Page 38 of Gyft

“What?”

The messenger snaps to attention with a royal decree. “The divorce you requested has been finalized. As of this moment, You are hereby single.”

Chapter Sixteen

ONE MONTH LATER:

YVETTE AND I stare wide-eyed at each other as rapid pounding sounds like thunder against the front door of the cottage that was supposed to be mine and Gyft’s honeymoon home—a retreat from castle life. A getaway and a return to the city where we fell in love.

Instead, after storming in a fit of tears to Yvette’s room in the castle, we only allowed limited communication with Minniel. Oh, I didn’t want to see Gyft’s friend, coworker, whatever, but I suspect Yvette wanted to see him.

I didn’t miss the way her cheeks turned pink at the mention of him. Or the way she sometimes stared longingly outside when the males trained on the grounds below our balcony.

Through her, I had one message for Minniel. If Gyft and I were divorced and I had nowhere to go—not even a planet, apparently—I wanted the cottage.

It was handed over without question.

Minniel handled all of the travel arrangements. I’d refused to talk to Gyft, in fact, he had no idea where we lived. I still remember walking into that office building to find him and Minniel pouring over images of our shuttle fluttering around in lighted holograms.

“Well, they’re not as dumb as they look.”

I’ll never forget those words. His words. He meant us, all of us from Earth. Me included.

Minniel promised he wouldn’t even tell him the cottage was put into my name, though he couldn’t promise that Gyft would never show up, or try to put it up for sale and find out it was mine. We’ve never had a single visitor—why would we? Groceries were delivered. Rian, the male I met who booked engagements for the mall, handled our communications through email.

But here was a pounding at the front door that I’d been dreading. My heart knew who it was... I felt who was on the other end.

“Olivia!”

The deep, guttural cry comes right from the other side of the wood. Against my better judgement, I rise from the sofa and head closer to the door to yell out.

“Go away.”

“No. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

I slide open the small voicebox. A screen covers the two-inch square so you can’t look through, but sound travels in. His voice sounds close, so close. I could have him in my arms in two seconds flat, but that will never happen. If I’m so weak that I want a male who blatantly used me for our planet’s technology, I’ll make sure to keep the thick wooden barrier between us. I lean my forehead against the cool wood to speak.

“Why? I’m just another citizen of this planet, right? One without a choice because I can never go back.”

“I’m—”

“Get out.” I don’t have to speak loudly, he can hear me just fine.

“I’ll never leave you, my bride.”

“Too late, Gyft. I. Left. You.”

“You can’t—”

“Really? You dissolved our marriage, remember? Last I heard, we were divorced.”

“We are.” His voice is dripping with pain, so much I can feel it from the other side of the thick wood. All at once, it seems like we’re in the same room, like my heart, my soul, reaches for him. Like we’re bothinstinctively butted up to the same spot despite the barrier between us. “But I don’t want to be. At the time, before I even met you, I applied. Once I met you, I forgot that was in process. I thought you’d be my wife forever.”

“You did this,” I say softly. “I didn’t even get a choice. You broke us before we had a chance.”

“I’m sorry. My love, I’m so sorry. If I could undo it, I would.”

“Open the door,” Yvette whispers from the windows she’s peering out of. “You’re miserable too. Just talk to him.”

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