Chapter 152: Confrontation

The next day, Rauf woke up early and drove to the Vassari mansion. He hadn’t bothered informing anyone that he was coming, but he wasn’t ready to let the divorce drag on any longer.

As soon as the security guards saw him, they opened the gate without asking for his purpose.

Rauf drove into the parking area and headed straight towards the direction he remembered Amie’s room was.

Most of the maids he encountered along the way avoided him.

Without wasting time, Rauf banged on the door.

He had deliberately come early so he could meet Amie at home. There was no way she could have gone out so early in the morning.

He knocked again when there was no response, but the door suddenly opened.

"Rauf!" Amie’s eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She quickly pulled at the hem of her short top.

Rauf’s gaze moved swiftly over her body. She wore a bra top and a tiny pair of shorts that barely passed for underwear.

But Rauf didn’t care about her appearance. His gaze moved to her face and remained fixed on it.

For some reason, Amie looked different to him.

Perhaps it was because he was seeing her without her usual heavy makeup. Or maybe she had always looked this way, and he simply hadn’t known it when he was blind.

"You can come in," she urged, opening the door wider.

Rauf glanced behind him and shook his head.

He knew how desperate Amie could be, and with the divorce hanging over them, he wasn’t ready to risk anything with her.

"Can we talk in one of the living rooms?"

Amie looked at him as though she were offended by the suggestion that he wouldn’t enter her room.

Finally, she sighed. "Okay."

Without bothering to change into something more decent, she walked out of her room and followed him.

Amie led the way to one of the more private living rooms in the mansion.

There were no maids around, and it was just the right place for the conversation Rauf wanted to have.

He pulled out the file he had brought.

"Sign it."

Amie stared at it.

She didn’t need to look through the documents to know what they contained. She had an exact copy of the file in her room.

Instead, she folded her arms across her chest.

"Is this why you came here?"

Rauf didn’t respond.

Amie scoffed. "And here I thought you were finally coming to your senses. Have you forgotten, Rauf?"

She moved closer to him.

"You used to worship the ground I walked on. You loved me."

Now, she was standing right in front of him, barely a few inches away.

"Do I have to show you?"

She tried to press her lips against his, but Rauf gently pushed her away.

She staggered backwards and frowned at him.

"I don’t want to kiss you either. I only thought it would stop you from asking me to sign the divorce papers."

Rauf glared at her.

"I’m glad you just admitted to having no feelings for me. Then you shouldn’t have a problem signing these papers. Although I know you weren’t the woman beside me when I got married, having your name on my marriage certificate is a nightmare I wish to end."

Amie could feel her blood boiling.

Without thinking, she burst out, "I also want to end this sham, but I can’t."

"Is it because your father asked you not to? Don’t worry about that. I can deal with Samir for you."

But Amie shook her head.

"It’s not about my father. There’s something bigger attached to it."

She didn’t mention the inheritance, but Rauf knew that was what she was referring to.

"Maybe you can tell me what it is. I can help you, for old times’ sake," he said.

For a few seconds, the expression on Amie’s face relaxed, but it immediately became guarded again, as though Rauf had imagined the brief change.

"It’s nothing. It’s nothing you can help me with. The only favour you could do for me is tell my mother that you’re my husband. I promise you that I only need six months. After that, I’ll willingly sign the divorce papers and give you everything else you want."

So, she needed six months to inherit everything that belonged to June.

"I can’t agree to that, Amie. Six months is a long time for me."

Desperately, she moved closer to him again.

"How about three months? I should be done with whatever I want by then. If you can just tell Mother you’re my husband for three months and cast that June aside, I’ll sign the papers afterwards."

Rauf didn’t even need to think about it.

"I can’t. I need you to sign the papers now."

Amie moved backwards.

"Then I’m not signing without a fight. Regardless of what you say, my name is on the certificate. I deserve something as your wife. I won’t leave empty-handed."

"So, this is all about money?" Rauf baited.

What he really wanted was for her to mention the inheritance. Then he could pretend to be understanding.

"You won’t understand, Rauf. You have money and will never know what it means to live without it." She shook her head aggressively. "I’m not going to live like that. I don’t care what I have to do."

Rauf stared at her as though he were seeing her for the first time.

At least, the woman he had once imagined her to be wasn’t as desperate as the one standing before him.

"So, you intend to fight me for my properties?"

"If that’s the only way, yes."

Rauf chuckled.

"Do you have what it takes to fight me? Or are you willing to depend on the Vassari name?"

Amie nodded.

"I’m aiming to use my influence as a Vassari. And if that’s not enough, there’s always another way."

Her eyes shone with renewed hope.

The memory of seeing Amie with Dante flashed through Rauf’s mind.

"What other way?"

Amie shrugged.

"There’s no way I’m going to lay my cards on the table for you. Just know that I’m not signing without a fight."