Chapter 1 The Divorce Papers
Chapter 1: The Divorce Papers
Rain hammered against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Carter residence, turning the glittering skyline outside into a blur of silver and black. Inside, the dining room was silent except for the soft clink of crystal glasses and the occasional scrape of cutlery across expensive porcelain. Every member of the Hawthorne family sat around the long mahogany table dressed in designer clothes worth more than most people earned in months.
Only one person looked out of place.
Ethan Carter.
His suit was clean but old. The cuffs had begun to fade, and the leather on his shoes had long lost its shine. Yet despite the dozens of mocking eyes fixed on him, he remained calm, quietly pouring tea into his wife's cup before serving everyone else.
No one thanked him.
No one ever did.
"So," Gregory Hawthorne finally broke the silence, setting down his wineglass with a loud thud. "Three years."
The old man's cold gaze landed on Ethan like a knife.
"You've been married to my granddaughter for three years. Tell me, Ethan... what exactly have you accomplished?"
The room erupted in quiet laughter.
Ethan raised his eyes but didn't answer.
His silence only encouraged them.
Marcus Hawthorne leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "Accomplished? He has perfected spending our family's money."
Another wave of laughter followed.
Someone added, "Don't forget cooking and cleaning. He's an excellent househusband."
Even the servants standing against the wall struggled to hide their amusement.
Across the table sat Ethan's wife, Isabella Hawthorne.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Untouchable.
She wore a black evening dress that matched the icy expression on her face. Once, Ethan had believed he would spend the rest of his life making that woman smile.
Now she couldn't even look him in the eyes.
"Ethan," Gregory continued, "when my granddaughter married you, everyone thought you would eventually become someone worthy of standing beside her. Instead, you've become the greatest embarrassment our family has ever known."
"I gave you opportunities."
"You failed."
"I introduced you to influential people."
"You embarrassed me."
"I even tolerated your useless existence."
"And still... you're nothing."
Every sentence landed like another hammer blow.
Ethan simply lowered his head.
Not because the words hurt.
But because arguing had never changed anything.
For three years he had endured every insult without complaint. He had cooked for this family, driven them to meetings, taken care of Gregory during his illness, and quietly solved countless problems from the shadows.
Yet none of them had ever seen him.
To them, he was nothing more than a poor orphan who had somehow married above his station.
Marcus suddenly threw a thick envelope onto the table.
It slid across the polished wood until it stopped directly in front of Ethan.
"Open it."
The room fell silent.
Ethan looked at the envelope before lifting his eyes toward Isabella.
She still refused to meet his gaze.
A strange feeling settled deep inside his chest.
Slowly, he opened it.
The first page was enough.
DIVORCE AGREEMENT.
His fingers tightened around the document.
"So..." he said quietly. "You've already decided."
For the first time that evening, Isabella finally looked at him.
There was no anger.
No sadness.
Only exhaustion.
"Ethan," she said softly, "this marriage should never have happened."
The words struck harder than every insult that had come before.
"I've tried," she continued. "I really have."
"But we're from different worlds."
"You deserve someone who can live the life you want."
"And I deserve someone who can stand beside me."
Her voice remained calm, almost emotionless.
"As compensation, you'll receive ten million dollars."
"You'll never have to work again."
Gregory nodded approvingly.
"Sign the papers and leave with what's left of your dignity."
Marcus laughed.
"If he ever had any."
The room filled with cruel smiles.
Everyone expected Ethan to beg.
To cry.
To refuse.
Instead...
He quietly read every page.
Then he picked up the pen.
Isabella's fingers trembled ever so slightly.
For a brief moment, she expected him to argue.
To ask her to stay.
To remind her of the promises they had made on their wedding day.
Instead, Ethan smiled.
It wasn't a bitter smile.
Nor an angry one.
It was the smile of someone who had finally become tired.
"I have only one question," he said.
Isabella frowned.
"What is it?"
"If I sign this..." Ethan asked calmly, "...will it truly make you happy?"
The question caught her completely off guard.
After several long seconds, she nodded.
"Yes."
He looked at her for what felt like the last time.
The woman he had loved for three years.
The woman he had protected without her ever knowing.
The woman who had unknowingly become the reason he had postponed reclaiming the life that had always belonged to him.
"Then..."
He signed.
His signature flowed across the paper without hesitation.
The sound of the pen touching paper echoed through the silent room.
Gregory smiled.
Marcus laughed loudly.
Several family members applauded.
To them, it was the end of a burden.
No one noticed the old silver ring Ethan quietly removed from his finger before placing it beside the divorce papers.
He stood, buttoned his faded suit jacket, and looked around the room one final time.
"I hope," he said with remarkable calm, "that none of you will ever regret today."
Marcus burst into laughter.
"Regret? You think losing a broke nobody is something we'll regret?"
The entire family joined in.
Ethan didn't respond.
He simply turned and walked toward the front door.
Outside, the rain had become a storm.
As the heavy wooden doors closed behind him, a black luxury limousine slowly rolled to a stop across the street.
A gray-haired man in an immaculate suit stepped out despite the pouring rain.
The moment he saw Ethan, the elderly man lowered his head with absolute respect.
"Young Master," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "After fifteen years... the family has finally found you."
Ethan stared silently into the storm.
Behind him, the Hawthorne family celebrated the end of a worthless marriage.
None of them realized they had just cast aside the sole heir to the largest business empire in the country.
And before the sun rose again...
Everything they believed about power, wealth, and status would begin to crumble.
