Chapter 2 THE MISSUS

They say the darkest hour comes just before dawn. For Ace, he wished he had never woken up that morning. Olivia had left a note saying she needed some days with her father to talk things out. She left the note because she knew he'd never agree to her going. Two days passed and now, he was being summoned into her lawyer's office.

"You're required to sign here, here, here, and here." Her lawyer said, pointing to the document spaces as she spoke.

"What are these?" Ace asked, reading the contents.

"Divorce papers." She said it was a very normal thing to say. Ace stared at her in disbelief.

"Divorce?" he asked, struggling to grasp the situation.

"My client would love to wrap this whole case up without having to drag on for too long. She'd love everything done by the end of the week, so the quicker we get this wrapped up, the easier for both parties." She said,

Up until yesterday, the idea of divorce had never been a topic of discourse to them. This had to be some mistake of some sort. He pulled the sheets and read out Olivia's name as a party. Why'd she divorce him now? A week since his father-in-law let go of him as well.

"Is this some type of joke?" Ace asked.

He requested an explanation to which the lawyer showed her contract with His wife. He was getting divorced. Olivia was leaving him. Just like her father. And she didn't even have the decency of meeting him face to face like a person with dignity.

"Let me speak to her." He said to which the lawyer protested, but he shut her down.

"I'm not signing anything until I speak to my wife!" Ace spat out.

"My client doesn't wish to speak to you." She said.

"Then I guess we're settled here," Ace said, rising to his feet and about to step out.

She called him back, hesitated at first. Then looking at him, she sighed and picked up the line, punched some digits into it, and brought the object to her left ear which signaled she was most definitely a southpaw.

The line must've gone through because Ace heard some noise coming from the other section but he couldn't make out what was being said. She introduced herself and position and requested to be put on the phone with Olivia, she was told to hold on for some time. A few seconds passed then her voice came through the system. Her lawyer had put the call on speaker.

"Maria, what's the situation?" She said from the other side.

"Is it done already?" She prodded on.

"We are in discussion, Miss Rodger's. We're in the process of getting it done." She replied.

Ace sat there shocked. They weren't officially divorced but she'd already changed her surname back to her family's. What sort of woman is this? Was there still a chance?

"So why am I being disturbed? I thought I left specific instructions not to be roused unless all this is clear." She asked to which the lawyer explained that Ace had requested the call and he'd refused to sign any papers unless he spoke with her.

"Okay. Where is he now?" she asked.

"He's still here. Should I hand him the receiver?" She asked, to which she affirmed.

"What is going on, Liv?" Ace said. The hurt in his voice was visible for all to hear.

"It is what it is, Ace. I need to leave you else Daddy won't unfreeze my accounts. And seeing that you do not have the funds required for my life. I don't see how we'd ever last more than a week." She said,

Her childish nature was at the fore here, anyone could see how entitled she was.

"But we never discussed this," Ace said.

"We didn't have to. We don't. Just sign the dotted lines and let's be out of each other's lives, so we don't waste the rest of our lives miserable." She kept on.

"But... I love you. Why are you doing this?" He said.

The laugh that came through from the receiver was mocking. She laughed for a while then began again before she finally stopped.

"Love? Ace, are you kidding me?" she began.

"If it's a question of love, you're wrong. You never loved me, Ace. You loved the money, the wealth, the prestige that came with my name. I loved you. I, who gave up everything for you. I loved you, but I finally saw what Daddy used to say, so I'm leaving you." She continued.

"Don't waste our time. This is how far we go." She concluded and with that, the line went dead.

She was done. Just like her father, she had no use for him anymore and she did the same thing he did. She let him go. She divorced him.

Ace handed the receiver back to her lawyer and sat dejectedly on the seat he was offered. He'd lost everything in a week. His job, his wife, everything. The lawyer cleared her throat to which he realized what she needed him to do.

Ace picked up the document case, unclasped the pen from its fastener, and began signing. He signed on autopilot as he couldn't possibly think right now, after everything. Once he was through, he got up and left the building.

Maria Valdez stared directly at his retreating. Filled with pity, she wanted to call him back and hug him. She wasn't aware that her client was requesting divorce without having informed her husband. Ex-husband now, since it was settled.

She felt pity for him, but in her line of work, this was almost like a day-to-day encounter. Maybe it was better this way. She didn't play a part in causing him this pain this way. If he'd refused to sign, she'd have had to throw more dirt on his name. By doing so, she'd have also been part of those ruining his life. But at least she got that fat paycheck without having to do much work, so that was a plus for her.