Chapter 2

It's pouring outside.

I go back to the penthouse to pack.

There's not much to take, really.

I don't touch a single thing that belongs to Ethan.

I grab my parents' photo and my Ragdoll cat, Snowball—the one I've had for five years.

Snowball seems to sense my mood. She licks my fingers, soft and gentle.

The lock beeps.

Ethan walks in, dripping wet.

He sees the suitcase by the door. His brow creases.

"You're really leaving?"

"Stella, I told you to move back to the estate. What's all this?"

I stuff the last coat into the suitcase and zip it shut.

"The papers are signed. Why would I go back to your family's house?"

"Save your energy, Mr. Ashford. Go take care of your twins."

Ethan strides over and slams his hand down on my suitcase.

"Are you done with this?"

"I told you—the divorce is just a formality. You really want to make this a thing?"

"You're a woman alone. Without me, without the Ashfords—where exactly are you gonna go?"

His eyes are full of certainty.

He truly believes I can't survive on my own.

I shove his hand off.

"Where I go is none of your business anymore."

Ethan's face darkens.

He's about to blow up when Vanessa's call comes in.

Soft sobbing bleeds through the speaker.

"Ethan, I'm scared without you…"

"There's thunder outside. I'm cramping so bad—is something wrong with the baby?"

Ethan's expression shifts to panic.

"Don't be scared, Vanessa. I'm on my way."

He hangs up and shoots me one cold look.

"Stella, you'd better pray nothing happens to Vanessa's babies."

"Because if it does—I will never let you go."

Then he turns and rushes out into the storm.

I watch his frantic back disappear. All I feel is disgust.

When I was bleeding out on the operating table, losing our baby—where was he?

He was helping his first mistress pick a venue for her baby's one-month celebration.

I close my eyes. I press that memory back down where it belongs.

I grab my suitcase, scoop up Snowball, and walk out of this apartment for good.

The next morning, I'm at the courthouse right on time.

By the end of the day, Ethan still hasn't shown.

His phone goes straight to voicemail.

It's not until I leave that one of his boys calls.

"Stella, do you have any conscience at all?"

"Vanessa had contractions last night. Ethan was at the hospital with her all night—and you're sitting at the courthouse trying to force a divorce?"

"What, you won't be happy until you've killed his baby?"

My voice doesn't waver. Not even a little.

"If he's busy, we'll reschedule."

"Tell him to have the breach penalty ready."

I hang up and head straight to the firm.

The second I walk through the door, something feels off.

Lily rushes over, nearly in tears.

"Stella, it's bad!"

"Ashford Group's legal department just emailed. They've unilaterally terminated every single contract with us."

"And they're telling everyone—anyone who gives us a case is making an enemy of the Ashfords."

I stop dead. My eyes go cold.

Ethan is trying to bring me to my knees.

He thinks if he cuts off my income, I'll come crawling back.

I open my laptop. My inbox is packed with termination emails—every client I worked so hard to sign.

My phone buzzes. A text from Ethan.

[Apologize to Vanessa. Promise to behave and stay in your lane as Mrs. Ashford, and I'll restore the contracts.]

[Stella, don't test my patience.]

I stare at the screen and laugh out loud.

Always the same. Acting like he's doing me some grand favor.

I don't reply. I block his number and dial someone else.