Chapter 212: A Very Wealthy Woman
The plush cushions of James’s apartment swallowed Lyse as she sank into the sofa, the delicate porcelain teacup trembling slightly in her hand. The chamomile tea, usually a source of comfort, felt lukewarm and tasteless. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion, hurt, and a strange, persistent ache.
She had just finished recounting the tumultuous events day to James, the words tumbling out in a rush of emotion. The revelation hung heavy in the air between them, a bombshell that had detonated the carefully constructed image of her life.
"...and then he just... he just told me," Lyse finished, her voice barely a whisper. "He is the one I married, James. Levi. He is my husband from that drunken night."
James stared at her, his usually jovial face etched with disbelief and anger. He ran a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair, his brow furrowed. "He’s... he is your husband?" he repeated, the words sounding foreign even to his own ears. "But... but you mean, all this time you were together be never told you what had happened!"
Lyse nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the swirling tea leaves in her cup. "Yes," she confirmed quietly. "He told me he loved me but he never... he never said a word about that night."
The silence that followed was thick with unspoken questions and simmering resentment. James paced the room, his agitation growing with each step. "I can’t believe he did that, Lyse," he finally exploded, his voice laced with indignation. "He kept that from you? Even though... even though you he asked you to marry him? That’s... that is just despicable."
Lyse remained silent, her expression unreadable. She swirled the tea in her cup, watching the leaves dance and settle. The image of Levi’s face, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and... something else, something she couldn’t quite decipher, flashed through her mind. She missed him. The thought came unbidden, a sharp pang of longing that made her heart ache. She missed his touch, his smile, the way he made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
But then, the image of his betrayal resurfaced, the bitter taste of deception coating her tongue. How could he? How could he have kept such a monumental secret from her? Had their entire relationship been a lie? Had he been playing a game with her emotions, manipulating her for some unknown purpose?
"Lyse," James said, his voice softer now. He sat down beside her on the couch, his hand resting gently on her arm. "Are you alright girl?"
Lyse looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and pain. "I don’t know, James," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "I honestly don’t know what to think anymore, i don’t know how to feel."
James squeezed her arm reassuringly. "It’s okay to be confused, Lyse. It’s okay to be hurt. He has put you in a terrible position." He paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But... look at the bright side," he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "At least you did not sign a prenup, right? That means you are going get half of everything he owns in the divorce. You will be a very wealthy woman, Lyse."
Lyse didn’t respond. The thought of a divorce, of separating from Levi had not even crossed her mind. But now that James mentioned it, she felt like a heavy stone had been placed in her stomach.