I Was Blind Before
1024 Words
Hannah Wilson pretended to have just noticed Charles and immediately put on her best performance, trying to highlight the "injustice" she had just suffered at Anna's hands. With tears welling up in her eyes, she bit her luscious lips and choked out, "Mrs. Bennett... it seems she misunderstood the relationship between us."
Her words were carefully chosen. If Charles denied any relationship with her, Anna would be publicly humiliated. On the other hand, if he confirmed something, it would solidify Hannah's standing in the company, making her untouchable. Hannah's mind raced with the possibilities, but Charles completely ignored her comment. His cold, emotionless eyes focused solely on Anna's slightly mocking face.
Anna had already turned around when she heard Hannah call out. Seeing Charles and Michael returning from a business meeting, she didn’t waste time with pleasantries and instead got straight to the point. "The divorce papers are signed. We agreed to finalize it today, but I waited for an hour at the district court. You're wasting my time."
Anna’s tone was cold, laced with a hint of accusation. This was the first time since their marriage that Charles had heard her speak to him this way. He didn't know Anna very well, but he knew she wasn't one to easily lose her temper. Whatever small amount of warmth she had was reserved solely for him.
So, seeing her cold and detached attitude now left Charles feeling strangely unsettled. Even the fact that she had just publicly accused him of being blind didn’t seem to bother him as much as it usually would have. His eyes scanned hers, searching for that familiar love she once had for him, but all he found was a distant and unfamiliar coldness.
This unexpected aloofness sparked a flicker of anger deep within him. He took a step closer to Anna, his sudden proximity and imposing presence causing her to instinctively take a few steps back, her previously indifferent demeanor faltering slightly.
With a low chuckle, Charles finally spoke, "And this is what you call wasting time? I thought all your time was spent clinging to me."
The realization that she had actually gone to the court early in the morning to get the divorce finalized only fueled the fire of anger growing inside him. His words became sharper, more cutting, as he struggled to control the growing resentment.
Anna didn’t flinch. She wasn’t upset by his sarcastic remarks; instead, she merely shrugged, as if acknowledging the truth of his statement. "What can I say? I used to be blind, wasted too much time on you. Now I have to make the most of what’s left, squeezing every minute out of every hour."
Michael, standing off to the side, could only think to himself, "Are women’s feelings really this fickle?" Yesterday, the CEO was still her "darling sweetheart," and today she’s saying she was blind?
Not only was Michael taken aback, but so were the other Bennett Global Enterprises employees who were secretly eavesdropping. The bombshell that Anna had just dropped left them stunned.
The Mrs. is asking for a divorce? And from the way she’s talking, she’s the one pushing for it? How could she not be satisfied with a husband like Charles?
Could it be that she misunderstood the relationship between the CEO and Secretary Wilson? But hadn’t Mrs. Bennett herself just said that the CEO wouldn't be interested in someone like Wilson?
None of the onlookers could make sense of Anna’s thoughts. From their perspective, it seemed like she was acting irrationally. Who wouldn’t be thankful every day to be married to someone like Charles?
Men often have a few flings; so what? What man doesn’t have some casual entanglements outside? And this is Charles—he’s not just any man but a top-tier aristocrat and CEO of a major conglomerate. A few women on the side are par for the course.
And she wants a divorce over this? How could she expect to find anyone better?
Everyone, except for Anna, was left in shock. They couldn’t understand why she was being so irrational.
Anna noticed Charles standing there, his face darkened, eyes cold as if a storm was brewing within him. She no longer cared to decode his emotions like she used to. Instead, she checked her watch and said, "The district court closes in an hour. We still have time to make it if we leave now. Let’s go."
With that, Anna turned and began walking out of the building, not bothering to check whether Charles followed. As she exited Bennett Global Enterprises, she stopped, realizing he wasn’t behind her. She turned back to see him glaring at her, his eyes cold and sharp.
In the past, that look would have terrified her. She would have feared she had angered him, made him unhappy. But now, having resolved to free herself from the quagmire that was Charles, what did she have left to fear?
The only reason he had the power to hurt her before was because she loved him. But once that love was gone, he could no longer touch her.
Anna looked at him coolly, her expression calm and detached as she spoke. "Not coming? Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet about the divorce now."
She crossed her arms, her tone still casual, the corners of her lips lifting slightly into a mocking smile. "You were so eager to split your assets with me just to get this divorce, but now that I’ve agreed, you suddenly don’t want to go through with it?"
She finished with a soft chuckle, her delicate features exuding a cold, unfeeling sarcasm.
“Having second thoughts at the last minute? Suddenly realizing you might actually like having me as your wife after all?” Anna Morgan teased, attempting to provoke him.
She knew Charles wasn’t the type to easily fall for a provocation, but he was incredibly proud and hated to lose face. That’s a common flaw in men from prominent families.
Faced with such a challenge, especially in front of his employees, how could Charles possibly back down?
The answer was obvious—he couldn’t.
- Writer
