When Love Comes Late

Once inside the car, a heavy silence enveloped them.

Stella, suspecting Matthew felt remorse over the incident with Lindsay, broke the quiet.

“I’ll look into finding a specialist for Lindsay’s leg injuries,” she ventured.

However, as soon as she finished, Matthew looked up sharply.

His voice was cold and detached as he declared, “Let’s get a divorce.

”

Stella was stunned, the weight of his words sinking in slowly.

She blinked, her mind reeling, and barely managed to whisper, “What?”

Matthew’s impatience flickered across his face as he repeated, more forcefully this time, “I said, let’s get a divorce.

”

Stella felt dizzy, the word “divorce” echoing in her mind, louder and louder until it drowned out everything else.

It struck her like a physical blow, leaving her struggling to breathe.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Matthew continued, his voice void of any affection, “This marriage was just a contractual one.

Lindsay nearly died to save me, and I have a responsibility to her now.

If we stay married and the media catches me together with Lindsay, it’ll be a scandal that the Clark family can’t afford.

”

His reasoning was clear, but the lack of emotion behind it stung.

A heavy silence filled the space between them.

Finally, Stella found the strength to speak, though her voice shook with hurt.

“So, after all this time, you still see our marriage as just a contract? You don’t feel anything for me?”

Matthew let out a dry, humorless laugh as if she had said something ridiculous.

His eyes bored into hers.

“Tell me, how exactly do you think this marriage came about?”

Stella hesitated, her thoughts a jumble.

She took a deep breath, desperate to make him see what she felt.

“Yes, we started out with an agreement, but over time, as we lived together, something changed between us—”

“Stop!”

Matthew’s voice cut through her plea, cold and final.

‘s BunnyBookery

He didn’t waver as he said, “Take whatever you want, the house, the money, whatever.

I’ll handle explaining things to Grandpa and Grandma.

”

Stella’s chest tightened, her breath catching as Matthew’s cold words washed over her, leaving her reeling.

She had never expected him to shut her down so completely, not even giving her a chance to speak.

Even with his harshness, Stella couldn’t accept that this was really happening.

She clung to the belief that there was more to his decision, that he was hiding something from her.

Without thinking, she reached out, instinctively seeking some connection, some way to close the growing distance between them.

But before her hand could touch him, Matthew pulled back, his face twisted in disgust, as if her touch was something he couldn’t bear.

Her hand lingered in the air, the rejection cutting through her, leaving a sharp ache in her chest that made it hard to breathe.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, she forced a weak smile, her voice shaky.

“I’m your wife, Matthew.

I don’t know what happened to you in Sothrea, what made you change like this, but I’m here.

I’m ready to face whatever comes, with you.

”

Matthew’s expression didn’t soften.

His voice was cold and dismissive.

“People who care about each other share their struggles.

What we have is just a convenient arrangement.

There’s no need to act Like it’s something more.

When you’re ready to talk divorce terms, speak to Fernando.

”