Chapter 125 02

ELSIE

“How could you Adrian—“ Sienna cut me off

Sienna spoke. "Don't embarrass yourself by begging him."

I turned to look at her. "What?"

"Begging," she said. "Don't do it It's pathetic, I mean everyone’s already seen enough and no one wants you here."

“I…” I couldn’t even form a coherent sentence.

Sienna looked at Adrian and then back at me. "Elsie everyone knew about this." The words hit me like a slap.

"What?"

"Everyone," she said. "His family never accepted a poor low life like you to begin with, his friend’s don’t think you fit his social status and your daughter, you’re not worthy enough to be her mother, you may have given birth to her but we both know you’re very bad at playing your role. Adrian and I have been in relationship for two years” 

Her words were like a slap on my face. 

Two years? 

“What?” 

Adrian’s mother; Natasha hissed. “You were never fit to be my son’s husband and I’m glad he realized that you’re nothing but a gold digger”

My chest felt tight. “No! Please no, mum—“

“Don’t you dare call me that. Adrian get her to sign the divorce papers already, she’s causing a scene”

“Yes brother! Let’s send her off, her presence irritates me” Monica; Adrian’s sister adds. 

I shake my head. “How could you say this? Is this some kind of joke—“

“You’re the joke thinking you ever had a chance with Adrian, he never loved you, he only pietied you” Sienna mocks.

“Adrian say something, please—“

He looked away as though my sight disgust him.  My lips quivered as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

“Lilly dear come to mommy” I usher refusing to believe my own daughter would turn her back on me.

“No!” Lilly shouts. “I want to stay with Aunt Sienna, she loves me and I love her more! She’s better…I want to be a family with Daddy and Aunt Sienna… I want her to be my mommy”

“No baby don’t say that”

“Enough! Please don’t cause a scene, you’ve heard the little girl” Adrian snaps.

I shake my head vigorously refusing to believe that even my own flesh and blow would turn her back on me.

“No, please… baby” I bit on my lower lip fighting back the tears. 

“How pathetic” sienna hissed. 

“But… how?” I asked my voice cracking.

"Elsie—"

"How could you do this to me? How could you poison my own daughter—"

He cut me off. "I didn’t poison her mind, Sienna is a better mother to Lilly than you’d ever be, the little girl fell in love with the woman the same way I did"

My whole body went cold.

He fell in love with Sienna and so did Lilly? 

Everyone knew about his relationship with Sienna everyone but me that believed she was just his assistant.

How gullible was I? 

I was the last person in this entire room to find out my marriage was over for two years?

"Why?" I asked. My voice cracked. "Why did you have to do it like this? In front of everyone? Why did you have to humiliate me?"

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"It was the only way to get rid of you completely," he said.

I blinked. "What?"

"You wouldn't have left quietly Elsie. You would have made a scene, you would have begged and—“ 

I felt like I couldn't breathe. "So this was cleaner for you?"

"Yes."

I stared at him in shock. 

"Cleaner" I repeated.

"Yes."

"You planned this all of it. The gala, stage and announcement you fucking planned all of it."

"I did."

"You wanted an audience."

"I wanted witnesses," he said. "So there could be no confusion and no going back."

I felt tears burning behind my eyes but I refused to let them fall not here, not in front of these people.

"You could have told me at home," I said. "You could have told me in private. You could have given me that much."

"You would have begged."

"I wouldn't have—"

"You would have," he said. "You would have asked me why. You would have asked me to stay and would have reminded me of our vows. You would have made it impossible."

I shook my head.

"So instead you made me a spectacle."

"I made you free," he said. "You just don't see it yet."

I laughed even though It was a hollow and broken sound.

"Free," I said. "You call this free? All those late-night meetings," I said, my voice rising with every syllable. "All the time Sienna has been in our lives, being present at every family function, trying to advice me on how to  be a better wife to you, she—"

“Oh, please." Sienna's voice sliced through the tension as she tilted her head a pitying smile curling her lips. "You were only ever a placeholder. He married you for his image, for  the optics so the media would see Adrian Cross billionaire, heir, untouchable and think how noble, how generous marrying a nobody. Oh darling you were only a PR stunt. A carefully crafted narrative. The poor ordinary girl swept off her feet by the prince." She laughed soft and cruel. "And you actually believed it."

I shake my head trying so hard to fight back the tears. “No! Tell me this a lie! Please it can’t be, after everything I’ve done for you!?”

Monica bursted into a fits of laughter, “What the hell have you done for him? What could a poor orphan have to offer?”

“Why did you marry me if Sienna was always in the picture Adrian? Why did you do this to me? To us?” I asked wanting to hear the truth from his mouth part of me begging that he say otherwise.

He shrugged. “You heard what Sienna said, you maybe stupid but not deaf!” 

The remaining pieces of my heart shattered. 

Adrian looked at his lawyer the man was already walking toward us he lawyer handed Adrian a folder.

Adrian opened it and pulled out a stack of papers holding them out to me.

"Sign these”  he said.

I looked at the papers.

Divorce papers.

My name was on them Elsie Vale Cross and below that were lines for signatures. His was already there neat and sharp and final.

"You want me to sign this now?"

"Yes," he said.

I took the papers from his hand with my fingers shaking.

I looked at the words but I couldn't really read them they blurred together a settlement I didn't ask for.

I could refuse.

I could throw them on the floor and walk out.

I could make a scene.

I could give them the drama they were all expecting but what would that change?

Nothing.

Adrian had already decided and there was no going back and Lilly, she couldn’t even look at me it was clear she wanted Sienna just like her father did.

I signed my name.

Elsie Vale not Elsie Cross anymore 

The name I had before him one I would have after him handing the papers back to the lawyer.

He took them analyzing my signature before he smirked, “You made the right choice”

"You think you won," I said. "You think this makes you strong and think embarrassing me away in front of all these people proves something”

He didn't speak.

"But trust me one day Adrian you'll understand exactly what you threw away."

He stared at me.

"You'll look back on tonight and you'll realize that you didn't get rid of a problem but the solution. You got rid of the only person in this room who ever loved you for who you are and not what you have both you and Lilly." I paused. 

"And when that day comes," I continued "you both will remember that you had me and you let me go."

I turned around and walked toward the door not looking  back.