All Chapters of Wasted Tears: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The atmosphere in the Eternity Grand hotel Presidential Suite was heavy with a sudden, sharp clarity. As Preston stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, the city lights blurred into a cold reminder of the mess he had created.When Vivica’s name flashed on his screen, he didn't feel the usual rush of excitement; instead, he felt a crushing sense of suffocation.When Vivica realized that she had let her mask slip and exposed her shallow fears, she immediately shifted into damage-control mode. Her voice, once sharp and panicked, dissolved into a soft pleading tone, “Honey, you completely misunderstood me.I was just terrified for us, my love. The thought of seeing you stripped of the status you worked so hard for broke my heart for a second.I don't care about the money for myself, but I want you to have the world. I can’t bear the thought of those company shares going to your half-brother, Elias.Darling, don't be angry with me for being a frightened girl for one minute. Please believe me,

President James shifted uncomfortably, refusing to meet his friend’s eyes as he muttered, “I didn’t tell you about my marriage to Brooklyn because she is nothing but Vivica’s substitute.It was supposed to be a strategic move. I needed a wife in name only to lock down the company shares, and Brooklyn seemed like the ideal choice. At least, that is what I believed at the time.I chose her because she is an orphan. She has no one to protect her, and no one to ask questions. I thought I could discard her easily once Vivica turned twenty-one. I never imagined an orphan with no backing would have the audacity to strike first.”Lawyer Bolt stared at him, horrified by the sheer coldness of the calculation, and said, “If the judge finds out you used an orphan as a human shield for your inheritance, he won't just grant a divorce; he will ruin you for malice and exploitation.Preston, you don't need a better lawyer right now, but you need to be a better husband. It is clear that your wife is hur

Hiram smiled and replied, “Leave everything to me, brother. I will make it very clear to my sister that if she even thinks about going back to that divorced lover of hers, I will cut off her finances entirely.Let’s see how long her stubbornness takes her when she is penniless.” Patrice thanked his brother, then they hung up.By threatening Vivica’s lifestyle, Hiram was hitting his sister where it hurt the most. He knew that without the Cartwright family’s wealth, she couldn't maintain the elite image she was so desperate to protect.Hiram leaned back in the plush chair, and he said, his voice low but sharp with a triumph he couldn't quite mask, “I have good news, Jason. Miss Brooklyn has served Preston with divorce papers.”Jason froze, his fork halfway to his mouth, and he replied, a smirk tugging at his lips, “That’s my girl. Who is representing her, Hiram?"Hiram took a slow sip of his drink, and he said, “My brother’s Law Firm is handling the case, Jason.”Jason settled into his c

Dr Langa's expression softened, his strict professionalism melting away into that of a protective father figure, and he said, “I know that moving into that man's mansion is going to test every ounce of your emotional endurance.Look at it clinically, Brooklyn. Since you don't love him anymore, he is just a patient you are monitoring. Think of it as a long-term observation.Why don't you move to his mansion and wait for the divorce? You said it yourself that Mr James is waiting for his heiress to turn twenty-one. You cannot let him ruin the bright future you have built here, Brooklyn.Why don’t you take an hour to clear your head, Brooklyn? Afterwards, please re-examine these notes, and let's get ready for the afternoon bypass surgery. Show me the genius I know you are.”As a revered Cardiologist, Brooklyn possessed exceptionally steady hands that were unmatched in the operating room.Her reputation for absolute precision under pressure made her the pride of the department and a trusted

In the meantime, at the Cartwright family residence, Vivica was sitting on her bed with her eyes glued to her phone as she desperately waited for Preston’s call.Ever since the devastating moment he told her that loving her was his greatest regret, she had been plagued by severe insomnia.She had bombarded him with text messages and voice notes, all to no avail, and the intense distress had even caused her to lose weight.At that moment, her phone finally started ringing, and she eagerly answered, “Hello, my love. I thought you were still angry with me.”Ziva was taken aback and replied, “Viv, it's me. What happened between you and my brother?”Embarrassed and angry at her own vulnerability, Vivica quickly masked her desperation and replied sharply, “Nothing happened, Ziva. It was just a misunderstanding. Why are you calling me this late anyway?”Ziva squeezed her phone tightly, pacing her bedroom floor, and she replied, “Grandfather just had the butler move that cheap substitute into