Divorce

Rome parted ways with Winter that morning after giving her a solution that he thinks might save them both.

Although not very convinced, Winter accepted when Rome said he was going to see to it and make sure he and his lawyer cancel out the certificate by filing for a divorce and that would be the end of it.

One of the maids brought the last set of food from the kitchen and set it on the table in front of Rome and his father, Mr Xander.

Immediately Rome left Las Vegas and returned to his father's mansion, he told him he would like to have a feast-like dinner with him to celebrate his arrival. Rome, however, knew his father was only doing that so he could ask him for the details of his proposal to Gloria.

"Thank you," Mr Xander said to the maid who bowed her head in respect in return, before leaving the son and father alone in the dining room.

"Let's eat," he then said to Rome, who simply nodded.

Midway into the food, Mr Xander broke the silence between them. "So, how did your proposal go?"

Rome almost choked on his food. Though he was expecting the question, it still came a little unexpected for him. He quickly took the cup of water in front of him and drank a little from it before dropping it back on the table.

"I hope it went well?" Mr Xander added, ignoring the fact that his son just choked on his food.

"About that, it didn't go quite well. It didn't go as planned," he said.

His father paused to stare at him hard, expecting him to explain what he meant by what he had just said. Seeing that he wouldn't say anything else, he dropped the spoon in his hand on his plate. "Come again, Rome."

Rome sighed before replying. "She didn't accept my proposal."

"I expect you to tell me why without even asking." His father replied with a stern voice.

"She claimed to love someone else." Rome blurted out, making his father scoff.

"Your girlfriend loves someone who isn't you?"

"Ex-girlfriend, father."

Mr Xander chuckled lightly, unable to believe what he just heard his son say. "Are you even hearing yourself? Do you know the weight of what you have just said?"

"Father, I know how important getting married is to you, but I can't force—"

"I didn't tell you to force anyone!" His father raised his voice at him a little.

"I mean, if I were to do this my way, I would have made one of my rich friends give me their daughter and set you two up. Do you even know how many of them have offered me that opportunity and I disagreed?"

Rome let out a sigh before lowering his gaze as his father continued to scold him at the top of his voice. He knew his father to be that way, and whenever he was like that, it was best not to interrupt, but to let him vent his anger.

"All because you claimed to have some woman that you truly love! Now it is time to propose and get married and this is what you get?" His father scoffed. "You and the girl must be a joker."

"Father," Rome called. He was beginning to get pissed with the way his father spoke to him. "This isn't my fault either. I had no idea she was going to say no."

"And now that she has, what's your plan? You know quite well that without getting married you cannot gain your inheritance. You have to marry quickly so that you can claim your grandfather's shares!" Mr Xander explained to him as if he had not done that before.

He has sung it like a song to his ears for a long time now, that it wasn't a new thing to Rome anymore.

"I know, dad."

"Then find something to do about it. And make it fast." Mr Xander added the last sentence a bit more silently than the first. He then stood up from his table.

"Enjoy the rest of your meal," he said to his son and walked out of the dining room, leaving Rome behind.

Rome sighed as he watched his father's retreating figure. He has also lost his appetite, so he stood up right after his father was out of sight and also headed to his room.

On getting to his room, Rome paced around in anger. The discussion he had with his father annoyed him so much, but he did not know what to vent his anger on.

The thought of Gloria leaving him crossed his mind again, and he got even more pissed. He clenched his teeth and made his hand into a fist as if he was about to hit someone with it.

"Damn!" He yelled in frustration as he hit his fluffy bed. He was about to hit it the second time when he heard his phone ring. He rolled his eyes before standing up and he headed to the table where he placed the phone.

Checking the caller ID, it was a very close friend of his, Khalid, immediately, he picked up the call. "Yo, man."

"My guy, how're you doing?"

"Trying to be sane, man, this shit is all fucked up." He said to Khalid over the phone, then sighed right after.

When Gloria refused his proposal, he called Khalid on his way to the bar to express his pain and frustration to him.

Right after he left the hotel room and parted ways with Winter too, he called Khalid and told him about the marriage certificate. So, Khalid knew exactly everything that was going on.

"Have you talked to your old man yet?" Khalid asked.

"Yeah. He badly wants me to get married. He was a bit pissed to know that Gloria said no to me."

"So, what did you tell him?"

"What else, Khalid?" Rome scoffed. "I mean, the one time I tried to be committed to someone, she left for someone else! Dude, I can only get married when I love someone again, and if you ask me, I am not ready for that anymore. I've lost all my hope and I don't even want to try again."

"Hmmm," Khalid simply replied. "What did your father say when you told him all that?"

"What else would he say? Of course, he reminded me of how I have to be a married man before I can claim my part of my grandfather's shares!" Rome replied and sighed.

"It's all so shitty, man. I have no idea what to do next." There was a pause for a few seconds, and Rome thought Khalid was no more on the phone. "Dude, are you still there?"

"Yes."

"So, why didn't you reply to me?"

"Because I might have a solution," Khalid said. "I was thinking about whether or not to tell you about it."

"What the…" Rome scoffed. "Tell me every fucking thing! I'd do anything to get this over with, man."

"Do you want to get your inheritance?"

"What sort of question is that? Of course, I want to. You know I do."

"Good. Then don't go ahead with the divorce." Khalid blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Rome asked, trying to figure out what his friend had just said.

"Why don't you cancel the divorce and use your marriage with this random girl to get your inheritance?"

Rome nodded his head as he reasoned what Khalid had just said. "Then after I get my inheritance, I'd file our divorce."

"You're getting me, man."

Rome sighed as his mind went to how dramatic the lady was in the hotel room. "But what about the lady? This plan of ours, will she accept it?"

"It's left to you to convince her," Khalid replied and hung up, leaving Rome there thinking about whether or not to follow his advice.