Chapter 224 Drained
Every story, no matter how convoluted or startling, must eventually find its conclusion.
At long last, Ava was no longer Mrs. Mitchell, no longer tethered to Alexander as his wife. Soon, Alexander would be united in matrimony with Isabella.
Ava sat in silence, her emotions a tumultuous sea too vast and deep to describe. She felt hollow, as though she had been drained of her very essence. It wasn't quite pain, but neither was it the absence of it. She felt as if she had been robbed of her soul.
Perhaps this was a new form of pain, a soul-crushing agony that numbed her senses.
Alexander extended his hand, his voice breaking the silence. "Could you hand me our marriage certificate?"
Ava blinked, pulled from her reverie. "What?"
"The marriage certificate is void now. You're going to discard it anyway. Give it to me; I'll show it to Isabella."
Ava scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "You really do care about her feelings."
Their marriage certificate, now stamped with a void mark, held no legal weight. They each had a copy, yet Alexander was so considerate of Isabella’s feelings that he wanted her to see the void mark on Ava’s marriage certificate as well.
It was an unnecessary gesture, but he was willing to perform this pointless and excessive act for Isabella.
That must be true love.
Alexander, on the other hand, had seemingly never done anything superfluous for Ava.
Indeed, those who obtain love easily often take it for granted, while those who can't achieve it can only long for it wistfully.
"Is that okay?" Alexander asked again.
His repetition signaled his earnest desire.
Ava’s gaze was vacant as she stared at the certificate in her hand; it was void, along with an extra copy of a divorce certificate.
She wouldn't give him the divorce certificate, but this voided marriage certificate no longer mattered. She'd treat it as her final gift to Alexander - a token of gratitude for the dreams he gave her over the past year and a farewell to all the pain he'd brought her since.
Ava handed over the booklet to him. "Take it."
Alexander gazed at the certificate before him, his eyes lingering for a few seconds before taking it and stacking Ava's certificate with his own, tucking both into his chest pocket.
From that moment, it seemed as if there really was no connection between them anymore.
A gust of wind blew, carrying with it a sense of desolation. Ava suddenly felt an emptiness engulf her, as if she had plunged into the depths of a frigid winter.
They looked at each other in silence, unsure of what to say.
"I'll take you home."
"I'm leaving."
Both spoke at the same time.
Ava forced a smile. "No need, I'll find a place. As soon as I find a house, I'll move out immediately."
"You don't have to move." Alexander said, "The property is already transferred in your name, it's your house. I'll be the one moving out."
"You… what did you say?" Ava was taken aback, unaware of this arrangement. She thought the house belonged to Alexander, and for the past ten years, she had relied on the resources provided by the Mitchell family. She didn't expect anything after the divorce, ready to leave with nothing.
The Mitchells had already given her so much; she couldn't be too greedy.
"Let me take you back first, and I’ll pack up. I'll move out immediately."
Alexander owned numerous properties; once he packed his things, he could go straight to his new place, which might soon be shared with Isabella.
Biting back the sourness in her heart, Ava said, "It's okay, those things are yours, so I..."
"Ava." Alexander interrupted her, "The divorce agreement has made it clear, and I have also given you 5% shares in SK Group. You'll receive dividends every six months. With this, you don't have to do anything, or you could pursue whatever you want to do."
