SABRINA
It's been a whole week since I left the place I used to call home. It felt pointless to stay in a location that was filled with memories of happier times with Mykel. As soon as I returned from the hospital, I packed my bags and checked into a hotel. I had already let Mykel know that I signed the divorce papers and sent them to his lawyer before making my exit.
I've been sharing the hotel suite with Andrew. I made sure he had his own room, in case the arrangement made him uncomfortable. But he hasn't uttered a single word about it; he simply carries out his responsibilities with a calm and expressionless demeanor.
Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. I turn away from the window and direct my attention towards the closed door. "Andrew?" I call out.
"We're going to be late," he informs me in his deep, resonant voice.
I grabbed my purse and stepped out of my room, joining Andrew in the living room. Today is the day when my divorce from Mykel will be finalized, and honestly, I'd rather not be there. However, if I don't attend, the properties and money he gave up for me will be liquidated and transferred to my account, something I don't desire.
My plan is to donate every penny he gives me to charity. I want him to understand that I won't depend on his money. My bank account may not be overflowing with millions or billions right now, but I believe I have enough to sustain myself until I find a source of income.
Andrew kindly held the door open for me, and I climbed into the car. As I fastened my seatbelt, he walked around to the driver's side, started the engine, and smoothly maneuvered the car out of the parking lot. While his hands expertly guided the steering wheel, I couldn't help but gaze at him. "Is there something you'd like to say to me, ma'am?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.
I moistened my lips, struggling to find the right words. "Starting from today, I won't be needing your services anymore," I finally managed to say. Andrew's eyes, filled with confusion, briefly met mine through the rear-view mirror. "Please don't misunderstand, Andrew. I simply can't afford to pay you the same amount that Mykel does."
"It's still the middle of the month," he replied. "My salary is due at the end of each month, so I'll stay until then."
"You'll have to finish out the month with Mykel," I softly insisted. "Today, I'm relinquishing all the privileges that came with being married to him, and that includes having a hired security like yourself."
He glanced at me once again in the mirror, let out a sigh, and then averted his gaze without saying another word. I was grateful for the ensuing silence as the rest of the journey unfolded.
*****************
Thirty minutes past the agreed time, Mykel sauntered into the room, emanating the unmistakable scent of alcohol. Mykel was no stranger to alcohol, but he had always managed to hold his liquor well. I glanced at his right-hand man, Lucas, puzzled by the unusual sight before me. "Is he actually drunk in broad daylight?"
Before Lucas could respond, Mykel let out a derisive scoff. "I drove us here," he croaked, "how drunk does that make me?"
Disregarding his question, I turned to his lawyer and urged, "Can we wrap this up quickly? I have other pressing matters to attend to."
The bastard scoffed once more, and I couldn't help but feel irritated by his demeanor. “Matters like what?” Lucas gently slapped Mykel's arm, silently advising him to keep quiet, and to my relief, he complied.
"Please accept my apologies for his tardiness," Gregory interjected, seeking to smooth things over. He then proceeded to open the file placed in front of him. "My client has agreed to give you his two apartments here in New York, along with two in Italy and one in Colombia. Additionally, he is willing to offer you a sum of sixty million do_”
"I don't want it," I blurted out, abruptly interrupting him. "I don't care how long that list is, I simply don't want it."
Mykel leaned closer, his brow furrowing. "I don't care if you want it or not. I want you to want it," he asserted, running his hand wearily through his hair. "You dedicated two years of your life to me, and I feel I should offer some form of compensation."
Compensation? I blinked slowly, fighting the urge to unleash my pent-up frustration. Taking deep breaths to regain composure for the sake of the baby, I finally responded, "Do not insult our marriage by using that word, 'compensate'."
He raised both hands in a gesture of appeasement. "I apologize if my choice of words offended you."
"All I ask is for you to cover my legal fees, considering you initiated this whole divorce ordeal," I asserted firmly. "As for the rest of the items on your so-called list of compensation, you can keep them." With those words, I stood up, grabbed my purse, and prepared to make my exit.
"f**k!" Mykel exclaimed, springing to his feet as well. "Just accept the damn properties and money, Sabrina!"
"Why?" I glared at him, defiance etched across my face. "Does it bruise your ego that I'm refusing them?"
"I just don't want you to suffer, to starve or end up sleeping under a bridge," he pleaded.
Fuck him! "You can keep Andrew too," I informed him, my voice laced with bitterness. "He comes with the keys to the car I arrived in. They're yours, so you might as well keep them."
With deliberate steps, he strode towards me, his anger palpable. "That car was my wedding gift to you, Sabrina."
"Well, that same wedding has come to an end today, so I'm returning it," I declared. Suddenly exhausted by the whole conversation, I let out a weary sigh. "You know what? If you're too burdened by guilt to keep those properties, then discuss it with my lawyer. She knows what to do with them."
Mykel's gaze shifted to Martha, seeking an answer. "What did she tell you to do with them?" he inquired, his tone laced with urgency.
"Charity," Martha replied. "She insisted that I donate them to charity."
"Are you out of your mind?!" Mykel bellowed, his voice filled with disbelief. "You're going to give everything away to charity?! How do you plan on surviving? You haven't had a job for two years now." He took a step closer to me, his frustration evident. "What exactly is your plan?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, shaking my head in disbelief. "Really?" I retorted. "My plans are none of your concern anymore, Mykel. Need I remind you that I am no longer your wife?" He looked pained, but I refused to let his emotions affect me. "Have a nice life, Mykel." With those words, I removed my wedding ring and flung it at him, symbolizing the finality of our relationship, before I walked out of the room, leaving that toxic chapter of my life behind forever.
Aksara