Sarah stood frozen, the weight of the divorce papers pressing down on her chest like a heavy stone. Her mind whirled with disbelief, pain, and anger. She could barely process the fact that John had signed these papers. The signature was his,there was no denying it,but none of this made sense. He had never mentioned wanting a divorce. He hadn't even hinted at it. And yet, here it was, staring her in the face like a cruel, undeniable truth.
Her knees felt weak, and she collapsed into the chair across from Oliver's desk, the papers trembling in her hands. She couldn't speak; her throat was tight with shock and emotion. This couldn't be happening. Not like this.
Oliver watched her from his seat, leaning back, his expression carefully composed but betraying a flicker of satisfaction. He had been waiting for this moment, Sarah realized, waiting for her to fall apart so he could swoop in. But she wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. Not yet.
"I told you, Sarah," Oliver said softly, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "When men like John taste something better, they forget where they came from. I'm sorry, but it's time for you to face the truth."
Sarah's grip tightened on the papers, her knuckles white. She couldn't look at Oliver. Her gaze remained fixed on the divorce documents, her mind racing. There had to be an explanation, some reason for this that she wasn't seeing.
She took a shaky breath, her voice barely a whisper. "There's no way… he would do this."
Oliver's chair creaked as he leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with that unsettling mixture of pity and triumph. "I wish it weren't true, but I've seen it happen too many times, Sarah. Men like John… they get a taste of wealth, of power, and they forget the people who helped them get there."
He paused, his voice lowering to a near-whisper. "I warned you, didn't I? I told you John couldn't handle it."
Sarah shook her head, refusing to believe it. "John isn't like that. He wouldn't just… leave me." Her voice was thick with emotion, but there was a small, stubborn part of her that clung to the hope that this was some kind of mistake.
Oliver sighed, shaking his head in faux disappointment. "You think you know him, Sarah. But you don't. People change when they're given the opportunity." He stood up and walked around the desk, coming to stand beside her. "And John… well, he found something new."
Those words sent a sharp pang through her chest, and Sarah's hands tightened on the papers. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Oliver's eyes flickered with something dark, something that made Sarah's skin crawl. "I've been hearing things, Sarah. John's been spending time with someone else. Someone… more suited to the life he's living now."
Sarah's stomach twisted painfully, her breath catching in her throat. She remembered the laughter she had heard in the background during their phone call. She had pushed it aside, wanting to believe that John was telling the truth. But now, with these divorce papers in her hands, and Oliver's words swirling in her mind, it was all coming together in a way she couldn't ignore.
"Who?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Oliver sighed, as if reluctant to say more, but the satisfaction in his eyes told her otherwise. "Her name is Amelia. She's been around John's work, someone he's gotten quite close to over the past few weeks. I didn't want to tell you, Sarah, but… you deserve to know."
Sarah felt like the floor was collapsing beneath her. Her mind raced with questions, but she couldn't seem to form any coherent thoughts. Amelia? Who was she? Why had John never mentioned her?
But more than that, why hadn't he told her anything about these papers? About wanting to end their marriage?
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she struggled to breathe, the betrayal slicing through her like a knife. This wasn't the John she knew. This wasn't the man who had stood by her side through so much. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?
Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch both comforting and suffocating. "I know this is hard to hear, Sarah. But sometimes we have to face the truth, no matter how painful it is. John's moved on. You need to think about what's best for you now,and for the baby."
At the mention of the baby, Sarah's hand instinctively moved to her stomach, her fingers trembling. She hadn't even told John about the pregnancy yet. How could he do this without knowing? How could he leave without even giving their child a chance?
But then, a darker thought crept into her mind, one that sent a chill down her spine.
Maybe John already knew.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she turned to Oliver, her voice trembling. "Did you… did you tell him?"
Oliver's expression remained calm, but there was something unsettling in his eyes, something cold. "I didn't have to tell him anything, Sarah. He's made his decision. You saw the papers. He's already signed them."
Sarah's vision blurred with tears, and she felt her world spinning out of control. She stood up abruptly, clutching the divorce papers to her chest as she staggered toward the door. "I need to talk to him," she whispered, more to herself than to Oliver.
But just as she reached for the door handle, Oliver's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Sarah," he called, his tone smooth and dangerously calm. "There's one more thing you should know."
Sarah paused, her hand hovering over the door, dread curling in her stomach. She turned slowly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him. "What?"
Oliver's lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile. "John didn't just sign those papers. He's already gone. Moved out of your life for good."
Sarah's heart dropped, and her fingers trembled as she clutched the divorce papers tighter. "Gone where?"
Oliver's smile widened, a cold gleam in his eyes. "He's with her, Sarah. Amelia. And they've been planning this for a while."
Sarah's breath hitched, her entire body going cold.
"John… isn't coming back."