Chapter 2 - Thanks, But We're Already Divorced

Isadora's POV

"What hotel? This is YOUR home!"

"Home?" I laughed coldly. "When another woman is snooping around my study at midnight, this place isn't home anymore."

I walked out without looking back.

Behind me, Aurelius's angry shouts mixed with Cordelia's fake comforting voice.

Outside, the night wind hit my face—cold but sobering.

I slept until noon in the hotel suite, only to be jolted awake by my phone buzzing with notifications.

I grabbed my phone. Banking alerts. All of them.

Your card ending in 8472 charged $12,580 at Tiffany & Co.

Your card ending in 8472 charged $8,900 at Chanel

Your card ending in 8472 charged $35,600 at Cartier

I stared at the numbers, brain clearing. Aurelius was maxing out my card, and it was pretty obvious who he was buying for.

Cartier at 11:30 AM? They were probably picking out jewelry right now. Maybe Cordelia was shyly letting him clasp some diamond necklace around her neck.

I thought about my life these past years. To support his startup, I'd invested all my savings and pinched every penny. Same black suit for three years, still wearing the watch my parents gave me for graduation.

Now that we're divorcing, why should I bankroll his little girlfriend?

I called the bank. "Hi, I need to freeze all spending on card ending in 8472."

"What's the reason for that?"

"Card's missing. Risk of fraud."

"We'll take care of that right away."

I hung up and sat by the window with my coffee, imagining Aurelius's face right about now.

Sure enough, my phone rang within ten minutes.

"Isadora, what the HELL are you doing?" Aurelius's voice was furious, mall noise in the background. "Why was my card declined?"

"Oh, you mean MY card? I froze it."

"Are you insane? Unfreeze it RIGHT NOW!"

"Why?" My voice stayed calm. "Didn't you say last night that I'm petty and immature? Well, I'm being petty."

"Isadora!" He lowered his voice, obviously not wanting people around to hear. "You're being childish! Cordelia works so hard—what's wrong with me buying her things?"

"Works hard?" I laughed coldly. "Aurelius, how many days has she actually shown up in six months? You keeping track?"

"That's not the point! It's about her attitude and potential!"

I closed my eyes. He was still defending Cordelia.

"You know what you've bought me in seven years of marriage?" I asked.

Silence.

"Our fifth anniversary, I waited four hours at that restaurant. You said you had an important client meeting." I continued. "Seventh anniversary? You forgot completely. I bought my own cake and celebrated alone."

"Isadora, we can talk about this at home..."

"And now," I cut him off, "you're using OUR money to buy some other woman a thirty-thousand-dollar necklace?"

"That's company money!"

"Company money?" I laughed. "Aurelius, get your facts straight. That card is linked to MY personal account. Every cent is OUR money."

"You..."

"Since we're divorcing, every dollar you spend gets calculated in the split. So I froze all the cards to protect my interests. Deal with it."

I heard Cordelia's whiny voice in the background: "Aurelius, what's wrong? Is there a problem with the card?"

I heard Aurelius take a deep breath. "Isadora, you just wait."

"No need to wait." I said casually. "My lawyer will call you tomorrow about splitting everything up."

I hung up and immediately got to work.

First, I called my real estate agent. "Linda, it's me. I want to sell the Upper East Side apartment. Fast."

"Isadora? This is so sudden. That apartment's in the best location in New York..."

"I know. Twenty percent below market. Must close within a month."

"My God, are you sure? You'll lose millions..."

"I'm sure. List it now."

After hanging up, I called the movers. That apartment was bought with my pre-marriage savings—my name alone on the deed. Aurelius had been living there for years but never paid a dime toward the mortgage.

Since he chose Cordelia, they could find their own place to play house.

At 3 PM, the movers arrived. I only packed my things: clothes, books, a few photos, and the jewelry box from my nightstand.

I opened the jewelry box. Just a few simple pieces, mostly stuff I'd bought myself before marriage. I packed them with a bitter smile.

All that expensive furniture in the living room, the art pieces, and that grand piano Aurelius was so proud of—I couldn't stand looking at them anymore. They'd witnessed too many painful moments in our marriage.

The movers asked, "Ma'am, what about the furniture?"

"Leave it," I said coldly. "None of it's mine."

At 7 PM, I got a text from Aurelius: Emergency company meeting tonight. Won't be home. Think about what you've done.

I looked at the message and laughed. Did he think I'd come crawling back like always?

I left the spare keys on the shoe cabinet and closed that door for the last time.

Seven years of marriage, over.

Walking out of the building, I didn't look back. Nothing in that place mattered to me anymore.

Now I was going to create a real home. A home that existed just for me.

For three days, my phone wouldn't stop ringing.

Aurelius called constantly, sent dozens of texts—starting with angry demands, escalating to threats, finally turning into something close to begging.

Why did you move out? Are you trying to threaten me with separation?

Isadora, stop this. Come home and we'll talk.

What do you want? I can transfer Cordelia to a different department.