Nowadays love is a matter of chance, matrimony a matter of money and divorce a matter of course.

-Helen Rowland

Rafe Moretti's POV

After a week of silence from my wife, our planned dinner date on Saturday had finally arrived. I must admit that I still feel uneasy about her sudden trip to the country to visit a friend of hers. Deep inside I kept on telling me there's more about her sudden disappearance than meets the eye.

I took a deep breath. Seriously, Rafe? I asked myself silently. I must be nuts thinking so much about this sudden trip of Coco but I couldn't help it. I missed my wife so badly the Spencer manor feels so cold and lonely when she's not around. I missed the sweet and teasing smile she always gives to me.

I glanced at my wristwatch. She informed me via text message that she's on her way here. I couldn't contain my anticipation at the thought of seeing her again. It's been a long hell of a week for me.

I searched in my pocket for the familiar box. I was supposed to give this custom-made necklace to her exactly one week before she suddenly went to Hampshire.

A few moments later I immediately spotted her as she slid out of the cab. My breath was caught at the sight of her familiar figure. Suddenly, all the week of missing her like hell vanished in the thin air.

I saw her enter the restaurant and the maitre d' led her to the table where I've been sitting for quite a while now. I slightly frowned when I saw her grim expression. Something was wrong. This was not what expected when we see each other again.

"It's been a while," I said casually, standing up on my chair to pull her chair for her.

"Yes," She murmured avoiding my gaze. I frowned again at her behavior. Why she's acting like this? She's somewhat distant toward me.

"How are you, mia moglie?" I asked as light as possible, trying to dispel the awkwardness that surrounded our table. "How's your trip to the country? I hope it's a fun one."

For the first time since she entered the restaurant, she met my gaze. I couldn't pinpoint the emotion in her eyes right at this moment. "Yes. It's fine, Rafe. But I didn't come here to discuss my trip in Hampshire to you."

"Of course," I replied with a smile, but her words cut deep in my heart. Was that the subtle way of saying that she doesn't want me to ask anything about her trip? Something was definitely wrong here.

I eyed the envelope she place on the table. For some reason, this made me nervous even more. "Let's cut the chase here, shall we? I need this to be done as soon as possible. I want this to be a tearless goodbye."

"What are you talking about, cara mia?" Fear crept lightning fast in my chest. I was suddenly afraid of what the hell was going on here. "What's with this nonsense notion you have, Coco? Why does it to be a tearless goodbye? Aren't we here because I promised you that I will treat you to a fancy dinner?"

She shrugged casually, avoiding my gaze again. "Maybe. But things have changed, Rafe. I don't want to continue this charade of marriage. Here." She pushed the envelope in my direction. "I already draw our divorce papers. I want out of this marriage."

Suddenly, in an instant, my world collapsed right before my very eyes. I didn't think I heard her right. Did she say—she wants out of our marriage? B-but why? How? I thought everything was perfect before her sudden disappearance last week.

"W-what..." I swallowed hard, trying to clear my voice. "What's with this sudden decision of divorcing me, Coco? I thought we're going to try to make this marriage work? Why do you want to quit now."

Her eyes were distant and cold as she met my gaze. "Because I realized that this marriage is not what I want. I miss my freedom as I single woman."

Her words took a blow in my chest and would probably leave a huge hole. "I thought I am giving you enough freedom while being married to me? I thought you said before that you are happy on my side."

"I lied to you." She said ruthlessly, staring deep into my eyes. "I thought that I would be contented as your wife but I am not. I want more for myself."

"I will try my very best in providing you best in everything even if I'll die trying just give me a chance to prove it to you." My voice was thick with emotion. I suddenly heard myself with a Sicilian accent. I spent years on formal education in the English language to remove that accent. It only resurfaced when emotion gets the best of me. I cleared my throat. "I will prove it to you I know that our business is just starting again but eventually it will back on top. Please don't leave me and let me try."

"This is not about money, Rafe." She said firmly, her blue-grey eyes held hidden emotion. "Can't you see? I want more from my husband and I am sure as hell you can't give it to me even if I will die wanting it."

I frowned at her. She's not making any sense here. I thought I already gave here more than I can give. Damn it, I already gave her my heart a long time ago. Despite my effort to stop her from creeping into my heart, she made her way deep into it. Even with my promise that I would not let another woman rule my heart again because it was only asking for permanent heartbreak, I didn't want to suffer such pain again but despite that I let her break the walls in my heart because she's worth the risk.

"Just sign the papers, Rafe."

Her clear-voiced dragged me out of my reverie. I stared at the damn envelope darkly. "What is it that you want that I can't give you? Tell me, I will give it to you right now."

A brief vulnerability flashed in those expressive eyes before she blink them away. "I am not the type of woman who will demand something from a man and he might give it to me half-heartedly or worst yet out of pity." She stared into my eyes unblinking. "So let's save ourselves this nasty separation and part ways as friends."

I gaped at her in disbelief. I had never been tempted to throttle a woman before other than Leila but this woman was giving me another chance. Did she believe that after this divorce thing we could remain civil to each other? Wow, she's really something and that's not a compliment. "Do you believe that we can be friends after this?"

"Yes, we could maybe." She shrugged casually, her indifference to this whole this was killing me. I want to do something violent but I feared that I would end up in jail afterward.

Trying to calm my nerves, I took steady breaths. "Can you give me an honest answer to my question, Coco?" I asked in the calm voice I could summon.

"After that, you will sign the divorce paper?"

"Yes, damn it! If that's what you want." I snapped at her. Right now, I only have a threadbare of patience in me. I don't think I would last longer. "What did you decide to get divorced all of a sudden?"

She looked at me for a long moment. If she's not asking for a divorce I could swear the way she stare at me she was as if she's memorizing my face in her head. But how's that possible she wants out of this marriage. "I realized this will never work. We were just wasting our time to this union that would end sooner or later."

"I see," I replied, experiencing the biggest heartbreak of my life. The pain was worse than the ache I experienced when I saw Laila fell in love with Nikos Pallis and I couldn't do anything to stop it. That time I knew I would recover soon from heartbreak but this time I don't think I have that same positive outlook since I let her far too much in my heart.

"Now that I answered your question you will sign the papers?" She asked hopefully. 

"One last question," I countered, searching in her face for the answer I was hoping for. "Will you be happy when I sign these papers?"

"Yes, I will be happy." She answered with a quiet force smile on her face. That's when I made my decision. I would rather see her happy without me in her side than miserable with me. Even if kills me I would give her the freedom she wants.

"Very well," I said coldly, ignoring the pain in my chest. I pulled out my fountain pen and uncapped it as I took the documents from the envelope and was ready to sign them. I noticed that she hasn't signed them yet. "You first," I told her, pushing the pen and papers in her direction. "I want you to sign first before me."

She scowled in my direction. "Why me? You first. I will sign them once I reach home."

I shook my head with a cruel smile on my lips. "Nope. You will sign them first since you are the one asking for a divorce. Because if I have my way I will not divorce you it's you who want this so badly."

With an irritated sneer, she took the pen and signed them furiously. Once she was done she pushed them to me. Even though it felt like someone was stabbing my heart with a knife repeatedly. I didn't bother to read the content of the divorce paper as long as she was happy with the settlement I was fine. "There," I said when I signed the final page of our divorce paper. "Congratulations, Coco. You get what you want once again. I hope you will be truly happy as you said a while ago."

"Yes, I'm sure I will." Her voice was choking while her hands shook slightly, as she placed them back in the envelope.

"I hope you will find the right man you are looking for," I said as casually as possible, ignoring the emotions inside my chest raging right at this moment. "Now that you are a newly divorced woman you can't access your inheritance once again. But then again, I'm sure you will find a man willing to marry you to access your money."

She glared at me. It felt like I hit some nerve at my statement. "I'm sure that's not any of your concern anymore, Rafe. Just focus on rebuilding your company and pining for your lost love."

"Pining for my lost love?" I echoed mockingly, eyeing her indecorously. "You have no bloody idea what are you talking about but yes thank you for your suggestion. Oh, by the way, I think I will just do that since the woman I love just asked for a divorce."

Her stunned reaction was priceless. "Y-you don't mean that. You are just saying that to make me feel guilty in asking for a divorce."

"But I mean it, dearest," I told her in a sardonic manner. Right now, I don't feel anything inside me I felt numb. "I fell in love with you. I love you but you just broke my heart."

"No," She said closed to a whisper, her eyes glittered dangerously with anger. "That's a lie! You never love me. You will never love me. I know Laila is the only woman you can ever love so don't lie to me, Rafaelle Moretti."

I smiled sadly in her direction. "I'm telling you the truth. Before we even met in that bar I was already halfway from getting over my love for her then you came along. You reside in my heart more than Laila ever been."

"I don't want to hear this anymore." She grabbed her handbag and stood from her chair.

"One last thing before we separate our ways forever, honey." I used the endearment she's been using for me ever since. "I don't want you to change your mind about this divorce because I confessed my feelings to you." I smiled as I repeated her earlier words. "I don't want you out of pity. I wish for you to find a man that will love you more than I love you but I doubt you will find any man who will love you as much as me."

"Stop it...I don't want to hear this." She started, "I don't want to hear anything from you. I hope you will keep your distance from me for a few months."

I stood from my chair and smile at her. "You don't have to worry that we'll bump to each other after this and have awkward hi and hello greetings I guess it's high time to go back to my birthplace for good. As cliché as it sounded, I hope you find all the happiness you want without me. I love you, Coco Spencer. Goodbye."

I was the one who first walked away from the table before I did something I would surely regret later...

Something like beg for her to love me too...

But my Sicilian pride would not let it...