Chapter Eight
Celeste’s POV
I stood outside the civil affairs office, fidgeting with my nedace as I waited for Damien to arrive. He was alresty 15 minutes late,
Last night gave me the final push I needed to finalise my divorce, Damien had acted completely out of line. I couts still feel his kiss lingering on my lips.
It made my stomach turn.
The way he manhandled me and forced himself on me made me feel sick. It was like he thought he ormed me.
I was determined to sever any legal ties between us.
I looked up to see Damien striding towards me. He wore rumpled clothes, a dark stubble covered his jaw, and his eyes were sunken.
He must’ve had a rough night.
“You’re late.” I complained when he reached me.
He sighed. “Things have been difficult with Bonnie in the hospital and you off fooling ar-”
I glared at him, and he stopped himself.
Damien cleared his throat. “Things have been hard with you gone.”
He stared at me with longing and pain written all over his face.
A part of me felt gleeful knowing he was suffering without me. This was his punishment for taking me for granted all those years. I wouldn’t feel bad.
“How is Bonnie doing? Did she get my gift?” I asked, aching as I thought of my daughter in that hospital bed.
He nodded. “She’s recovering well. The doctors say she can come home later today.”
“That’s good news.” I gestured to the entrance. “Let’s get this over with.”
Damien blocked my path. “We can go home right now and everything can go back to normal. It’s not too late.”
He couldn’t be serious. Did he really think I’d take him back?
My voice was icy. “Move out of my way, Damien.”
“Please, Celeste, our family needs you.
My family may have needed me, but they didn’t want me. Bonnie and Damien both made that abundantly clear.
I sidestepped him and headed into the office. His desperation and regret wouldn’t pull in me.
The paperwork process was gruelling. Dividing assets, custody and visitation arrangements, and more had to be worked out. I couldn’t let anything slip through the cracks.
But the further we got, the more real this divorce became.
I had spent the last five years living with Damien. He had become a part of my life and I thought we’d grow old together. I had loved him with all I had.
Then I remembered why we were here. His cruel betrayal. I gave him every part of me, but it wasn’t enough.
1/3
+25 BONUS
Chapter Eight
He still needed to have an affair with Vanessa.
My fingers betrayed a tremble as they brushed the cold documents. Damien glanced at me, searching my face. I pretended not to notice the warmth in his gaze.
This marriage was over.
Once all the paperwork was finished, we walked out of the civil affairs office in silence. Outside the entrance, I stopped and pulled a notebook out of my handbag.
“Here.” I held it out to him. “It’s everything you’ll need to know to look after Bonnie.”
After getting back to my hotel from the bar, I spent the night putting it together. I documented Bonnie’s routine, details about her preschool, dietary restrictions and preferences, and anything else I could think of.
Each page of neatly scrawled notes carried my deep love for my child. I hoped one day Bonnie would realise that.
“What if I need to know something that’s not in the book?”
His voice choked as he spoke.
“It’s pretty detailed, but if you have any serious concerns, you can call me.”
Damien stared at me with creased eyebrows, but didn’t move to take the notebook. He was wearing my patience thin. I lifted his arm and placed the notebook in his hand.
“Damien,” my voice was strained. “Take good care of my daughter.”
His eyes glistened as they passed from my face to the notebook. He swallowed and nodded.
“You don’t have to ask. She’s my daughter too.”
“That’s right.” I said.
We watched each other again. The silence that filled the space between us was palpable. There was nothing left to say. Nothing left between us.
“Goodbye, Damien.”
He opened and closed his mouth, but said nothing.
A part of me still wanted closure. I wanted him to take accountability for his affair and apologise for the way he treated me during our marriage. But he was too much of a spineless prick to do that.
Damien meant nothing to me now, and I didn’t want to spend a second longer with him than I had to. I’d live without the closure.
I turned to leave, but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
“Wait, Celeste.”
I glanced back. Hope shimmered in his eyes.
“Could I have one last hug?”
I scoffed. “Don’t be delusional, Damien.”
Hurt spread across his face, and it gave me a vindictive thrill.
I tore my shoulder free from his hold. “If I never see you again, it’ll be too soon.”
2/3
Chapter Eight
With a weight lifted off my chest, I walked away from my husband and toward my new life.
