Ariana asking for divorce

Leonardo glanced at the wall clock; it was already past 11. His gaze had long since abandoned his wristwatch as he sat in silence within the house. The housekeeper had informed him earlier that his wife, Ariana, had left around six, and yet, she hadn't returned.

Though the evening had barely begun when she left, the passing of five hours felt like an eternity. Leonardo sat motionless, his mind racing, wondering where she could be and with whom. Perhaps it was that man he'd seen before at certain gatherings—or maybe it was someone completely unknown to him.

He had returned home earlier than expected from the chalet with Hana. Despite her efforts to keep him entertained with her usual charm, the suffocating atmosphere of the place and his growing indifference toward her conversation had pushed him to leave. The night held no appeal.

Now, he sat in the living room, his hands clasped together, his emotions simmering beneath a façade of calm. He opened a nearby window, hoping the cool night air would ease the tension building inside him, but it didn't help.

Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the front door broke through the silence. Ariana stepped in hesitantly.

Leonardo's eyes snapped toward the door as she walked inside. His gaze was heavy, laden with questions he hadn't yet voiced. He didn't say a word as she entered, his silence louder than any confrontation.

"You're here?" Ariana asked, her voice attempting to cut through the quiet.

"Yes," he replied coldly. "I came back early."

Her eyebrows raised slightly in mild surprise. "I didn't expect you to be home."

"And I didn't expect you to stay out this late."

His tone was neutral, but it carried an unmistakable undertone of accusation. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to explain her tardiness or navigate the tension that filled the air. It felt like they were teetering on the edge of a conversation that couldn't be avoided.

"Did you have a nice evening?" She finally asked, her voice deceptively calm.

He replied "barely"

Leonardo's calm gaze followed Ariana as she stepped inside. Her hair was tied back in a simple style, untouched by elaborate products or accessories. She wore no noticeable makeup, and her clothes were plain, free from the luxury he had grown accustomed to seeing her wear.

For a moment, he wondered if she had spent his money elsewhere—on someone else, perhaps. Or was it that she simply no longer cared to impress him? His thoughts swirled as he tried to make sense of the image before him.

The sound of her quiet footsteps filled the room as Ariana walked with measured grace, her shoes tapping softly against the polished floor. Leonardo noticed the faint weariness in her posture, but her composure remained steady.

Leonardo stood slowly, taking a step closer to her. His movements were deliberate, his expression unreadable.

"I hope you enjoyed yourself," she said at last, her tone carrying more weight than the simple words suggested.

When she was about going upstairs he stopped her "which hotel did he take you"

Ariana paused mid-step, gripping the stair railing tightly as her breath hitched. She turned slowly to face Leonardo, her face a mixture of disbelief and simmering frustration.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice steady but edged with tension.

Leonardo leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed and his expression cold, almost indifferent. "I'm talking about your lover. Did he take you to a private suite at some hotel? Or perhaps you preferred something… more adventurous? Outdoors, maybe?"

The venom in his words was unmistakable, and it sliced through the fragile silence of the room.

Ariana's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing sharply. "You're unbelievable," she said, her tone laced with both anger and hurt. "How dare you?"

Leonardo pushed off the doorway, his calm facade cracking just enough to reveal the storm brewing beneath. "Don't play innocent, Ariana. You left the house for hours. Where were you? And don't insult my intelligence with another excuse."

Her grip on the railing tightened as she steadied herself. "I don't owe you an explanation," she replied, her voice low but firm. "Not after everything you've done."

He stepped closer, his jaw tightening. "You think you're in a position to lecture me? Don't forget, I'm still your husband."

Ariana's lips pressed into a thin line as she struggled to hold back tears of frustration. After a long pause, she whispered, "Maybe that's exactly the problem."

Leonardo stood frozen for a moment, her words reverberating in the tense silence of the room. He watched as Ariana's chest rose and fell, her breathing uneven, her composure barely intact after her outburst.

he finally said, his voice low, icy. "You talk about respect, Ariana? Is sneaking off with another man your idea of respect? Is going out for two months from 8 every morning and hiding where you've been part of this 'dignity' you seem to cherish so much?"

Ariana turned sharply, her eyes blazing. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare lecture me about dignity. For years, I stayed silent while you paraded your flings in front of everyone. Do you think I didn't know? I knew, Leonardo. I knew every single time, and I said nothing because it was our contract"

"Then why are you suddenly so righteous now?" he shot back, his frustration slipping into bitterness. "You've been pretending to be the perfect wife all this time. And now what? You're done? You think you can just walk away without consequences?"

Ariana stepped closer, her voice quieter but no less cutting. "I stayed quiet, but that doesn't mean I was blind. You had your affairs, your trips to Paris, your late nights with women I could name but chose not to. And I still tried to make this work, Leonardo. But now? I'm done pretending. I'm done letting you dictate what I can and can't do while you live your life however you want."

He let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "You've got quite the nerve. Pretending you're so above all this when you're no better. Who dropped you off tonight, Ariana? Who was it? Because it sure as hell wasn't me."

She straightened, her gaze unwavering. "You're right. It wasn't you. And you know what? It doesn't matter who it was. What matters is that I'm finally taking my life back. And you? You can keep living in your own world, where you think everything revolves around you. But I won't be part of it anymore."

Leonardo's jaw tightened. "You really think you can just walk away from this?"

Ariana gave a cold smile, raising her hand to show her bare finger. "I already have."

For the first time that night, his composure cracked. "You don't mean that," he said, stepping toward her.

"I mean every word," she replied. "And I'll make it even clearer for you: I'll speak to the lawyer tomorrow. You can have your life back, Leonardo. I want nothing from you except my freedom."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him standing there, stunned and silent, as the weight of her words settled over him like a storm he couldn't escape.