Chapter 501
Chapter 501:
With a steady gaze, Elliana asked calmly, “Cole, let me ask you one more time. Is divorce really what you want?”
Cole’s answer was simple and unwavering. “Yes.”
“Alright then.” Elliana nodded, setting her own terms with cool precision. “If you’re so certain you loved the wrong person, I won’t cling to you. But I expect to be treated fairly. I’ll take the ten billion you offered—and I want Regal Grove as well.”
Regal Grove had always been their sanctuary, and she intended to live there, hoping he would come over to find her once he came around. Cole didn’t hesitate for even a second before nodding in agreement. “Alright.” This text is hosted at.net
Regal Grove wasn’t just another estate—it was the one he had dreamed up and brought to life with his own hands. Every corner, every detail, held pieces of him. If she wanted it for herself, he’d hand it over without question.
“Is there anything else you need?” Cole asked.
Elliana’s answer was measured and steady. “That’s all.”
Without another word, she drew the divorce papers from her pocket, set pen to paper, and signed. She tucked one copy away for herself and extended the other to Cole with quiet finality.
Cole took the papers, his face shadowed by a sorrow he could no longer hide.
“When should we finalize the divorce?” Elliana asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Now,” Cole said quickly, the word bursting out before he could rethink it. He needed this to happen as soon as possible. Each moment he stayed clear-headed felt borrowed, and he couldn’t trust his mind to hold out much longer. This was the last gift he could give her—freedom before his illness pulled them both under. It nearly shattered him to picture Elliana marrying someone else, maybe even building a family without him, but that was a pain he would have to shoulder alone. Loving her meant letting her go.
A silence passed between them as Elliana studied his worn face, her heart squeezed by the sight. He had barely woken from his ordeal, body weak and spirit battered, yet his urgency to end things spoke volumes about the darkness he fought inside. Her voice softened, edged with exhaustion. “But I need to rest first. I’m barely standing. Let me get some sleep, and we’ll go afterward.”
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Cole’s nod was tight and resigned. “Alright. This afternoon then. Three o’clock. I’ll wait for you at the courthouse.”
Carefully, she put the papers away and headed for the door, each step heavy with unspoken pain.
Cole stayed where he was, lost in the echo of her leaving. Tears slipped silently onto the crisp divorce documents, blurring the ink and the future he’d just let slip away.
As Elliana stepped out, she found Ruben, Bertram, and Emmanuel gathered just beyond the doorway, caught in the act of listening in. She smiled calmly and said, “Ruben, it looks like our peaceful evenings together to appreciate the moon are coming to an end. Take care of yourself, alright?” Turning to Bertram and Emmanuel, she offered a simple farewell. “Goodbye, Bertram. Goodbye, Emmanuel.” Without waiting for a reply, Elliana made her way down the stairs. The three men watched her retreat, each feeling the weight of the moment. Ruben let out a long, weary sigh. Bertram and Emmanuel exchanged resigned glances, shaking their heads. Cole was about to make Evans family history as he’d be the first man to ever end his marriage and walk away from a family tradition that had lasted generations. But none of them could find it in themselves to stop Cole, and blaming Elliana felt impossible. She hadn’t done anything to deserve it.
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