OLIVER

"Dr. Blake," a nurse called, her smile very bright and flirtatious ignoring the silver ring on my left ring finger.

Me, being thirty-seven years old, married to a beautiful woman who had my 16-year-old daughter.

And yet, the young nurses still forget or ignore that I'm happily married to my wife and my age.

I don't want to brag about how I look but I look pretty fit for my age and young.

Considering I'm going to be in my forties soon, nurses in their early twenties still hit on me ignoring the fact of the silver ring on my finger.

"Yes, Miss Collins?" I answered pushing my glasses up a bit.

My vision declined as I have gotten older and most nurses and patients would say that it adds to the hot doctor act.

Except it's not an act but a real thing.

"I was wondering...Um if you would like to go out for lunch this evening?" She questioned fiddling with her fingers.

"Oh, I'm married," Raising my left hand to show her the ring, she only shuffled a bit before biting her bottom lip.

"I mean, it doesn't mean the offer is off the table," she muttered out.

A wave of disgust yet humor came over me as I tilted my head at her in confusion.

Miss Collins is a beautiful woman don't get me wrong, any man would be tempted by her yet I don't find her attractive and I'm married.

So of course, I'll still have to decline.

"I'm good," I huffed before checking my watch.

I'm going to be late.

Shit.

"I have to go," I interrupted her before she had a chance to push further.

Clocking out of the hospital, I quickly walked over to the employee's parking area before finding my Porsche.

"Ahh," I exhaled opening the driver's door before throwing my briefcase in the back.

Once I was in my car, I checked the rear-view mirror before pushing start and taking off to where I had to go.

_________

A large crowd of teenagers filled the parking lot while my eyes skimmed through the hoard of them searching for my peanut.

Ah, there she was.

I smiled watching my 16- year old daughter make her way over to my car before getting in.

"Peanut!" I smiled, Emily rolled her eyes at me as she scoffs in annoyance although I could see the corners of her lips lift a bit.

"Ew, Dad, I hate when you call me that I'm not 7 anymore," she grossed making me smile even wider.

Emily was the only reason my life hasn't felt meaningless.

Putting my car in drive before taking off towards our home, I grinned as I questioned my daughter about her day.

"Anna invited me over to a sleepover," she began staring down at her nails which were painted black.

Her favorite color.

"Can I go?" My face grimace a bit as I thought about it. I don't see the harm of letting her go but Amelia.

"You'd have to ask your mother, dear" I started, hearing a groan in response.

"Mom, never lets me go! She would rather I go with her to her boring business brunch," I frowned understanding, Emily's point.

Amelia was all about making our daughter go to business meetings with her, teaching her how to be a lady, and setting her up with her rich friend's sons.

Although I didn't support it, my wife always found a way to have things her way.

She once said I was a bad influence on our daughter because I bought Emily the clothes she wanted. Which was dark and black the very opposite of what Amelia bought her.

Our daughter, Emily was much of an what the younglings called "e-girl", or would you would say a little emo.

Which I figure is a phase of teenage chronicles although it wouldn't matter if she stayed this way for the rest of her life.

I'll always love her, she's my daughter.

Amelia, on the other hand, despises this emo/ goth phase of our daughter but she has to deal with it.

Because I wasn't going to let her force our daughter to be who she wanted her to be.

"Dad, can you ask her for me?" she questions as I pulled into the driveway of our home.

I tapped the steering wheel daunting on the thought before nodding my head.

"Sure, but I can't promise you a yes," Emily smiled as she launched herself at me.

"Thank you, Dad, I love you" she breathed. Saying I love you back we then both started to make our way into the house.

"Yes, I'm going to need my lawyer," Amelia stated as I and Emily entered the house.

Amelia then hurriedly muttered something into the phone before hanging up.

I wonder what she was talking about.

"Hey, Honey," I greeted ignoring the thrill of disdain from the pet name I called her.

"Hey," she smiled tightly, then grabbed the orange envelope file off the counter.

"Here, this is for you," she states causing a brow of mine to lift in confusion.

"What's this?" I asked quickly opening it, revealing the file inside.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT.

"Amelia, what is this?" I question, my voice low and stern. My wife only gulped before folding her arms nervously.

"Divorce papers, Oliver," she spat. Hearing a small gasp coming from behind us we both stilled before turning our gaze to Em.

"Go to your room, Peanut," I smiled. Emily quickly nodded before running upstairs to her room.

"Are you sure?" immediately I got onto it making an Amelia huff.

"Yes," she declared.

Divorce.

I thought about it more as I nodded my head in the process.

Okay, fine if she wants it then I'll give her it.

It's not like I care anyway.

Although I should.

Amelia is my wife and I should care, be hurt that she wants to divorce me yet I feel like a heavyweight was lifted off my shoulders.

But then again our marriage was an arranged one.

"Okay, fine," I agreed. Amelia's eyes widen at the fact as her face began to scowl.

"Thatʼs it?!" she shouted making me ponder.

"Youʼre not going to ask why I'm divorcing you? Or going to beg me to stay?" she rambled on, poking her middle finger on my chest.

"You want a divorce, Amelia, so I'm going to give you it," I huffed.

"This is exactly why I'm divorcing you, Oliver! You never say anything to me or show me you care unless it involves, Em!" She began.

"When our parent's arranged for us to get married when we were young you were nice, kind, caring! Everything that made me fall in love with you!"

"But once I had Emily, everything was different it was like you changed," her eyes began tearing up as they stared at me.

"You didn't look at me the same, you didn't touch me unless I initiated it!"

"Weren't we doing what our parents wanted us to do?" I asked making her shout at me.

"So you don't love me?" she queried.

Yes, of course, as the mother of my daughter.

"I do love you," I replied making her shake her head.

"I meant, are you in love with me?" she asked me again this time I knew what she was insinuating.

And the answer was clear to me no.

Being born into a family of wealth, I've learned to come at peace with that your life is never yours.

My father had planned out my life before I was even out of my mother's womb.

He arranged this marriage with Amelia although I didn't agree with it. But It didn't matter since it was all about what he wanted.

So I went through with the marriage, I treated Amelia like she was my world although she wasn't.

Amelia herself knew that we are just pawns of our parents she said so herself on our honeymoon.

I guess she got carried away in our facade performance of our happy married life.

"No," I answered. A faint smile tainted her lips as she then leans in trying to kiss me but I immediately backed away.

What's going on with her today?

"You know I cheated on you, with Barry, our lawyer" she stated.

I should be shocked but I only nodded my head remembering the times I saw his name flash across her cell phone screen.

"Okay," I watched as Amelia frowned at my reaction before she began wiping her tears.

"I don't care if you take the house or if you take half off my possessions I just want joint custody over, Emily" I instructed.

Amelia only stares at me before she nods her head in agreement.

"Of course," she scowls.

_______