What was this?

’A legendary good Samaritan?’

Annabelle Linton walked over to the clerk, overcome with a wave of emotion.

This clerk was clearly a person of strong character, probably someone who’d been hurt in love before. She kept it hidden, however, and was the very model of professionalism at her job.

Leona Grant was utterly thunderstruck. He never would have imagined something like this could happen.

It wasn’t until the clerk struck Annabelle Linton’s name from his official records that it finally dawned on him: this was all real.

His heart instantly felt hollow. He and Annabelle Linton were really and truly divorced.

Completely. Irrevocably.

She had nothing to do with him anymore. In the future, she would marry another man, have his children, sleep with him, and live happily ever after. From now on, they were nothing more than strangers.

He used to think about divorce constantly, but he never expected it to feel like this when it actually happened.

"THUD—"

With a single, crisp motion, the clerk stamped the word "VOID" across their marriage certificate.

It was just a soft sound, yet it felt like a deafening roar in his ears.

He instinctively looked over at Annabelle Linton.

A faint smile played on Annabelle Linton’s lips as she waited for their marriage to be officially nullified.

As the stamp came down, it felt as though a thousand arrows had pierced his heart, threatening to shatter it completely.

The divorce certificate, with its silver lettering, was placed in her hand. Annabelle Linton took it and opened it to look inside.

’Finally divorced.’

’Finally free.’

’It wasn’t easy.’

Leona Grant’s eyes stung at the sight.

’I don’t want a divorce!’

’I love her. I really, really love her. The kind of love I’m completely lost in.’

’It’s the first time I’ve ever fallen for someone, and I fell completely. I don’t want to give up! So why... why are we over now?’

He had the sinking feeling they would never cross paths again.

’Can Annabelle and I... can we still get back together?’

"I—"

Before Leona Grant could get a word out, the clerk was beaming at Annabelle Linton. "Dear, I’ve really taken a liking to you! You’re Annabelle Linton, right? A beautiful name for a beautiful person. As pretty as you are, you’ll definitely find someone better."

Annabelle Linton smiled. She quite liked the clerk’s personality. "Thank you, ma’am."

Leona Grant: "..."

The clerk took out a business card and handed it to Annabelle. "Here, dear, take this. It’s for a matchmaking service my sister and I run. We have a 45% success rate for couples! It’s full of promising young men—thoughtful, ambitious, and they all know how to dote on a woman.

"They’re all looking for someone they can connect with. If you’re looking for a partner, come see me. I’ll save a good one for you.

"I just admire someone as clear-headed as you. Figuring a person out in two years is a bargain. You’re smart, you know when to walk away. I’m sure you’ll find happiness."

Leona Grant: "..."

He glared darkly at the clerk, who was currently wearing a benevolent smile, and felt a sudden impulse to be very disrespectful to his elder.

’Annabelle Linton... I’ve slept with her, kissed her, loved her, called her my wife! The whole world knows we’re a couple. The only thing we haven’t done is have kids. And here I am, trying to figure out how to win her back, and this woman is trying to set her up with someone else? Is she trying to poach my wife?!’

Fuck.

’What did I ever do to you? Why are you so determined to break us up?’

’The minute I get out of here, I’m shutting down her matchmaking service.’

’A 45% success rate, my ass. She’s breaking up me and my wife! Hasn’t she ever heard the saying, ’Better to tear down ten temples than to ruin a single marriage’?’

Leona Grant shot Annabelle Linton a dark, menacing glare, his eyes filled with warning.

Annabelle Linton ignored him and calmly accepted the card. "Thank you, ma’am. I’ll be in touch if I need to."

The clerk beamed. "Wonderful! Well then, you should go celebrate. I won’t keep you any longer."

Leona Grant: "..."

’Celebrate my ass!’

Annabelle Linton just smiled and said, "Okay," before handing the clerk the processing fee and walking out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Leona Grant chased after her and blocked her path.