Eve of Freedom

"May!" Stella called out, her voice cutting clearly through the lively chatter of parents and children lingering on the busy sidewalk.

At the sound of her name, the little girl paused. She hunched her shoulders, her big, cautious doe eyes darting around the bustling crowd. But the second she spotted her mother, her timid demeanor melted away. She rushed forward with a bright, desperate energy, her tiny pink sneakers slapping against the pavement.

Stella crouched down, opening her arms wide to embrace her daughter. She caught the girl mid-stride, holding the fragile child tight against her chest. A profound surge of protective warmth spread through Stella's veins, washing away the lingering bitterness of the morning. May was a quiet, timid girl, a trait born directly from the suffocating coldness of a loveless marriage. She had been raised in a sprawling manor that felt more like a sterile mausoleum than a nurturing home. On their wedding night, Stella and Declan had slept together, a brief encounter that resulted in this pregnancy. Because they were married, the powerful Vance family demanded she carry the child. But in their four years of marriage, Declan had never once shared her bed again. The disintegration of their relationship cast an oppressive shadow over the house, fostering May's cautious nature. Stella had specifically chosen this on-campus kindergarten to keep her daughter shielded from that toxic environment during the week.

Harper stepped forward, crouching down to bring her face level with the little girl. She offered a warm, exaggerated smile to ease the tension. "Hello, May. My name is Harper. Can we be friends?"

May peered at the newcomer with unease, her little fingers gripping the fabric of Stella’s shirt. She looked up at her mother for reassurance, her eyes silently asking for permission. Stella gave a gentle, encouraging nod.

"You can," May whispered, loosening her grip just a fraction.

Harper took the initiative to scoop the small girl into her arms, securing her safely and freeing Stella up to drive. "That's great. Let me treat you to a massive meal, cutie-pie."

Minutes later, Stella sat behind the wheel of her car. She pressed her foot down on the gas pedal, merging onto the bustling street with a smooth acceleration. She savored the long-lost, exhilarating thrill of driving freely. There were no stern bodyguards trailing her rear bumper, no oppressive Vance family rules dictating her schedule, and no looming dread of returning to a cold husband. For the first time in four years, the air inside the cabin felt breathable.

Shortly after their car vanished down the sunlit street, a sleek luxury vehicle pulled up to the school gates. Declan stepped out into the afternoon heat, his bespoke suit immaculate despite the sweltering weather. His sharp eyes scanned the thinning crowd of parents, sweeping over the playground and the entrance, only to find the mother and daughter gone.

His butler, Mr. Benson, hurried over from the passenger side, pulling his phone away from his ear. He spoke with a hint of nervous hesitation. "Sir, the teacher mentioned that Mrs. Vance has already taken May home."

Declan scoffed, the sound loud enough to draw a curious glance from a passing teacher. He misinterpreted her unannounced departure as yet another desperate, calculated ploy to force his attention. He figured she was using the child as a pawn, dragging May away just to make him chase her across the city.

He stepped back into the leather-lined interior of his car, slamming the door shut. "Get back in the car. We are heading back."

He was certain she would soon drop her dirty tactics. In his arrogant mind, she was merely throwing a tantrum for leverage. He expected her to exhaust herself playing these pathetic games and return to the manor on her own accord, ready to beg for her place back in his life. He refused to humor her manipulations by chasing after her.

Thirty agonizing but liberating days passed in the blink of an eye. The mandated cooling-off period for the divorce was finally drawing to a close. Tomorrow morning, they would officially finalize the paperwork, severing their legal ties forever.

On the twilight eve of this monumental day, Stella sat on the plush rug of her cozy apartment. She poured a rich, dark bottle of wine, sharing the expensive vintage with Harper. Down the hall, May was tucked safely into bed, fast asleep after a day of laughter and games. Stella took a slow sip from her glass, feeling a deep sense of relief wash over her chest. Over the past month, she had noticed a genuine, growing smile on May's face. The timid girl was finally coming out of her shell, laughing louder and playing freer since they had left Declan’s oppressive orbit. Seeing her daughter thrive validated every difficult step of the separation.

Their peaceful, healing moment was abruptly shattered by a flashy entertainment news broadcast on the television. The screen illuminated the dim living room with the glowing face of Vanessa, Declan's ex-lover. Flashbulbs popped incessantly as a swarm of eager reporters shoved microphones toward the woman.

A reporter shouted over the chaotic din. "Miss Croft, everyone is wondering why you decided to return to the country right now!"

Vanessa brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, offering a smile of deliberate affection. "The reason is actually quite simple. This is my home, the place where I belong. Furthermore, I have finally found my true soulmate in this city."

The reporters erupted into a frenzy, instantly catching the provocative hint in her words. Vanessa remained silent amid the barrage of follow-up questions, but the triumphant upward arc of her lips confirmed every scandalous rumor they were fishing for.

Harper slammed her wine cup onto the wooden coffee table. The ruby liquid splashed over the rim, staining the coaster in her fiery rage.

"It was such a massive scandal back then! If it hadn't been for you stepping in and marrying him, she would have lost everything. Yet, she's back to ruin your family, parading around like a saint. He's really not scared of playing with fire by returning to his traitorous ex. If I were him, I would have chosen you over her a million times!" Harper yelled, pointing a furious finger at the television screen.

Stella reached for a napkin and wiped a spilled drop of wine from the table. She offered her friend a helpless, melancholic smile, her heart heavy but resigned.

"Maybe this is the fundamental difference between loving and not loving someone," Stella murmured, keeping her gaze fixed on the damp napkin.

Declan loved Vanessa enough to forgive her ultimate betrayal from four years ago. Yet he had never, not even once, bothered to hear Stella’s side of the truth about that fateful wedding night. He assumed she had plotted to trap him in a marriage, ignoring the reality of the situation. Stella realized it was a waste of breath to explain herself to a man whose heart stubbornly belonged to someone else. Now, her only remaining concern was building a solid, joyful life for May. Let Declan and Vanessa have their twisted, dramatic romance.

The following morning, the crisp city air signaled the official end of the cooling-off period. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Vance corporate headquarters, casting long shadows across the polished marble floors.

Declan sat behind the massive mahogany desk in his sprawling office, reviewing quarterly reports with his usual stoic expression. His desk phone chimed, breaking the silence of the room. Mr. Benson transferred the line with a tense tone, announcing it was Stella.

Declan picked up the receiver and held it to his ear, offering only a cold silence.

"When are you free? I am waiting at the bustling cafe right below your corporate building," Stella said, her voice calm, polite, and steady.

Declan glanced at the leather-bound calendar resting on his desk. He smirked, a cruel light flashing in his eyes. He assumed she could no longer endure the painful separation. In his mind, the twenty-plus days of silence had broken her resolve, and she was finally ready to apologize for her ridiculous behavior. Without uttering a single word in response, he dropped the phone back onto its cradle, cutting the connection.

He adjusted his tie and took the private elevator down to the ground floor. Arriving gracefully at the grand lobby of his company, he scanned the morning crowd. He easily spotted her slender figure waiting near the towering marble pillars. She didn't look disheveled or desperate. Still, he snorted imperceptibly, his dark brows raised in visible disgust at what he confidently assumed was her pathetic eagerness to admit her mistake.

Stella turned and noticed his approach. A bright, genuine smile spread across her face. "You're here."

Declan met her bright demeanor with a freezing glare, his patience wearing thin. "Why did you do it when you are aware of such dire consequences?"

Stella gestured toward the door, noticing a few passing employees casting curious glances their way. "Let's move this conversation to the quiet cafe to talk properly."

Declan refused to grant her an ounce of grace. He barked, his deep voice echoing in the cavernous lobby. "If there's anything to say, let's discuss it right here!"

Unfazed by his public demand and the growing stares of the staff, Stella simply nodded. "That'd be great too."

Since he didn't mind airing their business in front of his entire workforce, she saw no reason to hold back. Without a second of hesitation, she reached into her leather tote bag. She pulled out her sleek tablet, tapping the screen a few times to connect to a live video call with the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Stella held the tablet up so Declan could see the government portal on the screen. "They have an efficient remote divorce confirmation system. We only need to press a button to verify our identities with the clerk, and the official divorce certificate will be mailed directly to us. There is no need for a trip to the government office."

Declan froze in his tracks, the smug satisfaction draining from his face. He had expected her to cry, to make amends, to beg for a second chance. Instead, she was standing here in the middle of his own corporate headquarters, radiant and prepared, solely to secure the official divorce certificate.

Before Declan could process the situation, a clerk's loud, authoritative voice blasted through the tablet's speakers. The sound bounced off the marble floors, echoing across the bustling corporate lobby. "Declan Vance, Stella Mercer, are you sure you guys want to divorce?"

The surrounding employees, who had been rushing to the elevators to start their workdays, abruptly stopped in their tracks. Dozens of people turned their heads, staring in absolute shock at their formidable CEO and his estranged wife. The silence in the lobby became deafening, save for the hum of the tablet.

"Yes," Stella replied into the microphone without a single shred of hesitance.

She pressed the bright green confirm button flashing on the screen, sealing her choice in front of half the company.

Declan remained rooted to the spot, stunned into silence. As he stared at the digital button and the resolute, glowing woman standing before him, his arrogant gaze darkened to the maximum.