Chapter 2

Asher lowered his head and saw the words on the document clearly. "Juliet, are you done?" He reached out to pinch her cheek, which was what he always did when he was trying to placate her. However, Juliet moved her head aside to dodge him. Asher's hand froze in mid-air, and his smile gradually dropped. "Don't touch me." Juliet exuded a cold, aloof air. Asher picked up the agreement and raised an eyebrow when he saw that she had stated that she did not want anything. "You don't want anything? You silly woman, Juliet. You haven't learned anything from me at all over the years." He reached up to flick her gently on the forehead. "You'll make a huge loss if we get divorced. Alright, stop messing around." He had only missed their anniversary meal. Was it really worth getting divorced over? Asher had sped all the way to the restaurant that night, only to find that Juliet had left. He had wanted to make it up to her on another day, so he called his client out again and drank all night with him to get a contract worth hundreds of millions. He had taken over at the company and given up on his career as a professional racer for Juliet. Asher admitted that he had gone back on his word again despite promising to keep her company. However, he hadn't done it on purpose. There were so many demands on his time with differing levels of urgency, and he had almost gotten into a car accident while he was rushing back to her. He had given her the "Ocean Heart", a priceless necklace that was more than enough to compensate. Asher reached out to hug Juliet, but she pushed him away. "I'm not throwing a tantrum." Juliet looked straight into his eyes, but there was no longer any love or reliance in how she looked at him. "Let's get divorced, Asher." "That's enough!" Asher reached over and tore the agreement up. "You shouldn't go too far, even if you're angry. Don't make me feel like you're becoming more boring." Asher leaned over her and rested both hands on the back of the sofa, trapping Juliet between his arms. "Take back what you just said, and I'll pretend that nothing happened." He refused to believe that Juliet would actually want to leave him. She had always had eyes for no one but him. This was just a new trick she was using to get his attention. Juliet could smell the alcohol on him, which mingled with the scent of a woman's perfume. She felt her stomach churning and pushed him away. "Get lost! I'm serious!" "Fine! Alright!" Asher laughed out of sheer anger. "We'll see how long you can keep up this tough act, Juliet!" He slammed the door as he stormed out. Juliet heard the roar of the engine receding into the distance, and the tension finally left her body as she relaxed. Asher did not come back that night, and Juliet did not sleep at all. As soon as day broke, her phone rang, the sound of her ringtone jarring in the silence. Zachary Wilson was calling. Zachary was Asher's best friend. He always had a gentle, warm smile on his face, and he was always perfectly diplomatic, no matter who or what he was dealing with. He was the only person in Asher's circle who sincerely accepted Juliet. Juliet hesitated for a while, but answered the call. "Juliet, I heard that you and Asher had a fight." Zachary's voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, and it always made people let down their guard. Juliet gripped her phone tightly. "I want to divorce him." "Asher is always so stubborn and prideful. His bark is worse than his bite." Zachary sounded resigned. "All of us know how he feels about you. Juliet, you know what he's like. He's loyal to his friends, especially because Mr. Huxley… He just feels responsible for Evangeline, that's all." Zachary was making excuses for Asher, which was a sore spot for Juliet. Did being responsible for Evangeline mean that Asher was allowed to break his promises to Juliet time and time again? "It's been 15 years, Zachary. I'm tired." The weariness with which she spoke felt more poignant than any heated complaint could. "I won't go back this time." "Don't say that," Zachary said gently. "You've been together for so many years. How can you just break it off like that? Shall I teach him a lesson so that you won't be so angry?" "There's no need for that." Juliet hung up wearily. What she needed was a clean break. That was all. On the other end of the phone, the gentle expression on Zachary's face dropped as soon as he heard the busy signal. He toyed deliberately with his lighter. The flickering flames shone in his dark eyes, which were filled with excitement. After a while, Zachary called Asher. "Hello? Where are you, Asher?" "At the office." Asher's voice was hoarse from a hangover, and he sounded irritated. Zachary chuckled. "What's the matter? Have you annoyed your little princess again?" "She wants a divorce." Asher kneaded his throbbing forehead. "Come on, it's nothing. Women never mean what they say. She just says she wants a divorce because she wants you to show more care for her." Asher remained silent. "I'm telling you, man. Women need to be placated, but you shouldn't spoil them. "The more you run after them to apologize, the more bold they become. This time, you need to stand your ground. "Just leave her alone for a while. I'm sure that she'll call and apologize within three days." After hearing what Zachary had said, Asher finally acknowledged his annoyance. He felt that Zachary was right. Juliet had loved him for so many years. She wouldn't actually leave him. She had gone too far this time, and she needed some boundaries. "Alright. Thanks, man," Asher answered. He accepted Zachary's suggestion.