Chapter 2
Harley kept quiet, creating an almost suffocating tension in the office. After a tense pause, Lenora gave in, saying, “Fine, I’ll stop bugging you, Mr. Brandt. Monday morning, nine o’clock, any lawyer’s office, and I’ll be out of your hair”
As she finished, she pushed back some loose strands of hair and added with a hint of reluctance, “Harley, congrats. You’re finally rid of me, the shameless woman.” With a self–effacing smile, she turned to leave.
“What are you up to now?” Harley finally broke the silence, his tone as sharp and sarcastic as always.
Lenora shot him a look, “Chill, it’s legit this time. But just so you know, this is your one and only shot at getting rid of me for good. So, you better make it worth it.”
Trying hard not to let her emotions get the better of her and give Harley any more ammo, Lenora spun around and walked out, head held high.
Harley watched as Lenora walked off, not turning back until she was out of sight. Then, he bent over to skim through the divorce papers.
Interestingly, Lenora’s team had prepared the entire agreement, and she hadn’t claimed a single penny of his assets. She was ready to leave with nothing at all.
Honestly, Harley wasn’t shocked that Lenora wanted out. He hadn’t really seen her as his wife for the last three years. But the fact that she didn’t want any of his wealth was a surprise.
Lenora, after all, was someone who never held back, especially when it came to what she wanted. She had saved Gwen once, and when the Brandt family asked her what she wished for in return, her response was that she wanted to marry Harley.
But she miscalculated. Harley had made sure his assets were locked down tight long before they got married, just in case he ever wanted to cut ties easily.
‘Looks like she’s just messing around again,‘ Harley thought, gave a half–smirk, and with a flick of his wrist, he chucked the divorce papers to the side, not giving them a second thought.
Lenora just stepped out of the building when she caught sight of Cassidy’s sports car shining like it was brand new.
She barely made it to the car when Cassidy swung open the passenger door and hit her with, “How’s it going? Did he sign those papers?”
Sliding into the seat, Lenora sighed, “Nope.”
“That’s weird. With Katelyn back, you’d think Harley would be rushing it,” Cassidy said, clearly puzzled.
Lenora strapped herself in and gave Cassidy a look. “Cassie, really?”
Cassidy’s comment was so blunt it was shocking. Without their decade of friendship, it might’ve been the last straw for
Lenora.
Cassidy, catching the vibe was off, awkwardly touched her nose and said, “Honestly, I’ve never seen people divorce with so much joy like you do. Just checking if you’re actually over him or just ticked off.”
Lenora was having none of it. “Cassidy, seriously, read the room
At this point, Lenora was done engaging. She shut her eyes, tuning everything out.
Thirty minutes later, the sports car pulled to a stop. Lenora opened her eyes, unclicked her seatbelt, and got ready to hop
out.
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Chapter 2
“Thanks,” she said, walking to the trunk to get her case.
Cassidy, still in the car, sent over two playful kisses. “Don’t go crying on the down–low, Nora. Love you lots!”
As Cassidy sped off with a dramatic rev of the engine, Lenora couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head at the antics of her long–time friend.
Before Lenora even got there, the maid had already spruced up the villa. It was decked out with those high–tech door locks that recognize her voice, face, or fingerprint. So, Lenora just said “Leslie, open the door,” and the sandalwood door swung open all by itself, greeting her with a “Welcome home, Ms. Maynard.”
“Leslie, I need some water,” she said.
Dragging her suitcase, Lenora headed up to the bedroom on the second floor. That room was pretty much a capsule of her last three years with the Brandt family, packed with all the stuff she had brought back with her.
Once she dropped her suitcase, the water was already poured. She leaned over the bar and pretty much gulped most of it down.
Lenora was totally caught off guard when tears rolled down her cheeks. She kind of hated herself when thinking about what Cassidy said before taking off.
‘Honestly, I can’t manage to look happy for longer. But hey, it’s only when I’m alone that I really let it all out, right?” she thought. After trying to keep it together all morning, Lenora just couldn’t take it anymore.
She put her glass down, buried her face in her arms, and let the tears flow.
Ten years of crushing on Harley, and what she ended up with was three years in a marriage that felt like a joke.
‘Feeling reluctant? Well, of course. But what’s the point of being upset? He doesn’t love you, Lenora,‘ she thought.
*****
Lenora’s days had been all over the place since she split from the Brandt family. Her main activity was trying to catch some
snooze.
But even sleep was a tricky business for her, filled with those barely–there dreams. She even had a throwback dream to when she was fifteen, all wide–eyed and bushy–tailed, genuinely thinking an old lady needed her help.
Little did she know, she was just an easy target in the lady’s eyes.
She was desperate and horrified as the men dragged her to the car, but such tragedies happened from time to time inside that narrow and obscure alley.
Nobody would come to her rescue, and it looked like no one dared.
Just when she had given up hope, a teenager came out of nowhere, took down the guy grabbing her, and pulled her by the hand to safety, away from that scary alley.
Lenora had no idea how long she had been running until the teenager in front of her came to a halt, prompting her to do the same.
Throughout their frantic escape, she hadn’t managed to get a good look at him. It was only when they stopped that she noticed how strikingly handsome he was.
His eyes were deep, almost mesmerizing, pulling her in completely.
“What’s your name?” she blurted out, still on edge from what just happened.
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Chapter 2
ue, Dec
“Harley Brandt,” he responded, his voice as captivating as his gaze. Lenora’s heart raced.
“Thank you for saving me,” she managed to say.
“You’re safe now. I’ve got to go,” Harley said before turning to leave.
Without thinking, Lenora reached out. “Harley, can I-”
But in that instant, Harley transformed. Suddenly, he wasn’t the teenage savior she thought he was, but an adult looking back at her with a mix of coldness and disdain. “Lenora, what are you up to now?” he asked, his tone a stark contrast to the warmth she had felt just moments before.
Lenora woke up with a start, the alarm clock making a racket next to her. She made a face, wiping away the dampness from the corners of her eyes, and muttered, “Leslie, kill the alarm, will you?”
The noise cut off instantly, and the room was peaceful again. Grabbing her phone, Lenora noticed a message from Cassidy sent half an hour ago, telling her to go for it.
It was Monday. And she was meeting Harley today at the law firm.
SEND GIFT
