What do you mean?
Austin’s heart pounded as he stepped into the courthouse, the weight of the impending divorce hearing pressing heavily on his shoulders. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and suspicion, fueled by the unsettling revelations Ronan, his private investigator, had shared with him just moments ago. He glanced at Dora, his wife, standing across the room, her expression unreadable. She avoided his gaze, her focus fixed on the proceedings. The tension in the air was palpable, and Austin felt as though the ground beneath him was shifting.
“Ronan, are you sure?” Austin asked his private investigator, his voice low and urgent.
“Absolutely!” Ronan replied without hesitation. “The number your mother called that day was untraceable, so I dug deeper. I checked her phone records and followed her. I saw her meeting George the other day. In our world, George is bad news. He’s known for his terrible reputation. I don’t know why your mother is dealing with him, but he’s not a good man, Austin.”
Austin’s brow furrowed as he processed Ronan’s words. “What do you mean?”
“George is a repeat criminal. He deals drugs and makes fake documents. You name it, he can forge it.”
Something clicked in Austin’s mind, a chilling realization dawning on him. “Even DNA reports?”
Ronan hesitated for a moment before answering. “I didn’t find records of that, but yes, it’s possible for him to do it.”
The revelation hit Austin like a punch to the gut. His thoughts raced, piecing together the implications of what Ronan had just revealed. He looked at Dora again, who was now standing farther away, her arms crossed as she stared straight ahead. She seemed distant, detached, as if the man she had once loved no longer existed.
When her case number was called, Dora ignored Austin completely and walked into the courtroom without a backward glance. Austin followed, his mind still reeling.
The judge, noticing Austin’s distracted demeanor, couldn’t resist a jab. “Glad Mr. Jess could make it to his divorce hearing,” he quipped, eliciting a few chuckles from the room.
Austin, lost in thought, didn’t even register the judge’s words until his lawyer nudged him gently, bringing him back to the present. The weight of the situation settled over him, and he realized that the battle ahead was about more than just a divorce, it was about uncovering the truth, no matter how painful it might be.
“Start the proceedings,” the judge ordered.
Austin’s lawyer, Thomas, spoke first. “Your Honor, my client, Mrs. Dora Nur, has decided to agree to a mutual divorce and asks for no compensation from her husband.” He gave Dora a look, as if asking her to reconsider. But Dora had already made up her mind. She had endured a lot and felt her world falling apart, yet she stayed strong for a bigger purpose.
The judge then asked Austin’s lawyer, “Mr. Nathan, does your client have anything to say before I make a decision?”
Austin suddenly stood up and said, “I don’t want a divorce.”
Nathan quickly stepped in to explain, “My client wishes to work on his marriage and does not want to divorce Mrs. Dora Nur.”
Dora snapped at Austin, standing up and saying, “But I don’t want to live with him or have anything to do with him!” Her lawyer gave her a warning look.
The judge shouted, “Order in my court! Do you think this is a joke? One day you want a divorce, the next day you don’t. I could hold you in contempt of court!” He glared at Austin. “This is a court, not your home. First, Mr. Jess filed for divorce, and Mrs. Nur opposed it. Now you’ve both changed your minds. Clear your issues first and come back when you’ve made a decision. Given the circumstances, I order Mr. Austin Jess and Mrs. Dora Nur to live together as husband and wife for six months. During this time, you will work on your marriage and resolve your differences. If you fail to follow this order, you could face fines or even jail time. If you decide to stay together after six months, you can cancel the divorce. If not, the court will grant the divorce.”
Dora’s heart raced as she heard the judge’s decision, while Austin felt relieved, almost wanting to thank the judge.
“Case dismissed!” the judge declared. Dora slumped in her chair in disbelief, while Austin sighed in relief.
Once outside the courtroom, Dora pleaded with her lawyer, “Mr. Thomas, there has to be another way.”
“If you hadn’t interrupted the session, the judge might have listened to our argument. Now, you’ll have to wait six months before you can finalize the divorce,” Dora’s lawyer said.
**Flashback:**
Austin was in shock. “No, Ma! It can’t be true!”
His mother replied, “You have the DNA report in your hand. What more proof do you need?”
“Dora wouldn’t do this to me. She loves me. She’s innocent. She wouldn’t cheat on me.”
“Austin, you gave the sample, and you collected the report yourself. How can you not believe it when you’ve seen it with your own eyes?”
“Why would she do this to me, Ma? I love her so much.”
“She doesn’t love you, Austin. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I couldn’t keep this from you.”
Then, Ruby showed Austin a video. It was taken from a distance and showed Dora leaving Paulina’s house, followed by Dan.
“How long do we have to wait like this?” Dora’s voice was heard in the background.
The next video showed Dora running out of Paulina’s house, with Dan, shirtless, chasing her and calling, “Dora, wait!”
Dora was crying, “It was all a mistake!”
Dan replied, “I know. I won’t tell Austin, don’t worry.”
The third video was taken in a restaurant. Dan held Dora’s hand. The audio wasn’t clear, but Austin could hear Dora asking, “When will you leave Paulina?”
Dan responded, “What about you?”
Dora replied, “Our baby needs both of us.”
Austin was furious. “Where did you get these videos?”
His mother said, “It doesn’t matter. What matters is the truth.”
“I’m going to confront her,” Austin said, standing up.
“And do you think she’ll tell you the truth? She’ll cry, and you’ll forgive her like always.”
“No, Ma. This time, I’ll make her suffer. She betrayed me, stole my best friend’s husband, and got involved with my best friend. I won’t let her get away with this.”
**Flashback Ends.**
*****************
**Austin and Dora at the Courthouse:**
“So, when should I pick you up?” Austin asked Dora, who was sitting on a bench near the civil court.
Dora glared at him. “In your dreams! I’d rather die than stay with you. I hate you, and I’ll always hate you,” she said, emphasizing the word ‘hate’.
Austin felt heartbroken. The sincerity in her eyes made him wonder, *What if she never cheated on me? What if I was wrong?* He watched her walk away, his mind filled with doubt.
*******
**Austin’s Inner Turmoil:**
Later, Austin stood alone in a dark room, staring out the window at a single star in the sky. Memories flooded his mind:
\- Dora’s tearful plea: “I aborted the baby for you.”
\- The video he saw: “Our baby needs both of us.”
\- His mother’s words: “You collected the DNA report yourself. How can you not believe it?”
\- Ronan’s warning: “George is a criminal. He forges fake documents. If you can name it, he can fake it.”
Austin’s thoughts raced:
*What if this was all a plan, and Dora was the victim? What if the child wasn’t Daniel’s? What if the DNA report was fake? What if my mother planned this to get Dora out of my life? But why?*
He realized things weren’t as simple as they seemed. He wasn’t sure about the truths he once believed. He needed time to figure things out. He didn’t want to punish Dora or divorce her if she was innocent.
Frustrated, Austin sighed. *I need a plan, fast. I can’t let Dora’s hatred drive her away. What if I’ve ruined everything for her?*
*******
**Dora’s Pain:**
Meanwhile, Dora cried alone in her bedroom. For the past three days, she had stayed at Douglas’s house, avoiding Austin. But after the court hearing, she knew hiding was pointless. She returned to her apartment, feeling broken.
*He took everything from me, my confidence, my child, my happiness, my job. What else does he want? Why does he hate me so much?* Her chest and throat ached from crying, but she couldn’t stop. She felt exhausted, with a pounding headache keeping her awake.
Her phone kept ringing, but she ignored it. She didn’t want to talk to anyone, not her mother, not Sienna, not Douglas. She just wanted to be alone.
When the doorbell rang, she assumed it was Sienna and reluctantly got up to answer it. But she froze when she saw Austin standing at her doorstep, smiling.
Before she could react, Austin walked into her house, carrying a suitcase. Dora stood in shock, unsure of what was happening.
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