Later in the evening, Madelyn helped Rafael get dressed as usual, though her mind was elsewhere—consumed by thoughts of their marriage. She now understood she had never been his lover, only a wife performing her duties and satisfying his physical desires.
His decision the day before still haunted her. The thought of their child growing up without a father's love and support left her feeling restless and alone.
"What's on your mind, Maddy?" Rafael asked sharply, noticing her dazed expression and the knot she'd been fumbling with.
Madelyn snapped out of her thoughts, startled by his tone. She looked down, realizing she'd been tying the necktie incorrectly.
"The tie… it was a mistake," she stammered. "I'll redo it."
"Let it be," Rafael said curtly and adjusted the tie himself.
She looked up, meeting his cold, unreadable gaze. Her heart pounded, and she hesitated, struggling to say what she needed to.
"I'm curious about something."
"Curious about what?" Rafael asked, mildly intrigued.
"I wonder what it feels like to become parents. I mean... how do couples feel when they're expecting a child?" she asked, forcing a nervous smile.
She longed for a real connection, fearing their child would be born into a marriage void of affection. All she wanted was to believe they could become a family.
Rafael went silent, her words echoing in his mind. His eyes drifted to her flat stomach. A strange tension rose within him—not irritation, not rejection, but something closer to fear and a flicker of excitement.
He closed his eyes for a moment, steadying his thoughts before answering.
"It's the greatest joy a couple can feel. It makes their world whole."
Madelyn let out a soft laugh, relief loosening the tight knot in her chest. "Then... can we have a child now?" she asked, this time with genuine hope in her eyes.
Rafael froze. His jaw tightened as he stared at her, her words hitting him harder than expected. Sweat trickled down his spine as conflicting emotions surged.
"Don't get your hopes up," he said coldly. "You can't be the mother of my child. It's part of our marriage agreement. Always remember that, Madelyn."
With that, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. His words hung in the silence, slicing through her heart.
Madelyn gasped quietly, her chest tightening with pain. She felt foolish for believing their marriage could grow into something more. No matter how hard she tried to understand him, his rejection left her stranded in a love that had never been mutual.
She wiped away the tears that had begun to fall and walked to the closet. From the suitcase she had hidden away, she retrieved the divorce papers she'd once thought she'd never use. But she'd been wrong—she had waited long enough.
If he didn't want her, why should she keep holding on?
In a rush, she left the room and headed after him. She spotted him near the mansion entrance from the balcony above.
"Let's get a divorce, Rafael!" she called out loudly.
Rafael paused mid-step, pretending not to hear. But her voice rang out again.
"I know you heard me! Let's end this marriage once and for all!"
This time, he stopped completely and turned around slowly, his expression stunned, eyebrows furrowed.
Erica, who had been waiting for him at the dining table, came rushing over. She stood beside Rafael, equally shocked.
"Madelyn, are you sure?" Erica asked, disbelief lacing her voice.
She couldn't believe the woman who had clung so tightly to this marriage was finally letting go.
"Why aren't you saying anything, honey? Madelyn has finally realized she's barren and a burden to you," Erica muttered beside him, her words too soft for Madelyn to hear.
Rafael said nothing, just stared as Madelyn came down the stairs toward them.
She stopped in front of him, holding out the divorce papers. "You were right. I was delusional about us. But now I see clearly. You're eager to have a child with her," she said, casting a glance at Erica, who smiled faintly.
Erica's eyes landed on the papers. Her lips parted in surprise. "These are real divorce papers, honey. Sign them," she urged, though Rafael made no move to take them.
"I thought you'd always wait? What's the sudden change?" Rafael asked, still in a state of shock, as he was sure she couldn't think of abandoning him some day. He didn't understand where she got the divorce papers from behind his back.
"I'm done waiting. I don't want to be a wife who only exists to fulfill your needs," Madelyn said firmly, her voice unwavering even though her heart trembled with the weight of her decision.
Rafael clenched his fists at her words, though his expression remained cold and composed. Yet a trace of fury lingered from the night before.
"Aren't you satisfied with the prestigious last name I gave you? The one others only dream of? Aren't the wealth and luxury enough to fulfill your desires?"
"Is that really all you think I wanted from you?" Madelyn asked bitterly. "Does that matter more than the love I hoped for, Rafael?"
"That's all I could ever offer you," he replied calmly, exhaling.
"Then from today onward, I won't expect anything else from you—once you sign the divorce papers."
Rafael rubbed the back of his neck, his jaw visibly clenched. Though he said nothing, Madelyn noticed the discomfort in his expression. His once-icy eyes now carried the weight of something deeper—an emotion he refused to name.
Running a hand through his black hair, Rafael let out a sharp breath, as though suffocating beneath the storm of pain and anger brewing inside him. "We vowed till death do us part. Don't tempt me to break the one part of our vows I hold sacred," he said.
He knew he hadn't given her the love she longed for or treated her the way she deserved. Yet letting her go had never been part of the plan. He had married her for reasons only he knew.
He had never thought of letting her go so easily.
"That vow means nothing to me anymore," Madelyn said. "Because this isn't the kind of home I ever dreamed of. A home without love or children can never be beautiful. I want you to sign the papers."
Rafael's brow lifted as his piercing gaze bore into hers, sending a chill through her. A slow, mocking smile spread across his face, his dimples deepening with something that wasn't amusement. "You should understand by now," he said, voice low and sharp, "that this marriage mean more to me than you'll ever realize, Madelyn Vellani."
Madelyn felt sweat trailing down her spine as her worst nightmare unfolded. The fear of being trapped in a loveless marriage with Rafael gripped her chest. She knew how possessive he could be, but she couldn't sacrifice her happiness—nor the well-being of her unborn child—for a bond that had no love.
She had to leave. No matter what.
"Well, I don't care how much this marriage matters to you, because I am done with you, Rafael Vellani," Madelyn declared, her voice shaking slightly as she fought to hold her ground. His menacing aura threatened to make her falter, but she couldn't afford to waver now.