Fake Divorce, Real Separation

1.

Today was my third wedding anniversary.

It was also my twenty-seventh birthday.

My husband, Grantley Vaughan, gave me a very special gift.

It was a set of divorce papers.

Grantley calmly picked up his pen and signed his name at the bottom.

Then, he slid the documents across the table toward me.

"Nina is stubborn and incredibly difficult to coax.

The only way she will accept me is if I am a divorced man.

I have already signed. Now it is your turn.

Do not worry, this is all just for show."

His tone was flat and indifferent.

It was as if he were discussing what we should have for dinner rather than the end of our marriage.

I did not follow his social life anymore, but the tabloids made it impossible to ignore Nina Hayes.

She was the new rising star signed to Grantley's agency.

In her early twenties, she was young, fresh, and vibrant.

What caught everyone's attention was how Grantley had been publicly chasing her for two months.

Yet, she remained unmoved.

With other women, Grantley would lose interest in less than a month.

Nina was different.

She had broken his record and even pushed him to suggest a fake divorce.

I took the papers and felt a bitter smirk tug at my lips.

"So, this is the gift you prepared for me? It certainly is unique."

For a brief moment, a flash of confusion crossed Grantley's face.

Then, remembering what day it was, a flicker of guilt appeared in his eyes.

"I have been busy on set with Nina lately.

I forgot it was our anniversary and your birthday. I am sorry.

I will have my assistant send a gift over later."

New flames always burn brighter than the old ones, I suppose.

A wave of sarcasm washed over me.

"There is no need. Since we are getting a divorce, you should save your gifts for someone else."

Grantley frowned, his brows knitting together in displeasure.

"It is just a fake divorce.

I am just signing these papers to appease a young girl's heart.

We are not actually going to the courthouse to finalize it."

Was that so?

He might think it was a game, but I had already decided to make the act real.

I was done with him.

I said nothing.

I simply picked up the pen and signed my name, stroke by stroke.

I was finally putting a period on our three-year marriage.

Once I finished, Grantley let out a sigh of relief.

He took a photo of the signed papers and immediately made a call.

I could not hear the other side, but Grantley's mood shifted instantly.

His voice became soft and sugary as he spoke.

"I am divorced now. We can be together openly.

Stay on set and wait for me, sweetheart.

I am coming to pick you up so we can celebrate."

He hung up, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.

Just before closing it, he seemed to remember I was there.

"Today is the first day Nina agreed to be with me. I have to stay with her.

I will make it up to you and celebrate your birthday next year."

Then he shut the door, eager to find his little starlet.

He never heard my quiet reply.

"Grantley, there won't be a next year for us."

After the roar of his sports car faded into the distance, I went upstairs.

I opened the safe and pulled out our marriage certificates from the very back.

Inside the red covers were two bright, smiling faces.

That was me at twenty-four and Grantley at twenty-six.

We were leaning into each other, our eyes full of love and hope for the future.

My gaze fell on the signed divorce papers.

How did we end up like this?

I remembered the first time I met Grantley at a wrap party.

I was just a newcomer in the industry back then.

I found him in a corner, clutching his stomach, his face pale with pain.

I realized he had been drinking too much and his stomach was acting up.

I handed him a bottle of yogurt from my bag.

That small act of kindness was what caught the eye of the Vaughan family heir.

Eventually, that attention turned into what he called love.

But who was Grantley?

He was a billionaire, a titan of the business world, someone light-years away from a commoner like me.

I was self-aware.

I didn't think a rich playboy could truly love a girl like me.

I thought he was just bored and looking for a toy, so I rejected him without hesitation.

To my surprise, Grantley did not give up.

Instead, he stayed by my side constantly.

The high-and-mighty CEO became my personal assistant.

He cooked meals and delivered them to me.

When I got sick from back-to-back filming, he rushed me to the hospital.

After every underwater scene, he was there with a warm cup of ginger tea.

I was not a robot.

I slowly fell for him in the warmth of his daily care.

The moment he truly won my heart was during a stunt gone wrong.

The wire snapped, and as I was falling, Grantley threw himself under me to break my fall.

I was unharmed, but Grantley broke two ribs.

After we got together, Grantley told his family he would marry no one else.

He didn't back down even when they threatened to cut him off.

I didn't want to hold him back.

I worked myself to the bone, taking every role I could find.

It took four years of climbing until I became the youngest Academy Award winner.

Only then did the Vaughan family grudgingly accept me.

On our wedding day, the whole internet wished us a lifetime of happiness.

People called Grantley a rare, devoted soul in the world of the ultra-rich.

I believed them.

I thought our marriage would be sweet until the day we died.

But in the second year of our marriage, I found a lipstick stain on his shirt.

The first time it happened, I cried until I couldn't breathe.

The proud Grantley knelt before me and swore it was a setup by a rival.

He promised it would never happen again.

Thinking of our years of history, I chose to forgive him.

But soon, he began staying out all night.

I acted like a madwoman, calling him constantly and tracking his location.

Every time he came home, it ended in a screaming match.

Grantley would just watch me vent, then calmly try to reason with me.

"Sienna, in our circle, no man stays with just one woman forever.

You just need to know that you are the only one I love.

The title of Mrs. Vaughan will always be yours. That should be enough."

It wasn't just Grantley. Everyone around me said the same thing.

They told me those women were just passing distractions.

They said as long as I held the position, he would eventually come home.

I just had to wait.

So I waited and waited, until today, when Grantley asked for a divorce to please his mistress.

The moment I saw Grantley sign his name, the chains around my heart finally snapped.

Did I marry him for the Vaughan money or power?

No.

I married him for the pure love I thought we shared.

But now, that love had turned into a pile of rotting trash.

Even our marriage, which we once held so dear, was now just a bargaining chip for his mistress.

If that was the case, there was no point in holding on.

I pulled myself together and took the papers to the courthouse.

The clerk processed the filing and told me to return in a month to finalize the decree.

As I walked out of the building, the sun felt warm on my skin.

I felt a sense of relief I hadn't felt in years.

Then, I dialed a number I had saved for a long time.

"Alan, remember that lead role in London you offered me? I am taking it."

2.

There was a loud crash on the other end of the line.

After a long silence, Alan's voice came through, thick with excitement.

"Sienna! You finally said yes! I have been keeping this role open just for you!

I truly believe that with you in the lead, this film is going to sweep the awards!"

Before I married Grantley, his mother demanded that I quit acting to focus on the family.

For three years, I had been in a state of retirement.

I only appeared in public as Grantley's trophy wife for essential events.

I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be the youngest Best Actress winner.

But in one month, I would have my divorce papers and return to the career I loved.

"Sienna, when can you get to London? I am ready to start right now!"

I looked at the calendar and spoke softly.

"The 6th of next month."

That was the day I would pick up the final divorce decree.

The moment I had that paper in my hand, I would fly to London.

I spent some time discussing the character with Alan before hanging up.

As I got into my car to drive home, my phone chimed.

It was a special notification sound I had set for a specific person.

I tapped the screen, and Grantley's latest social media post popped up.

"I will do anything as long as you promise to stay with me."

The post included a photo of the signed divorce papers and a picture of him holding hands with Nina Hayes.

Grantley's account was seven years old.

He had only ever posted three times before this.

The first was the day I agreed to be his girlfriend.

The second was a congratulatory post when I won my Best Actress award.

The third was a high-profile declaration of love on our wedding day.

But now, those three posts had been deleted.

Only this new one remained.

In the comments, Nina's fans were throwing a digital party.

"Oh my god! The CEO and the gorgeous starlet! I am totally shipping this!

Our Nina deserves this! That old woman should have stepped aside a long time ago!"

Soon after, my name was trending on social media again.

The headlines were brutal.

"Former Best Actress Sienna Sinclair Divorced and Kicked Out of the Vaughan Family!"

"Shocking! The Model Couple of the Century Falls Apart After Three Years!"

When I married Grantley, I never thought we would end up here.

We had survived the days when the Vaughan family tried to tear us apart.

Yet, we couldn't survive Grantley's change of heart.

I pushed down the bitterness in my chest and left a comment under his post.

"Congratulations to Mr. Vaughan on his new beginning."

The moment I hit send, my former manager, Janice, called me.

"Sienna, about you and Grantley..."

Janice had been there since the start, watching me climb to the top.

Even though I had stopped acting, we remained close friends.

I could hear her hesitation, so I spoke first.

"Janice, it is true. Grantley and I have signed the papers."

Janice was silent for a moment, letting out a long, heavy sigh.

"I watched him pour his heart out for you back then.

I really thought he was different from the other rich bastards."

The sun filtered through the trees, casting shadows across my face.

When I married him, I thought he was a rare, faithful soul too.

Looking back, Grantley must have just been a very good actor.

He was so good that he even fooled an Academy Award winner like me.

"Forget it, let's not talk about him.

Make sure you are on time for the awards ceremony tonight. I am already here."

Before I got married, I had filmed one last movie called "Everlasting."

Because of the massive post-production work, it wasn't released until last year.

It had already won several international awards.

I had been nominated for Best Actress at the Global Film Awards because of that role.

The ceremony was tonight.

After hanging up, I drove straight to the venue.

As soon as I found my seat, there was a sudden commotion at the entrance.

I looked over and saw Nina Hayes entering, clinging to Grantley's arm.

Reporters swarmed them instantly, shouting questions.

"Mr. Vaughan, do you feel any regret about ending your three-year marriage to Ms. Sinclair?"

"Ms. Hayes, don't you think your behavior is unethical, given that Mr. Vaughan divorced for you?"

Facing the sharp questions, Nina lifted her chin and smiled brightly.

"I, Nina Hayes, would never be the other woman.

Grantley and I only officially got together after he was divorced.

His marriage with Sienna had problems long before I came along. It is not my fault."

Grantley looked at her with pure adoration.

"I have no regrets. When love dies, marriage becomes a prison.

Divorce is a liberation for both parties."

3.

Every word felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

A prison...

So our marriage had become a suffocating cage to Grantley.

Janice, sitting next to me, gripped my hand in concern, her eyes full of pity.

I shook my head and watched Grantley carefully lift the train of Nina's dress.

I felt a self-deprecating smile touch my lips.

In truth, it had become a prison for me as well.

I knew our love had rotted, but I had kept my eyes closed, lying to myself.

Fortunately, in one month, we would both be free from that cage.

The ceremony began shortly after.

When it came time to announce the Best Actress winner, my palms were slick with sweat.

When I filmed "Everlasting," I thought it would be my final performance.

I had poured every ounce of my soul into that role.

Winning Best Actress tonight would be the perfect period to my domestic career.

The host held the envelope, scanning the nominees before speaking slowly.

"The winner of this year's Best Actress award is..."

"Nina Hayes!"

The room erupted into thunderous applause.

Nina leaned over and kissed Grantley on the cheek before floating up to the stage.

Disappointment washed over me, but I quickly masked it.

Janice leaned in and whispered furiously into my ear.

"Sienna, this is wrong. I checked with my sources.

The judges raved about your performance. You were the clear winner.

I bet Grantley bought her that trophy..."

Before she could finish, I shook my head.

"No, he wouldn't."

Grantley was a lot of things, but he usually kept business and pleasure separate.

He wouldn't play dirty behind the scenes.

Even when we were madly in love, he never pulled strings for me.

"The new generation is rising. Maybe her performance just moved the judges more."

Janice was still fuming.

"How could her commercial fluff beat your masterpiece?"

I patted her hand to calm her down.

"It does not matter anymore.

I am leaving for London in a month to start a new project."

Janice's eyes widened, and her voice shook with excitement.

"London?! Is it that director Alan who has been begging to work with you?"

I nodded with a smile.

"That is incredible! Alan is a world-class director.

Do not forget about me when you become an international superstar!"

I promised Janice I wouldn't, and she finally left to handle other work.

Since the Best Actress award was over and I had no other business there, I decided to leave early.

As I passed the backstage area, I saw Grantley standing there with a massive bouquet of red roses.

I clenched my fists and tried to walk past without being noticed.

Then, a sycophantic voice drifted from the shadows.

"Mr. Vaughan, we did as you asked and switched the Best Actress winner to Ms. Hayes.

Is there anything else you need?"

I froze in my tracks.

Grantley's casual voice followed.

"Just keep your mouths shut.

I do not want Nina to find out that the award was supposed to be Sienna's."

4.

Grantley's words hit me like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

The Best Actress award... was supposed to be mine?

Their conversation continued, but I couldn't hear the rest.

My eyes fixed on the red roses in Grantley's hands.

It was so incredibly insulting.

I had just defended him, telling Janice he wouldn't mix business with pleasure.

The reality was a hard slap to the face.

Perhaps my gaze was too intense, because Grantley suddenly looked over.

When our eyes met, a flash of panic crossed his face, but it vanished instantly.

He walked toward me, holding the roses, his voice full of forced patience.

"Sienna, just let Nina have the award this time. Keep this secret for me, okay?"

I couldn't believe his audacity. How could he tell me to "let" her have it?

"Grantley, that honor belongs to me. Why should I give it to her?"

Grantley tugged at his tie, his tone becoming annoyed.

"You are not even acting anymore. What do you need a hollow title for?

Besides, Nina only got upset because of that comment you posted today.

I had to find a way to make it up to her."

His words stung so much that my eyes began to burn. My voice trembled.

"You stole my honor and you are blaming me for it?"

Grantley rarely saw me looking so fragile.

He stepped forward and put an arm around my shoulder, his voice softening.

"Sienna, that is not what I meant.

I am just really into Nina right now, so I have to keep her happy.

When I lose interest in her, I will get you a better trophy.

You know you are my wife. This is all just surface-level stuff. Do not take it to heart."

I had heard this excuse for two years now.

It is just for fun, you are my wife, it is all for show...

In Grantley's mind, his behavior was perfectly fine.

In his mind, if I got upset, I was being petty and immature.

I shrugged his arm off and blinked back my tears.

"Do not bother, Mr. Vaughan.

I do not want a trophy that has been dirtied by someone else."

The same went for people.

I didn't wait to see his reaction. I stumbled out of the venue and went home.

The next morning, I woke up early and started clearing out my things.

Aside from the essentials I needed for London, I packed everything else to be thrown away.

I gathered everything that belonged to me and Grantley as a couple.

The photo albums from our dating years, the giant wedding portrait, the hydrangeas he planted for me...

We had lived in this house for seven years.

Memories of us were everywhere.

It took me two weeks to scrub those memories away, bit by bit.

Eventually, the warm home turned back into the cold, empty mansion it was when we first moved in.

Grantley didn't come home once during those two weeks.

I knew where he was.

Based on his habits, he would spend at least a month with a new mistress.

Besides, Nina Hayes was the type who loved to brag on social media.

Two days ago, Grantley took her out on a yacht and cooked for her.

Yesterday, he visited her on set and massaged her legs.

As the memories were cleared from the house, my feelings for Grantley were being uprooted as well.

When I saw those posts, I barely paused before swiping past.

Once the house was cleared, I drove to the mall.

The filming schedule was long, and I wouldn't be back for at least two years. I needed to pack a lot.

I spent the afternoon shopping, and the trunk was overflowing with bags.

I closed the trunk and opened the driver's side door.

Just as I was about to get in, a force from behind yanked me out.

I was caught off guard and slammed onto the pavement.

The skin on my arm was torn open, and blood began to soak through my sleeve.

I hissed in pain and looked up.

Six young girls were standing over me, their faces full of rage.

I didn't know them at all.

"Who are you?"

The girls looked at me with pure disgust.

One of them stepped forward and grabbed my hair, pulling my head back.

"It is this bitch! If she hadn't been hogging the title of Mrs. Vaughan, Nina would have been with him ages ago.

Now that they are finally divorced, she still has the nerve to spend his money. Shameless!"

5.

A sharp pain exploded in my scalp.

I realized then that these were Nina Hayes's fans.

Nina was the mistress, and I was the legal wife.

Yet, in their eyes, I was the one at fault?

Besides, I was using my own credit card today. It had nothing to do with Grantley.

I tried to stay calm and explain.

"I am not spending a dime of Grantley's money. Let me go.

Do you realize that what you are doing is illegal?"

The girl let out a mocking laugh.

"Ha! Still lying.

Come on, girls! Let's teach this bitch a lesson for Nina!"

The circle of girls immediately closed in.

They began kicking and punching me with everything they had.

I couldn't fight back against so many people. I could only curl up and try to protect myself.

The parking spot was in a remote corner of the lot, and no one was around.

The girls became more aggressive, shouting insults as they hit me.

"Old woman! How dare you try to steal Nina's man? We will make sure you remember this.

Some Best Actress you are. You probably slept your way to the top. Grantley was blind back then."

I felt chunks of my hair being ripped out. My internal organs felt like they were being crushed.

"What are you doing!"

The blows suddenly stopped.

I forced my eyes open and saw security guards running toward us.

Finally, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed.

Grantley, whom I hadn't seen in half a month, was sitting by the bed holding my hand.

Seeing me wake up, he asked with concern.

"Sienna, how do you feel? Are you okay?"

I pulled my hand away and stared out the window.

"Did they catch the people who attacked me? I want to press charges."

Grantley looked at my bruised body, a flash of pity in his eyes.

"The mall security called the police immediately. They are in custody, but I..."

Before he could finish, Nina Hayes pushed the door open and walked in.

She immediately grabbed Grantley's arm.

"Grantley, Sienna is finally awake."

She looked at me with a fake, apologetic expression.

"Sienna, I am so sorry my fans caused you trouble.

They only did it because they love me. They felt you were standing in the way of our happiness."

She said she was sorry, but her eyes were full of triumph.

She was clearly thrilled that I had been beaten.

A surge of anger rose in my chest.

If I hadn't protected my face, I might have been disfigured today.

As an actress, that would have been the end of my career.

"Nina, since you cannot control your fans, I will do it for you.

I am not letting them go. They are going to be sued."

Nina's face dropped. She turned to Grantley with watery eyes.

"Grantley, I already apologized. Why is she being so difficult?

I cannot let her hurt my fans!"

She began to cry, looking up at Grantley like a kicked puppy.

"Grantley, I am your girlfriend now, and she is just your ex. Who are you going to help?"

Seeing Nina's tears, Grantley's heart clearly melted. He pulled her into his arms.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course, I will help you, Nina.

Do not worry. I will make sure they are released safely."

My brain went blank for a second. I looked at Grantley in disbelief.

"Grantley, you are protecting her that much? I almost lost my face. Do you even care?"

Nina frowned and snapped at me.

"I call you my senior out of respect, but that doesn't mean you can smear my name.

Grantley and I only got together after the divorce. I am his legitimate girlfriend."

I wanted to laugh. It takes two to tango.

If Nina hadn't been crossing lines before the papers were signed, a man like Grantley wouldn't have chased her for months.

She just wanted the rich lifestyle without the mistress label.

Grantley patted Nina's head and looked at me coldly.

"But you were not disfigured, were you?

Just tell me how much compensation you want. Name a price."

6.

I felt something inside me finally break.

It was the sound of our seven years together shattering into dust.

I dug my nails into my palms to keep from screaming. I spoke as calmly as possible.

"You really do adore Ms. Hayes, Mr. Vaughan."

Grantley's face darkened, and he frowned slightly.

I didn't care. I continued.

"Fine. Give me seventy thousand dollars for medical expenses. I will drop the charges."

Nina looked at me suspiciously.

"Only seventy thousand?"

I nodded firmly.

"Yes. Only seventy thousand."

Ten thousand for every year we spent together.

I was selling my memories of our love and marriage for a final settlement.

Grantley didn't ask any more questions.

He transferred the money and left with Nina immediately.

The room became silent again.

I turned over and pulled the blanket over my head.

The pillow beneath me grew wet, stinging the cuts on my face.

I stayed in the hospital for ten days.

During that time, Grantley came to visit me once by himself.

I didn't want to see him. I pretended to be asleep every time he came by.

After I was discharged, I had a meal with my few remaining friends and told them I was moving abroad.

They were all thrilled to hear I was returning to acting.

During my last few days, I counted down every hour.

On the final day, I was at the courthouse as soon as the doors opened.

The cooling-off period was over. I officially held my divorce decree.

As I walked out, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Nina Hayes, asking to meet at a private club.

I looked at the decree in my hand and decided to go.

When I arrived at the VIP room, Nina was already there.

She took a sip of milk and smiled at me.

"Sienna, I did not mean anything bad by inviting you. I just wanted to thank you for stepping aside.

I wanted to thank you sooner, but Grantley has been so clingy lately.

He cannot stand to be away from me for even three hours.

He even stays on set just to watch me. He even offered to be my assistant.

I finally found a gap in his schedule to come see you."

My hand tightened around my water glass.

Grantley used to be that clingy with me too.

But now, I was nothing to him.

Nina noticed my reaction, and her smile widened.

"It seems you still have feelings for him. Too bad you are already divorced.

When Grantley was chasing me, I told him I would never be a mistress.

He filed for divorce immediately. I guess I am just more important to him.

You are just a part of his past now."

I could see that Nina was a smart, ambitious woman.

That was how she managed to keep a man like Grantley hooked for three months.

I spoke plainly.

"You did not call me here just to brag, did you?"

Nina chuckled.

"You are as sharp as they say."

She pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to me.

I frowned, not knowing what game she was playing.

When I looked at the paper, the words Pregnancy Test Report stared back at me.

My mind went blank. My heart felt like it was being encased in ice.

Nina... was pregnant?

Nina loved my reaction. She lifted her chin proudly and rested a hand on her stomach.

"Sienna, I have only been with Grantley for a month and I am already pregnant.

You were married to him for three years and couldn't even give him a child. What a failure."

I crumpled the report in my hand.

Grantley and I had a child once.

In our second year of marriage, I found out I was one month pregnant.

I was going to tell him that night, but then I found the lipstick stain on his collar.

That was the first time he cheated.

I cried all night, and the next day, I lost the baby due to the stress and grief.

Grantley had knelt by my bed and sworn he would never do it again.

But then he found mistress after mistress.

He never let any of them get pregnant. Our lost child was a taboo subject.

Clearly, Grantley had forgotten all about it now.

But it didn't matter. We were divorced.

I didn't care who he was with or who he got pregnant.

I pushed my emotions down and handed the report back.

"Congratulations. I suppose a wedding is coming soon."

Nina's smile faltered. She hadn't expected me to be so calm.

She grabbed my wrist, a mocking sneer on her face.

"You say congratulations, but you probably hate me in your heart.

Too bad. I do not like having an ex-wife lingering around Grantley.

I am going to make sure you disappear from his life forever!"

Before I could process what she meant, Nina let go of my wrist and threw herself backward.

She slammed onto the floor, and blood began to flow down her legs.

She paled and clutched her stomach, screaming.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I instinctively reached for my phone to call 911.

The door burst open.

"Nina!"

7.

Grantley kicked the door open and rushed to Nina, his hands shaking as he picked her up.

"Nina, do not be afraid. I am taking you to the hospital right now."

I opened my mouth to explain.

But Grantley was already storming out with her in his arms.

As he passed me, he slammed his shoulder into mine with a brutal force.

I stumbled back, nearly falling.

Grantley didn't even look back. He was too busy comforting the woman in his arms.

He didn't say a word to me, but I felt a bone-chilling coldness from him.

I don't even remember how I got to the hospital.

When I found the operating room, Grantley was pacing outside, looking terrified.

It seemed he really did care for Nina.

I didn't say a word. I just sat on the far end of the bench and waited for the results.

The hallway was silent.

We had been the closest people in the world, and now there was a galaxy between us.

After a long time, Grantley looked up. His eyes were bloodshot.

"Sienna, I promised you that you would always be Mrs. Vaughan.

I told you I only loved you. Why did you have to lay a hand on Nina?"

I knew Grantley better than anyone. He was on the verge of a violent explosion.

The last time he was this angry was when I got hurt on set.

He had threatened the entire crew.

Now, that rage was directed at me, all for his mistress.

It was poetic, in a sick way.

I looked down and swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I did not push her. She set me up."

Grantley let out a cold, mocking laugh. He didn't believe a word.

"Sienna, when did you learn to play these petty games for attention?

Have I not given you enough? You have the title and my love.

Nina is just a distraction. Why couldn't you just tolerate her?"

Distraction. Only love you.

I started to laugh, but my eyes were stinging.

"Grantley, you have told that lie so many times you actually believe it.

Ask yourself. Do you really still love me?"

If he loved me, why the constant string of mistresses?

If he loved me, why did he get another woman pregnant?

If he loved me, why was there no trust left?

Grantley saw the dead, empty look in my eyes and froze. His anger seemed to flicker out.

He probably thought I was just acting out because I was jealous.

He stepped toward me and tried to pull me into a hug.

"Sienna, just wait a little longer.

When I am bored of these women, I will come back to you.

We can do whatever you want then."

The same empty promise. Again and again.

I pushed him away, my voice flat and dead.

"No thank you."

We were legally divorced. There was no more waiting.

Grantley thought I was just being stubborn.

"I will make sure Nina does not press charges.

But when she wakes up, you have to apologize to her."

I stared at him. He wanted me to apologize?

For something I didn't do?

Before I could argue, the operating room door opened.

A nurse ran out, looking panicked.

"Mr. Vaughan, the patient is hemorrhaging. We need Type A blood immediately!"

Grantley grabbed his phone to call his secretary, ordering him to mobilize every blood bank in the city.

Watching his frantic state, I felt a flash of memory.

I remembered the day he used his body to save me from that fall.

He had looked just as worried until he saw I was safe.

I rolled up my sleeve and held my arm out to the nurse.

"I am Type A. Take mine."

Grantley's expression became incredibly complex.

His lips moved, but no words came out.

I didn't care about his reaction. I followed the nurse.

They took 800 milliliters before they stopped.

My face went pale, and the world began to spin.

I held the cotton swab to my arm and walked back to Grantley.

I gave him a faint, final smile.

"Now, we are even."

I was paying back the life he had saved seven years ago.

Grantley thought I was doing this out of guilt for "pushing" Nina.

He looked at my pale face, a hint of pain in his eyes.

"Sienna, go home and rest. I will come see you once Nina is stable."

I didn't answer. I just turned and walked away with my remaining strength.

For some reason, Grantley felt a sudden surge of panic watching me walk away.

He opened his mouth to call my name.

But the doctor came out to give him an update on Nina.

By the time he looked up again, I was gone.

When I got home, I dragged my pre-packed suitcases to the door.

I took my divorce decree out of my bag and placed it on the shoe cabinet.

Then, I wrote a final note for him.

"Grantley, our story officially ends today. Goodbye forever."

I pinned the note under the decree and took one last look at the house.

Seven years of love and hate were over.

I, Sienna Sinclair, was going to start my own new story.