Aria's pov
The divorce papers lay scattered across the floor like broken glass.
Ethan's signature was written boldly on the document.
I sat there against the door, knees pulled to my chest, robe slipping off one shoulder as the feeling of the cold tile seeped into my bones.
How did it come to this? One night ago I was screaming in a hotel lobby about my stolen company,but now I was officially single, officially nothing.
The word "divorced" kept resonating in my head like a bad echo, each repetition heavier than the last.
Tears came again,sliding down my cheeks until they dripped onto the papers.
I couldn't breathe properly ,my chest felt tight, like someone had wrapped a chain around my ribs and pulled.
My phone was still in my hand from the social media nightmare earlier, fingers numb, I swiped to contacts and hit the one name that always felt like safety,Andre.
He picked up on the second ring. "Aria? Babe, what's wrong? Your voice-"
"I'm getting divorced Andre," I whispered, the words tasting like ash. "Ethan just sent the papers,like I'm a business transaction he's closing out."
A sharp inhale on his end,"What? That bastard,where are you? I'm already on my way and don't do anything stupid."
The call ended, but his words lingered. He was coming,I knew I could count on him even before calling.
But as the silence settled back in, reality struck me like the wind.
My rent was due in three days and the landlord had already sent two reminders, the third would most likely come with an eviction notice.
I had maybe 500 pounds left in my account after last month's bills.
To make things worse,the family house dad left me,my last piece of inheritance,was mortgaged it two years ago to fund the initial DreamForge startup.
Ethan had convinced me it was "smart investing." The loan was supposed to be repaid with game revenue. Now the bank would foreclose if I missed another payment.
But it didn't end there though money was not enough,we had to go to loan sharks.
The ones Ethan had quietly introduced me to when "investors fell through."
High-interest, no questions asked cash. I just get a quick one million pounds to cover server costs and marketing.
The first installment was due today and I hadn't paid a dime.
My stomach twisted. I scrolled through my banking app,overdraft alerts, frozen transactions, red numbers everywhere.
It was at this moment that the full picture hit me, I was drowning, deeply and irreversibly.
Andre arrived twenty minutes later, banging on the door like he was ready to break it down himself. I opened it, and he pulled me into a fierce hug before I could speak.
He was dressed sharp as always,tailored blazer, slim jeans, gold chain glinting but his eyes were worried. "Sit,now."
I collapsed onto the couch. He sat beside me, taking my hands. "Tell me everything from the beginning. No holding back."
So I did , starting from the launch betrayal,walking in on him and Mia,the blame-shifting down to the public humiliation and social media storm.
I left the divorce papers for last,and how its delivery at my door felt like a delivery from hell.
Andre's face darkened with every word. When I finished, he exhaled slowly. "You idiot."
I blinked. "What?"
"You should have called me months ago,years ago." He squeezed my hands hard. "Why did you trust that snake completely? No contracts in your name? No prenup? No equity stake documented? You built the damn game, Aria and you let him register everything under his name and then mortgaged your dad's house for him? Jesus."
Tears pricked again. "I thought we were partners,I believed he loved me."
"He loved your brain and your money," Andre said bluntly. "And now he's left you holding the bag." He stood, pacing the small living room.
"Okay,let's think legal. We can file for intellectual property theft, maybe try to prove that the code and ideas originated with you. There are some original drafts with you right?
"No,he had every copy"I whispered
"Fuck Aria,how could you be so naive? Do you know what this means?It means you have lost Aria,there is nothing we can do at this point"
"But the money," I whispered. "I need cash now. The loan sharks"
He stopped pacing. "Loan sharks?How much are we talking about Aria?"
"One million pounds and it's due today."
Andre swore under his breath."That's bad Aria, those guys don't play no joke with their money.We need to get you protection, maybe a restraining order, but first we buy time,I can negotiate an extension if we..."
A loud, violent banging shook the front door.
We both froze.
The banging turned to pounding,then a kick.
"Open the door, Aria Thorne!" A deep, rough voice. "We know you're in there. Time's up baby!"
Andre stepped in front of me, eyes wide. "Stay back."
The door rattled again,harder this time,wood splintered around the lock.
I scrambled to my feet, heart slamming. "Andre"
The door burst open with a crack. Two men shoved inside,the first was tall, muscled, face scarred, wearing a black leather jacket while the second hung back, arms crossed, smirking.
The leader's eyes locked on me. "You thought you could hide? Your husband said you'd pay,he promised. Now he's gone,but we don't care ,the debt is in your name and it's time to pay up"
I backed up until my legs hit the couch. "I don't have it.Not today please"
He stepped closer, towering,his voice dropped low, dangerous. "We don't do 'please.' You have until midnight tomorrow, bring the money, or we start collecting in other ways,your pretty face,your friend here and that family house your daddy left? We'll take it all. Piece by piece."
Andre moved forward. "You're trespassing. This is assault. I'm a lawyer,I'll have you arrested"
The man laughed. "Lawyer? Cute." He pulled a knife from his jacket, twirling it casually,the blade caught the light. "Tell your lawyer friend to shut up before he gets hurt,we don't care about papers,get us our money and we'll leave you alone."
He leaned in close, breath hot on my face. "Midnight tomorrow, Aria. Don't make us come back twice."