Kaia turned away from the crowded banquet hall. Her legs felt like they were made of wood as she walked across the marble lobby.

She got into the back of the Maybach. "Take me back to the penthouse by Central Park. Now."

The car descended into the underground garage. She stepped into the private elevator and rode it directly to the top floor.

She pushed open the heavy front door. The apartment was pitch black. The air inside was stale and freezing, smelling like a place no one actually lived in.

She didn't turn on the main chandelier. She flicked on a single floor lamp. She dropped her Birkin bag onto the white sofa.

Kaia walked to the kitchen island. She poured a glass of lukewarm water, shook two heavy painkillers out of a bottle, and swallowed them dry to suppress the sharp, stabbing pain in her abdomen.

She kicked off her high heels. Her bare feet hit the freezing marble floor. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows and stared down at the glowing grid of Manhattan.

An hour passed. The electronic lock on the front door beeped loudly.

Gerrit walked in. He brought the smell of cold night wind and a faint trace of expensive whiskey with him.

He reached up and yanked his tie loose. He saw Kaia standing by the window. The irritation instantly returned to his face, hardening his features.

He ignored her entirely. He walked straight to the bar and poured himself a glass of amber liquid.

Kaia turned around. She took a deep breath, feeling the air scrape against her throat. "I need to talk to you."

Gerrit took a sip of his drink, keeping his back to her. "Make it fast. I have zero patience for you tonight."

Kaia took two steps toward his back. "I will sign over complete control of the Woodward family trust fund to you."

Gerrit's hand froze. He slowly turned around. His sharp eyes locked onto her face, scanning her for the trap.

Kaia stared directly into his eyes. "On one condition. For the next three months, you will stay here and play the role of a perfect, loving husband."

The air in the room stopped moving. The suspicion in Gerrit's eyes morphed into absolute disgust.

He slammed his glass down on the marble counter. The sharp crack echoed in the empty room.

He closed the distance between them in three long strides. He towered over her.

He raised his hand and clamped his fingers around her jaw. He squeezed hard, forcing her head up to look at him.

"Do you honestly think," Gerrit sneered, his breath hitting her face, "that the heir to the Downs family can be bought to act as your male escort?"

The pressure on her jaw sent a sharp pain shooting into her skull. Her eyes burned. "Please, Gerrit. I just need three months."

Gerrit yanked his hand away like her skin burned him. He wiped his fingers on his slacks.

"Even if you handed me the entire Woodward family on a silver platter, I wouldn't feel a single ounce of affection for you," he said, his voice dripping with venom.

He stepped closer, making sure every word hit her. "I only love Seraphina. This three-year marriage to you makes me physically sick."

The words hit her chest like a physical blow. Kaia swayed on her feet. Her hand shot to her stomach, pressing hard against the sudden, violent cramp.

Gerrit looked at her hand. He let out a harsh scoff. "Save the cheap acting. It won't work."

He grabbed his suit jacket from the stool. He turned and walked down the long hallway toward the guest bedroom. "I don't want to see your face for the rest of the night."

The heavy oak door of the guest room slammed shut. The sound vibrated through the floorboards.

Kaia stood alone in the center of the massive living room. A single tear broke free and slid down her cheek. The last shred of hope in her chest died, leaving behind a cold, hollow emptiness.

The harsh morning sunlight pierced through the floor-to-ceiling windows, burning Kaia's eyes. She pushed herself up from the thick carpet of the master bedroom, her joints aching and stiff.

She walked into the bathroom. She stared at her hollow cheeks in the mirror. She turned on the faucet and slapped freezing water against her face until her skin turned red and her mind cleared.

Kaia changed into a structured beige Chanel suit. She pulled her hair back into a tight, severe bun. The desperate, begging woman from last night was gone.

She walked past the guest room. The door was wide open. The bed was perfectly made. Gerrit had already left for the office.

She rode the elevator down and got into the Maybach. "Take me to the Downs Estate in Long Island."

The car drove down the tree-lined avenue, passed through the massive iron gates, and stopped in front of the main mansion.

The butler led her straight into the study. The room smelled heavily of cigar smoke and aged mahogany.

Cornelius Downs, the patriarch of the family, sat behind a massive desk, reading the Wall Street Journal.

Kaia sat in the leather chair across from him. She didn't offer a greeting. "I am divorcing Gerrit."

Cornelius stopped turning the page. His thick eyebrows pulled together. He looked at her, shocked that the usually compliant daughter-in-law was speaking to him this way.

"Absolutely not," Cornelius snapped. "A divorce right now will cause a massive drop in the Downs Group's stock price."

Kaia opened her bag. She pulled out a document and slid it across the desk. "I am voluntarily transferring all my shares in the Woodward family to Gerrit as compensation."

Cornelius looked down at the paper. A flash of greed crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by intense suspicion. "What is your real angle here, Kaia? Is this a new tactic from your father?"

"I am just tired," Kaia said, her voice completely flat. "I want to end this meaningless marriage."

Cornelius stared at her for a long time. The financial gain was too massive to ignore. He slowly nodded, giving his silent approval.

Kaia stood up. She gave a stiff, polite bow to the man who had once pretended to care for her.

She turned and walked out of the study. Her footsteps were heavy, but her chest felt lighter than it had in three years.

She got back into the car. "Drive to the Adler Law Firm in Midtown Manhattan."

When she arrived, the receptionist escorted her immediately into the private conference room of Julian Adler, the senior partner.

Julian took one look at her pale face and frowned. "Kaia, are you alright? You look terrible."

Kaia didn't answer. She reached into her bag, pulled out the medical report, and handed it to him.

Julian read the paper. The color drained from his face. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"Keep this completely confidential," Kaia said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I need you to draft a divorce agreement immediately. And my final will."

She pointed to her legal file on his desk. "Transfer all the income rights of my premarital assets to Gerrit after my death. And if things deteriorate," Kaia added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I have a contingency. A backup plan to disappear completely. I will let you know when it is time to initiate the final plan."

Julian shook his head violently. "You need to tell Gerrit the truth. You cannot go through this alone."

Kaia let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Gerrit gave me his answer last night. I don't need his pity."

Julian let out a heavy sigh. He opened his laptop and began typing rapidly, entering the complex legal clauses exactly as she demanded.

The printer spat out a thick stack of papers. Kaia picked up the heavy fountain pen. She signed her name on the will and the share transfer documents.

As she crossed the last 't', a violent wave of dizziness slammed into her brain. The room spun. She dropped the pen and gripped the edge of the heavy wooden table so hard her knuckles popped, fighting to stay conscious. The gears of her divorce were officially in motion.

Kaia clutched the thick manila envelope containing the divorce agreement tightly against her chest. She walked out of the law firm and into the cold air.

She got into the car. "Back to the penthouse."

When she walked into the apartment, she placed the manila envelope dead center on the glass coffee table.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Gerrit's private number. It rang six times before he finally answered.

"What?" Gerrit's voice was ice cold. In the background, Kaia could clearly hear a woman's soft, breathy laugh.

A sharp pain pierced her chest. She forced her throat to relax. "Come home tonight. I have important documents you need to sign."

"Seraphina just got back to New York, and she is emotionally unstable," Gerrit snapped. "Do not play any of your manipulative tricks to hurt her. I am warning you."

Before Kaia could say another word, the line went dead. The dial tone buzzed in her ear.

She dropped the phone on the sofa. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to force down the nausea rising in her throat.

A loud beep echoed through the room. The electronic lock on the front door was opening.

Kaia snapped her eyes open. Seraphina walked in, her high heels clicking loudly against the marble. She looked around the penthouse, her eyes full of arrogant entitlement.

Kaia stood up. "How do you have the passcode to this apartment?"

Seraphina smiled, a sickly sweet expression. "I told the new concierge Gerrit sent me to retrieve his emergency files, and slipped him a few hundred bills. He was more than happy to give me the temporary access code."

Kaia's face lost a fraction of its color. She pointed a shaking finger at the door. "Get out of my house. Now."

Seraphina ignored her. She walked straight toward the coffee table. She reached her hand out to grab the manila envelope.

Kaia lunged forward. She slammed her hand down on top of the envelope. "Don't touch that."

Seraphina dramatically gasped. She put a hand over her chest. "You are so aggressive, Kaia. No wonder Gerrit can't stand you."

They stood frozen by the table. Seraphina's eyes darted toward the entryway.

The heavy front door swung open. Gerrit stepped into the foyer.

The moment Seraphina saw him, her face contorted into pure terror. She threw her body backward, stumbling away from the table as if Kaia had shoved her violently.

Seraphina screamed. She collapsed onto the thick carpet. Tears instantly flooded her eyes as she looked up at Gerrit.

Gerrit's face turned purple with rage. He sprinted across the living room.

Before Kaia could open her mouth to speak, Gerrit grabbed her by the shoulder. His grip was like a steel vise, digging into her collarbone.

"Are you out of your mind? !" Gerrit roared. "Why are you attacking her? !"

With a violent shove, he pushed Kaia backward.

Kaia's body, already weak and failing, flew backward. She lost her footing completely. Her lower back slammed directly into the sharp, pointed corner of the chrome-edged glass coffee table.

A sickening thud echoed in the room. The sharp metal bit viciously into her flesh, tearing a deep laceration. A white-hot agony exploded in her waist. She gasped for air, collapsing onto the floor.

Warm, wet blood instantly soaked through her white silk blouse, staining the fabric a deep, dark red. The pain was so intense black spots danced in her vision.

Gerrit didn't even look at her. He dropped to his knees, his eyes filled with absolute panic as he reached out to pull Seraphina into his arms.