Chapter 2 The next time Silvana met Kendrick was at the courthouse to process the divorce . He seemed to be on a tight schedule , his phone always buzzing . She sat to the side quietly , not uttering a single unnecessary word or even glancing his way . After he ended the call , she said gently , " The paperwork is all prepared . It just needs your signature . " She had taken care of everything while he was on the phone . For some reason , the courthouse was quiet for divorces that day . But on her way there , she had seen a long , happy queue outside the City Hall- couples waiting to get married . She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear , her profile gentle under the light makeup she'd applied . The bright red dress she wore accentuated her curves . She didn't notice Kendrick's gaze lingering on her . By the time she turned , he had already looked away , his glance so imperceptible she missed it completely . " Here are your divorce decrees . " She tucked hers into her bag , her mood a stark contrast to the day they had received their marriage license . Outside the courthouse , she saw Kendrick's car by the roadside . As he turned and glanced at her , she spoke before he could , " Goodbye. " He blurted out , " You're leaving just like this ? " She eyed him with confusion . 0.00 % 15.5203 Chapter 2 1283 Vouchers With one hand tucked in his pocket , Kendrick stood perfectly still . He was undeniably striking , drawing attention without effort - as evidenced by the lingering glances of passersby , which he had long grown accustomed to ignoring . His eyes , deep and unreadable , fixed on Silvana in a red dress . " You really don't want anything ? " he asked . " No. " She shook her head , her confusion growing . " Are you worried I'll pester you ? Don't be . I won't . I'm just glad you can finally be with the one you love . " Just as he was about to speak , his phone rang again , ill - timed as ever . He'd cleared his busy schedule for this , and yet her eagerness to finalize the divorce surprised him - it felt as if she couldn't wait to be with someone else . With nothing left to say , she turned away . Her ride arrived moments later , and she left without hesitation . " A divorce ? Are you serious ? " g an Dianna had somehow gotten wind of the news and stormed into the studio . She grabbed Silvana's arm , answer . " What the hell ? Do you even realize that by doing this , you're pushing Kendrick right into Christina's arms ? That bitch is probably so over the moon she's waking up laughing in the middle of the night ! How could you hand her such a victory ? Have you completely lost your mind ? " Silvana was still fine - tuning the draft . Her client remained unsatisfied , and the reason was simple enough - they were trying to take advantage . It was impossible to create top - tier jewelry designs on a shoestring budget , so she'd been caught in endless negotiations and revisions . Pinching the bridge of her nose , she finally made time to respond . " The divorce is finalized . There's no point grilling me about it now . " " You ... " Dianna pressed a hand to her chest , as if on the verge of a heart 23 27 % 15.520 Chapter 2 24t ( Wout hers attack from sheer frustration . " Everyone knows Christina has feelings for Kendrick , but he's only ever seen her as a sister . Even if there was something more , as long as you held on , you were still his legal wife . No one could've threatened your position - not even Christina ! " Silvana said nothing , her eyes fixed on the computer screen . Her calm demeanor only fueled Dianna's fury . " Are you seriously OK with just walking away like this ? " she fumed . " You and Kendrick were doing fine , weren't you ? You never even argued ! " Dianna was genuinely puzzled . To everyone looking in , Kendrick and Silvana had seemed like the perfect couple - harmonious and well- matched in every way . How could they possibly get a divorce so suddenly over Christina ? " We never argued because we never had the chance to , " Silvana replied . " He doesn't love me , so he couldn't even be bothered to fight with me . I have no intention of staying tied to a man who doesn't love me . Anyone could fill the role of his wife . " " He told you he didn't love you ? " Dianna asked , eyes wide . " He got drunk once and called me by another woman's name . " Dianna opened her mouth , but no words came out . Silvana had never mentioned this before . Studying the quiet resolve on Silvana's face , she finally sighed in defeat , " What did I tell you back then ? I warned you not to rush into a marriage so quickly ... " This time , it was Silvana who fell silent . She first met Kendrick at a wine tasting event . Having drunk a bit too much , she mistook him for her designated driver and asked him to take her home - even exchanging numbers before stumbling out . They started chatting on WhatsApp . After a month , she felt a real connection , so she 158 53 % 15.625 Chapter 2 288 IVouchers asked him out to dinner . He agreed . They shared a meal , drank a little more , and then , on impulse , she invited him upstairs for coffee . One thing led to another , and they ended up in bed . It turned out ... they were perfectly in sync , even in that . When she woke the next morning , a flicker of regret surfaced . Though it had been her first time , it was fully consensual - she was an adult , fully responsible for her own choices . She didn't expect anything from him , no apologies or promises . So she told him , " You can just pretend nothing happened . " But he looked at her , completely serious , and said , " What happened , happened . Some things can't be ignored . I think you feel the same . " Then he proposed to marry her , but she refused .