Chapter 1 Divorce

Ava POV

Whoever said being the CEO of a company has the best experience is a great liar. I mean I am just handling

My husband's second company and I were already stressed out.

Sometimes I wonder how my husband coped. He had managed to handle two companies with each one having a revenue of hundreds of dollars every year and here I was trying to handle just one and was already burnt out.

Although it was a stressful life, I enjoyed it a lot. Especially travelling, I just concluded a business deal in California. I am flying back to London to meet my lovely husband and maybe spend time with Annabel, my best friend.

Immediately after the plane landed at the airport my husband's driver came to pick me up. I noticed a change in his usual demeanour but decided to brush it off maybe he was having a bad day at work

"We arrived safely at Derek's mansion. My face with a smile at the thought of seeing him after staying away for a week. Gosh, I missed him a lot.

Bailey, one of our housemaids rushed towards me to carry a bag. I stared at the mansion feeling amiss.

Something was wrong. The atmosphere did not just feel right. I could hear classical music in the background. What was happening? I never knew we were holding a party.

I walked Into the mansion to be welcomed by the party. Most of the people were business associates and other family friends.

"May we welcome the beautiful newly engaged couple Mr Derek Lockwood and Mrs Annabel Shepherd" The announcer said.

Everyone around began to clap, their faces beaming with smiles. My father-in-law stood at the front clapping with the crowd, smiling with pride.

My heart sank into my stomach, and a surge of unnamed emotions filled me. What was happening? How the hell was my husband getting engaged with my childhood best friend?

"They look so happy" A woman at my front said she had an ecstatic smile on her face. She was Mrs. Salvator her multi-million-dollar jewellery business.

"Yes, I particularly hated his former wife. She was the true definition of a gold digger," her twenty-year-old daughter replied

Like a mother, like a daughter. I muttered.

This can't be happening. I needed to stop whatever they were planning on doing. I loved my husband and he knew it, even Annabel knew about the immeasurable love I had for my husband.

"Excuse me" I mumbled to the guest as I made my way to the front where Derek was holding Ann, staring at her passionately. He leaned closer to Ann, staring at her lips that were beaming with a smile.

I stood for a while, losing all the motivation I had felt earlier on. My heart shattered into tiny little pieces. When did this happen, when did they get attracted to each other I never noticed.

"Derek!!" I screamed, stopping his lips from touching hers.

"What the hell is happening here?" I asked direct questions. Staring at his blue arctic eyes.

His eyes softened for a moment as he looked at me before turning into a stoic face.

"What does it look like Ava? We are engaged" he replied and wrapped his arms still wrapped around Annabel's waist. He had a dark smirk on his face.

"How on earth are you and Annabel getting engaged? I am your wife, remember?" I said the last part slowly with a pleading voice. I loved him too much to imagine a life without him.

He furrowed his brow a while before he shouted "Dave!"

Dave, his PA ran towards him, his eyes laced with fear.

"Did you not deliver the divorce papers?" He asked

Divorce papers? He had already filed for a divorce?

God this was too much to bear. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks. He had filed a divorce while I was away working my ass for his company.

"No Sir. I am sorry sir" he pleaded, keeping his eyes away from mine.

Derek hissed in anger as he muttered curse words the veins on his forehead throbbing depicting his level of anger.

He stared at Dave angrily. I am sure if looks could kill Dave would have been dead by now. What did I do to merit this kind of hatred?

"Get lost!" he shouted. Dave nodded immediately and turned his back to go

"No go and get the papers let her sign. Is time to let go of this barren creature" Annabel said in a highly fake girly voice.

I opened my mouth in shock, too lost to say a word. I could not believe my eyes. My best friend of twelve years was standing before me calling me barren.

"Annabel? You called me barren?"I asked in utter disbelief.

She tilted her head to my side, her honey-brown eyes laced with hate.

"What do we call someone unable to give birth for the past five years in marriage?" she asked as she sneered at me.

"Barren!" Her sister and Derek's mother chorused.

I closed my eyes for a while, wishing that everything was a dream and I would wake up to my perfect life one month ago. Their reaction did not surprise me a bit. Derek's mother always had them. To her, I was just a low-life girl who wanted to eat her son's money and she had not spared a chance to make me know that she hated me.

What hurt me was not even what they were saying, it was the fact that Derek just stood there watching them insult me and say nothing.

"Derek, please don't do this" I pleaded in a low voice. My eyes filled with fresh tears.

"Don't give up on what we had for her. Please we can talk about it later" I pleaded, my heart filled with sadness.

"Talk about it? Talk about what? About the fact that you refused to leave me when you found out that you don't have a womb?" He asked angrily, his hands talking into his pocket revealing his tall slender height.

"What? Where are these accusations coming from? I have a womb, we did a test and you know it. The doctor said we should be patient, it won't take long" I pleaded as I walked towards him, my legs shaking.

"Oh please shut up you liar. You knew you were barren and you kept giving me hope. Thanks to Ann, she opened my eyes to your pretence and thankfully she is pregnant for me" he shouted with gritted teeth.

I shook my head in disbelief "Annabel is pregnant with your child?" I asked in a whisper. His silence together with his stoic face gave me the answers I needed.

I staggered back too weak to stand. God, I wish the earth would just open up and swallow me, help me numb this unbearable pain I was feeling.

My best friend lied to my husband that I was barren and my best friend was pregnant for my husband.

Wow! Life has never been this cruel to me.

"Daniel!" He shouted glaring at me as Daniel came running to meet him

"Get this barren woman out of my room and drop her at the low-life family where she came from" he ordered sternly.

That was it! I have had enough. I knew my family was not a wealthy one but I would not allow him to insult my family.

"You know what? You and your fiance and your pretentious mother and hypocritical family can go to hell. You want to be with Annabel right?" I asked my voice sharp with range

" Go ahead, be with her. I am out of your life tomorrow I will be out of your hair but I promise you Derek you will regret it. You all" I said pointing at all of them who had joined in the celebration of my agony.

" You all will regret this' 'I shouted and walked outside, head high, eyes void of emotions but within me, I was broken, with every step I made a part of my heart was ripped apart.