The Bride Widow
Chapter 142: Ch 142: The divorce is finally here - Part 1

Chapter 142: Ch 142: The divorce is finally here - Part 1

The hospital room was bathed in soft afternoon light as Anabella sat on the edge of the bed, slipping on her shoes and preparing to leave.

Her body still felt weary, but the idea of returning to the bakery and reclaiming some semblance of normalcy was comforting. She glanced around the sterile room one last time, grateful for the care but eager to move on.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. A nurse stepped in, holding an envelope in her hand. Her expression was sympathetic, almost painfully so, as she approached Anabella.

"Ms. Anabella," the nurse said hesitantly, "this was just delivered for you."

Anabella took the envelope with a small frown, her fingers brushing against the embossed seal that gave away its formality. Her chest tightened as she opened it, pulling out the neatly folded papers within. The bold heading at the top of the page confirmed her suspicions: Divorce Agreement.

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes skimmed over the words. Daniel’s name was printed there in stark black ink, his signature at the bottom of the document. He had finally made his decision.

"Is everything alright?" the nurse asked, her voice gentle but tinged with curiosity.

Anabella snapped the papers shut and forced a tight smile. "Yes, thank you. Could you... just give me a moment?"

The nurse nodded and left, though her gaze lingered with visible pity. As the door clicked shut, Anabella pressed the papers to her chest, her mind racing. She wasn’t sure how to feel—relief? Anger? Sadness? Perhaps all of them at once.

Her hands shook as she folded the papers carefully and tucked them into her bag, ensuring they were out of sight. She didn’t want anyone else to see them. Just as she was zipping up the bag, the door opened again, this time admitting the doctor.

"Ms. Anabella, are you ready to be discharged?" he asked with a warm smile, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of unease.

"Yes," she said quickly, straightening up. "Thank you for everything."

The doctor hesitated before speaking again. "I understand you received some... difficult news. Please know that if you need support, we’re here to help."

Anabella’s stomach churned. She could sense the pity in his words, in the way he avoided looking directly at her. She clenched her fists and forced her tone to remain steady.

"I appreciate that," she said. "But I’d prefer to keep this private. I’d like to ask you and the staff to respect my privacy."

The doctor gave a firm nod. "Of course. Your personal matters are your own."

Anabella felt a flicker of relief, but it was short-lived. As she made her way to the reception desk to finalize her discharge, she noticed the furtive glances from the staff. Whispers followed her as she walked by, and though no one said anything outright, she could feel the weight of their curiosity.

What she didn’t know was that one of the hospital staff members, a young receptionist with a penchant for gossip, had already shared the news.

A discreet bribe from a reporter looking for juicy stories had loosened her tongue, and by the time Anabella was signing her discharge papers, the details of her divorce were already making their way to the press.

______

The next morning, Anabella woke to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly. Still groggy, she reached for it, only to see dozens of notifications flashing across the screen. Messages, acquaintances, and even strangers filled her inbox. Her heart sank as she opened the first one:

"Anabella, is it true about the divorce? Saw it on the news this morning. Hope you’re okay."

Her hands trembled as she opened a news app, and there it was: her name plastered across a headline alongside Daniel’s. "Famed Alpha Businessman Daniel Ross Files for Divorce from Omega Wife."

The article went on to detail their marriage, their estrangement, and even speculated on Daniel’s reasons for ending it. Anabella’s stomach churned as she read, each word a painful reminder of how little control she had over her own life.

The phone buzzed again, this time with a call. She hesitated before answering, her voice shaky as she said, "Hello?"

"Anabella, it’s Clair." The alpha’s voice was calm but laced with concern. "I just saw the news. Are you alright?"

Anabella bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. "I didn’t think it would get out so fast. I asked the hospital staff to keep it private, but..."

Clair sighed, her frustration evident. "You can’t trust people like that. Listen, Noah and I are on our way over. You shouldn’t be dealing with this alone."

"No," Anabella said quickly. "Please, I’m fine. I just need some time to process this."

"Are you sure?" Clair pressed.

"I’m sure," Anabella lied.

After ending the call, she buried her face in her hands, the weight of the situation crashing down on her. She had wanted to move on quietly, to start fresh without the shadow of her past looming over her. But now, it seemed impossible.

Throughout the day, Anabella avoided the outside world as much as she could. She ignored her phone, left her blinds drawn, and tried to distract herself with mundane tasks. But no matter what she did, the whispers of the world outside seemed to seep in, reminding her of her newfound notoriety.

By evening, the phone rang again, and this time she didn’t have the energy to ignore it. She picked up without looking at the caller ID.

"Anabella, it’s your mother," came the sharp, familiar voice.

Anabella’s heart sank further. "Mother, I—"

"Don’t bother," Helena interrupted. "I saw the news. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for our family?"

Anabella’s grip tightened on the phone. "It wasn’t my choice to make it public. I didn’t even want—"

"It doesn’t matter!" Helena snapped. "What matters is that now everyone knows you’re a failure. You couldn’t even keep an alpha like Daniel happy."

The words cut deeper than Anabella expected, but she refused to let her mother see her break. "I’m not discussing this with you," she said firmly before ending the call.

Tossing the phone onto the couch, Anabella sank down beside it, exhaustion washing over her. She didn’t know how she was going to face the world tomorrow, but for tonight, she let herself cry.