James pulled Zelda from the taxi towards his car, without saying a word. The minute he put her inside, he noticed that she was not wearing her necklace.

"Where is it?" he asked, his tone firm.

"What?" she replied, pretending she didn't know what he meant.

"Where is the necklace? Where is your necklace?" James asked, getting more worked up

"I threw it away," Zelda said, her voice steady.

"You threw it away!? Why?" James asked, clearly caught off guard by the answer.

He knew how much Zelda loved that necklace. He had never seen her without it, ever since he put it on her neck himself

"I want a divorce," she said simply.

James's expression shifted from confusion to anger and disbelief.

"What are you talking about? What divorce? You're the one who wanted to marry me," he said, disbelief filling his voice. "You drugged me and climbed into my bed, making sure that everyone knew that we were together, tying me to you, forcing me to marry you, and now you want a divorce?" he laughed mockingly.

Zelda felt a familiar ache in her chest as memories of the past washed over her. It was clear that James didn't trust or believe her, and he never would. He would never believe a word she said again because of what happened four years ago.

Zelda didn't drug him, she hadn't planned for them to be found together or to force him to marry her. She had nothing but love and respect for him. She would never want to gain his love or attention that way.

This realization only further solidified her decision to divorce him.

Since he didn't understand or believe her anyway, she decided to remain silent, giving him the cold shoulder. She didn't respond when he asked about the necklace again or when he pressed her with other questions.

"Zelda, answer me, where is it? Where is the necklace?"

Quiet.

"Zelda, you're going to force me to do something that both of us are going to regret. Where did you put the necklace?"

Still, she remained silent.

"Why did you take it off in the first place?"

Quiet.

"Okay, do you want to go home or do you want to go back to the hospital?"

Nothing.

James grew furious. In his frustration, he pulled her onto his lap. She struggled against him, but he didn't let her go. He gave her two hard slaps on her bottom.

Whenever he used this method, she would give in, or beg for forgiveness. But this time, it didn't work for her.

He demanded, "Where is the necklace?'

' Where did you take it?'

' I saw it on you just a few minutes ago. Where is it?"

Nothing.

"Don't make me angry."

Still, nothing.

He continued with his punishment, delivering harder, heavier slaps. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her mouth remained closed, biting on her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

James's anger shifted when he saw it wasn't having the desired effect. Suddenly, it dawned on him what Zelda truly wanted.

He lifted her off his lap and positioned her on top of him, her legs straddling his thighs.

"Fine," he said, his voice low and determined. "I'm going to give you what you want."

Tears streamed down Zelda's cheeks as she wiped them away, confusion clouding her eyes. What the hell did he mean?

James, however, interpreted her recent behaviour as a reaction to his refusal to have a baby. That evening, when she had tried to set him up to have a baby and he had denied her, he believed it had triggered this new behaviour in her. From the beginning of their marriage, he had been clear that he would never allow her to carry his child. But after finding the torn condoms that morning, he assumed she was upset because he had refused her desire to have his baby.

So, in a moment fueled by frustration and misguided intention, he began unbuckling his trousers and pulling on her dress. That's when Zelda realized what he was about to do.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice sharp and trembling.

"I'm giving you what you want. You want a baby, don't you? You want a baby so much that you would use divorce to threaten me? That you tore the condom in the bedroom? Okay, I'm giving you that baby right now, right here."

Zelda's heart raced, panicking.

"Please don't do this to me. What are you doing? We're in the middle of the road! Anyone could pass here and see us! There are cars here. If I'm found like this, where would I put my face? This would be the embarrassment of the century. I will be humiliated! I will.."

At first, James didn't listen to her. He tore at her dress, kissing her neck and getting to her breasts. He didn't care about her please, but only about fulfilling his mission.

But then, the desperation in Zelda's voice seemed to pierce through his anger.

"Please, James, I'm begging you not to do this. Please, do not act like my father."

Her words struck a nerve. Suddenly, he relented, letting her go abruptly. The last thing he wanted was to be compared to Zelda's biological violent father.

Feeling bad for what he almost did, he shoved her aside and buckled his belt. In a daze, he moved to the front seat and started driving the car, leaving Zelda alone in the back.

The drive home was silent, filled with tension and unspoken words. Both of them were left to deal with the emotions that had erupted between them, the distance growing ever wider between them.

When they arrived home, Zelda quickly tried to get out of the car, but James was quicker. He jumped out and stopped her, his expression hardening as he took in her dishevelled appearance. Even though nobody was supposed to be home, there were still security personnel around, and he didn't want anyone to see her that way. Her dress was torn into shreds, clinging to her as she held on to the pieces.

Without a word, he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. As he did, his eyes caught the sight of her hand. It was bleeding. Concern flashed across his face as he took her hand to inspect it. He noticed a bandage that had been there was now gone, likely torn off during their struggle in the car, and the wound was fresh and angry.

"What happened?" he asked, genuine concern lacing his voice. "How did you hurt your hand?"

Zelda merely shook her head, refusing to answer. It wasn't like he truly cared about her well-being, so she kept her mouth shut.

James silently picked her up and carried her inside. He took her straight into their bathroom and placed her on the counter. He opened the medicine cabinet and took the first aid kit, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling the air as he began to clean her wounds.

As he applied the antiseptic to her wound, Zelda felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She pushed him aside and dashed to the kitchen sink, where she doubled over and started vomiting. James rushed to her side, holding her hair back slowly as she heaved.

Once she was done, he turned to her, searching her eyes.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked,

James did not wait for Zelda to answer him as he went towards the cabinet and came back with a pregnancy test. He showed it to her, placing it in front of her face.

"Here, take it," he said.

Zelda looked at him as she took the pregnancy test in her hand.

"I'm not pregnant," she told him as she placed the test on the counter.

James took it back and shoved it toward her again. "Take the test."

"I'm not pregnant. You just came back yesterday, and you forced me to take the pills after we slept together. How could I be pregnant?" Zelda replied with frustration. "I don't want to argue with you, James."

"Just take the test," he insisted, his tone unmoving.

Zelda sighed. "Okay, fine," she said, grabbing the test from him. She raised her eyebrow at him before asking, "Can I have some privacy?"

"No, I want to see you do it."

She sighed again but complied. Fighting James was a losing battle, she was already tired with the whole day. Zelda peed on the stick, all while watching him stand over her like a hawk.

When she was done, she placed the test back on the counter, not bothering to check it. She knew what the result would be. She wasn't pregnant.

Two minutes passed, and James walked over to the counter, inspecting the test. His face hardened as he read the result.

"It's negative," he announced.

"I told you I wasn't pregnant, but you didn't want to listen," Zelda said, her voice flat. "I didn't want you to know this, James, but..." She trailed off, knowing there was no point in continuing. It was as though every word she said was ignored.

Zelda knew the result would be negative. Every time they were intimate, James made sure to take more than enough precautions to ensure she wouldn't get pregnant. It was almost as if he feared the idea of her ever carrying his child.

Without saying anything else, James left the room and walked outside. Zelda stayed inside, her weariness weighing her down, as she heard him make a phone call.

"I've sent you the number of the car," James said into the phone, his voice low. "It's a taxi that Zelda used today. I want you to look for her necklace. She was wearing it at the hospital, so if you don't find it there, check the security footage. From the hospital to the taxi...she must have lost it somewhere between."

The person on the other end of the line must have agreed, as James ended the call and stood there in the garden, his phone slipping back into his pocket.

Zelda watched him through the window, feeling numb as the gap between them grew wider by the minute.

The next morning, the shrill ringing of her phone woke her. Still sleepy, she reached for it on the nightstand, seeing her best friend Jian's name flashing on the screen.

"Zelda, have you seen the news?" Jian's voice was breathless with urgency.

"What news?" Zelda rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep.

"About Susan and James! They were seen coming back together from the airport yesterday. It's all over social media. James has been away for three months with her, and now they're back together like nothing happened. It's all anyone can talk about."

Zelda sat up, her heart pounding. Jian's words hit her like a punch. The truth, which had been lurking in the back of her mind, now screamed at her. James had been with Susan this whole time when she thought he was away for work. He hadn't even bothered to hide it.

He had left their home, spent months with another woman, then casually returned to play his role as her husband for a night before going back to Susan. The betrayal was too much. Zelda's fingers tightened around the phone.

"I see," she whispered, her voice hollow.

"Zelda, what are you going to do?" Jian asked concern in her tone.

0ppppp Zelda didn't respond right away. Instead, she stared at the sunlight filtering through the curtains.

"I'm leaving him," she finally said, her voice steady with resolve. "I'm done, Jian. I'm filing for divorce today."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Jian spoke again.

"Are you sure? I know how much you love him z.."

"I have thought about it and I am sure. I can't do this anymore."

"I support you, Zel. You deserve so much more than this."

Zelda nodded to herself. "I know."

They spoke for a bit before they ended their conversation and Zelda stood up to get herself ready for the morning. That is when she noticed it. The necklace is back in place on her neck.

She felt a tear fall down her cheek as she watched herself in the mirror. The gesture hurt more than she had thought it would.

****

Later that morning, Zelda arrived at Ferguson Enterprises, clutching her resignation letter and divorce papers in her bag. She had dressed simply, her hair pulled back, her face calm, though inside she was anything but. Today was the day she was going to take back control of her life.

No one at the company knew that she and James were married. To everyone else, she was just his assistant, quietly managing his affairs behind the scenes. It had been easier that way, easier to keep the disaster of their marriage hidden.

But now, it was time to walk away from both the job and the man she had once thought she could love.

As she made her way to her desk, some of her co-workers noticed the resignation letter in her hand.

"Zelda, are you leaving us?" one of them asked, concerned.

"Yeah," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm resigning."

"Why? What happened?" another asked.

"It's personal," Zelda replied, shaking her head. "I just need to focus on my life right now. I'm getting a divorce."

That comment set off a wave of speculation among her colleagues.

"Is your husband cheating on you?" one of them asked bluntly. "Or does he not want kids?"

" Does he shoot blanks?" Another added

"Maybe he doesn't satisfy her in bed. Men nowadays have become very.." Another chimed in

Zelda shut them off, as she stayed quiet, not bothering to correct their assumptions. It didn't matter what they thought. Her mind was already made up.

As they gossiped, Zelda suddenly noticed a familiar figure standing nearby. James had been listening to everything they said, his expression dark.

He approached her with slow, deliberate steps.

"Zelda," he said, his voice low, "can I see you in my office?"

The others fell silent as Zelda followed James into his office. He shut the door behind them, the tension thick.

"Why are you spreading rumours about me?" James demanded, his eyes narrowing. "You told them I wasn't satisfying you, that I was cheating on you? To make it worse, you told them I shoot blanks?"

"I never said that," Zelda replied evenly. "They were speculating. I never said anything."

James stared at her, taken aback. "This is ridiculous. You can't just.."

"I'm resigning," she cut him off, placing the resignation letter on his desk. "And I'm divorcing you."

She pulled out the divorce papers and set them down beside the letter.

James stared at the documents, disbelief and anger warring on his face.

"Zelda, what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm serious, James," Zelda said, her voice steady. "I don't want anything from you. You've given me everything you can, and it's not enough. I want a divorce."

She stepped back, crossing her arms, her heart racing.

James's eyes darted from the papers to her face. He couldn't believe it. Zelda had always been the quiet one, the one who would endure anything for the sake of their marriage. She was desperate to have his name attached to her, to have everything that came with being with him. But this..this was something he hadn't expected.

"Sign the papers, James," she repeated, her voice firmer now. "I'm out of here."

James looked at her and sneered. "How will you survive without me?" he taunted mockingly.

Zelda felt the weight of his words. She knew what he meant, she belonged to the Ferguson family. They had saved her life, taken her to school, fed her, and clothed her. And then she became his wife, continuing to use the Ferguson name and power. How was she going to survive without him in her life?

Great question.

But beneath her doubts, Zelda was determined. She had a secret of her own. What James didn't know was that all the credit cards he had given her were untouched. She had never used a single cent.

Ever since she was old enough to start working, she had ensured that she bought whatever she could on her own without depending on the Fergusons. She took any side jobs she could because she felt guilty to depend on the Ferguson's so much. She felt like a burden to them and hence she tried to become independent on her own.

Since they had married, she had been taking care of her sick brother with the money she earned from various side projects, never touching a cent from his bank account or the Ferguson family's resources.

"I'll survive, James," she declared, her voice stronger than she felt. "I won't ask for anything from the divorce. I'm leaving you everything."

He laughed, mocking her.

"You think you can just walk away? What about your sexual satisfaction? Who is going to touch you the way I do? Who's going to take care of that itch when it needs a scratch?" His words cut through her and she felt humiliated.

It became painfully clear that he had only used her for his own desires, without a shred of real affection towards her.

That realization hurt and made her decision clearer; she was serious about the divorce, and leaving him felt more important than ever.

James then with a winning smirk made a move to touch her. Zelda moved away from him and when he caught her, she slapped him. But before her hand could connect with his face, he caught her and pulled her toward him, taking the breath out of her.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. It turned out to be Susan. She knocked only once and entered without waiting to be invited inside. When she found Zelda struggling against James, who had yet to let Zelda's hand go, her expression turned into fake concern.

She had found the two in an intimate position and they let go of each other abruptly. Susan quickly plastered on a worried look, trying to placate Zelda, though Zelda could see through her act.

" Sister, are you okay? Is everything alright? I hope James hasn't upset you. You know how he is, he can be quite.."

"Don't fake the gentleman's kindness toward me," Zelda snapped, her patience wearing thin. "I'm tired of fighting for James's attention. I'm letting him go. You can have him."

With those words, Zelda turned and walked away from James's office, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she exited the room.

'you can have each other' she said as she left.

****

When she got home, she gathered her things. Her marital home. She took all the essentials she needed, leaving behind the remainder of a life she no longer wanted. She had cut all ties with James and was determined to move forward without his shadow over her anymore.

As she stepped out of the house for the last time she couldn't believe that she was really leaving. After all those years, five years to be exact, and now she was leaving, never to return. The moment felt bittersweet. When James married her, she never thought this day would come. She never thought she would ever be the one to leave, but she was.

She called her best friend to see if Jian could pick her up from the house. She was leaving all the luxuries behind and that included the car she drove that James had bought for her.

She didn't have a place to go right now and she planned to stay with Jian for a few days until she figured out her next move.

When Jian arrived, she helped her with her bags in the trunk of the car. While they were in the car, Zelda's phone rang. It was Susan's manager, reaching out about a new song Susan was producing, in which she wanted Zelda to be involved.

"Why aren't you picking up your phone?" Jian asked.

"It's Susan's manager. She wants to feature me in her new music video." Zelda answered.

Zelda and Jian exchanged incredulous looks, wondering how Susan could take Zelda's husband and then ask her to work on her music video.

"Susan is truly shameless. The nerve of her!" Jian exclaimed angrily.

" Forget about her. I don't ever want to think about her or James, ever again. Let's go."

*******

Back at the office, James Ferguson sat by the window, lost in thought. He was busy thinking about the chaos in his life when Susan tried to get his attention.

" James, I really like what you did with the office, it suits you and your power." she said with a smile, beaming at him.

However, James remained unresponsive, lost in his own head. Frustrated, Susan placed her hand on her stomach,

"Oh!" she yelped.

This got James's attention as he got close to her with a concerned look on his face.

"what is it are you okay?"

" it's nothing. I get these aches that feel like gas passing and they hurt at times." Susan answered with a fake pained smile.

" What did the doctors say?" He asked, finally giving her his undivided attention.

"I have to take things slow and take better care of myself. I need your support right now. Stress isn't good for the baby." She added giving him googly eyes.

Just as James's mood began to soften at the news, there was a knock on the door.

" sorry to bother you Mr Ferguson, but I couldn't find Zelda and you're running late for a meeting." the office manager told him.

"got it." He answered and the man left.

" Sorry, I can't spend more time with you. You should have called before coming." James told Susan with a hint of disapproval.

"It's not a problem. I will finish having my juice and wait for you. It's not a problem." Susan answered with a smile.

James watched his phone and saw that he was late. He sighed as he left promising to be back very quickly.

James left Susan alone in the office. As she looked around, her curiosity piqued. Soon, she began to snoop through James's belongings, discovering the divorce papers and resignation letter that Zelda had given James on James's desk. A sly smile crept onto her face.