Chapter 5

Tessa was taken aback by Matthew's response. He was urging her to hurry. How could this be? Shouldn't he be avoiding the divorce? Or had she misjudged the situation entirely? When Matthew saw her stunned, he said curtly, “Snap out of it and move. I can’t stand being married to you another moment!” His heart broken, he wanted to sever all ties. Passersby cast strange glances at Tessa, her cheeks burning with shame. It seemed she was the one begging him to stay. Humiliated, she stormed toward the courthouse, muttering, “I’m the one divorcing you—” She quickened her pace, noticing Matthew already at the counter. They presented their marriage certificate and IDs, both adamant about the divorce. After a perfunctory attempt by the clerk to dissuade them, they finalized the proceedings.

Matthew grabbed the divorce certificate and hurried out. Tessa called after him, “Wait, Matthew!” He paused, fixing a cold gaze on her. “What’s the matter?”

Tessa held up the certificate. “We’re officially strangers. Before we go, there are some things I need to say. If you’re short on cash, don’t ask me. If you’re jobless, don’t expect me to find you a job. And if you have problems, don’t bother asking for help, because I won’t.” She was done. She knew he was penniless and unemployed, and worried he'd seek her help; this was a preemptive strike.

Angered, Matthew snapped, “Aren’t you being presumptuous, Tessa? I’ll live a better life than you, and maybe you’ll be begging me for help!” He didn't wait for her reply, heading for the curb. He hailed a cab, only to have it drive away. A hint of disdain crossed Tessa’s face. A grown man, unable to even hail a cab—what a humiliating sight! She thought he was stubbornly maintaining a brave front.

Just as she was about to make a sarcastic remark, her phone rang. It was Randall Young. “Hey there, Randall.”

“Has the divorce been finalized?”

With a smile, Tessa reassured him, “It’s all taken care of.”

“Wonderful! Stay put; I’m on my way. We have to celebrate!”

A smile played on Tessa’s lips. Randall’s eagerness showed how much he cared. “Hurry up then! I’ll be waiting.”

She ended the call, curious about his surprise. Meanwhile, Matthew was dejected. As he waited for another cab, a motorcade of luxury cars approached. The lead car, a Koenigsegg, was clearly expensive. Pedestrians stopped to watch.

“Wow, check out those cars! You rarely see one around here, let alone a whole fleet.”

“Who could they be picking up?”

Tessa’s eyes gleamed. She hadn’t expected such a grand arrival—a motorcade many couldn’t afford for their wedding day. Overhearing the comments, she felt smug. She saw Matthew staring at the cars. “Move out of the way!” she said.

His irritation flared. He ignored her, crossing his arms. There was plenty of room.

Tessa walked to his side, glancing at the approaching cars. “Well, well, well, Matthew. As soon as I got divorced, a fleet of luxury cars showed up. And you can’t even hail a cab! You said I’d regret it, and I do—I regret not divorcing you sooner! Otherwise, I would’ve had a luxury motorcade long ago!” She pounced on the opportunity to retaliate.

The motorcade slowed, halting before them. Pedestrians, shop assistants, and customers watched.

“Oh my god. Who could they be picking up?”

“That’s a Koenigsegg. Insanely expensive!”

“Even the other cars are top-notch.”

Tessa beamed. On her first day of divorce, she was the envy of all. Compared to Matthew, she felt she’d made the right choice. She ignored him and strode toward the Koenigsegg, basking in the onlookers’ attention.

The car door opened. A chauffeur in a suit emerged. Assuming Randall was inside, she imagined a romantic setting awaiting her. She opened the passenger door and sat down. Seeing the chauffeur, Albert Green, staring blankly, she urged, “Get in and drive! What are you standing there for?”

Albert furrowed his brow. “Sorry, but we’re not here to pick you up.”

Tessa thought she’d misheard. “Y-you’re not here to pick me up? How is that possible?”

She assumed he was joking. Randall had said he was on his way. The timing was perfect.

Albert said seriously, “We’re not here to pick you up. We’re expecting a man, not a woman.”

A man? A possibility occurred to her. “A man asked you to pick me up, right? This isn’t funny!”

Albert became impatient. “I’m going to say this one more time. We’re here for Matthew Grant. Are you Matthew Grant?”