BENEATH THE SURFACE

Chapter Thirty

ASHER

I had left Isabella's apartment a week ago, assuring her that I would call, but I never followed through. The prospect of picking up the phone and conversing with her felt insurmountable after discovering she would be attending my family's ball.

It wasn't an environment suited for her, and although I didn't mind her family attending, I was aware that Isabella being there would likely mark the final time I saw her, touched her, or spoke to her.

Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts. As I looked up, I saw Isabella standing in the doorway of the courtroom's private office.

"They're ready," she informed me, her gaze lingering for a moment before she vanished around the corner. I despised the distance I had imposed between us, but I also knew it was inevitable, and I felt like a fool for ever thinking I could have something more with her.

Taking a deep breath, I rose from the chair and exited the small room, making my way down the hall. As I approached the imposing door, my eyes locked onto Kady's, but I swiftly averted my gaze, having no desire to engage with her.

I took my seat beside Isabella, and the judge wasted no time commencing the second hearing. "Has your client reached an agreement with Miss Leighton's client?" Martin glanced at us briefly before providing a response.

"Your honor, my client is prepared to accept fifty percent of Mr. Petrov's earnings for the month," He declared, and I couldn't help but notice how Isabella sat up straighter, discreetly clearing her throat.

As Martin elaborated on the offer with the judge, Isabella leaned closer to me, and I caught a hint of her sweet perfume. "Fuck, Asher," I mentally scolded myself.

"What do you think about fifty percent?" she whispered, her finger continuing to nervously click her pen on her lap.

I reached over, gently taking her hand to halt the incessant clicking of her pen. "I'll agree to forty if it speeds up the process," I responded with a dry tone, then withdrew my hand.

Her eyes lingered on me for a moment before she stood up, smoothing out her skirt. "Your honor, my client is prepared to offer forty percent, but anything beyond that is non-negotiable," she stated firmly. The judge nodded, turning her attention to Martin and Kady, who were engaged in a hushed conversation.

Martin stood up once more, declaring, "My client will accept the offer, your honor." I breathed a sigh of relief, running my hand across my forehead.

"Concluding this hearing, both parties have agreed upon forty percent of Mr. Petrov's income for the month of August," the judge announced, her gavel's sound resonating through the room. Simultaneously, Isabella slid a paper across the table.

Recognizing that it was the divorce certificate, I hastily scrawled my name on the designated line. Isabella retrieved the paper, carrying it over to Martin. Once Kady had signed, Martin walked the document to the judge, who promptly stamped it, officially finalizing the divorce.

I rose from my chair and headed toward the exit, eager to leave the room as soon as possible. The entire process was finally over, and I could now put it all behind me.

As I entered the hallway, I heard my name called out from behind, and I turned to see Kady closely trailing after me.

"Asher," she said, stepping closer to me. "Thank you for being civil throughout this whole process." I couldn't help but scoff at her statement, knowing that our initial meeting in my office had been anything but civil.

"I'm serious," she insisted, her eyes locking onto mine as she reached out and cupped my cheek with her hand. "I'm sorry it had to end like this, but at least now we can both move on and put this behind us." Despite her touch, as she rubbed her thumb against my cheek, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust.

Suddenly, Isabella appeared in the hallway, spotting us. Her determined expression wavered briefly before she offered a curt smile and proceeded down the corridor.

Removing her hand from my cheek, she smirked and remarked, "It's a real shame that's your idea of a rebound," her gaze following Isabella down the hall.

"You're easy to replace," I whispered. "She was more than just a quick fuck or a rebound." I glanced over my shoulder, observing as Isabella made her way through the front entrance.

"Was?" she asked, her eyebrows arching as she tilted her head slightly. "Don't tell me you fucked it up already? That's a record-breaking time."

I shook my head. "I did what was best for her," I said, admitting it more to myself than to Kady. "I refused to let myself ruin her the way you did to me." My words seemed to hit her hard, judging by the way she blinked several times, her lips slightly parted as though she had something on the tip of her tongue.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," she retorted, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "So, will she be your date to the ball?"

I rolled my eyes at her oblivious question. "You already know who I'll be taking," I replied with a hint of annoyance. I loathed the fact that this ball was even happening, and I would have preferred not to attend. However, I knew my mother was anticipating my presence, and she was expecting me to bring Kady.

"Good," she perked up, placing her hands on my tie to adjust it. "I'm glad you haven't completely lost your mind."

"What do you mean?"

"Taking a girl like her to your family's ball?" She chuckled as she spoke. "She doesn't belong, and you know it as well as I do, which is why you're escorting me."

My fists clenched involuntarily as she spoke about Isabella as if she were beneath us, but I made an effort to stay composed. She was clearly trying to provoke me, and I couldn't let her see that she was getting under my skin.

"I'll pick you up at 8," I reminded her, even though the ball was still a few weeks away. As I turned and walked towards the exit, I couldn't help but feel a weight lifting from my shoulders. Walking away from the worst part of me, at least for the moment, was a relief.