From Her Perspective (BWWM)

XVII

Auriella Devereaux

Five years ago

I sighed as I looked up at the stars above us. I smiled and pointed at a small plane moving across the dark sky.

"That's three," I said as I looked down at Billy. He smirked before kissing my nose.

"I'm going to miss this place," I admitted.

     "New York or this hill?" He asked.

     "Both. I've never been outside of New York before. I've never been away from Leo before," I said as I shifted on top of him.

     "Are you having second thoughts?" He asked as he pushed a stray hair behind my ear.

     "Following you to France is the easiest decision of my life," I said before kissing his cheek.

     "I love you so much, Ella," He expressed as he sat up with me in his arms.

     "I love you too,"

Present

     I sighed as I gaped at the article in front of me. The headline immediately grabbed my attention.

BREAKING: WILLIAM DEVEREAUX AND HIS WIFE AURIELLA ARE GETTING A DIVORCE

The billionaire entrepreneur William Deveraux will soon be back on the market.

He has filed a legal separation from his wife, Auriella Deveraux (née Bradford), citing irreconcilable differences.

The couple was last seen a couple of weeks ago at a charity event, where onlookers noticed that the couple was hardly seen together. Auriella was seen alone for most of the event.

Could this be the deciding factor in their separation? Only time will tell as we await more details regarding this separation.

I groaned as I heard my door open and shut before heavy steps sped toward me. I already knew exactly who it was.

"Where is he?!" Leo yelled as he looked around. Cleo and Miles rushed in behind him.

"Leo, hold on. We don't even know anything," Cleo said as she let Miles down. He immediately ran into my arms and wrapped his arms around me.

"Daddy's mad at Uncle Billy," he said. My heart cracked at the mention of Billy. I hate that I let him get close to my family, knowing we would eventually break up.

"He's not here, Leo. He moved out almost two months ago,"

"What?! Auri, we just had lunch together last week. Why didn't you say something?"

"There's nothing to say, Clee. We're getting a divorce,"

"But you two seemed so in love. When did you two even break up?" she asked as she sat beside me. I looked at her before looking down at the little boy clinging to me as he played with my rings. I eyed the wedding ring that I had not yet removed from my finger. It should be a meaningless piece of jewelry, but my heart aches whenever I see it.

Our marriage was all on paper, but my feelings for the man who put this ring on my finger have always been real, even when I didn't want to believe it. This lie that I have been carrying has been eating away at me since the day I told my family I was married, and I'm sick of the guilt. I'm sick of feeling the heartbreak of this separation when this is exactly what I signed up for.

"Five years ago, when he abandoned me at the airport because his dad didn't want us together," I began. I've never told them that Billy and I broke up because he left me at the airport after uprooting my life for him. I was embarrassed and heartbroken. Thankfully, Leo never asked me when I returned to school.

"What are you talking about?" Leo asked. Miles climbed down from my lap and grabbed a toy from his toy chest.

"I was nearly bankrupt a year ago and about to lose my house. Billy needed a wife to get his CFO position. He offered me 18 million dollars and he saved my house if I married him. This separation is just a part of our agreement,"

"Why did you lie to us?!" Leo shouted at me. Miles immediately looked up with wide eyes.

"Don't yell, Daddy," the little boy said as he looked at me. I smiled to reassure him.

"I'm sorry, Miles. I'm sorry," Leo said as he kissed Miles' forehead.

"I didn't necessarily lie. We are married,"

"Auri, you know what he means. Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"I'm not supposed to. It's in my contract, but I'm tired of hiding this,"

"I don't understand why you hid this and how you were nearly bankrupt," Leo said. I grimaced before standing from the couch and headed to the locked drawer in the corner. I pulled out my bank statements and grabbed the ones before Billy gave me the first part of my settlement. I handed the statement to Leo and watched as they looked over it.

"Jesus, Auri. You spent nearly 60,000 at Coach alone. Who is Lisa Monroe, and why have you sent her monthly payments? You've sent her nearly a million. Who is she?" Leo asked as he studied the statement. I sat down across from them and took a deep breath.

"Lisa Monroe is our mother,"