Chapter 31

~ Octavia ~

Two years later...

It has been two long, grueling years.

For seven hundred and thirty days, I have been counting down the seconds until my life sentence is over.

Now, finally, I am breaking out of the shackles.

I am divorcing Franklin Flemington, and for the first time in my life, I can breathe.

I couldn’t stay with a man who refused to love me back. I couldn’t bear to watch him romance another woman while I was left to rot in the cold corners of his life.

He sexually neglected me; he starved me of the most basic human attention.

I watched him give his heart to everyone but his wife, and I am done.

The contract expires in exactly one week, and I am certain Franklin will leap with joy to see me go.

I was at work, standing in a stall in the restroom, when the sound of voices stopped me from heading out.

Two women were gossiping at the sinks, and the mention of Franklin’s name made me freeze.

I leaned my ear against the stall door, cautiously listening.

"Did you hear about Mr. Flemington?" one of the women whispered.

"Hear what exactly?" the other asked over the sound of running water.

"You know the Flemington Group has been partnered with JeffTech for over a year now, but that’s not it.

I heard from the front desk that Mr. Flemington’s inauguration as Executive Chairman is being scheduled for a few days from now. Do you know what that means?"

"What?"

"It means his position as CEO will be vacant. It’ll be open to anyone worthy of leading the Flemington Group."

"Anyone worthy... like his wife?" the second woman lowered her voice.

The first lady scoffed loudly. "That woman? I don’t think so. She’s been struggling just to get a promotion to Lead Developer for two years. How could she possibly run the whole Group? Franklin wouldn’t even let her take the job if she were the last person on earth. Marriage doesn’t give you a brain."

I stood there, feeling foolish and hollow. She was right. It wasn’t even about the struggle to reach the top; it was the fact that Franklin would never acknowledge my existence, let alone my effort. To him, I was a ghost haunting his hallway.

The women left, and I finally stepped out of the stall.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my gaze falling to the wedding band and engagement ring on my left hand.

They were symbols of a lie. Symbols of broken trust and a two-year betrayal.

I wiped a stray tear before it could ruin my makeup and headed back to my desk.

Since that terrifying confrontation with the stalker two years ago, the silver sedan I had encountered that night vanished, since then I didn’t feel like someone was watching or following me.

And for that, I was grateful.

But the peace outside my head couldn’t fix the war inside it.

At lunchtime, I headed to Victoria’s office.

I knocked softly, and she looked up from her tablet, her reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

"Hey, Vic," I said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey, girl. What’s up?" she asked, her eyes darting back to her screen.

She actually had an office now—a perk of being promoted to Lead Developer while I remained stagnant.

"Are you busy? I was hoping we could grab lunch."

"I’m starving, so yes," Victoria said, standing up. "And actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

We found an outdoor table at a restaurant near the office.

Once we ordered, Victoria leaned in, her expression turning serious.

"For months now, I’ve been hearing rumors, Octavia.

People are saying you only used Franklin for his money. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn’t know how you’d react. They’re spreading like wildfire."

I shrugged, taking a slow sip of my iced tea. "Let them say what they want. I don’t care."

"Octavia," Victoria sighed, rubbing her forehead. "What do you want me to do? I’m your friend."

"What can you do, Vic? Confront every person in New York? It’s impossible. Let them talk. Their words can’t hurt me more than the silence in my own house."

"But the rumor isn’t true, right?" she asked softly. "I mean, you didn’t marry him for the money. You love him."

I looked at her, my heart heavy.

"What if I did marry him for the money, Vic? Would you hate me?"

"Well... no... but did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you marry him for the money?"

"I can’t answer that right now," I said, the weight of the Non-Disclosure Agreement pressing down on me.

I remembered why I’d signed it—to save my parents’ failing legacy.

In the eyes of the world, that made me a gold digger.

"Why not?"

"I just can’t, okay? You wouldn’t understand."

"I hope you’re okay," she said, reaching for my hand.

"I will be. Soon. It’s just a matter of time." A matter of the contract expiring, I thought.

It was my only hope.

"What does that mean? Fine in a matter of time?" Victoria frowned.

"Don’t worry about it," I said, patting her hand.

"Anyway, I heard Franklin is becoming Executive Chairman.

Inauguration in a few days?"

"Oh, so you did know! I wasn’t sure," Victoria smiled cheerfully. "You must be so excited for your husband."

"I’m over the moon for him," I said, the sarcasm dripping from my voice like venom.

That evening, I drove back to the estate with a singular purpose.

I met Clarence on the stairs; he was carrying an empty tray.

"Is Mr. Flemington in?" I asked.

"Yes, ma’am. He’s in his study. I just took him a glass of wine."

"Thank you, Clarence."

I marched up the stairs, my heels thumping against the floorboards.

I didn’t bother knocking. I burst into his office to find him with his phone cradled to his ear, deep in a conversation.

He looked up, his expression shifting to one of cold annoyance.

"I think it’s time I get a divorce, Franklin," I said, my voice steady and loud.

Franklin froze. He didn’t hang up the phone.

He just stared at me in absolute disbelief, his jaw tightening as the words settled between us like a grenade.