chapter 2
The next morning, after dropping Bonnie off at kindergarten, Arabella rode her bike to the Courthouse and handed the prepared documents to the staff.
Arabella said, "Hello, I want to apply for a forced divorce."
The staff member looked up at her in surprise, their tone very serious.
He said, "Have you thought it through? Divorce is no small matter. Conflicts between spouses are inevitable. Don't act impulsively."
Arabella nodded silently, her expression resolute.
The thought of divorce had already taken root in her mind during these three years when Charles repeatedly "took care" of Emilia and Arlo.
But thinking of young Bonnie and their past feelings, she kept persuading herself to endure.
Until yesterday, when Charles suggested having a child with Emilia.
This seed finally sprouted.
Seeing her completely unwavering, the staff sighed.
He said, "Forced divorce requires a one-month process. During this period, if you don't withdraw the application, the marriage will be automatically dissolved."
Hearing this, Arabella felt relieved.
A month later, she could leave with Bonnie.
It was late at night when Charles, who hadn't been home all day, finally returned.
Arabella lay on the bed with her back to him, no longer throwing herself into his arms like before.
Charles stared deeply at her back, his voice tinged with restraint and pain. "Arabella, the longer Arlo's illness drags on, the more dangerous it becomes, so..."
Arabella's heart skipped a beat.
The next second, Charles's slow and clear voice echoed in the quiet room.
He said, "Emilia and I started IVF today. In a week, the doctor can transfer the embryo into Emilia's womb."
Even though she had decided to divorce Charles, hearing that he and Emilia had already started conceiving their child still tore Arabella's heart apart.
The man who vowed to love her for a lifetime when they married now had a child with another woman.
How could she not feel heartbroken?
But luckily, she had already decided to leave him.
This pain will only be temporary.
Arabella closed her eyes tightly, held back the ache in her chest, and nodded gently.
Charles thought she would lose control like yesterday. He had his words of persuasion ready but didn't expect her to be so calm.
He looked at the unresponsive Arabella in front of him with a complicated expression.
Charles asked, "Arabella, you agreed?"
For some reason, knowing that Arabella agreed to him having a child with Emilia, he should have been happy, but he felt a bit uneasy.
Noticing the trace of unease in his voice, Arabella gave a sarcastic smile.
She said, "Even if I don't agree, you and Emilia would still go for IVF, wouldn't you?"
Charles opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
After all, he had indeed decided to go through with IVF no matter what.
He carefully observed Arabella's reaction and only breathed a sigh of relief after noticing she showed no signs of displeasure, then gently pulled her into his arms.
Charles said, "Arabella, thank you for understanding. Everything I do is just to fulfill James's wish to take care of Emilia and Arlo."
Arabella had heard the exact same explanation from him too many times, so she no longer held any expectations for his words. "Alright. I'm going to sleep. Bonnie's kindergarten is hosting a parent-child fair tomorrow, so I need to get up early."
Thinking of young Bonnie, Charles's eyes showed a hint of guilt.
He said, "I've been busy looking for a match for Arlo lately and haven't spent much time with Bonnie. I'll go with you tomorrow."