Chapter 197 Would Never End Well
Aurelia spent a sleepless night preparing for the future.
She packed some essentials and booked a flight to Melicia for a week from now. Before she left the country, she needed to buy a few things to take with her and, most importantly, visit her mother's and Penelope's graves for one last time. It wouldn't be as convenient to come back later.
Her memory had gotten terrible during pregnancy, so she wrote down everything she needed to prepare and stayed busy until dawn.
If it weren't for other things she had to do, she would have divorced him and left the country immediately.
She had a hunch that Nathaniel, with his stubborn nature, wouldn't let her go easily. He was sure to fight for custody of the child. Compared to his ruthless tactics, her own means were insignificant. Her best option was to stay out of his reach.
Aurelia took a light nap in the morning and set an alarm for noon; she couldn't miss the divorce in the afternoon.
She got up, put on light makeup, and chose a loose dress that didn't show her belly. Even for a divorce, she preferred to look dignified.
In the afternoon, Aurelia arrived at the family court twenty minutes early, bringing all the necessary documents.
On the other side, Nathaniel left his house, only to be blocked at the door by Chelsea in a wheelchair.
If Zack hadn't reacted quickly and slammed on the brakes, he would have almost hit her.
"Mr. Heilbronn, Miss Thompson is in front."
Nathaniel rolled down the car window and looked out.
Chelsea was being pushed in a wheelchair by Norman, her hair styled in an elaborate braid, and she had on beautiful makeup. It was clear she had dressed up meticulously. Yesterday, she was on the brink of death, but today, she didn't look sick at all.
"Nathaniel, I brought the documents," Chelsea said.
"Open the door," Nathaniel instructed Zack, who was driving.
Zack hurriedly got out and opened the door, waiting for Chelsea to be lifted into the car.
Chelsea smiled like a blooming rose.
"Nathaniel, have you contacted Aurelia? She won't be late, right?"
Nathaniel remained silent, his brows furrowed.
Norman lifted Chelsea into the back seat next to Nathaniel. When he went to put the wheelchair in the trunk, he found it locked.
"Zack, could you please open the..."
Before he could finish, Nathaniel's Bentley had already driven off, leaving him in a cloud of exhaust.
Norman was furious, his face turning green. As a father-in-law, he felt utterly humiliated. If it weren't for Nathaniel's wealth and status, he would never acknowledged Nathaniel as a son-in-law with that attitude.
Inside the car, Nathaniel finally spoke. "Our relationship will only last during your pregnancy. Once the child is born, you can leave. As for the child, you can take it with you if you want; if not, the Heilbronn family will raise it. From today, you'll live in Diamond Crest Estates. During this time, you are forbidden from seeing Norman. I'll arrange your life, and you can move freely. Of course, if you want to end your life, I won't stop you."
Nathaniel finished his speech in one breath and then asked, "If you can accept this, stay. If not, get out now."
Chelsea was visibly agitated, her breath coming in quick bursts. His tone was more of a pronouncement than a discussion.
She forced herself to calm down, reminding herself that once this marriage was in place, it wasn't something that could be simply walked away from. For now, she needed to secure the position of Mrs. Heilbronn and deal with the future as it came.
She had no doubt that once she was established, she'd find plenty of ways to make sure he couldn't leave her. Their relationship could be as pure and beautiful as it once was.
Feeling dejected, Chelsea nodded in agreement.
The car soon arrived at the family court building.
Aurelia had been waiting there for quite a while. Zack parked the car right in front of her.
Nathaniel stepped out, wearing a black suit with a dark blue shirt she had bought for him. He got out of the car, exuding a menacing aura.
Aurelia didn't care about his mood anymore; it was no longer her concern.
"Mr. Heilbronn, you're late," she said.
As soon as she finished speaking, the other door opened, and Chelsea slowly got out.
Aurelia was surprised. The doctor had advised Chelsea to stay in bed to protect her pregnancy. Yet, here she was, risking it all to be part of this scene. She was really determined to become Mrs. Heilbronn.
Unlike Nathaniel, Chelsea got out of the car with a beaming smile, practically radiating joy.
"Aurelia, you got here early. On the way, I told Nathaniel we should have picked you up."
Aurelia didn't want to engage with Chelsea's provocations and just wanted to get the paperwork done quickly.
Chelsea was unusually talkative today, showing no signs of her usual erratic behavior. She seemed particularly sharp and in good spirits, except for her slow movements. There was no indication she had been hospitalized.
"Aurelia, don't worry. I'll take good care of Nathaniel. Even though you've been with him for three years, you might not know his habits as well as I do. Oh, and if you ever need anything, you can come to us. Nathaniel isn't a heartless person; he'll definitely help. You don't have to be polite with me and brother-in-law; just let us know."
Aurelia thought to herself, 'If you two stay far away from my world, that would be help enough.'
Chelsea skillfully linked arms with Nathaniel and said weakly, "Nathaniel, slow down. The doctor told me to move lightly. You're walking too fast; I can't keep up, and my stomach hurts."
Nathaniel slowed his pace a bit and he said, "The doctor told you to stay in bed. Why did you insist on coming?"
Chelsea pouted, "I just wanted to get the marriage paperwork done as soon as possible. I checked; today is a good day for a wedding."
Nathaniel instinctively glanced at Aurelia walking ahead and said nothing.
Aurelia quickened her pace, feeling utterly disgusted.
She had thought Chelsea was just here for the spectacle, but it turned out they were waiting to get married immediately after she stepped down. She thought, 'No wonder Chelsea, even in her illness, is dressed like a bride today.'
Aurelia mocked herself inwardly. While waiting at the courthouse, she had worried that Nathaniel might back out, but they were clearly eager to get this done. This divorce, followed by an immediate remarriage, was such a seamless transition that even TV dramas wouldn't dare to play it out this way.
There weren't many people at the family court today. As Chelsea had said, it was a good day for weddings. The line for marriage registration was packed.
When the staff stamped the papers, Aurelia felt a heavy thud in her heart. She was free, but it also felt like a part of her was missing.
From now on, she didn't have to consider anyone else's feelings and could live her own life.
No more living in constant fear, wondering if he was with Chelsea again and wouldn't come home. No more spending hours making midnight snacks, redoing the same dish seven or eight times, worried that it wouldn't suit his taste.
It was all over.
Aurelia stared blankly at the divorce decree in her hand. Her three-year-long affection ended here.
Chelsea was overjoyed to see the paperwork done.
"Nathaniel, hurry up. Let's go get in line."
Nathaniel was being pulled by her, but his eyes were fixed on Aurelia. His throat tightened.
"Aurelia..."
Chelsea didn't give him a chance to speak and dragged him towards the marriage registration office.
Aurelia watched their backs, feeling desolate.
She put the divorce decree in her bag and left, feeling empty inside, as if the most important part of her had been taken away.
She didn't hail a cab; she wanted to walk down this familiar yet strange street alone.
Three years ago, she and Nathaniel had registered their marriage here. She thought they would spend their lives together, even knowing he had someone else in his heart. She had slowly come to accept it.
But it had been proven that forcing two people to be together would never lead to a good ending.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
