Chapter 5 The Price Of Freedom

"I've thought about it deeply, and I think now is the best time to finally honor your wishes. Let's end this marriage... let's get a divorce," I told him.

His dark, hooded eyes widened in shock as he stared at the divorce papers, but the stunned expression was short-lived. Fury swiftly replaced surprise, his gaze burning with anger.

"Are you cheating on me?" he suddenly asked.

I stared at him in surprise, not expecting such a question from him of all people.

"Is he trying to pull a prank on me or what?" I asked myself as I scrutinized him, only to realize that he was dead serious.

"Seriously??" I scoffed and shook my head slowly. After giving him what he had always wished to have, the first thing that left his mouth was such a dumb question.

"Please sign the papers quickly so we can register our divorce," I told him curtly with hand sign language as I wasn't in the mood to answer his questions.

I was about to leave when he suddenly pulled me back harshly, making me stumble, but I was quick to regain my composure.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to walk out on me??" he asked as he tightened his hold on my weak arm.

My eyes widened in shock, as I didn't expect him to suddenly get violent with me. I grimaced in deep pain since I already had an injury there due to the accident that occurred earlier today.

"You're hurting me," I told him, but that only made him tighten his grip on me.

"I asked you a question, and you have the guts to try and walk out on me??" he asked, still not letting go of me.

Refusing to be cowed, I summoned my strength and broke free from his grasp. The sudden movement caught him off guard, sending him stumbling forward.

By the time he regained his composure, the look in his eyes had gone darker. It looked like he could kill at any moment, but I didn't let that scare me. I was done with him manipulating and hurting me. I wouldn't let him have his way ever again.

"You've finally grown some balls. Who gave them to you? Your lover?" Michael asked.

"You're a fucking hypocrite," I told him with a scoff.

"Fiona..." he called out in a warning tone, but I didn't stop.

"All the time we've been married, you've never been loyal to me. I know that my marriage to you stopped you from getting married to Prisca, but it wasn't my fault!!!"

"I didn't ask to be mated to you. All these years together, I've tried to be the perfect wife and mate to you, but you never saw me as someone worth your affection."

"Is it because I'm a mute? No!! Because I'm a weak Omega with no family?? No!! It's because I love you! You only treat me this way because you know how much I loved you and how much I was willing to sacrifice my happiness for you!!"

His expression softened as he took in my disheveled state, tears welling up in my eyes. But I didn't let his momentary gentleness fool me-I knew he could snap back into cruelty at any moment, so I needed to speak my mind before that happened.

This was the first time Michael was seeing such a huge outburst from me, and it surprised him. I had always been obedient to him like a loyal dog, but now that I wanted to sever our ties, it made him angrier.

"Well, not anymore. I can't keep suffering just so you can accept me!! Sign the divorce papers so you can finally be with the one you truly love," I told him.

"Why? So you can go to your lover?" he asked, his soft gaze gradually changing back to how it was before; just like I had expected.

I smiled softly and drew close to him. "I've always been faithful to you while you've been spending your time with that whore," I told him in sign language.

His eyes turned darker than they already were, and he gripped my chin harshly. "Who are you calling a whore?" he asked with gritted teeth.

I kept mute and stared at him dead in the eye, unfazed by the whole situation.

Seeing that I wasn't backing down like I used to, he got frustrated and pushed me away. Luckily, I landed on the soft sofa behind me. He sighed deeply and rubbed his face as a way to calm himself.

"I don't know what has suddenly gotten into you, and I don't really care. I'll just pretend like I never heard everything you just told me. Well, even though I agree to divorce you, no one would dare look your way. No guy wants a mute for a wife," he reminded me.

"Then let me leave this hell of a marriage!! I'm not interested anymore," I told him.

"Really?? You're still hell-bent on leaving!!" he muttered as he chuckled angrily, while I nodded at his words.

"Fine!! I won't hold you back. But first, I want you to compensate me for everything I have provided for you all through our years of marriage," he ordered with a smug look on his face.

My nod was resolute as I pulled out my phone and opened the banking app. With a few swift taps, I sent back all the money he'd transferred to me over the years, severing our financial ties.

His smug look vanished immediately when he saw the money had been transferred back to him. He was really surprised to see it intact. I had never touched one penny from it. That was the main reason I was working at Tacha's café.

"Will you sign the divorce agreement now?" I asked in an impatient tone.

He stared at me with bloodshot eyes for a brief moment and then stormed out of the house, leaving me standing alone in the living room, filled with confusion as to why he didn't want to sign the divorce agreement.

Michael got into his car and drove off immediately, as he couldn't stand being in the same room as me anymore. I wanted to divorce him, after these long years... Why??

Was I cheating on him?? That thought made him angrier, and he took his anger out on his car by driving at high speed. No cop dared to stop him as he drove past the speed limit because they recognized the car as belonging to their Alpha.

Since I was hell-bent on divorcing him, that meant there was someone pushing me to do it. He thought about Tacha, and then it made sense to him. I wouldn't have dared to talk back to him before, but since the day I came in contact with Tacha, I had slowly started to change.

No way would he grant me freedom without exacting a heavier toll. He'd milk my suffering for all it was worth, and only when he'd siphoned every ounce of pain would he consider letting me go.

For now, he needed to let me know that he owned me, and to do that, he needed to teach me a big lesson. He slowed down his car and dialed his secretary's phone number.

After a few rings, his secretary picked up. He instructed her to reclaim the land Tacha's café was located on. He wanted to see how I would be able to survive when I had no source of income anymore.

I would undoubtedly run back to him, and he wouldn't waste any time punishing me for trying to run away from him in the first place.

TBC