Chapter 227 Pretty but Useless Decoration
He had arrived ahead of time, observing from a safe distance. His heart pounded against his ribcage, anxiety gnawing at him over the uncertainty of whether they would proceed with the divorce that day. However, when he saw the pair enter and then exit the city hall clutching a few additional documents, he was convinced that the divorce had been finalized. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
In this world, everyone harbored their own selfish desires, without exception.
William had managed to hold back from intruding on their conversation. However, noticing that something was off, he promptly drove over. Upon seeing William, Alexander's already tense expression darkened further, akin to a bolt of lightning slicing through a stormy sky.
Desperate to distance herself from Alexander, Ava quickly moved to the passenger side and clambered in. "Drive away, the further, the better," she instructed. Her only desire was to escape him, regardless of the destination.
Without hesitation, William rolled up the car window and sped off.
Alexander remained rooted to the spot, a gust of wind accentuating the desolation in his eyes as he watched the car recede into the distance. His palms felt hollow, as if whatever he had been holding had vanished, leaving nothing behind.
...
Inside the car, Ava remained quiet for a considerable amount of time. William respected her silence, driving without uttering a word. Unsure of Ava's intended destination, he simply drove aimlessly until they found themselves on a secluded road, moving forward without a plan.
They eventually came to a halt on a concrete road. To their right lay the beach, and beyond that, the boundless sea, its waves rhythmically crashing onto the glistening sands.
After exiting the car, William opened the passenger door, inviting, "Ava, come take a walk."
He understood the turmoil she must be experiencing. Overcoming a man she had loved for so many years was no easy task. Even if he had caused her immense pain, a divorce certificate couldn't instantly erase all the memories.
The less she expressed, the more he suspected it pained her.
He would rather see Ava release her emotions.
After a moment of silence, Ava unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, trailing behind William towards the edge of the beach.
They strolled along the shore, the gentle breeze carrying the briny scent of the sea.
Suddenly, Ava halted, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply, "William, thank you."
A faint smile graced William's lips. "You're welcome."
He retrieved a cell phone from his pocket and handed it to her, "You left this at my place last night; I charged it for you."
Ava accepted the phone and slipped it into her pocket. This time, she didn't express her gratitude but instead gazed out at the vast sea, its endless blue expanse offering her a sense of tranquility.
"I just realized something," she confessed. "I feel like I'm just a pretty but useless decoration."
Puzzled, he furrowed his brows, "Why would you say that?"
"I told Alexander I had things to do, and he didn't believe me. He thinks I'm not the kind of person who has other things going on. At first, I was angry. Did he think I was useless? But now, I see his point. When I was eleven, my grandma took me in and cared for me, groomed me. I married Alexander before even finishing college, and since then, it's like I've done nothing. I had an internship for a while, but that wasn't for long."
She felt like Cinderella who had experienced a princess's life due to sheer luck.
"How can that be an empty title?" William countered, "By that logic, every college graduate is an empty title. You've only just graduated yourself."
