Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for Him novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 The Matching Rings

Finished

Ayla stood by the curb, waiting for Halle’s car. They were about 20 feet apart, hidden by the dark and the passing crowd. No one would have noticed her–until Max spoke up.

Every head turned.

Ayla was speechless.

Awkward? Very.

The first thing she did was glance at Troy’s left hand.

There it was. A simple men’s ring on his finger. Elegant, understated, and making his long, slender hand look even more striking.

Skyla wore one too.

Matching rings.

Knowing it and seeing it were two very different things. Ayla’s throat tightened.

“Beep, beep.”

Two short honks pulled her out of it.

Halle’s car stopped by the curb. She lifted her chin toward the passenger seat, signaling her to get in.

Without a word, Ayla opened the door, climbed in, and the car pulled away.

It all happened in seconds.

Max was stunned. He glanced back at Troy. “Did Ayla just ignore us?”

She had walked away too quickly, her face cold, her steps sharp. That wasn’t like her.

Before, Ayla would’ve done anything to please them, never missing a chance to flatter the group.

Ayla’s cold look caught Max off guard. She had always been invisible, almost like she didn’t exist. But now, there was something sharp about her, a hint of edge he’d never seen before.

It was just another divorce fight, right? He had seen plenty of those. Still, something about her this time felt different. Strange. He just couldn’t figure out what.

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Chapter 8 The Matching Rings

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Troy had already turned away, his voice flat and cold. “Don’t mention her.”

Max glanced at Skyla.

She didn’t even look in Ayla’s direction. Clearly, she didn’t care.

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Finished

Even if Ayla had walked in with a gift for her birthday, Skyla would’ve worn the same calm, refined expression.

Max got the hint. “Alright. I won’t bring her up. No need to kill the mood.”

He called to the group, leading them toward the cafe.

Ayla’s short appearance was nothing more than a small interruption. Nobody gave it a second thought.

They had all met Ayla before. She was quiet and introverted, never really fitting in with the group. No one was close to her, so there was no reason to go out of their way to say hello.

Besides, tonight was Skyla’s birthday. Who would be dumb enough to ruin the mood by interacting with Ayla?

Only Max dared joke around, because he and Troy were tight.

If anyone else even mentioned Ayla, Troy would shut them down hard.

Skyla was his treasure. You could offend anyone else, but never her.

And Skyla wasn’t just beautiful—she was the daughter of the Summers. Rich, classy, and untouchable. Ayla didn’t even belong in the same conversation. Skyla wouldn’t lower herself by looking at her; that would only cheapen her image.

The group ignored Ayla completely and focused all their attention on Skyla, showering her with compliments.

Even then, Max tugged at Troy’s arm and whispered, “Did you see the gift bag Ayla was holding?”

Troy had only glanced her way. Details like that didn’t even register.

Max could already tell Troy was about to lose his patience. He rushed to explain, “Remember I told

you Ayla sold her wedding ring and went shopping at other jewelry stores? The bag she was holding is from that same brand. I’m guessing she bought a new diamond ring to make peace with you. But the whole thing turned out kind of awkward.”

Troy frowned, thinking back.

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Chapter 8 The Matching Rings

He did remember Ayla carrying a gift bag.

Troy lowered his gaze to the ring on his finger. It was the one Skyla had given him.

只今

Firushed

He had already misunderstood once before. And now, after all these days, Ayla finally thought to win him back?

That was too late. Playing hard to get only works to a point.

His face was cold, his tone flat. “I don’t have space to wear it on.”

Max was speechless.

What do you mean by that?

You’ve got more than one finger!

Before he could argue, Troy had already walked ahead.

Troy didn’t seem to care why Ayla showed up here or whose car she had left in.

Tonight, his only concern was giving Skyla the perfect birthday.

Max lagged behind the group. At the corner, he turned back for one final glance.

Ayla was long gone.

But he was pretty sure about one thing–the driver was a woman.

That made perfect sense. Ayla’s world revolved around Troy. She had no room in her heart for another man.

The car moved steadily down the road. Ayla’s mind was blank.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop comparing tonight to her past birthdays. The more she thought, the heavier her heart felt.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. “Twenty–five.”

Halle thought she would cry. She expected her to complain like a bitter wife.

After all, catching the man you loved with someone else right in front of you was a harsh blow.

But instead, Ayla brought up a number.

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Chapter & The Matching f

“Twenty–five what?” Halle asked.

“The divorce waiting period, Ayla said quietly. “After 25 days, I’ll go with him to get the divorce certificate.”

Halle looked into Ayla’s eyes and saw how firm she was.

Troy was handsome, only 28, and already at the top of his game.

The Winstons were one of the wealthiest families in Trensea. Ever since Troy took over the company, he has pushed through bold reforms that lifted the company to new heights. Even though new fortunes kept rising across the city, his family still held their place at the very top of Trensea’s pyramid.

Troy’s presence, his knowledge, his sharp instincts–everything about him made him stand out among his generation. He was undeniably attractive.

It was natural for women to fall for a remarkable man like him. But those shining qualities were only on the surface. Just admiring him from the outside was never enough to make Ayla lose herself and sacrifice everything.

There was another reason. A deeper, more important one that made her fall for him.

Three years ago, after Ayla’s mother passed away, Ayla broke down and accidentally fell into the

ocean.

Troy happened to be at a yacht party with friends. He was the one who pulled her mother out of the water, rushed her to the hospital, and gave Ayla a reason to hope again.

Ayla never forgot. She couldn’t let go. Halle understood.

Now, with the divorce waiting period ticking in her mind, things felt different.

This time, Ayla might really not go

That was good.

back.

Ayla just needed time to sort out her emotions. After all, when you’ve loved someone so deeply, it’s not easy to walk away overnight.

“Forget about those lousy people for now. Open your gift,” Halle urged. She had worried Ayla might not stay firm about the divorce, but now she felt more at ease.

Ayla needed the distraction.

She opened the bag, expecting a necklace. Instead, it was a ring–actually two rings, both in women’s style.

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Chapter S The Matching Rings

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Finished

Ayla frowned in puzzlement. “Why are there two rings?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Halle shot back. “I didn’t buy you both. They’re friendship rings. One for each of us.”

Ayla blinked in surprise. “People don’t usually give rings as friendship gifts, do they?”

“That’s a stereotype. Diamonds don’t only mean romance. I can give one too.”

Then Halle smirked. “Besides, the mark on your finger where your wedding band used to be stung my eyes. Wear this to cover it up, and maybe it’ll bring you good luck.”

She waited for Ayla’s reaction.

But there wasn’t much of one.

Ayla just held the box, quiet. She didn’t even give a simple thank you, the kind of response Halle expected. Halle wouldn’t have that.

Halle turned to look at her and found Ayla’s eyes had turned red.

She had planned to tease her.

But seeing Ayla truly hurting, all she felt was sympathy. She said nothing and just kept driving.

Her silence gave Ayla space to process everything. A few minutes later, Halle gently patted her shoulder, a quiet gesture of comfort from her best friend.

That gift meant more than any words could.

Ayla clutched the ring box and reached over, patting Halle’s hand to let her know she was okay.

After dinner, Halle offered to drive her home and check out her new place.

Ayla had just moved into Westhaven. This was the first time anyone had come to visit. She decided to let Halle stay the night.

On the way back, Ayla’s phone rang.

“Ayla, Kaleb had too much to drink with a client. His stomach condition flared up. He’s at the hospital now getting IV fluids. Can you come?”

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Him

Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for tiny