He paused in the doorway, nced at me again, and said quietly, “This is better for all involved–now!” Then he turned


    and left.


    Ethan didn’t say a word.


    He just sat there across the long dining table, still wearing that ridiculous entitled expression, and started eating. Fork in one hand, knife in the other, like we were having some civil dinner instead of me begging him–again–for freedom.


    “You’re seriously going to ignore everything I just said?” I asked,


    eyebrows raised.


    He didn’t look up. “Why don’t you just sit and eat!”


    “I’m not hungry, Ethan. I’m trying to end this marriage with a


    shred of dignity.”


    He swallowed and finally nced at me. “Then stop ying with that Alexander/guy. You think I don’t know what’s going


    on?”


    I mmed my hand on the table. “There isnothinggoing on! And even if there was, you lost the right to have an opinion the moment you crawled into Chole’s bed!”


    He pushed back his chair and stood up, slowly walking toward <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    I instinctively stepped back. “Don’t try to intimidate me.”


    “I’m not,” he said, voice quiet. “I’m just… tired of hearing the same


    things.”


    I shook my head. “Then do something new. Sign the divorce


    papers.”


    He didn’t respond. Instead, in one swift motion, he reached out and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.


    “Let go of me!”


    Before I could shout again, I heard a scuffle at the entrance.


    “What-?” I turned and saw my bodyguard being shoved to the ground by two of the Hawthrone security team. My heart leapt.


    “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yelled.


    One of them looked straight past me and gave Ethan a slight


    nod. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he scooped me up like I was a


    rely doll. I kicked, thrashed, and punched at his chest, but he


    flinched.


    “Put me down! Are you insane?!”


    “You’ll understand soon,” he muttered.


    “I swear to God, if you don’t let go of me-


    He shoved open the front door, walked down the steps, and carried me straight to his car. I was screaming now<i>, </i>fully aware that every passing staff member in the Hawthrone estate saw


    this and didnothing.


    Once inside, he locked the doors and hit the elerator.


    I banged my fist on the passenger side window. “This is kidnapping! Do you want me to press charges?”


    He didn’t respond. His jaw was clenched, his knuckles white on


    the wheel.


    The car lurched forward and sped through the estate’s iron


    gates.


    And just then, it happened–we brushed past another car that had just pulled up <i>to </i>the gate.


    I turned my head and saw her.


    Chole.


    She wore a loose cardigan, bandaged wrist visible. Her face turned pale the second she spotted me in Ethan’s passenger seat.


    “Ethan!” she shouted.


    He didn’t even nce back.


    “ETHAN!” she screamed again, but he floored the elerator.


    I twisted toward him, livid. “What the hell are you doing?!”


    “Calm down,” he said without emotion.


    “You’re unbelievable.” I slumped into my seat, trying to steady


    my breath. “Where are you even taking me?”


    Still no answer.


    I turned to face him, fully. “What are you up to, Ethan? What’s your endgame here?”


    Olivia’s POV


    I gripped the car’s door handle so hard my knuckles whitened. The headlights cut through the darkness as Ethan raced down a highway I didn’t recognize. The speedometer read well over 100 kph. My heart pounded in time with the engine’s furious pulse.


    “Ethan–please–slow down!” I shouted over the roar.


    He didn’t nce at me. His jaw was tight, his eyes focuse n the road. “What are you afraid of, Liv? You afraid to die?”


    My breath caught. “No. I–just want to talk, to figure this out-”


    “We’re not talking anywhere!” He swerved off the highway. I


    felt the tires crunch over gravel.


    “Where are you taking me?” I asked, voice shaking.


    He slowed enough to pull onto a narrow, wooded path. Rain had recently fallen; the air smelled of moss and pine resin.


    “I don’t know,” he said, voice calm, eerily gentle. “But tonight,


    we’re alone–just you and me.”


    rm buzhed in my ears. “Ethan–this isn’t right. Let me go. We


    can end this without…” I swallowed.


    Without violence. I didn’t even let the thought finish.


    He nced at me then. “You keep talking like we’re over. Like it’s done. But we’re still married.” His grip tightened on the


    steering wheel.


    I swallowed hard. My pulse raced. “Yes, we are. That’s why I want you to sign the papers-”


    He shook his head. “No. You don’t want a divorce. You want a punishment.” Teeth clenched, he muttered, “Maybe I’ll teach you a lesson tonight.”