Shattered Vows Shining Comeback

Chapter 31 Failed Attempt at Reconciliation

Three days later, Gwen and Jake showed up at the courthouse at the agreed time. Their attorneys had already gone through the administrative work.

After taking their forms, Gwen filled in her details without hesitation, only to glance over and find Jake’s pen hovering over the paper. She cast him a sidelong look and said coldly, “I’m kind of in a hurry here, Mr. Hall.”

Jake clenched his jaw when he heard her prompting and filled in his details. When they were done, they handed the forms to the administrator behind the counter.

“Wait,” Jake suddenly said before the administrator could stamp the divorce papers.

At once, the administrator froze. She never expected Jake and his secretary to be the first couple whose divorce she was facilitating this morning.

She had initially believed they were here to get married after years of pining for one another, but they came for an even more shocking reason–divorce.

Jake eyed Gwen with the same indifference and arrogance he had shown her all these years. He asked in a hard voice,” Have you thought this through?”

He told himself that if she so much as expressed a flicker of doubt, he would overlook Gwen initiating the talk of divorce, the money she forced him to cough up in Dornwick, and the humiliation she put Sienna through. He was willing to give her a second chance.

“My mind is made up,” Gwen said with a raise of her brow, a smirk curving her lips. “What? Did you think I was pranking you?”

A knot formed in Jake’s chest when he heard her resolve, and his heart sank. In the days since she walked out of his life, he realized, in hindsight, that they had hardly ever sat down and gotten to know each other.

His tone softened. “I can give you time to sleep on this, and we can talk about our marriage after we’ve cooled off. We… haven’t communicated with each other enough.”

He paused and added, “Don’t think your contribution to Hall Group has gone unnoticed, Gwen. You’ll always have a place in Hall Group and the Hall family if you want it.”

Jake made his implication clear–he did not want a divorce, and he was loathe to see Gwen leave her job at Hall Group.

“We don’t need to cool off or communicate any further on the matter,” Gwen said coolly, meeting his darkened gaze.

Her words dripped with sarcasm as she continued, “I was prepared to give you my whole heart, Jake, but you never cared. It’s too late for you to try to get to know me now.

“Besides, with Sienna so far along in her pregnancy, are you intent on making her your mistress forever?”

Jake’s gaze flickered as he said, “I’ll figure my way around Sienna.”

Gwen stared at him wordlessly. They were one stamp away from divorce, and the man who was so close to becoming her former husband still could not get over the fact that he was being dumped. He thought he was still oh–so-

desirable.

“Egoistic prick“, she cursed inwardly.

“Don’t think I’ll go back to slaving away for your family just because you’re asking nicely, Mr. Hall. You’re not meant to be a dreamer,” Gwen drawled, narrowing her eyes at him as if regarding some pest.

Jake could not take her snappy remarks anymore and glowered at her. Rage burned in him as he growled, “You’d better not regret this!”

“Oh, don’t you worry, Mr. Hall. I will never regret this!” she said, practically swearing an oath. She then turned to the administrator. “Hey there. You might want to hurry up and stamp the papers.”

Chapter 21 Failed Attempt at Reconciliation

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After getting the divorce papers, she did not so much as glance at Jake before she hurried out of the courthouse. He looked lost as he stood in place, the divorce papers heavy in his hand. Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

He could not tear his obsidian eyes away from the dazzling woman walking into the distance.

Such was the end of a three–year marriage, and there was nothing left between them to show for it. A deep sense of loss filled Jake, threatening to rip the air from his lungs and leave him in tatters.

Over at Hall Manor, Sarah had cooked up a storm to celebrate Jake’s divorce. Sienna wore a festive red dress that differed from her usual pastel wardrobe as if in anticipation of her nuptials with Ja

“Let us toast to finally washing our hands off Gwen! Good riddance!” Sarah beamed as she stood up with her glass raised.

Caitlin was quick to join her in the toast. “Finally, we don’t have to put up with that woman anymore! You’re finally free, Jake!”

Sienne could not drink on account of her pregnancy, so her glass was filled with juice instead. She flashed Jake a grin and said sweetly, “Congratulations on having weathered a storm to have a brighter future, Jake.”