**TITLE: A Divorce 792**
As Aveline sat at the breakfast table, the morning sun filtered through the window, casting a warm glow that contrasted sharply with the turmoil in her heart. Memories of the kidnapping incident haunted her thoughts, swirling around like autumn leaves caught in a gust of wind. Was it conceivable that her husband, Xavier, had a hand in it? The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine, but before she could voice her suspicions, Xavier seemed to read her mind, his words slicing through the silence like a knife.
“The kidnapping, for now, doesn’t seem to be connected to them,” he stated, his voice steady but devoid of the warmth she once found so reassuring.
Aveline’s heart sank as she continued to push her food around her plate, deliberately avoiding his gaze. The clatter of cutlery against porcelain echoed in the space between them, serving as a stark reminder of the emotional chasm that had widened in their relationship. Each clink felt like a reminder of the love that once flourished between them, now overshadowed by unspoken fears and resentments.
When breakfast finally drew to a close, the group ventured outside, greeted by the bright sun illuminating the Baldwin family’s car. Rupert settled himself in the backseat, the air thick with unspoken tension as they set off for The Crestview Mountain Museum. This place, once a sanctuary of joyful memories for Aveline and Xavier, now felt tainted by the unresolved issues that loomed over them like dark clouds.
Upon their arrival at the museum, Xavier’s phone buzzed insistently in his pocket, shattering the fragile peace that had settled around them. He pulled it out, and his heart sank as he saw Gerald’s name flashing on the screen. A knot of anxiety twisted in his stomach—he feared that Josephine had confided in Gerald, and he wasn’t prepared to deal with the fallout that might ensue. With a decisive swipe, he dismissed the call, trying to quell the rising tide of worry.
Gerald, not one to be ignored, wasted no time in sending a text: *[You motherfucker, you hung up on me again.]*
Xavier’s pulse quickened as he read the follow-up message: *[Is the thing with Josie and Marcus true?]*
His fingers flew across the screen as he replied, *[You found out. Who told you, your brother?]*
Deep down, he was certain Josephine lacked the courage to confront Gerald herself, and the thought of her involvement only deepened his unease.
Moments later, the phone rang again, Gerald’s name glaring at him like a warning sign. “I need to take this call,” Xavier said, glancing at Aveline, who was now engrossed in examining the antique displays with Paulina, her brow furrowed in concentration.
“Gerald’s call,” he reiterated, but Aveline remained unfazed, her focus entirely elsewhere, leaving him feeling even more isolated.
With a sigh of frustration, Xavier stepped outside the museum, the crisp mountain air hitting him like a splash of cold water. “It’s true,” he admitted as he answered the call, the words spilling from his lips like a confession he had been holding back for far too long.
“What do you mean it’s true?” Gerald’s voice crackled with indignation. “How is that even possible?”
“Did you guys bully her?”
“Marcus bullied her. That guy is always out messing around, and when he saw you dumped Josie, he took advantage and bullied her,” Gerald spat back, his tone dripping with accusation.
Xavier’s voice turned icy, the anger bubbling beneath the surface. “Gerald, it’s come to this, and you’re still lying to yourself?”
“I warned you a long time ago, Josephine is not as innocent as she seems,” Gerald retorted defensively, as if trying to shield himself from the truth.
“Falso told you long ago that I don’t have that kind of relationship with her. The one I love is Aveline, my wife,” Xavier declared, his heart racing as he spoke the truth he had buried deep within himself.
“There’s audio and video. Do you want me to send it to you?” Gerald shot back, the silence that followed his words hanging heavily between them.
Xavier sighed deeply, memories flooding his mind. “I used to think she was a good, kind person too, because I thought she was the one who saved me.”
“Wasn’t she the one who saved you?” Gerald pressed, his disbelief palpable.
“It was Aveline who saved me,” he corrected firmly. “Bryan lied to me.”
“Gerald, Bryan, Courtney, and Josephine set me up,” he revealed, the weight of betrayal heavy in his voice, each word a dagger of truth.
“Why? Bryan had the nerve to trick you?” Gerald’s incredulity was evident.
Aveline scoffed, her expression dismissive as she turned away from him, the distance between them palpable.
In a moment of desperation, he wrapped his arm around her waist, attempting to draw her back into his orbit. “Whether it was back then or now, I often think about when you’re not with me,” he confessed, hoping to bridge the gap that had formed between them.
“Ugh, you’re not even that old, but you’re already so greasy,” Aveline shot back, pushing his hand away as she walked off, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Was he really that greasy for expressing his feelings?
Determined, he caught up with her, a teasing grin breaking through his frustration. “You’re stuck with a greasy guy like me for the rest of your life.”
Aveline’s lips curled into a sneer, her silence speaking volumes as she continued to ignore him, the tension thick enough to slice through.
Just then, her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to check. A message from Jasmine appeared on the screen—first a screenshot, then a question: *“Marjorie posted something on her Social Feed. Is she talking about Josephine?”*
Curiosity piqued, Aveline opened the screenshot to read: *“I have a feeling a certain director is about to be finished.”*
Her heart raced as she quickly typed back to Jasmine, *“Josephine hooked up with Leona’s husband. They’re causing a scene at my villa right now.”*
**Conclusion**
In the aftermath of the charged breakfast and the fraught atmosphere at the museum, Aveline and Xavier found themselves standing on the edge of a precipice, their relationship teetering precariously. The revelations of betrayal, coupled with Gerald’s looming presence, added layers of complexity to their already strained marriage. Aveline’s heart ached with the weight of unanswered questions, while Xavier wrestled with his own feelings of frustration and longing. Despite their shared history and the love that had once flourished between them, shadows of doubt and mistrust threatened to engulf their connection. The playful banter they once enjoyed felt like a distant memory, replaced by sharp words and an emotional chasm that seemed insurmountable.
Yet, as the day unfolded, a flicker of hope emerged amidst the chaos. Xavier’s determination to bridge the gap between them, even when faced with Aveline’s dismissive reactions, hinted at a resilience that could not be easily extinguished. His earnest confession about his love for her, despite being met with sarcasm, revealed a vulnerability that Aveline could not ignore. The unexpected message from Jasmine served as a catalyst, reigniting Aveline’s curiosity and perhaps even a spark of connection with Xavier. In that moment, as they navigated the complexities of their intertwined lives, the possibility of healing began to take root. Though the road ahead remained fraught with challenges, the foundation of their love, once shaken, now stood a chance to be rebuilt, as they both realized that facing the truth together might be the only way to reclaim what they had lost.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Urging Him to Get a Divorce (Aveline and Xavier)
When is the novel ending? It’s so unnecessarily long… not a single intimacy or connection just fighting and bickering from the beginning to end...