The Real Bride is Back, So I asked for Divorce

“Long day at work?” Alessia asked, her voice soft yet hopeful, as she placed Nicholas’ plate in front of him. The table was perfectly set, the candles flickering gently. She’d spent hours preparing his favorite meal, hoping tonight would be different.

But Nicholas didn’t even glance up. His phone was balanced against his plate, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. “Mm-hmm,” he murmured, barely acknowledging her presence.

Alessia sat across from him, smoothing the hem of her dress nervously. “I made roast lamb tonight,” she said, injecting as much cheer as she could muster. “With garlic potatoes. Just the way you like it.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he muttered distractedly, his eyes never leaving the phone.

She tried not to let the sting show. It was always like this—Nicholas lost in his own world, leaving her stranded on the outside, knocking on a door that never opened.

A soft buzz interrupted the silence, and Nicholas’ lips curled into a small, almost invisible smile. Alessia’s heart twisted at the sight. When was the last time he’d smiled like that at her?

“Who’s that?” she asked cautiously, though she already knew.

“Ava,” Nicholas replied, his tone almost casual. “She’s just checking in.”

Checking in. That was one way to put it. Alessia’s gaze flicked to his phone, where a string of messages from Ava lit up the screen. The name alone was enough to make her stomach churn.

Ava. Nicholas’ first love. The woman who had walked away from him five years ago to marry another man, shattering him in the process. Alessia had been brought in to pick up the pieces, a convenient solution arranged by Nicholas’ mother. She had been nothing more than a balm for his broken heart, a placeholder bride to fulfill a debt and a duty.

She shouldn’t have fallen for him. She knew that now. But she had, and watching him light up for someone else—someone who had already hurt him once—was unbearable.

“Nicholas,” she said quietly, her voice trembling, “are you happy?”

That finally got his attention. He looked up, frowning slightly. “What kind of question is that?”

“Just answer me,” she pressed, her eyes searching his.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “You’re overthinking again, Alessia. Everything’s fine.”

Fine. The word echoed in her mind like a cruel joke. Fine wasn’t enough. Not after five years of trying, of hoping, of loving a man who had never loved her back.

She stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. Nicholas barely noticed. His attention was already back on his phone, back on Ava.

“I’m going to bed,” she said, her voice tight.

“Okay,” he murmured, not even looking up.

Alessia left the dining room, her steps heavy with heartbreak. She had always known this moment would come, but she had never expected it to hurt this much.

An hour later, Alessia sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the suitcase open on the floor. Her clothes lay in neat piles around her, but she couldn’t bring herself to pack. Leaving Nicholas felt like ripping out a piece of her soul, but staying would only destroy her completely.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her from her thoughts. She hesitated before picking it up.

“Hello?”

“Alessia, it’s Natalie.” Nicholas’ mother’s voice was sharp, businesslike, as always. “I heard you’ve been asking about a divorce. Is that true?”

Alessia’s grip on the phone tightened. “Yes.”

There was a pause on the other end, then a measured response. “I see. The contract expires next month anyway. If this is what you want, I won’t stop you.”

Alessia’s chest tightened. The contract. How could she forget? Five years ago, her father’s gambling debts had spiraled out of control, leaving her family at the mercy of the Costello mafia group. Natalie had come to her with a proposition: marry Nicholas and settle the debt, with the added condition that she heal his broken heart.

If she succeeded, their marriage would become real. If she failed, she would be free to leave.

“I’m sure,” Alessia said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her.

“What do you want in return?” Natalie asked.

Alessia blinked, caught off guard. “In return?”

“Yes. You’ve fulfilled your end of the deal, Alessia. Name your price.”

For a moment, Alessia hesitated. Then, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I want to leave. For good. I want to go to Paris, finish my art studies, and start over.”

Natalie hummed thoughtfully. “Done. I’ll have everything arranged by the end of the week.”

“That fast?” Alessia whispered, surprised.

“Consider it compensation for the last five years,” Natalie said briskly. “I’ll make sure Nicholas doesn’t interfere.”

Alessia bit her lip, a mix of relief and sadness washing over her. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Natalie said sharply. “You did your part, Alessia. Now it’s time to live your life.”

The call ended, leaving Alessia in a strange, bittersweet silence.