Want It All
#Chapter 71 – I Want It All
Stella
My eyes hurt as soon as I wake up. The sunlight is blinding as it slis past the open sliver of my curtains, shining right on my face. I groan and turn to the side, opening up one eye to stare at my phone on the side table.
I reach out and bring it back to my body, the screen staying dark. A sigh is released from my lips as I turn the screen on.
There are no messages. Not a single one.
So, Adrian truly did ditch n at the shareholder’s gala. I waited for him for hours, awkwardly passing the time by as people bid me farewell. I even had to cover for him when some people asked where he was. There are only so many excuses that I came up with when the CEO of their pharmaceutical company up and leaves without a word.
Hell, he did not even tell his wife where he was going.
I had to use the excuse that his mother needed help and that is why he had to leave so abruptly. I claimed that I offered to stay behind to act on his behalf, to keep everyone in the party happy and well aware that Adrian did not want to leave.
His CFO, Michael, had to drive me home after he saw how fatigued was. The car ride home was awkward and Michael made some jokes about Adrian always being flaky – he even made a comment that I should know this and not be surprised about it like him.
Ido not care if it was important or if the world was burning, Adrian could have at least told me that he wanted to leave. Or is this just another way for him to humiliate me before our divorce is finalized?
If it, then, well, he succeeded. There is no part of my body that wants to remain by his side anymore. All of the hope that I have once placed inside Adrian has vanished, disappearing in the wind, and most likely to never return.
I can’t help but laugh at the situation, really. What kind of mindset was I in when Adrian came and begged me to go with him? He seemed to genuine just a couple of days ago…what happened?
Adrian had been so nice to me from the moment he stepped foot into my apartment and asked me to join him all the way up until the moment he left. He was patient, kind, caring, and so attentive. He acted like a true husband to me in those few days, especially at the shareholders gala, until he abandoned me at the party.
I feel like a fool just thinking about it.
Maybe it was Clara’s doing. She somehow always finds a way to sink her claws into Adrian’s mind, making choices and decisions for him like how a master controls its puppet. He is just a prop to her, a means to gain wealth and power, and he is the idiot who cannot see past her ways.
This whole situation has me feeling so fucking angry. I can’t even begin to put into words how much I want to scream and yell at Adrian, to punch and slap him until he is left broken and bruised beneath my feet. I have never been a violent person but there is something about this whole situation that makes me want to scream and punch and cry.
I let out a huff of air and sit up in bed. With one glance around the room, I slide off of the bed and find my footing, my legs aching after having overdone it at the shareholders gala by wearing high hells, and head into my kitchen.
I fill my kettle with water and place it over the stove, the gas stovetop flickering to life. I turn away and sit down at the counter and pull my phone out. I swipe through my contacts and stare at Dominic’s name.
Adrian has no idea what he is getting himself into. He has no idea of the influence that Clara has over him. He needs a wakeup call to understand what she is going to do to him.
I click Dominic’s name and put the phone on speaker, placing it down on the countertop. The dial tone is quiet, falling in the silence of the room, before my older brother picks up the call.
“Hi, Stella, how are you?” Dominic asks.
A smile spreads across my face. He has always been so nice and kind to me, unlike Luca who obliterates me whenever we play a
1/3
#Chapter 71: Want It A
+25 BONUS
board game together.
“I’m okay, Dom,” I say, looking down at my phone, “I was wondering if you had a moment to talk? There is something I want to pass by you for my divorce.”
“Uh…yeah! I can talk. I only have about five minutes before a meeting, though, so I may have to leave soon,” he responds. In the background of the call, I can hear him shuffling papers away and taking a clear space on his desk to take notes.
Dominic truly is the best lawyer out there. He is so attentive and remembers everything. He even makes sure to fulfill his clients ‘wishes to the best of his ability, which is being able to complete te task and then some more.
“So, you know–how I said I wanted two thirds of everything instead of taking it all? To try and appease Adrian as much as possible?”
“Yes, I do remember that,” Dominic’s pen is loud as he scribblesgainst his notepad. “Are you wanting to change that?”
“Yes,” I nod despite him not being able to see it, “I want everything. He can have control of his company, but I want all of his money, his assets, any kind of property he has, as well as the chair on his board of directors at the company. He can remain CEO, but I want the chair as well as majority shares.”
The call is silent. I wait as Dominic frantically writes everything down but then his pen stops. I know he is contemplating what I just told him, going over the many plans inside that head of his to figure out what to do to achieve this goal.
“Would you like me to give you some time to think about it? I know it is a big ask,” I bite my lip and glance at the kettle. My feet carry me towards the stovetop, anticipating the kettle’s scream before it can happen.
“Time would be great actually,” he breathes out with a chuckle, “it gives me time on how to approach his lawyer, especially after we started agreeing to some terms.”
“Take as much time as you need,” i take the kettle off of the stove. Maybe we can grab lunch or dinner one of these days and go over the terms of the divorce together.”
“Yes, let’s do that! I have to go now, Stella, please take care of yourself. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything, okay?” Dominic speaks.
“Of course. Bye, Dom,” I hang up the call and let out a quiet sigh.
I pour myself a cup of tea and move to the couch, taking a small sip of the scalding hot liquid.
I will go through with what Adrian and I agreed to do. After last night, we are no longer husband and wife. We are not estranged but truly separated.
I move to Adrian’s contact and delete it, blocking his number so I do not have to hear whatever excuse it is that he comes with for being the husband he has always been: self serving and conceited.
