Once we settled Alexander onto the bed, Gai turned to me, eyes


    narrowing. “What’s wrong with your walk?”


    I nced down, brushing a hand over my leg. “Nothing serious. I


    just hit my knee earlier. I’ll take care of it in my room.”


    He nodded but didn’t look entirely convinced.


    As I was about to turn and leave, I paused in the doorway.


    “Actually …” I turned back. “About tomorrow. You go with him


    to the summit. I’ll head to the factory. It’s further out, and I’ll


    need more time if I’m going to inspect the system properly.“”


    Gai studied me for a moment, then gave a single approving nod.


    “Smart call.”


    There was something reassuring about his calm.


    “Let me know if you find anything,” he said, already turning to


    adjust the room’s curtains. “And Olivia?”


    I looked back.


    “Get in touch whenever you need to.”


    I nodded. “Will do.”


    And with that, I stepped into the hallway.


    Ava’s POV


    Ethan walked in wearing a tailored charcoal suit, shoulders


    square, posture straight, every strand of his hair in ce. Not a


    wrinkle on him. No stubble. No slouch. If you hadn’t known


    better, you’d think he came to close a million–dor business


    deal, not to beg for the remnants of a failed marriage.


    He sat across from me in thew firm’s lounge like he owned


    the ce. Like the meltdown from a week ago–those choked- up voicemails, the incoherent sobbing–had never happened. Maybe that’s why I smirked before even saying a word.


    “So you’ve finally decided to stop ying the broken husband,” I


    said, coolly crossing one leg over the other. “Took you long


    enough.”


    He didn’t flinch. Just looked at me with those unreadable eyes,


    like he was trying to pretend he had any say left in this matter.


    I slid the documents toward him. “The cooling–off period’s over.


    All that’s left now is for Olivia to show up at the werewolf court


    and sign. You’ll both be officially divorced.”


    He didn’t speak. Just stared at the papers like they were some foreign object.


    I tapped the pen beside them. “This shouldn’t take long. Unless


    you’d like me to read it out loud like storytime.”


    Still no answer.


    “Fine,” I continued, “let’s talk numbers. Olivia’s settlement with


    your mother remains unchanged. And before you think of


    contesting anything, you might want to remember she has hard


    evidence of your affair!””


    That got a twitch out of him. His jaw clenched.


    “Don’t look so surprised. You weren’t exactly subtle.”


    He finally spoke. “When… did she find out?”


    The question came out quietly. Almost like he was scared of the


    answer.


    I scoffed. “Does it matter? You started betraying her long before


    Chole. Those fake business trips? We both know you were with


    her. The luxury hotels, the excuses, the emotional


    abandonment–should I go on?”


    “I-”


    “She gave up everything for you, Ethan.” My voice rose without


    warning. “She dropped her therapist degree and switched to


    finance–because you asked. She went against her own parents.


    Lied to the world about your marriage. She worked herself to


    the bone just to match you, just to prove she was worthy of


    being your wife.”


    His eyes dropped to the papers. I even saw some guilt crack that perfect face.


    “She gave you four years. Four years of silence. Of putting herselfst. And how did you repay her?” I leaned forward, stabbing a finger toward the documents. “You broke her.”


    Ethan closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. “I know I hurt her.””


    “No, Ethan,” I snapped. “You didn’tjusthurt her. You crushed


    her. You took a girl who worshipped you and convinced her


    that she was receable. That loyalty meant nothing.”


    His knuckles whitened around the edge of the armrest.


    I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye andposed myself.


    “She didn’t leave out of weakness. She left because she had


    nothing left to fight for. She burned the wedding photos. Sold


    the house. Cut ties. That wasn’t running away. That was


    closure.”


    His breath hitched, and for a second, I thought he’d break again.


    “Please,” I said quietly, “just let her go. You’ve already taken too


    much. At least give her thisst piece of peace. End it with


    dignity!”


    He stared at the divorce papers in front of him for a long time.


    Seconds passed. Then he reached out slowly, fingers grazing the


    corner of the document.


    And then he tore it in half.


    I blinked.


    “Ethan–what the hell are you-?”


    “I’m not signing it,” he said, his voice rough, trembling.


    “Are you out of your mind?”


    “I don’t want a divorce.”


    I stood up. “You don’t get to decide that.”


    He looked up at me, eyes bloodshot but determined. “I don’t care


    what anyone thinks. Not anymore. I just… I just want her back.”