Ditching Me for His 'Soulmate'? His Loss. Next Stop: My New Life novel Chapter 82

Chapter 5

Lucas fixed me with a look that was a bewildering blend of shock and uncertainty.

Up until now, I had forgiven him thirty-two times. Perhaps, in his mind, that was close enough to unconditional acceptance—enough to convince him he could act however he pleased without consequence.

Emma was a perfect example of this twisted logic. Because of my endless tolerance and Lucas’s lingering affection, Emma felt completely at ease mocking me openly in front of him.

“Mia, are you serious? Are you really joking with me?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Despite his countless affairs and reckless choices, the idea of divorce still seemed to weigh heavily on him. He was caught in a strange limbo—unable to let go of Emma’s tender, if fleeting, affection, yet still yearning for the comfort and security of home.

“If you’re still upset about Emma, then none of this has to happen,” he said, trying to reason.

“I’ve told you before—Emma and I were nothing more than a brief fling, a casual bed buddy,” he insisted.

“The things between us never interfered with what we have. I love only you.”

A bed buddy? The phrase sounded so absurd when I heard it, as if it was some harmless label for something utterly disgraceful. I understood every word he said, but when combined, it was a ridiculous excuse—one I had never heard before.

I couldn’t wrap my mind around how Lucas could say such shameless things without a trace of guilt or embarrassment. To reduce something so vile and immoral to a mere casual companionship, calling it “partners” in some twisted sense—it was nothing short of hypocrisy.

“So, in a society that values monogamy,” I began, my voice sharp with disbelief, “why should I tolerate my husband going out to find another bed buddy?”

Emma’s presence wasn’t just a wound in our marriage; it was a slow poison, gradually erasing me from Lucas’s life and replacing me with the image of a discarded, infamous wife. They were the ones at fault, yet I was the one left bleeding.

Lucas, as a lawyer, knew the boundaries of the law better than anyone else. As long as he didn’t cross the legal red lines, he felt free to continue without restraint.

His smooth words made my protests and doubts seem feeble, because after all, I was still his wife—not his enemy.

“Lucas,” I said, my tone cold and steady, “you married me with an agenda. Now, trying to keep me around? It’s laughable.”

For a man who claimed indifference, to maintain a passionless relationship, and now, when it’s falling apart, to cling to it as if it were love—that was the height of melodrama.

“Signing the divorce papers was supposed to set us both free, to let us part with dignity,” I reminded him.

“Now you’re putting on this act—what exactly do you want?”

I had anticipated this. Lucas wouldn’t let go without a fight. When emotional manipulation failed, he resorted to his usual weapon: threats.

Even today, if your status is high enough, you can still control the destinies of others.

“No matter how cold things got, I spent eight years with you,” he said, his voice softening slightly.

“I may not know you completely, but I can guess at least 80% of what’s on your mind.”

I took a slow, steady breath before replying, “Oh, I forgot to tell you—I’ve already quit.”

“Everything is settled, the process is smooth, and even you can’t change it now.”

“We’re no longer employer and employee. I won’t be answering to you anymore.”

With those words, I inhaled deeply, feeling a sense of release wash over me.

After enduring years under Lucas’s oppressive control, I could finally stand tall and breathe freely.