The President's Secret Daughter - Chapter #4 - by Passion Master

"Why is the salt too much, Zorina?"

The shrill voice pierced through her thoughts as she placed the last dish on the long table, the sweet aroma of her freshly brewed coffee wafting past her nostrils.

It was Kaela, her husband's younger sister, glaring at her plate as if it held poison. She dropped her fork with an exaggerated clatter. "Do you want to kill us all with this salt?"

Zorina’s jaw tightened. Normally, she would have brushed it off with a forced smile or a polite apology. But not today. Not after everything.

“What do you mean by that?” Zorina snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. “If you have a problem, maybe you should start going to the kitchen yourself and cooking your meals.”

Kaela’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me?” she spat, standing from her chair. “You dare to speak to me like that? You, who should be in the kitchen to begin with? You’re nothing more than—”

Zorina let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head as she set down the pitcher of juice in her hand. “You think I should be in the kitchen?” she said, her voice trembling with anger. “Do you even realize how much I’ve done for this family? How much I’ve sacrificed? You wouldn’t last a day in my shoes.”

Kaela’s face turned red with fury. “Sacrificed? Don’t make me laugh. You’ve done nothing but live off my brother’s wealth. You should be grateful we even let you stay here.”

Zorina’s breath hitched. Her nails dug into her palms as she fought to hold back the words threatening to spill out. Before she could respond, her mother-in-law entered the dining room, her face twisted in irritation.

“What’s going on here?” Lady Veridan demanded, her eyes narrowing at Zorina. “Why are you arguing with Kaela?”

“Ask your daughter,” Zorina said coldly, meeting her mother-in-law’s gaze.

Lady Veridan’s lips curled into a sneer. “This is exactly the problem with you. Always so arrogant, always so... difficult. I’ve told Kael from the start that you weren’t suited for this family.”

Zorina’s control snapped. “Arrogant? Difficult?” she repeated, her voice rising. “Is that what you call standing up for myself after being treated like a servant in my own home?”

“Servant?” Lady Veridan scoffed. “Don’t be dramatic, Zorina. You’re just bitter because of the governor’s daughter. You’re jealous, and it’s showing.”

The words hit Zorina like a slap. She turned sharply to face the older woman, her eyes blazing. “Jealous?” she hissed. “Do you think this is about jealousy? Your son made a mockery of me in front of the entire world last night. He announced his engagement to another woman without so much as a word to me. And now you dare to blame me?”

Lady Veridan opened her mouth to retort, but Zorina didn’t let her.

“No,” Zorina continued, her voice trembling with fury. “This isn’t about jealousy. This is about respect. Something I’ve never received from anyone in this family, despite everything I’ve done.”

At that moment, the door to the dining room opened, and Kael walked in, his jacket slung over his shoulder. He looked tired, but there was a smugness in his step that made Zorina’s blood boil.

He had been gone all night, probably with Liora, and Zorina hadn’t even cared. She had slept on the couch in her sitting room, too disgusted by the thought of sleeping on the bed she had always shared with him.

“Good morning,” Kael said casually, as if the tension in the room didn’t exist. He glanced around, his eyes finally landing on Zorina. “Is breakfast ready?”

Zorina laughed, a bitter, humorless sound that drew everyone’s attention. “Breakfast? Really, Kael? That’s what you care about right now?”

Kael frowned, clearly confused. “What are you talking about?”

She took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she faced him. This was it. She couldn’t do this anymore. “You know what? I’m done,” she said, her voice clear and resolute.

“Done with what?” Kael asked, his tone impatient.

Zorina turned, her gaze sweeping across the room, taking in the shocked faces of her in-laws. “I’m done playing the obedient wife turned slave to all of you,” she said, her voice growing louder with each word.

Then she turned to Kael, her eyes burning with unshed tears. “And you,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “I want a divorce.”

The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a storm about to break.

Kaela gasped audibly, her hand flying to her mouth. Lady Veridan looked as though she had been slapped. And Kael... Kael simply stared at her, his face pale with shock.

Lady Veridan was the first to shatter the silence. “You want a divorce, Zorina? Really? Do you even realize the gravity of what you just said?”

Zorina stood her ground, her voice steady. “I don’t care. I want a divorce, and I’m not changing my mind.”

Kael snorted, leaning back in his chair with an air of indifference. “A divorce? Let’s be honest—this marriage was never a love match. I married you because Father pitied you and thought you deserved a family. Now I’m in love with Liora, and you’re upset about it?”

Zorina’s hand twitched at her side, her nails digging into her palm to stop herself from slapping him. “Upset? You think this is about jealousy?” she said, her voice trembling with barely contained anger.

Kael smirked. “Polygamy is legal here, isn’t it? Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”

Lady Veridan, seated across the room, chimed in with a venomous edge. “He’s right, Zorina. You know our customs. Why must you act so dramatic over a perfectly acceptable tradition?”

Kaela, Kael’s younger sister, added her own jab, her voice dripping with mockery. “Good riddance, honestly. But I’m going to miss having you in the kitchen. At least you saved the maids some work by cooking alongside them. Now they can finally listen to my instructions without you in the way.”

Zorina’s chest burned with a mix of humiliation and fury. She turned to Kael, her voice firm, her decision unwavering. “I’m divorcing you, Kael. And that is final.”

Kael raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life,” Zorina shot back. “I’m giving you a choice—me or her. You can’t have both.”

Kael’s laughter filled the room, sharp and derisive. “Pick you? Zorina, I would pick Liora over you a thousand times. You knew that the moment I announced our engagement.”

Zorina’s lips tightened into a thin line. She had expected him to say it, but hearing it aloud stung deeper than she had anticipated. She nodded slowly, as if confirming something to herself.

“Good,” she said, her tone colder than ice. “Then this is it. I’ll prepare the divorce agreement, and we’ll go to the courthouse this afternoon.”

Kael’s smirk faded, replaced with confusion and mild irritation. “This afternoon? Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t grant you a divorce right now. Not until I’m married to Liora. Getting divorced before a new marriage is a bad omen.”

Zorina’s eyes narrowed, her patience wearing dangerously thin. “I don’t care about your superstitions. If you refuse to give me what I want, I’ll have no choice but to visit the governor myself and tell him I’m divorcing you.”

Kael’s eyes widened and gasps filled the room. Even Lady Veridan looked genuinely alarmed, her calm facade cracking.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Kael hissed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Zorina’s gaze met his, unflinching. “Try me.”

Zorina stood tall before the grand gates of the governor’s mansion, her resolve as unshakable as the morning sun. “Tell the governor,” she said to the guards, her voice firm, “that Celestina Aldara is here to see him.”

The guards exchanged quick glances before bowing slightly. “Right away, Madam.”

Minutes later, the doors swung open, and Zorina was ushered into the luxurious living room. The governor stood as soon as she entered, his eyes widening in recognition.

“Celestina Aldara!” he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of surprise and reverence. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit? And how is the president?”

Zorina knelt gracefully, lowering her head. “I have come as a child to you, my Lord.”

The governor stepped forward, gesturing for her to rise. “Stand up, Celestina. This is no place for such formalities. Now tell me, what brings you here?”

Straightening, Zorina took a deep breath. “I am married to Kael Veridan,” she announced, her voice steady but piercing. “The same man your daughter is about to marry.”

The governor’s jaw dropped as he stumbled back a step. “You? Married to Kael?” His voice rose in disbelief. “Oh my God.”

Zorina’s expression remained calm, though her heart pounded fiercely.

The governor paced the room, running a hand through his hair. “This changes everything. I cannot allow Liora to enter such a union, not when you—the daughter of the president—are already married to him.”

“No,” Zorina interjected firmly, shaking her head. “That is not why I am here.”

The governor turned to her, confusion clouding his features. “Then what is it you seek?”

“A divorce,” Zorina stated, her tone unwavering. “I don’t care if Kael marries your daughter or someone else. All I want is my freedom. I need your support to ensure that divorce happens, even if it delays Kael’s marriage to Liora for a while.”

The governor hesitated, his brows furrowing. “A divorce before a new marriage is considered a bad omen,” he muttered.

Zorina’s lips twitched with impatience. “Governor, I have no interest in omens or traditions. I need my life back, and if delaying their marriage for a year or more is what it takes, then so be it.”

The governor nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Very well. If that is what you truly want, I will delay the marriage and ensure your divorce is finalized.”

Zorina’s shoulders relaxed slightly, though her voice remained firm. “It is what I want.”

He studied her intently. “You’re sure? This will not create enmity between us or harm my daughter’s future?”

Zorina gave a small, almost imperceptible smile. “You have my word, Governor. I hold no ill will toward you or your daughter. This is about me, not her.”

The governor took a deep breath, then spoke with solemn authority. “Then so be it. Celestina, I hereby grant you what you desire—a divorce.”

As the words left his lips, a gasp echoed from the doorway. Both Zorina and the governor turned to see Liora standing there, her face pale, her eyes wide with shock.

“You…” Liora’s voice trembled, barely above a whisper. “You’re her. The president’s daughter?”

The realization crashed over her like a tidal wave, leaving the room heavy with tension.