Chapter 65

I didn't think the call would be answered. Part of me didn't want it to be; what if the reality was worse than my worst fears?

When the ringing stopped, silence filled the other end. I checked the connection before quickly pressing the phone back to my ear. "Hello? Gabriel?"

Silence.

My heart pounded so loudly I felt it might burst. "Hello?"

Silence.

"Mhm," a sleepy, groggy voice answered. "Who's speaking?"

My heart plummeted. It wasn't Gabriel. The voice was feminine, familiar, and dreaded.

I couldn't speak. I sat numb.

"Hello?" My husband's ex's soft voice asked again.

"Lily," I managed, my voice sounding strange. "Where's my husband?"

"Shit! Shit! Sophia! Shit! I didn't check the caller ID. I thought it was my phone. Shit," she stammered, ending with a small, "Shit. I'm so sorry."

Tears stung my eyes. "Where's my husband?" They threatened to spill with every blink. This wasn't happening. This wasn't real.

"Sophia, you shouldn't hear this from me…" Her voice trailed off. "Listen, he'll call you back, okay?"

"Give him the phone, Lily. Now."

"Sophia… he's… he's asleep."

I gulped. "He's asleep with you?"

"Sophia," Her voice held a sympathy no one showed me at my grandfather's funeral. "It's over. It's been over for six months. He's not your husband anymore. I'm sorry."

"I don't believe you," I said, my voice cracking. Tears streamed down my face. "I don't believe you. Put Gabriel on."

"He'll call you back when he wakes up, okay? He mentioned he would send you the divorce papers today."

"I don't believe you." I sucked in a deep breath.

"Sophia," she paused. "It wasn't real. You and him. I'm sorry. You shouldn't even be hearing this from me."

"I don't believe you, Lily. And I'm not going to, not until he tells me himself." I was aware of how pathetically clingy this sounded if she was telling the truth, if he had really sent me divorce papers, if it was really over. I knew how naive and desperate I sounded, but I didn't care. "If he really is sleeping next to you, tell that coward to have the decency to tell me it's over himself."

I disconnected without giving her a chance to reply.

As soon as the call ended, I sobbed uncontrollably. My vision blurred, and I covered my mouth to muffle the sound. Normally, I could handle this. Maybe it would hurt this much, but I didn't have the mental strength to cope now, not after my grandfather's death, not when I had no one to turn to. I had cried so much this past week that more tears felt weakening, and I refused to be weak.

I had faith in Gabriel. We were real. We were real. We were real, I reminded myself. Every time he called me his wife, every promise he made to never leave, every reassurance about Lily—it was all real.

Wiping away my tears, I went to the bathroom to freshen up when my eyes fell on the white folder I'd dismissed earlier. Reluctantly, I approached it. With trembling hands, I opened it to reveal the divorce papers.

They were signed by him. Gabriel signed the divorce papers.

And that was it? The alimony amount, the terms of our contract underlined, both our signatures from months ago, followed by his signature on the divorce papers. He said he'd tear up the contract. He said the contract didn't matter anymore. He said I was his wife and he didn't want to leave me.

One meeting with Lily was all it took to forget all of this? One meeting with her was all it took to forget me?

All his broken promises flooded my mind as I opened a bag and dumped everything I'd brought from my grandfather's house. Fuck his expensive clothes and bags. Fuck his expensive makeup. Fuck his jewelry. I didn't want anything from him except him, and if that was too much to ask, I'd settle for nothing.

Luna walked in on me packing in a frenzy.

"Sophia! What are you doing?" she yelled, and I stumbled back from the bag. I had no idea what I'd thrown in there in my panic.

"I… I…" I breathed. A wave of nausea hit me.

"Are you leaving?" Luna asked. "I'm going to call Peter. He's on leave, but he'll find a way to reach Sir. I'm going—"

"Don't," I said, my voice crisp and cold. She froze. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "He doesn't want me."

"Of course he does, Sophia. Sir… he's happy with you. I practically grew up in the Whitlock servants' quarters; my mother was the head gardener at Mr. Whitlock's house—Alister Whitlock. Gabriel Sir… he lost his spark at a young age and never found it again until you came along. The only time we see it now is when he looks at you, or talks about you. Please don't take that away from him. Please don't take it away from both of you." Her words affected me, despite Lily's call and the divorce papers.

"I want to believe him, Luna," I sighed. "I have faith in him… but…"

"Then please do, Sophia. Please," she practically begged. "Please don't give up yet."

"You're right," I nodded. "I'm going to have faith in him. I will wait for him to tell me himself that he doesn't want me."

"I don't think that's ever happening," she smiled, but I wished I felt as confident as she did.

END