Determination of the Estranged Wife

It had been a few weeks since the Soleste family's cruise ship party, and a few weeks after rumors of Aria and Kai's impending divorce began spreading around.

That night had been very difficult for Aria. She was all alone, going through a situation that her state at the time wouldn't have been able to handle under any normal circumstances. But there had been an urgent need for Aria to sneak in that night -

And to do what she had been planning to do for a long time.

With unfocused eyes, Aria stared at the unwashed dishes that rested in the sink. Her stomach grumbled, nudging her to eat her microwaved meal and stop picking at it already. But Aria couldn't bring herself to swallow a single bite, not when the feeling of disappointment made her throat feel too tight.

It was a soft breeze that carried the dreadful dripping sound of the sink. Each droplet tiptoed carefully and sneaked its way into Aria's memory, smuggling a whole lot of unwanted memories from the old days. Those were the times she believed that falling in love was a wonderful thing.

And she, as foolish as she could be, had lived by that.

Aria had believed it like the helpless girl she had always been. She had chased love with utter desperation. Aria had claimed every nice word and gesture that was given to her as romance. She had hung it up as a new piece in the love collection she had organized.

'Love is wonderful, or so people said.' If only they had remembered to mention that love was also full of dark and unfortunate wonders, Aria would've taken love, crumpled it like the piece of trash it was, and thrown it back at them with a fake grin to match their words.

She chewed on her food with a bland expression that was similar to its taste. Right then, a recollection of wedding pictures flashed through her mind like thunderbolts. It caused her to lose her appetite even more.

The woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat as sadness made her stomach feel off. With one swift movement, she let go of her spoon and let it hit the glassy plate. The sound of the metallic ping filled the vacant room with an echoing dread.

Aria was not bothered by it.

It was a reminder that she was peacefully alone in the house. But her husband would arrive in ten minutes or so to replace her peace with chaos.

'We really can't go on like this anymore.' She stood up and made her way into the guest room, which was also her room now, to prepare the divorce papers yet again. 'I just hope he'll finally sign them tonight.'

The clicking beat of her heels rang off the marble floor as she walked to the door next to his room, which used to be their room, to find hers. Gone were the days when they slept in the same bed, ate meals together, or even had a conversation that didn't end with arguments.

Aria opened the door before glancing at the corridor beside her room where a shattered picture of their honeymoon lay dead on the crooked floor. Kai had broken it last week by accident and never bothered to clean the glass or remove the picture.

She sighed as she entered her room, shaking her head in disbelief. As she was about to glance at the clock, dismayed that he was late again, she heard the front door slowly creak open.

It was an indication that her soon-to-be ex-husband had finally arrived.

---

Kai closed the front door cautiously and entered the dim setting of the foyer.

It got colder and emptier with each step he took, like coming to the grave of a house that he once called home. It was when he thought of this with a heavy chest that a figure, one that radiated a similar aura, cleared her throat.

His wife, whom he couldn't quite see with the lights off, took a breath before speaking. "I see you're getting used to ignoring me now," she muttered emotionlessly, face as stoic as ever.

The man frowned, feeling the rhythm of blood throbbing in his temple return, which caused him to wince as he moved his head. "I couldn't see you in the dark."

This setting Kai stood in was a replicated version of his life. It had become a gloomy, unclear path with a certain obstacle that sucked the life out of him. He turned to escape the headache he knew he would get until Aria spoke up again.

She straightened her back and walked over to stand next to him. "We need to talk, Kai."

"We have nothing to talk about, Aria," Kai responded, already tired of the conversation.

He looked at her, only to be met with her angry glare. The sight sent shivers down his spine. She had changed with time, and he still could not believe it.

"You're right. We don't," she sighed before raising the papers and practically shoving them on his face. "I only need your signature. No need for a conversation after that."

A wave of nausea surged over Kai, reminding him of the time he discovered that Aria filed for their divorce papers without him knowing.