Chapter 9 Already Divorced? #2
She stared down at the divorce certificate in her hands.
It felt unreal.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she traced the paper.
She was divorced.
Just like that.
The power of money and influence was something she had never truly understood until now.
She lifted her gaze to Camila, her eyes soft and grateful.
“Thank you, Mrs. Graves,” she said sincerely. “Thank you for helping me… and for understanding.”
Camila smiled gently and reached over, holding Sophia’s hand between both of hers.
“No matter what happens between you and Magnus,” she said in a quiet, warm voice, “you are still the daughter of my dear friend. I will always treat you as my own.”
Her thumb rubbed lightly over Sophia’s knuckles.
“Don’t ever hesitate to ask me for help.”
For the first time that day, Sophia’s eyes softened.
She had never seen Camila’s emotions so clearly before. The usual composure was still there, but beneath it, there was also warmth, pain, and quiet protection.
Her chest tightened.
Her eyes began to sting, tears slowly gathering despite her effort to stay composed. She quickly turned her head away, blinking fast, trying to force them back.
She didn’t want to cry.
But the emotion overwhelmed her.
Before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Camila.
Camila was slightly surprised, then softened. She gently patted Sophia’s back, her palm moving in slow, comforting strokes.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then they finally pulled apart.
Sophia stepped back, wiping the corner of her eyes discreetly. She forced a small smile.
“Mrs. Graves… I’ll leave now,” she said softly.
Camila nodded.
“Alright.”
Sophia turned and walked away. Camila’s gaze followed her figure until she completely disappeared from sight.
Thomas, who had been standing quietly in the corner the entire time, stepped forward.
“Mrs. Graves,” he said cautiously, frowning. “Why didn’t you try to stop her?”
Confusion and concern were evident on his face.
“You could have forced Miss King to stay. With your influence, it wouldn’t have been difficult.”
Camila let out a slow breath. When she spoke, her voice was cold and firm.
“Magnus has been too relaxed,” she said sharply. “He doesn’t treat Sophia like she is his wife. If he truly wants her, he will fight for her.”
She paused, her voice turning even stricter.
“And if he doesn’t… then he doesn’t deserve her.”
***
The indoor swimming pool echoed with loud splashes under the bright white lights.
Harold and Gregory floated leisurely at one side, watching Magnus.
He had been swimming aggressively back and forth for over an hour without stopping. Water cut sharply around him as he powered through each lap, his strokes harsh, almost violent.
Harold winced.
Magnus cut through the water again at full speed, muscles tight, movements sharp and angry.
“Jesus Christ,” Harold muttered, drifting closer to Gregory. “Aren’t you going to tell him to stop? Look at him. He’s going to tear a muscle at this rate.”
Magnus reached the end of the pool again, breathing heavily. He gripped the edge tightly, water dripping down his face. He then turned sharply for another lap.
Gregory finally swam closer to Magnus.
“Haven’t you had enough already?” Gregory snapped.
Magnus ignored him and began another stroke.
Gregory stepped directly into his path.
Magnus stopped abruptly, water dripping down his face, his chest heaving.
“You’re angry because Sophia wants to divorce you?” Gregory asked calmly. “Wasn’t that why you married her in the first place? Now you don’t want the divorce anymore?”
Magnus let out a harsh, humorless laugh.
“Who the fuck said I don’t want it?”
He shoved his wet hair off his forehead, water streaming down his face, his eyes blazing with fury. He climbed out of the pool in one powerful movement, water dripping from his body onto the tiles.
Gregory hurried after him as Magnus continued, his voice rising with every word.
“But why the hell did she make that decision on her own? That’s what pisses me off.” He dragged a hand down his face, jaw tight. “If anyone should ask for a divorce, it should be me.”
His expression twisted, pride wounded.
Gregory shrugged casually. “Good. If it’s just anger, then you’ll get over it,” he said lightly. “It won’t matter much once she leaves the country.”
Magnus froze.
His body went completely still in the water. “What do you mean?”
Gregory blinked.
“You didn’t know?” he said, surprised. “She’s leaving Manhattan.”
“What the fuck?” Magnus growled. His eyes were dark. “What are you talking about?”
Gregory raised his brows, slightly surprised at Magnus’s reaction.
He wiped the water from his face with one hand and said casually, “After divorce there won’t be any relationship between you two anyway. So what does it even matter?”
He turned away as if it wasn’t a big deal.
Magnus didn’t move.
He stood there frozen, water dripping from his hair down his shoulders. His expression slowly hardened.
Harold swam closer and climbed out of the pool as well, grabbing a towel.
Magnus’s eyes flicked toward him, dark and unsettled.
“Why does she hate me so much,” his voice came out low. Controlled. But trembling with anger, “that she has to leave the entire goddamn country just to get away from me?”
Harold stared at him. “You really have to ask that?”
Magnus frowned.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Harold let out a disbelieving breath.
“Don’t you know what’s all over the internet? The rumors of you having an affair with Celia?”
Magnus’s jaw tightened.
“You didn’t even bother to take the news down,” Harold continued. “You didn’t give Sophia an explanation. She’s your wife.”
His tone grew sharper.
“She should’ve been the first person you gave an explanation to.
But instead, you stayed silent. You let the news spread everywhere.
Now everyone knows that you’re having an affair with Celia.
Of course Sophia chose to leave. What else did you think was going to happen?
Sophia probably thinks you’re a fickle man. ”
Silence filled the air.
“And don’t forget,” Harold added firmly, “your ex-girlfriend drugged and assaulted your wife. And you helped cover it up. You protected your ex instead of demanding consequences.”
His eyes locked onto Magnus.
“You didn’t explain anything. You didn’t comfort her. You didn’t even deny it. Instead of explaining yourself… you practically admitted in front of her that you knew all about it.”
Magnus stood there, frozen.
The anger in his eyes slowly shifted into something darker — something that looked dangerously close to realization.
Magnus frowned.
“What ex-girlfriend?” he demanded.
He looked genuinely confused.
Harold blinked, frowning.
“...Celia?”
Magnus stared at him.
“There are rumors,” Harold explained slowly, “that you and Celia were together in college. That you only ever had eyes for her and she left you before you could introduce her to your family… and that you’ve been waiting for her to come back ever since.”
Magnus closed his eyes.
His jaw tightened instantly. The muscles in his face flexed with tension. He lifted a hand to his forehead and rubbed it hard, as if trying to ease the pressure building inside his skull.
“So, she’s disappointed in me,” he muttered darkly, lowering his head.
His voice was rough.
“She’s hurt. That’s why…”
He exhaled sharply and turned his head slightly, regaining his composure.
Then his gaze shifted toward Timothy, who had been standing quietly against the wall, hands clasped behind his back.
“Timothy?”
Timothy immediately stepped forward. “Sir?”
Magnus’s eyes were cold now. Burning.
“Forget about acquiring Thomsons’s company,” he said flatly. “Shut their company down. Within an hour. I don’t want anything to do with them anymore.”
Timothy blinked in shock. “Within… an hour?”
Magnus shot him a sharp look.
“Yes. That’s what I said. Go.”
His expression was merciless.
“I don’t want to see anything related to them ever again.”
Timothy nodded quickly. “Understood.” And he left at once.
Harold leaned slightly toward Gregory and muttered under his breath, “He should’ve done that from the start instead of waiting until his wife lost interest in him.”
Gregory glanced at him, then shrugged one shoulder lazily, though amusement flickered in his eyes. “If he were smart, he wouldn’t be two months into a three-month contract marriage and already facing divorce.”
They exchanged a look, and the corners of their mouths twitched. Both quickly turned their heads away, suppressing their laughter before Magnus noticed and decided to take it out on them.
Just then, Harold’s phone buzzed sharply on the table.
The sound cut through the room. He stepped over and picked it up, unlocking the screen without much thought—
But the second his eyes scanned the message, his expression shifted.
The teasing light in his gaze disappeared.
His brows pulled together, jaw tightening as he read it again, slower this time.
Without a word, he slowly placed the phone back down on the table. Then he turned his head toward Magnus, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re already divorced?”
Magnus frowned at him. “What?”
“You said you were about to get divorced. But you’re already divorced from Sophia?”
Magnus stared at him, completely stunned. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Harold picked up his phone again, unlocked it, and opened the message Camila had sent. He turned the screen around and showed it to Magnus.
On the screen was a clear photo of a divorce certificate.
Below it was a text:
Magnus and Sophia are now divorced. I helped Sophia get it finalized early.
Magnus went completely still.
For a second, the world around him seemed to freeze.
The shock on his face slowly shifted—his jaw clenched, his breathing turned heavy, and his eyes darkened into a furious glare.
Harold watched him carefully.
“Don’t you think everything is happening too fast?” he said in a warning tone. “Why is she in such a hurry?”
Gregory stepped closer too, pushing wet hair off his forehead. His brows furrowed. “Yeah. Didn’t you guys just talk about divorce a few hours ago? What’s going on?”
Harold hesitated for a brief second, then said slowly, “Is she doing everything so fast because she is leaving the country?”
The words hung in the air.
“Could it be,” Gregory continued quietly, watching Magnus’s face, “that she doesn’t plan to wait for you at all? She might already be gone before you even get home?”
The color drained from Magnus’s face.
For the first time, real panic flashed in his eyes.