The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~ALARIC~

Nicole was acting like everything was back to normal between us. It didn't seem like she knew why I'd invited her over.

I didn't want to break the news to her while everyone was around; I knew that would spoil the party for everyone.

"Are we going to your room?" She asks me curiously.

There's a hint of excitement in her voice.

I nod, "I have something that I want to give you."

I wait for her to enter before going behind her.

I quietly shut the door, took a deep breath, and slowly turned around to face her.

My mouth parted slightly when I saw what she was doing. It was the last thing I expected to see tonight.

"Nicole?"

She turns to look at me with her finger still on the zipper of her dress.

"Why are you removing your dress?" I ask her.

She pauses, "Isn't this why you brought me here?" She asks. "Aren't you going to fuck me?"

My jaw clenches at her question.

"What would give you that impression?" I ask her.

"Come on, Alaric, I know you miss me." She whispers. "I know you miss my body. In the past, you couldn't get enough of me. You would find any excuse to wrap our bodies together. Don't you remember any of that?"

I run a hand through my hair and sigh, "This isn't why I brought you here, Nicole. There's a different reason that I invited you to the party today. I knew that you wouldn't have come otherwise. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I didn't bring you to my room to do what you said. You're here for something much more important than that."

She frowns, "what the hell are you talking about?" she demands. "What other reason could there possibly be?"

The look of horror on her face told me that she already had an idea what it was, but she wanted me to confirm it for her first.

I grab the papers from the desk before me and hand them to her, "I wanted you to sign these for me."

It was hard for me to do this in the past. There were many times that she gave me divorce papers and asked me to sign them. Back then, I couldn't do it no matter how hard I tried.

Things were different now. I'd finally decided that this wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want a wife who hated me; I didn't want a wife who looked at me like I was some monster. I didn't want a wife who hated my family or constantly tried to stir up trouble.

She grabs it from me.

She then pauses to read through it, and when she realizes what she's holding in her hand, she turns her gaze on me.

"What the fuck is this Alaric?" She shouts. "Why on earth are you giving this to me?"

Why else? It was a piece of paper that she'd given to me multiple times in the past.

"Why are you so surprised?" I asked calmly, even though I was hurting inside. "I made it clear that I wanted this divorce to happen. I told you that I was done trying to make this marriage work. I've already signed the papers; now all I need for you to do is sign them."

Her signature was all I needed to make this divorce final once and for all.

Her eyes widen with disgust and disbelief. I knew I'd shocked her. She probably thought that I was just upset about what she'd said and would eventually calm down and forgive her. It was finally sinking in that I was serious about the divorce.

"I can't believe you would do something like this to me." She gasps. "How could you ever do this to me, Alaric? After all those years of marriage, you're truly going to throw it away just like this?"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

My hands tightened into fists at my sides.

She was the last person to ask such a question.

"You know damn well that I did plenty to try and save our marriage. I tolerated you—"

"You tolerated me?" She demands. "Tolerated? Since when did I become such a fucking burden to you?"

"The second you stopped loving me," I growl.

She blinks in surprise at my direct words.

"You don't love me anymore, Nicole," I tell her. "You don't. This is the best decision for both of us. It's what we both need."

"I will never divorce you, Alaric." She promises me. "NEVER!"

My heart slows down; I never liked hurting Nicole. For months I tried so fucking hard with her. And it fucking broke my heart each time that she begged me for a divorce. It broke my heart each time I gazed into her eyes and saw disgust looking back at me.

I don't move when she throws the papers in my face.

"Nicole—"

"I'll never forgive you for this, Alaric!" She screams as she walks to the door.

"You didn't sign the pap—"

"Fuck!" I growl when she throws a lamp at me.

It hits me hard on my forehead.

She doesn't even bother to look back as she storms out of the room.

I passed a finger over the bruise and wasn't shocked when I felt blood.

This was much worse than I initially thought.

Damn it.