Bella Pov
I sat in the small lawyer office. The room was cold and the walls were plain white. Lisa sat across from me with papers spread out on the desk.
"So based on everything you told me" Lisa said and pushed her glasses up. "You have a strong case. The adultery gives us leverage"
"Leverage" I repeated quietly.
"Yes" Lisa nodded. "New York law allows us to ask for more in cases of proven infidelity. We can push for a larger settlement"
"I do not want his money" I said.
Lisa looked up from the papers. "Bella you need to think about this practically. You signed a prenup but the cheating changes things. We could get you a significant amount"
"How much"
"Depending on his assets...probably a few million at least"
My stomach turned. I did not want Damian's money. I did not want anything that reminded me of him.
"I just want enough to start over" I said. "I do not need millions"
"Are you sure" Lisa leaned forward. "This is your future we are talking about. You gave up two years of your life for this marriage"
"I am sure" I said firmly. "I want my freedom and enough money to get on my feet. That is all"
Lisa sighed and made notes on her legal pad. "Okay. We will ask for a fair division of shared assets and a small settlement. But Bella...you could get so much more"
"I do not want more" I said. "I want this over with."
"Understood" Lisa pulled out more papers. "I need you to sign these. They are the divorce petition and some financial disclosures"
She pushed the papers across the desk. I stared at them. My name was already typed at the top. Bella Morgan Roberts. Soon it would just be Bella Morgan again.
I picked up the pen. My hand shook so bad I almost dropped it. I pressed the pen to paper and signed my name. Each signature felt like cutting a piece of myself away.
"Good" Lisa collected the papers. "I will file these with the court tomorrow. Then we serve Damian with the papers"
I nodded, feeling numb inside. Like I was watching someone else's life fall apart.
"Is there anything else you need from me" I asked.
"Not right now" Lisa stood up. "I will call you when I have updates. Try to take care of yourself okay"
"Okay" I said even though I did not know how to do that anymore.
I grabbed my purse and walked out of the office. The hallway was quiet. My footsteps echoed on the tile floor. I pressed the button for the elevator and waited.
The elevator doors opened. A pregnant woman stepped out holding her husband's hand. She was glowing. Her belly was round and perfect. Her husband looked at her like she was the only person in the world.
"Careful honey" he said and held her arm as they walked past.
The woman laughed. "I am fine. You worry too much"
"I just want you and the baby safe" he said and kissed her forehead.
I watched them walk away. Pain shot through my chest like someone stabbed me with a knife. I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.
The doors closed and I was alone. I looked at my reflection in the metal walls. I touched my flat stomach with one hand. I wondered what it would feel like to have life growing inside me. I wondered why I never got that joy.
I thought about all the times Damian pressured me about having kids. How he said he needed an heir. How he made it about his business instead of about building a family. I thought about how I finally agreed and then we could not get pregnant naturally. I thought about the expensive treatments we could not afford.
Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was a blessing I never had his child. Now I could leave clean without anything tying me to him forever.
But still it hurt. It hurt that I never got to experience that happiness. That glow. That feeling of creating life with someone you love.
The elevator doors opened on the ground floor. I stepped out into the lobby. People rushed past me going to meetings and appointments. Everyone had somewhere to be. Everyone had a purpose.
I walked outside into the cold air. The sky was gray and heavy. I stood on the sidewalk and watched cars drive by fast.
I pulled my jacket tighter. I thought about the past two years. About falling in love. About trusting him completely with my whole heart.
I thought about Karen. About all the nights Damian came home late. About all the times I ignored my gut.
Never again. I would never let myself be that naive again. I would never give a man that much power over my heart.
I started walking. I passed a coffee shop. Through the window I saw couples sitting together. Laughing. Living their happy lives.
I turned away and kept walking.
I found myself at a small park. Kids played on the playground. I sat on a bench and watched them.
A little girl with curly brown hair climbed up the slide. Her mom stood at the bottom. The girl slid down laughing.
I felt tears fill my eyes. I was so tired of crying, so tired of feeling broken.
I stood up. I needed to go somewhere, I did not have a real home anymore. Just a temporary place.
I walked back to my car. I got in and started driving, idid not turn on the radio. Just silence.
I thought about tomorrow, the next day. About building a new life from nothing. About finding work without Damian. About learning to be alone again.
It scared me. But it also made me feel something I had not felt in a long time. Determination.