Chapter 6 Divorced? So Soon?

"I think this place is fine," Maria said. Staying in a hotel wasn’t an option since the money she had saved from working while studying wouldn’t last long. But renting an ordinary apartment required signing a long-term contract. Maria didn’t plan to stay in Los Angeles for much longer, so she decided it wasn’t worth wasting money. Even though this place didn’t look great, it was cheap, available immediately, and she could leave anytime without penalty. They continued walking down increasingly narrow paths until they finally stopped in front of a locked door. Without realizing it, Johnson had followed Maria back to her home. Maria rummaged through a drawer, looking for her ID. From the doorway, Johnson could see into her small, sparse apartment. It had just a bed and a drawer—nothing more. Despite the lack of possessions, the place was clean. Before Johnson could take it all in, Maria had already found what she was looking for. "Let’s go." Maria and Johnson sat in the divorce office, where the staff, seeing their lifeless expressions, gave them a few symbolic words of advice before finally handing over the divorce papers. Holding the divorce certificate, Johnson felt like everything had gone too smoothly—so smoothly that he found it hard to believe. Maria looked at him calmly. "We have the divorce papers. I should see your public apology tomorrow, right?" "Yes," Johnson replied. "Once I see your apology, I’ll leave Los Angeles. You’ll never see me again." Hearing this, Johnson’s mind was suddenly flooded with memories of Maria from the past—her expressions, the way she spoke to him. He tightened his grip on the divorce papers. "The place you’re staying isn’t safe. The house I offered you is still yours. You should move back." Maria coldly refused. "No need." She looked him in the eye. "You’re free now. Goodbye." Sensing tension between them, Kenan quickly stepped in. "Uh, I have a place too. Maybe you could—" Maria cut him off as well. "I’ll drop the charges. I’m leaving." Kenan offered to walk her out. "No need," Maria said, her cold demeanor leaving both men speechless. Watching her walk away, Kenan sighed. "I never thought you’d really divorce Maria. It’s hard to believe." As Maria waited for her bus, she couldn’t believe it herself—that she was really divorced from Johnson. On Johnson’s 22nd birthday, he had wished to marry Maria. Later, Maria agreed. On his 23rd birthday, he wished that they would have a child together in three years. He had also wished that they would grow old together. Now, only one of those wishes had come true. For Maria, those memories felt as fresh as if they had happened just yesterday. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back. Maria tucked her divorce papers and ID together, planning to take the bus, buy a ticket, and fly to New York tomorrow. Suddenly, a black car pulled up in front of her. Maria looked up to see Cruz inside. She asked calmly, "What are you doing here?" "Get in," Cruz replied, opening the car door. Cruz’s assistant stepped out and approached Maria to escort her, but she didn’t move. She looked at Cruz, hesitating for a moment. "Mr. Cruz, I think it’s best if we don’t stay in contact. You’re a well-known business figure, and if my father or his people see us together, they’ll think you’re an easy target to scam." "They’ll latch onto you." She glanced behind her. "My bus is about to arrive." Cruz acted as if he hadn’t heard her distancing words and gently urged again. "Get in." It seemed he wouldn’t leave until she did. Maria sighed in defeat and opened the car door. Just as she got in, Cruz received a call. It was work-related. By now, word of Maria and Johnson’s divorce had spread, and people were talking. Maria’s phone was blowing up with calls and messages. After finishing his call, Cruz asked Maria, "Why aren’t you in the hospital?" Maria, busy deleting contacts she and Johnson had in common, didn’t look up as she replied. "Johnson said we should get the divorce papers today. He promised to publicly apologize tomorrow, so I went to finalize the divorce." Divorced already? Cruz raised an eyebrow, surprised at the speed of it all. The first time Cruz had seen any signs of something between Johnson and Maria, he had told her that Johnson was better suited as a friend, not a life partner. Maria had been just seventeen then, with a high ponytail, a white shirt, and jeans—like a young wildcat, fearless and ambitious. She wasn’t afraid of anything and didn’t believe anyone’s advice, not even Cruz’s. Maria finished deleting contacts like Jackson, who had covered her medical bills, until only a few names remained: her professor, Aunt Angela, Sol, and Cruz. Cruz’s contact photo was like an older person’s—a picture of the sky, no social media activity, cold like a secondary account. "Thank you for looking out for me all these years. I heard you bought my meal yesterday. Let me pay you back…" Suddenly, the car jerked, and Maria was thrown into Cruz’s arms! She was startled, her hands instinctively grabbing at anything. One hand accidentally wrapped around Cruz’s waist, while the other awkwardly landed in a sensitive area. Maria quickly pulled her hand away from his crotch, leaving her phone behind. She didn’t dare reach for it again. Embarrassed, Maria looked up at Cruz, who was also looking at her. The moment their eyes met, Maria’s heart began to race uncontrollably. Before either of them could speak, Cruz’s assistant interrupted. "Sir, about that car…" Cruz responded gently. "It’s nothing."