Chapter 4 I'm Getting A Divorce

The air in the room was thick with tension.

Alan's voice cut through the silence like ice. "Kaitlin, how could you even suggest divorce as a joke?"

Kaitlin held his gaze with a newfound resolve, and the timid, accommodating woman she had been was nowhere in sight. "Alan, this is no joke. We agreed to a three-year term of marriage. Once that's up, I'll have the divorce papers ready. I want nothing from you-not a single penny. From then on, we go our separate ways."

A deep flush of anger spread across Alan's face, his eyes burning with fury.

"Kaitlin, how dare you!"

His grip tightened around her waist, and with a forceful shove, he pinned her to the bed. His voice was a threatening whisper. "How dare you even mention divorce! Do you think you can manage on your own out there?"

Kaitlin's response was calm and collected. "I'm perfectly healthy and of sound mind. Why wouldn't I make it on my own?"

Alan clenched his teeth, his cold stare fixed on her.

Kaitlin was unfazed, her lips curling into a scornful smile. "Oh, you don't want to split? I'm merely a stand-in. Surely you haven't developed feelings for me. You profess your love for Ashley, yet here you are, using others in her place. Isn't that absurd?"

Alan's hand trembled with rage, the veins popping. "Don't kid yourself!"

"Fine," Kaitlin responded, her smile strained but determined as she fought through her inner turmoil. "I'll contact you about the divorce. And should anything happen to me out there, don't concern yourself."

Alan stood there, chest heaving in rage, his broad shoulders trembling as a dazed expression clouded his face.

Kaitlin's sudden fierceness along with her steely resolve reminded him of someone he once knew.

Ashley had that same sharp, unyielding spirit.

But now, it was Kaitlin who was walking away from him.

How could she even think of such a thing?

"Fine, I'll be waiting," he spat out bitterly.

With a forceful turn, he stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him with a resounding thud.

How could Kaitlin, seemingly a mere amnesiac orphan, manage without him?

He scoffed at the thought, curious to see how long she could endure on her own.

The room fell silent again, leaving Kaitlin alone with her thoughts.

She listened to the fading sound of Alan's footsteps, tears beginning to stream down her face, scorching her skin like fire.

This was the end.

The absurd obsession and playing the part of someone else for three years were over at last.

She wrapped herself in a blanket, trying to stave off the chill, but her heart remained cold and hollow, as if torn asunder, leaving nothing but a mangled, bloody mess.

Three days later, Kaitlin left the hospital.

She had drawn up divorce papers and had them delivered to Alan's company. She then called her best friend, Phoebe Tucker. "Can I stay with you for a while?"

Phoebe's voice came over the phone, filled with surprise. "Huh? Doesn't your rich husband own enough houses? You need to crash with me? What's going on, some kind of real-life drama?"

Kaitlin pursed her lips. "I'm getting a divorce and walking away empty-handed."

On the other line, Phoebe gasped sharply, "Really? Didn't you once claim it was love at first sight?"

"Yeah, I got caught up in the moment and married him, only to realize later that I'd made a mistake," Kaitlin confessed, her voice tinged with forced cheerfulness. "If it's a problem, I can look for a hotel."

"No, no! It's fine!" Phoebe quickly interjected. "So, Kaitlin, now that you're free and no longer tied down by a man, why not join me back in the business? I've been swamped lately. My top designer, Nora Andrews, had an incident. If I don't find someone to complete her projects soon, I'll be in real trouble."

Kaitlin was taken aback.

Before she had met Alan, she had suffered amnesia from an accident. At that time, Phoebe, then an employee at a modest firm, had found her while seeking creative inspiration. Phoebe not only saved her life but also got her a job as an assistant designer at the company.

Kaitlin quickly rose to prominence with her innovative designs, becoming a celebrated figure in the industry. After experiencing the company's severe treatment of designers, she and Phoebe had set up their own studio-Oasis Studio.

When Kaitlin married Alan, she transferred all her shares to Phoebe. Over the past few years, Phoebe seemed to be thriving. Why was she struggling now?

Kaitlin's brow furrowed. "How severe is it?"