Clementine Stephens pressed her shoulder to the second-floor bay window, staring out at the street below for what felt like hours. Long enough for the car to vanish completely around the bend.

After a while, she finally tore her gaze away, her eyes throbbing with that dull, familiar ache. She lifted a trembling finger to brush the faded wedding decals stuck to the glass. Leonidas Lopez had always favored a muted, cool color palette, and their wedding day had been completely stripped of any festive decor. The day after we said I do, I stood right here on this windowsill and put these up myself, she remembered.

He’d frowned so deep his brow looked like it would stay that way forever, but he’d still let the decorations stay up in our bedroom. That small concession had made her giddy for months. But after that day? He never spent a single night in that room again.

Every lonely night she spent alone, those bright red cutouts started to look less like wedding decor and more like two leering faces, taunting her. She should’ve known from the start: a man like him would never bend for anyone. He wouldn’t even give her the decency of a straight-out no.

The thin paper, faded and brittle from two years of sun, tore apart at the lightest touch. Just like their marriage—over before anyone even noticed it had cracked. Clementine set to wiping the room clean of anything that was hers after the wedding. Every little thing she’d added—those decals, their wedding portrait, all of it went straight into the trash.

Her clothes, her jewelry, every worn and unused thing she’d brought into the marriage—she packed them all up and sent them off to auction. They’d signed a prenup, and she wasn’t entitled to a single cent of Leonidas’s fortune. But the fine print said all her personal items—jewelry, clothes, all of that—was hers to keep. She wasn’t stupid enough to leave her own things behind for him to throw out.

As dusk crept in, Mckenna Lopez knocked softly on the bedroom door. She glanced at Clementine, still hovering by the window, and didn’t say a word. She just hefted the stacked, packed boxes and hauled them out to the car one by one.

On her third trip up, Clementine dragged the last suitcase behind her, her voice steady and light. “Let’s go.”

“You sure you didn’t leave anything behind?” Mckenna asked, taking the handle from her.

“Nothing that matters anymore.”

Still, Mckenna did one last sweep of the room. Her gaze caught on something peeking out from under the foot of the bed, a crumpled corner of paper, and she paused.

She pulled it out, and it unfolded into an obstetrics clinic medical report. Patient name: Clementine Stephens. Date… one month ago?

Clementine turned to find Mckenna frozen, shock written all over her face as she stared at the positive pregnancy result. She walked over, her voice soft as silk. “Six weeks. The doctor said the heartbeat was strong… but it’s never going to get to be born.”

Mckenna’s knuckles went white as she gripped the paper, but her face stayed cool and composed. “What does your uncle think?”

“He doesn’t know. And there’s no reason for him to find out now.”

Losing that baby felt like a cold knife twisting straight through her heart. And with it went every last sliver of hope she’d carried for Leonidas, every bit of her unrequited love. All gone.

“Don’t tell anyone. Especially not your uncle,” Clementine said, taking the report back, ready to tear it into tiny pieces. They were divorced now. What was the point of laying her raw, bleeding heart out for everyone to gawk at?

It would only get her pity, or worse—disdain. It would just leave her more humiliated than she already was.

But Mckenna stopped her before she could rip it. “There’s a paper shredder down in the car. We’ll destroy it properly, no loose bits.”

Just then, Clementine’s phone rang, and she handed it over to Mckenna to answer. Once the door clicked shut behind Clementine, Mckenna slowly smoothed the crumpled report flat, and walked over to the nightstand.

The cold glint off her glasses caught on the edge of a document left out on top: the signed divorce agreement. She bent down, ready to tuck the medical report right on top of it.

But after a long minute of thought, she turned, and walked back to tuck it right where she’d found it, under the foot of the bed.

---

Clementine moved into a small new apartment, and spent one long day unpacking and getting settled. As the sunset painted her silhouette in warm amber, she stood gazing out at the city skyline, her chest light for the first time in years, brimming with anticipation for what came next.

Her phone buzzed on the wooden desk, which was cluttered with half-assembled airplane models. She glanced down—it was a message from Mckenna on WhatsApp.

“The dinner party video got leaked!”

Clementine opened Twitter casually. #LeonidasLopezFamilyScandal was already blazing at the top of the trending page, stamped with that bold red “BREAKING” banner.

The caption screamed about a scandalous affair, all the dirty Lopez family laundry aired out for everyone to see, and the view count was skyrocketing by the second.

Calls from her father and Benjamin Lopez poured in one after another, both demanding she get to the Lopez estate immediately.

She hung up on the last one, brushed her thumb over the screen, and a cold, sharp smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Mckenna had warned her to ignore all calls from the Lopezes, but she wasn’t going to listen.

The flames were already licking the roof. To not throw a whole bucket of gasoline on them would be a total waste of all this attention…

Clementine Stephens stepped into the living room of the Lopez family mansion, squinting against the blinding glow of the crystal chandelier. Her father, hunched and tight with tension, was already bowing and scraping, apologizing nonstop to Benjamin Lopez, the head of the family. Samara Woods, the picture of meek grace, poured coffee with quiet, practiced efficiency.

To Clementine’s surprise, Mckenna Lopez was there too. The whole room hummed with loaded tension, and instead of his usual warm greeting, Mckenna only gave her one loaded, knowing look.

Clementine had barely sunk into her seat when her father’s voice boomed out: "Stephens Real Estate is on its last legs. The Lopez family taking you in is the biggest favor anyone’s ever done you. What the hell do you have to be unhappy about?"

"Please, Mr. Stephens, calm down," Samara cut in softly, setting a delicate porcelain coffee cup down on the table before smoothing a hand over her still-flat belly. "This whole mess is my fault. But sister-in-law, after your brother passed, I’m here carrying his Lopez baby with no one to turn to. Leonidas only treated me kindly out of respect for his late brother. I hope you can understand. If I’ve caused any misunderstanding or trouble, I’ll tell him to keep his distance from me, I swear!"

Her soft voice was thick with grief for the dead and the lonely burden she carried now—enough to tug at anyone’s heartstrings.

Benjamin Lopez snorted angrily. "Why are you even wasting breath explaining yourself to her? She’s just a jealous brat throwing a fit."

Clementine’s brow furrowed. Playing soft against hostility, huh? Hiding behind the victim card to get what she wanted? Next to Samara’s polished, innocent act, Clementine looked irrational, aggressive—like the actual troublemaker. Bullying a pregnant woman? How unforgivable. She’d underestimated this seemingly gentle sister-in-law; with just a few lines, Samara had neatly boxed her into a corner.

Between Samara’s doe-eyed compliance and her father’s growing rage, he ended up shouting right in her face: "You are going to issue a public apology. If you so much as scratch the Lopez family name, you’ll regret the day you were born!"

Clementine scoffed. "Scared of tarnishing the Lopez reputation, or scared you won’t get to squeeze the last few pennies out of them for yourself?"

"You..." Her father shot to his feet, stepping toward her with a hand raised to strike.

But Clementine didn’t so much as flinch. She held her head high, defiant to the bone.

When she was seven, her mother died after a years-long battle with illness. That very same night, her father dragged his new wife and their five-year-old daughter through the front door. Whenever her stepmother punished her, her father always conveniently vanished.

Now this man was shamelessly using her to line his own pockets. If she hadn’t been stupidly head over heels for Leonidas back then, how would he ever have weaseled his way into leeching off the Lopez family in the first place?

But the blow she braced for never came. The raised hand was caught mid-air by another set of long, slender fingers.

Mckenna’s jaw was set, his expression sharp. "Mr. Stephens. If my uncle finds out you laid a hand on his wife, do you think he’ll cut off Stephens Construction’s supply chain first, or freeze your funding?"

Every word Mckenna spoke hit Stephens Industries right where it hurt, and her father’s face drained of all color, turning ashen.

He didn’t think Leonidas would act this recklessly just for Clementine, but her title as Mrs. Lopez still carried weight. Hitting her would absolutely drag the Lopez name through the mud.

For Clementine, Mckenna’s intervention was just a bitter reminder of how naive she’d once been. Caring? What a damn joke.

But since he’d stepped in, she couldn’t very well contradict him. She pinned her father with a cold glare. "Count yourself lucky you didn’t swing. If you had, we’d all be eating the consequences of that."

Frustration boiled over, and she’d completely lost patience for these people’s games.

Before her father could snap back, Benjamin Lopez slammed his cane against the floor, his eyes blazing. "You little brat! Are you threatening me?"

---

Meanwhile, in the dim, stale air of an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Northport, Leonidas Lopez crushed another finger of the man crumpled at his feet. Beads of blood clung to his eyelashes like red, glinting frost.

The man went limp in his own pool of blood, gasping out: "After Mr. Lopez died... the trail went cold... I swear I’m not lying to you..."

Leonidas lifted his foot off the man’s chest and waved a dismissive hand, signaling for them to drag the body out. The killer who’d murdered his brother was still hiding somewhere in Northport. Fearful of leaks, every operative had all their electronics confiscated, but the mastermind still hadn’t shown their face.

Uriel Scott stepped forward, holding out a freshly activated phone. "Mr. Lopez, there’s a situation developing back in the city. A party video leaked, and now rumors are spreading that you and Mrs. Lopez are getting divorced..."

Leonidas was wiping blood off his forehead with a heated towel, and his grip tightened the second the words left Uriel’s mouth. The cold blue glow of the phone screen reflected off his sharp jawline, carving it into something even more merciless than usual...

---

Back in the Lopez mansion living room.

"It’s all a misunderstanding, in-law! This girl’s just reckless, she’s lost her mind. Let me take her home and discipline her properly..." Her father’s forehead glistened with cold sweat.

"You’re overreacting. I still have the decency to respect my elders," Clementine replied coolly. "You’re right, I have caused trouble for the Lopez family. That part is my fault."

Benjamin and Samara both eyed her suspiciously, thrown off by her sudden willingness to comply. Her father, for his part, breathed a shaky sigh of relief.

But then Clementine’s eyes slitted slyly, and she spoke slow, every word deliberate, a sharp little curl tugging at her lips: "I’ll announce our divorce publicly. That’ll kill the rumors and fix the Lopez family’s honor right up."

"Leonidas and my dear sister can be together out in the open, no more hiding."

"And I’ll take the fall for losing my husband. Perfect, isn’t it?"

Turning retreat into advance? She could play that game just as well as anyone.

Bring it all out into the open. Let the storm hit harder than ever.

Mckenna couldn’t hold back a low chuckle. "That’s quite... an elegant solution."

"Sister-in-law, Leonidas and I only care for each other as family. You really don’t have to go this far," Samara sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her voice thick with pathetic sorrow.

Clementine wasn’t blind, and she wasn’t stupid enough to buy that it was just familial affection.

Not willing to waste another breath on these toxic leeches, she pulled her phone out of her bag and opened Twitter.

"Sister-in-law, if you really want to leave Leonidas, that’s your choice, but he cares more about his reputation than anything. He’d never want his marriage dragged through the public eye," Samara pressed, pretending she was just warning Clementine not to anger her husband.

But Clementine didn’t even look up. Her fingers flew across the screen, fast and steady.

Did they really think she was still scared? Once, her love for him and her desperate desire to keep the Lopez family happy had made her put him first, above everything else.

But now? She didn’t want Leonidas anymore. Why the hell would she care what happened to his precious reputation?

Suddenly, Benjamin was seized by a rough coughing fit, clutching at his chest.

Mckenna patted his back gently, the picture of concerned grandson. "Easy, grandpa. Your blood pressure can’t handle this stress."

"Stop her!" Benjamin’s shaky, frail hand clamped down on his grandson’s sleeve, his sharp eyes locked dead on Clementine’s phone screen.

Mckenna’s eyes glinted behind his glasses. "Grandpa, if uncle and aunt really can’t make this work, divorce might be for the best. A forced marriage never makes anyone happy. Better to split than stay miserable."

"Now is not the time... cough... for a divorce," Benjamin gasped.

He never cared much for Clementine anyway—he’d much rather Leonidas take care of Samara. But a divorce right now would only confirm the scandal was true.

Samara would be publicly shamed, and the Lopez family would take the hit.

Her father lunged toward Clementine too.

A divorce would ruin the entire Stephens family!

But Clementine dodged him easily, nimble on her feet.

The cold glow of the phone screen reflected off her determined, unyielding eyes.

"Let true love be fulfilled. We part ways, never to meet again."

Her finger hovered over the send button, and she savored the sharp, sweet burst of satisfaction for just one second.

Right as she was about to hit post and send the announcement live, a black leather glove flew through the air, cracking against her phone with a sharp snap.

"Which blind son of a bitch dares—"

The word died in her throat the second her eyes locked with Leonidas’s icy, furious gaze.

The room hung thick with silence. Even Benjamin Lopez’s cough faded slow into nothing. Clementine’s father seized the split second, forcing a tight smile to his face. "Leon, Clementine’s behavior was out of line. I’ll make sure she learns her lesson. Please don’t hold it against her."

Leonidas Lopez stepped right past him, bent to yank his phone off the floor, and tapped "delete" with his bare fingers. The motion pulled the fabric of his black coat tight, showing off every rise and fall of his chest. When the last word was gone, he lifted his gaze. "As Clementine’s husband, it’s my job to handle her. Not yours."

The discomfort rolling off Clementine’s father was impossible to miss.

"Bravo. Fucking bravo," Clementine clapped, all sharp sarcasm. "I’d get called the drama queen, but Leon? You’re the real lead in this show. I’ve been on my knees begging for you to cut the crap, and you still keep up this whole devoted husband act."

Leon brushed her off completely. His sharp, piercing gaze swept every person in the room. "As long as I’m breathing, Clementine’s still Mrs. Lopez. So much as touch her, and blood relation won’t save any of you."

"That whole family loyalty act is very pretty to look at," Mckenna Lopez chuckled soft, her fingers brushing the rim of her coffee cup. "But let’s be real. A rose grown in a storm versus one that’s been babied in a greenhouse? The difference couldn’t be more obvious."

At the words "greenhouse rose," Samara Woods dipped her lashes. The coffee in her porcelain cup rippled, just barely. Leon’s icy stare locked straight onto Mckenna’s warm smile.

"Don’t get involved," he said. His lips barely moved when he spoke.

The whole room felt like a battlefield. And the people here? They were supposed to be family.

After that, Leon curled his hand around Clementine’s and headed for the door.

Security blocked their path. Benjamin Lopez’s raspy voice boomed from behind them: "You can leave. But she doesn’t go until she clears her name."

Clementine smirked. "Sure thing. I’ll just announce our divorce right here and—"

A sharp, heavy thud shook the floor as Benjamin’s cane cracked down against it. The coffee cups on the table rattled. "You came from a small family. You’d never understand what’s expected of people in a clan like ours."

Leon’s eyes darkened to black. But Clementine cut him off before he could say a word. "You got me all wrong. I’ve got nothing left to lose. I’ll burn this whole thing down without a second thought. You can pressure Leon to divorce me all you want, but if you push me? I’ll make the entire Lopez family’s life a living hell."

Her words sliced deep, a clear line in the sand between her and her own family. Before she could say another, Leon’s hand snapped over her mouth, cutting her off mid-sentence.

His palm was wide and firm, swallowing any sound she could make.

"I’ll handle the online rumors," he said flatly. Then he hauled Clementine over his shoulder and marched straight out. His presence alone was enough to make a whole room full of bodyguards step back. No one dared step in his way.

Benjamin coughed so hard he nearly choked on his own breath.

Mckenna watched Leon leave in silence. The light from the chandelier glinted off her glasses, bright and sharp.

By the time they reached the end of the hallway, a woman’s muffled groan curled through the air.

Benjamin’s worried voice followed right after: "Samara… what’s wrong?"

Clementine craned her neck to look. Samara was curled over, clutching her stomach like it was tearing her apart.

"Hey, isn’t that your precious girl… oh, sorry, your future sister-in-law? What a convenient little stomach ache, right? Aren’t you gonna run over and play knight in shining armor? Gotta protect that precious Lopez heirloom, don’t you?" Clementine tugged playfully at Leon’s hair, a wicked little grin playing on her lips.

Leon’s stride faltered.

Clementine’s face lit up with the mocking surprise she’d been waiting for.

But all he did was pause. A single beat. Then he kept walking right out the door.

"Leon, remember. That baby inside Samara is your brother’s only legacy," Benjamin’s words hit Leon like a punch to the chest. He stopped cold, then set Clementine gently down on her feet.

"The driver will take you home."

Clementine refused. She said she’d ride with Mckenna instead.

The parking lot stretched all the way to the villa entrance. Under the glow of the porch lights, Leon came hurrying out with Samara in his arms, his steps rushed and unsteady.

Mckenna sighed. "I’ve heard the gossip going around lately. The night of the accident, it was supposed to be Leon at the banquet. Last minute they swapped, and his brother went instead. Leon blames himself for his death."

Clementine’s eyes narrowed just a little. It all clicked now. The real target had been Leon all along. And his brother paid the price.

Seeing how pale Clementine had gone, Mckenna asked soft, "Do you regret it?"

Clementine watched Leon’s car speed away from the estate, and shook her head slow.

The brothers had been close. And as long as Samara carried that baby, she’d always come first. After all… how can any person alive ever compete with someone who’s gone?

Logically, she understood where Leon was coming from.

Emotionally, though? She was relieved to walk away.

...

It was 2 a.m. Emerald Bay was swallowed up by dead silence.

Leon carried his suitcase down the hall, and paused when he reached the master bedroom. After a second of hesitation, he turned the handle and pushed the door open.

Moonlight spilled over the empty sheets. The familiar shape of Clementine under the covers was gone.

He flipped on the light. Her favorite heavy window curtains were gone. The whole decor of the room had been swapped out.

He’d never spent much time in this room, to begin with. But her presence in the house had become something he just… expected. Now every last trace of her was gone. It was like no woman had ever lived here at all.

Except for the divorce papers spread on the bedside table, and the discarded wedding photo propped against the wall.

Back when it was taken, they’d both been smiling. Now a thick crack split the glass right down the middle.

Uriel Scott stepped in to drop off Leon’s files, and caught Leon’s face. He looked like a lion, hollowed out and broken after losing his pride.

Not wanting to push him further, Uriel approached cautious. "Mrs. Lopez moved out two days ago. All her jewelry got sent off to auction. The staff tried calling, but her phone’s been off this whole time."

A red hot rage surged through Leon as he stared at the empty room. All his composure shattered.

He didn’t care that it was two in the morning. Didn’t care if Clementine was asleep. He dialed her number straight away.

He expected her to ignore him a few times, like she always did before.

But she picked up on the first ring.

"Cut the crap. Just come home," he growled into the phone, already blaming her for blowing everything out of proportion.

In the hush of the night, Clementine’s voice stayed steady as stone. "It’s over now. Take good care of Samara… Uncle Leon."

Leon’s hand trembled, just barely, around the phone.

That name…

When they first met, she’d called him that all the time. Until one day in eighth grade, she’d stood firm right in his doorway, planted her feet and yelled—

"I’m never calling you ‘Uncle Leon’ again. Remember that, Leonidas Lopez!"