quinn pulled away, and I knew instantly that the man I loved was gone, replaced by the cold, distant version of him I had grown accustomed to.

I looked away, not wanting to see the hatred in his eyes. I didn't want to be reminded that I meant nothing to him.

He stood up, heading to the drawer where he kept a bottle of pills. I knew what was coming. He would insist I take them, to erase any trace of this unwanted encounter.

He threw the pills at me, along with a bottle of water.

"Take them," he ordered me to take the pills, watching me intently as I shakily opened the bottle and swallowed two. I washed them down with half the water in the glass, my hands trembling.

When I finally looked up at him, my eyes burned with unshed tears. He pulled open a drawer and took out an envelope, walking toward me with deliberate steps. Confused, I took the envelope from him, my brow furrowing as I tried to make sense of it.

"What's this?" I forced the words out, my voice cracking as I fought to keep my composure.

"We're getting a divorce," he said flatly, shrugging into his suit jacket. "I want those signed before I return."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I clutched the envelope tighter, my chest tightening as I struggled to process what he'd just said.

"A divorce?" I whispered, the word tasting foreign on my tongue. "Why? Why do we need a divorce?"

He gave me a blank stare, his expression cold and unfeeling. He adjusted his jacket, clearly ready to leave again.

"Do as you're told, Anastasia, and don't ask questions. I'm done with this farce we call a marriage," he said, turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

Not wanting to let him leave, I quickly wrapped the blanket around myself and followed closely behind him, still concerned about his state of mind. He was obviously extremely drunk when Rey brought him in.

"What on earth is this, Quinn?" My voice trembled, the words barely holding together as I felt myself unravelling. "You're not doing this on my birthday, are you?" I asked, tears blurring my vision as he turned and glared at me with disdain. "You can't leave me like this after I sacrificed three whole years of my life for you!"

"And I'm giving you a chance to be free. Isn't that better?" he shot back, reaching for the dreaded file I clutched tightly in my hands. "Consider this a birthday gift and leave. I'll make sure you get all the benefits from the divorce."

"You're..."

"Leave, Anastasia." He cut me off sharply. "Leave now and say nothing more. You can have the Ferrari or one of the estates in Paris as part of the settlement... just go."

Just go!

I marvelled at how easily those words slipped from his tongue, as if they meant nothing. My eyes stung with fresh tears. I knew Quinn never loved me-it was always obvious to anyone who wasn't family. But I never imagined his hatred ran this deep.

I stumbled backward, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces as he tightened his grip on his suit jacket.

"Quinn," I called out, but the only thing I saw in his eyes was determination-determination to get rid of me.

"Addison will be here later today to finalise the divorce. Don't be stubborn, Anastasia," he said coldly, before turning and leaving the house.

I watched him walk away, and then I crumbled to the floor, doing the only thing I knew how to do: crying.