Chapter 3 A Love Torn Apart

The sky rumbled loudly as rain battered against the windows, echoing through the house like a warning.

Grayson sat on the white couch, his hair still damp from the shower he just had. He raised his head to see Lena walking into the living room with a file in her hands.

"Grayson, we need to talk." Lena said as she approached him.

Grayson nodded his head. "Go ahead, I'm listening." He replied.

Lena dropped the file on the coffee table in front of Grayson. He glanced at the file and his eyes widened in shock at what he saw 'Divorce Agreement'

"Lena," Grayson called, his voice edged with desperation as he stood up from the couch, his hair sticking to his forehead. "What is this? Why are you doing this?"

Lena took a step closer towards him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face void of any emotions.

"I thought it was obvious," she said, her voice chillingly calm. "I want a divorce."

Grayson's breath hitched. He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself. "You don't mean that. You can't mean that." He stated.

"I do." She replied, stepping closer, her eyes meeting his with an icy resolve. "Sign the papers, Grayson. It's over."

"Over?" he repeated, his voice rising. "How can you say that? After everything we've been through, after everything we've built..."

"There's nothing left to build!" she cut in sharply. Her words hit him like a slap.

His jaw tightened, and he moved closer, his voice trembling. "Why, Lena? What changed? What did I do wrong?" He asked, his voice pleading with her.

Lena averted her gaze, swallowing hard, her resolve wavering for the briefest moment. But then she steeled herself, forcing her voice to remain steady. "This isn't about you, Grayson. It's about me. I've made my decision." She stated seriously.

Grayson's chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought to contain the storm brewing inside him. "No," he said firmly. "You don't just decide to throw away a marriage without a reason. What are you not telling me?" He questioned desperately.

Lena's fingers curled into fists at her sides. "I don't owe you an explanation," she snapped.

"You're my wife!" he thundered, the veins in his neck tightening. "You owe me that much, at least."

"I was never your wife in the way that mattered," she spat, her voice cold and cutting.

The words hung in the air like poison. Grayson staggered back as though she'd struck him with a knife. "What... what are you saying?" He asked, confused for a split of second.

Lena took a shaky breath and forced herself to say the words that would destroy him. "I never loved you, Grayson. I married you because it was convenient, because it made sense for my business. That's all."

Grayson stared at her, his face pale, his eyes filled with disbelief. "You don't mean that," he whispered.

"I do," she lied, her voice hardening. "And there's someone else. Someone I actually love." She said, a small smile gracing her lips.

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the pounding rain against the windows. Grayson's hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, his mind racing.

"You're lying," he said finally, his voice breaking. "You're lying, Lena. I know you are."

She didn't respond. She couldn't. The pain in his eyes was unbearable, but she forced herself to hold her ground.

Grayson let out a bitter laugh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "So that's it, then? All of this was just... nothing to you?" He asked, feeling defeated.

"It's over, Grayson," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," he said, his tone fierce. "I won't let you do this. I won't sign those papers."

Lena's eyes darkened. She grabbed the documents and thrust them towards him. "You will, or I'll make this even harder for you! Sign them and leave, Grayson."

"Leave?" he asked incredulously. "It's pouring outside, Lena. Where do you expect me to go?"

"I don't care," she said coldly, crossing her arms. "You're not staying here tonight." She stated.

Grayson's chest tightened as he realized she meant every word. He took a step back, his face a mix of anger and heartbreak. "You're really doing this? Kicking me out of the home we built together? After everything we've been through?"

Lena didn't reply, her silence cutting deeper than any words could.

Grayson stood frozen for a moment, his breathing ragged. Finally, he grabbed the pen from the table and signed the papers with shaking hands. The sound of the pen scratching against the paper felt like the final nail in the coffin of their love.

"There," he said, throwing the pen down. "Are you happy now?"

Lena avoided his gaze as he turned and stormed toward the door. He stopped briefly, glancing back at her one last time. "I hope this is worth it," he said quietly, his voice filled with pain.

And then he was gone, stepping out into the pouring rain.

***

The rain poured down heavily, soaking Grayson who stood in the driveway. He had no coat, no umbrella, just his phone that was in his Pocket.

He took a deep breath, his chest tightening in pain as he tried to process all that had just happened. His footsteps echoed in the empty street as he walked down from the house he once called home, the rain washing away the tears that fell from his eyes. This was the first time he was crying in twenty years!

Behind the closed door, Lena stood with her back against the wall, she was staring at nothing in particular her face cold as ice. She seemed lost in thoughts, as if thinking about her previous actions.

She took a step away from the wall and soon burst into ripples of laughter, but her laughter soon turned to tears.