Burning Away the Griffin Thorns

My husband, Killian Griffin, and I are both liars.

He lied about severing ties with his past, all while building an empire for another woman.

I lied when I said I would stay by his side forever, all while secretly plotting to break our families' alliance.

A month ago, I tricked Killian into signing the agreement to dissolve that alliance.

Today, the agreement becomes final.

Three hours to go. My assets are transferred, my private jet is booked, ready for takeoff at a moment’s notice.

Two hours. I use a laser to burn away the thorns from the rose tattoo on my wrist—our alliance symbol—leaving only my flower behind.

The final hour. I consider leaving a note, but why bother?

Today was my fifth wedding anniversary. It was also the day I became Alessia Thorne again.

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1

I went to Killian Griffin's office with an art transfer contract, only to overhear him speaking with one of his Capos.

"Scarlett wants to expand in the South District. Sir, do you still intend to strengthen the alliance with the Thorne family?"

Killian just gave a distracted "Mhm," repeatedly checking his watch. "Why isn't she here yet?"

But I knew he wasn't waiting for me.

He was in a hurry to handle the trouble his old flame, Scarlett Dubois, had caused. She was set to carve out her own territory in the city today.

When her family sent her away, Killian, in a fit of rage, had agreed to a strategic marriage with me.

Three days ago, Scarlett returned.

He got blind drunk that night and, once sober, vetoed the proposal to deepen our families' alliance.

It was all a power play, a message to Scarlett's family and a prelude to her return. My marriage was just a pawn in his game.

When I pushed open the door, Killian impatiently held out his hand.

"The art contract."

I handed him the documents I had prepared.

On the second-to-last page, I had secretly slipped in the alliance dissolution agreement.

"I added a clause. Take a closer look when you have a minute."

But I had deliberately chosen this moment because I knew one thing.

He wouldn't have the time.

Sure enough, he flipped directly to the last page.

"I'm in a hurry. No time to read it."

A cold, imperious glint flashed in his eyes—impatience for me, steely resolve for Scarlett. He hastily scrawled his signature with a fountain pen and strode out, leaving me with nothing but the sight of his retreating back.

I had been married to him for five years. He wasn't entirely cold to me, just stingy with any real emotion.

I had tried to weave myself into the fabric of his life through sheer obedience.

But even within the family, he maintained the public posture of a single man.

All the underworld gossip spoke only of his forbidden romance with Scarlett.

As the wife in our strategic marriage, I was never even granted public recognition.

After all, Killian had a first love, a woman he longed to possess.

The day Scarlett returned, the man who was a statue at home got roaring drunk, a triumphant smile plastered on his face all night.

He even had a faint smile on his lips when he looked at me.

It was a gentleness I had begged for for years but never received.

I took care of him late into the night, then used an anagram of Scarlett's name to unlock his encrypted hard drive.

I opened the files. The plans inside were staggering.

Every blueprint, every territory map, was prepared for Scarlett.

Not a single one was for my family.

The file cover bore our alliance symbol—a rose entwined with thorns—but my rose had been warped into a coiling snake, Scarlett’s sigil.

I remembered that when we married, Killian had refused a grand ceremony but insisted I get this alliance tattoo.

Now I understood.

In that moment, I knew.

This five-year alliance had reached its end.

All that was left was the mandatory cooling-off period before the agreement took effect.

I started a one-month countdown.

Coincidentally, the day our family was to present its annual "tribute" to the Griffin family was exactly one month away.