SWNOVELS Chapter 18
The doorbell rang out of the blue, sounding a bit urgent. Everett let go of Selena, got up, and headed to answer it. As he left, Selena sat up, quickly tidied her rumpled clothes, and took a sip of mineral water from the nightstand to soothe her throat. Voices drifted from the living room; it was Derick giving Everett a rundown of the party. He kept it short and sweet, but before he left, he glanced towards the bedroom, hesitant, before saying, "Mr. Bennett, there's one other thing..." Even though he kept his voice low, Selena caught the name, Margot, and her lips curled slightly.
A few minutes later, Everett returned to the bedroom, slipping on his jacket. "I've got something to deal with. You can stay here and rest if you're tired or have the driver take you home if you want," he said, his tone indifferent. Selena wasn't surprised, but her heart still clenched with pain. She forced a smile, got out of bed, and blocked his way. "We haven't finished talking," she said.
Everett frowned, fastening his watch with a cold demeanor. "We'll talk when I get back."
Every time he disappeared in the middle of the night, he never came back, not once, despite all the times she waited. Selena's eyes locked onto his, stubbornly insisting, "I want to talk now."
Irritation flickered across Everett's face as if he was annoyed by her persistence. Without another word, he grabbed his phone and tried to move past her.
Selena closed her eyes briefly, then spoke coolly, "Everett, either you stay tonight, and we sort this out, or we don't need to say anything at all. Let's just get divorced!"
At that moment, she didn't care what pressing reason Margot had for needing him in the middle of the night. Selena just wanted Everett to choose her, even if it was just this once.
Everett's expression darkened, anger sparking in his eyes. "Selena, is that all you've got? Threatening divorce every time? You think you're so irreplaceable that I won't agree to it?" Selena looked up at him. "Then do it, or I'll really think you can't bear to leave me."
"Fine! But don't regret it!" Everett's voice was icy and firm. "Tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock, at the city hall!"
With that, he brushed past her shoulder and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Selena lay back on the bed, and soon, her eyes began to water. For a fleeting moment, she had hoped there was some misunderstanding about that night, only to be let down again.
She sniffled but felt relieved that he finally agreed to the divorce. Once they got the divorce papers the next day, she could start a new chapter.
Surprisingly, she slept soundly and woke up at eight. She got ready without her usual meticulous care to uphold her Mrs. Bennett image. Instead, she went out bare-faced, wearing a comfy sweatshirt and jeans. Selena arrived at 9:15. She hadn't eaten much the day before and was starving. She spotted a breakfast stall nearby, and with time to spare, she headed over.
The coffee was steaming, and the doughnuts were crispy. Selena couldn't stop her mouth from watering; it had been ages since she enjoyed such simple pleasures. She ordered some and stood at the roadside to eat.
A sleek black Rolls-Royce cruised up and parked. Everett stepped out, immediately spotting Selena, who was devouring her breakfast with greasy fingers and a carefree demeanor. His frown deepened.
Sensing his disapproving stare, Selena looked up to meet his gaze. Instead of hiding, she boldly finished her doughnut and licked her fingers clean.
After tidying up with a wet wipe, she walked over to him. "Let's go inside," she said.
Everett's expression was even darker. He stood still, giving her a disdainful once-over. "Selena, didn't you check the mirror before leaving? Am I not providing enough for you to eat or wear? Did you come in this messy get-up just to embarrass me?"
He knew how much Selena cared about her appearance; even the tiniest wrinkle would send her into tizzy. He remembered how glamorous she looked on the day they got their marriage license. It was like she stepped right out of a painting.
Selena felt nothing inside and even managed a smile. "Since we're getting divorced soon, how I look won't reflect on you anymore. Don't worry."
Everett's lips curled in a cold smile.
"Selena, think it through. If you really want to divorce, you'll leave empty-handed. The perks of being Mrs. Bennett will be gone, and don't even dream of taking half my
wealth..."
He didn't get to finish before Selena cut in, "Let's just get a divorce. I don't want a penny! I've had Bill draft a new divorce agreement, and I brought two copies with me. So, just sign them!"
She pulled two copies of the agreement from her bag and handed them to him. Everett glanced at them, noting she'd already signed her name. He smirked, though the smile didn't reach his eyes, and turned toward the city hall.