Chapter 3

After reading the email, John stomped his foot in frustration. "Eira, I've already got the top legal team on standby-they can head over first thing tomorrow!" Eira's slender fingers danced over the keyboard as she typed out a single line. Then she tugged at the corner of her lips, a faint, cold smile playing there. "No need to make it so complicated. I just want to cut ties with him-fast." She knew from the beginning that the divorce agreement wouldn't go through. A meticulous guy like Alexander had sorted out his prenuptial agreements long before they even said ‘I do.' But still... "If I can't get anything from him now, he'll pay me back eventually-bit by bit." The next day, Alexander stepped out of the meeting room, rubbing his temples wearily. Something suddenly hit him, and his face darkened. "What time is it?" Daniel glanced at his phone before replying in a low voice, "Almost noon." "Tell the driver to wait downstairs." Without missing a beat, Daniel made the call. But...the time they agreed on had passed by hours already. Was there even a point in going now? When they finally arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Daniel looked around for a moment before spotting a sleek Maybach pulling up nearby. The sound of the engine caught Alexander's attention, and he looked out the window. There was Eira, wearing a simple camisole top. Her slim waist looked like it could be wrapped in one hand. She frowned slightly, clearly annoyed by the blazing sun, and bent down to say something to the person in the driver's seat. Almost squinting, Alexander saw a young man step out from the driver's side, dressed to the nines in a sharp suit. ‘Bringing some random guy right in front of me-before we've even officially split?' His gaze turned piercing, practically slicing through the air between them. "No shame at all." He got out of the car and strolled over, his voice sharp and cold. "No wonder you were pushing for a divorce-you already found a replacement." Before Eira could react, Alexander forcefully grabbed her wrist, the pressure making her wince in pain. Two years of marriage-say what you will, she had poured her heart into it. Hearing him mock her like this still cut deep, no matter how prepared she thought she was. Without thinking, she yanked her hand back. "Still better than keeping a mistress while married!" She didn't bother with more arguing. Slipping on her sunglasses, she walked into the building, not even glancing back. Alexander let out a low, sarcastic laugh through his nose, his lips drawn into a tight line. ***** Showing up late did have one upside-no lines. Eira took the form and scribbled her name down without hesitation. The staff member gently slid the divorce cooling-off period notice toward them. "You'll need to come back in 30 days to finalize the divorce. Either party may withdraw during this time." Eira didn't even flinch as she signed, then pulled a few red boxes of candy from her bag and handed them out. "Bit of pre-celebration-finally free. Take some sweets." The staff were totally stunned. Since when do people hand out candy for a divorce? Alexander signed the paper too, then shot her a cold glance. "Don't forget-this was your choice. No take-backs." Eira looked over at him coolly. "You think I've lost my mind? As if I'd regret this." And with that, she flipped the paper in her hand and walked off with a casual wave. "Bye now, soon-to-be-ex." Watching her leave so breezily, Alexander's face turned stormy. That woman always had her little tricks up her sleeve. He didn't think she'd actually go through with filing for divorce. No way she could hold out long-she'd come crawling back looking for an excuse to retract it. He just didn't buy it. A girl from the slums, with nothing but a pretty face-what's she got to survive in a place like Oceanvein, where every inch of space costs a fortune? Alexander's eyes narrowed, voice flat and icy. "Let's see how long you can play tough."