Jackson froze for a split second before his eyes filled with a familiar,mocking amusement.
"Maya,I just praised you for being sensible.Are we really doing this again?"He scoffed,leaning back."Using this tactic to force my hand...don't you think it’s a bit childish?"
In the first year of our marriage,I had indeed demanded a divorce every time a mistress showed up.Back then,Jackson would rack his brains to coax me back.For a few days afterward,he would belong only to me—a brief,bittersweet cycle that he eventually viewed as a game for attention.
But this time,I was done playing.
"Just sign it,"I said,my voice flat."Once we’re divorced,you can bring whoever you want home.You can play as hard as you like without any lingering worries."No more sneaking around,and no more me cleaning up his messes to keep his reputation from being dragged through the mud by the women he discarded.
Jackson’s expression shifted.He searched my face for the usual signs of a power play or a plea for affection,but he found nothing but cold indifference.Sensing that the woman who once lived for his every breath had truly changed,he suddenly lunged forward and tore the divorce papers into shreds.
"In your dreams!"he roared."Haven't you realized after all these years?We are never getting a divorce!I told you,those women are just for fun,a bit of novelty.What are you making such a fuss about?"
I felt nothing but exhaustion.I reached into my bag and pulled out a fresh copy."Tear it up if you want.I prepared plenty of copies.Sign it when you’re finished throwing your tantrum."
At that moment,the realization finally hit him:I was serious.A flash of panic crossed his eyes,but he quickly masked it with a sneering threat.
"Maya,are you sure you’ve thought this through?Once we divorce,the money,the status,the life you have now—it all vanishes.You’ll go back to being that pathetic,penniless orphan."He tried to soften his tone,reaching for my hand."Only I can protect you.Don't you understand that?"
I jerked my hand away,my disappointment finally curdling into contempt."You said I couldn't get pregnant.Isn't it better if I clear the way for someone who can?"
Even if I left him,I wouldn't be a"pathetic orphan."I had parents who loved me dearly.I had been blind to mistake a piece of glass for a diamond,but I wouldn't make that mistake again.I had the strength and the youth to start over.