CLAIMED BY MY EX-HUSBAND

“Let’s Divorce.” Cold and ruthless. There was no emotion in his eyes when he said those painful words to me.

The tears that were forming in my eyes fell helplessly. I kept silence. My heart was fragile and breakable, yet he still had the guts to tear my worth apart.

My lips trembled when he slid the papers on the table towards me. When I saw his signature clearly, my heart cracked in an instant. I felt like it was bleeding inside my chest.

His shadow towered me when he stood up. “I already called your dad about this, so you don’t need to worry about his reaction.” His voice was deep and cold.

I watched how he looked at his watch without even glancing at me. “After signing the papers, you can put it inside my drawer. You can ask Sebastian to drive you back to the Daño’s mansion if you want to.” His eyes were unbothered. “I’ll be going now.”

I waited for the door to close before my broken voice escaped from my pale lips. It hurts. It fucking hurts! My sight becomes blurry as my tears rapidly fell.

For three years of agony, this was the very moment where my limit couldn’t hold on anymore. I love him. I always love him no matter how cold he was to me. I didn’t care if his grey eyes wouldn’t land on mine, or his treatment was a bit unpleasant. I was contented with his four words everyday.

The words ‘I’ll be going now’ was so felicitous for my ears before, but now it shattered me.

Picking up the pen, I slowly signed it while whimpering. I didn’t know if my signature was in the right place because I couldn’t see the papers anymore due to my tears. I could even feel the papers becoming wet.

How? How did our happy marriage becomes broken? How did our love turned to coldness? It wasn’t like this! This was not what I wanted.

After crying for an hour, I rushed to my car and drove to where my mind would take me. I was driving for thirty minutes when I reached the place full of memories. After parking, I went out to feel the cold breeze.

The sun was setting beautifully but not like the old times, I witnessed it alone. Without him, without his warmth. I was all alone, broken and in pain.

There’s no other woman. He didn’t cheat. He explained what was his reason but it made me feel more helpless.

‘I’m sorry, I fell out of love.’ Funny right? He said that he woke up one day, realizing that he doesn’t love me anymore. He made me feel like it was just a simple case. He didn’t even care about how I feel. He simply wanted to cut our ties apart.

“Princess…”

I turned around to see who owned the familiar voice. Watching my dad, with pity in her eyes made me want to end my life so bad.

He hugged me gently and caressed my back while I was crying so hard. “It’s ok my princess. Everything’s going to be alright.”

“W-why dad? What did I do to d-deserve this? Y-you know that I was a g-good wife. He knew that I l-love him so m-much.” I was stammering while saying those words.

“Hush now princess. Daddy’s here, you’ll be fine.” He then guided me to stand up because my dress was full of sand. “I know how much you love him. I also know that he did love you. Maybe fate has a better plan for the both of you.”

“Let's go to the Villa first, your mom and brothers are waiting for you.” He tenderly said before I nodded.

I took a glimpse of the sun yet it was already too late. It was already eaten by the water and clouds. The light vanished and the darkness emerged, like how our love story had ended.

I followed my dad to our Villa near the beach and was welcomed by my handsome brothers. Somehow, it lifted the sorrowful atmosphere.

“Princess!” The triplets attacked me with a tight hug which warmed my broken heart. “We’re back!” They exclaimed.

I smiled back. “So all of you decided to come home after knowing that I’m broken hearted? Should I be touched about it?” I tried my best to lighten up my mood.

Andrew, our oldest smiled back and patted my head like a pet. “Of course you should be. Casper didn’t even join his important meeting in Los Angeles when dad called us.”

Casper laughed then crossed his arms. He sat on the sofa while looking at us. “Compared to what Dean did? Cancelling an international meeting wasn’t even an issue.” He playfully said.

We all stared at Dean, my big brother who was innocently looking at us with his charismatic face.

He shrugged his shoulders before saying, “My baby told me to comfort my dear sister though. Damn it! She just fucking postponed our honeymoon?!”

“Your mouth Dean Mathew Daño!” The living room was filled with laughter’s when mom angrily shouted. She do hate curses.

Mom slapped my brothers arms before she finally stared at me gently. Slowly, my body felt weak again. My mother’s eyes, I know what’s inside those. I know that she was also hurt.

“Our princess, I’m sorry that mom was late.” Because of what mother said, I broke down in tears once again. I knew it! They pity me.

“I know that Black loved you, but I think that it was our fault for arranging your marriage too early. I hope you can forgive mommy and daddy.” My mom’s voice was so gentle that I wanted to listen to it over and over again.

I nodded many times before they all hugged me. A family hug.

“Don’t worry princess, your handsome brothers are here. Well, aside from dad whose ugly."

“What did you say?!” Dad’s loud voice echoed when ‘kuya’ Andrew teased him.

Mom sighed and pinched dad’s ears that gained our smiles. They’re truly made for each other. I wished we were too, but the world was cruel.

I felt my mom’s soft palm on my hands before ‘kuya’ Casper spoke. “What do our princess want? Brother Casper will give it to her.”

“Your handsome brother Dean will also comfort you dear princess, or else, my baby will make me sleep on the floor.”

I giggled when I heard what Dean said. Truly dramatic. Somehow, it made me realize that it’s not the end of the world yet.

I felt my tears fell for the last time. All I did was loving him, giving everything for him yet it was still not enough. I swear that this will be my last tears, my last hope, and my last thoughts of him.

Once I come back, I’ll be stronger and braver. I’ll make him realize that letting me go was his loss and not mine. That I can live without him. That I can love another man aside from him. And this, I’ll mark my words.

“Are you still sad?” Mia, my brother Dean’s wife and also my best friend asked. She hurriedly visited me earlier right after she came back from Spain.

I forced a smile that didn’t even reach my eyes. “I’ll be lying if I said I’m not Mia. You know how much did I sacrifice for him.”

“Since our elementary days, till we graduated from college, you witnessed it all.” I added, trying to ignore the thorn that was inside my throat.

It’s been five months since I left, or more like he did. I wasn’t able to see him anymore, nor was I willing to face him. True to my words, it was also months since I last cried. When I forced myself not to shed any more tears, it wasn’t easy. I wasn’t completely healed. Well, it was the hardest.

I was thankful that my family and friends were there. They lifted me up to forget and enjoy my freedom. I stayed at our Villa near the beach where we first met.

I know that many people would rather be far away from the places that used to b