Meanwhile, Kaelyn shook out her hair, freeing it from the tight bun before slipping out of the black business suit.

Loose waves tumbled over her shoulders, and the fitted black tank top traced every confident line of her figure.

Without the glasses masking her face, her breathtaking features came into full, unmistakable view.

From behind the wheel, Cole reached over with a fresh set of clothes pulled from the passenger seat.

"Kaelyn, the site's been dead for three years now. Every month, people keep hunting for Divine Cure. Want us to open orders again?"

Caught halfway through adjusting her sleeves, Kaelyn let the motion falter, her hands hovering for an instant.

"No rush," she murmured, her tone lazy but firm.

After disappearing for so long, she had a list of problems to settle, and she intended to tackle them one at a time.

...

Night settled over Serenity Manor when the SUV thundered to a stop at the entrance.

The moment Kaelyn stepped out, a pair of arms wrapped around her in an almost crushing embrace.

"Cole told me you were finally coming back, but I refused to believe it. Why didn't you let me pick you up?"

The arms wrapped around her belonged to Cassie Singh—the deceptively sweet-faced head of operations at Kaelyn's private base. With her youthful looks and high-schooler charm, Cassie hid the fact that she ranked among the world's top three hackers and fighters, a woman perfectly capable of crunching on a lollipop while popping every joint in a man's body.

Kaelyn raised a hand to ease Cassie's clingy embrace off her shoulder.

"Drop the antics. I need you to handle something for me," she remarked, her tone cool but decisive.

Without waiting for a response, she strode through the foyer and stepped into the elevator bound for the third floor.

From the balcony, Kaelyn rested lightly against the railing, taking in the disciplined flow of her team below and the massive screen pulsing with global stock data. A slow, knowing smile tugged at her lips.

An orphan with nothing to her name, huh?

If Leland ever discovered she could crash Morgan Group's stock with a single overnight short, how would he stomach that truth?

A soft presence edged in beside Kaelyn as Cassie leaned close, idly twirling the end of her braid with playful mischief.

"Leland actually thought he could toss you aside? Want me to deal with him tonight?" Cassie questioned, her voice dripping with a honeyed threat.

"No need," Kaelyn answered with a calm finality that instantly made Cassie's temper spike.

"You really care about that man? You vanished for three whole years because of him, and I'm seriously offended right now."

Kaelyn let Cassie's bubbling anger wash right past her. A chilly smile traced the edges of her lips for a heartbeat.

"A chase isn't any fun if you end it too early. I lifted him to the height he's enjoying, and I can tear it all down just as easily. I want him to stand there and watch that perfect little tower of his collapse."

The moment her words drifted off, Cassie's palm smacked sharply against the railing. "I figured you were the type to throw your whole life at his feet. Pretty faces aren't exactly endangered—there are enough handsome men to fill a stadium. I even lined up a little 'surprise' at the club tonight so you can blow off some steam."

Kaelyn regarded her with a cool, dismissive stare.

"Lately, the overseas gang has been stirring trouble. Focus on monitoring them and stop fooling around. I'll deal with Morgan Group myself—don't get involved."

A slow lift of Kaelyn's eyebrow followed. "I have my own methods of blowing off steam."

Barely ten minutes later, a black Harley roared out of the underground garage, the engine's snarl trailing behind Kaelyn as she vanished into the night.

For three long years, all for Leland, she had stripped herself of every sharp edge—mastering cocktail parties and household routines alike, forcing herself into the shape of the flawless wife everyone expected.

Now, with the throttle humming beneath her palms, Kaelyn felt every dormant part of her stir awake, every cell screaming with the wild rush.

The surge of freedom stretched along her nerves like fire catching dry kindling.

Down the most dangerous mountain road—a path infamous for its eighteen wicked bends—she carved through the shadows with the sharp, fluid speed of a hunting cat.

But the moment she approached the glowing red safety line, she braked hard, tires skidding to an abrupt halt.

A cluster of riders in full racing gear swiveled toward her, and when they caught sight of her sleek, athletic silhouette, a chorus of low whistles rippled through the group.

"Now that's a stunner."

"Damn, is that a global-limited Harley? That thing's easily worth over twenty million."

A handful of riders drifted toward Kaelyn, crowding in with shameless curiosity, and the rush in her veins faltered into irritation. With this stretch of road always claimed by racing crews, she knew better than to expect courtesy.

Lifting her hand, Kaelyn unlatched her helmet and slid it off, a cascade of hair spilling free as her stunning features came into view.

A round of sharp gasps rippled through the group.

She tipped her weight to one side, one arm braced casually on the Harley's sleek frame. The snug suit traced every elegant line of her body, enough to make several of them swallow hard.

"Mind giving me some space so I can pass?"

In the makeshift grandstand, Leland eased his coat around Davina's shoulders with practiced tenderness.

"You love watching races. I could've booked the whole track just for you," he murmured, brushing a thumb over her sleeve. "You didn't need to come out here—especially after just recovering. And without any progress on Divine Cure yet, I can't risk you catching a cold."

The way he cared for her—with such soft affection—stirred a low wave of envy through the crowd.

With a rosy flush coloring her cheeks, Davina tapped lightly against his chest. "I'm really not that delicate. While I was overseas, the medication your uncle's lab developed did wonders for me."

Leland's face tightened, shadows cutting sharply across his features. "He owed you that much. If not for him, we never would've spent those three years apart."

A thin curl of satisfaction lifted Davina's mouth.

Three missing years meant nothing. Everything tied to the Morgan family was destined to fall into her hands.

While she laughed lightly, a flicker of movement drew her attention, and she spotted Kaelyn at the edge of her vision. A breeze swept across the mountain road, teasing Kaelyn's long hair until it drifted around her like a silken veil, making her look effortlessly alluring.

A faint pinch tightened in Davina's chest. She let out a delicate cough and gestured downhill with a hesitant finger. "Leland… isn't that Kaelyn? Did you ask her to come? Should I… maybe give you two some space?"

She pushed herself to her feet with an unsteady grace, feigning frailty as uncertainty clouded her expression.

Leland's head snapped in the direction she pointed. There, he caught Kaelyn mid-laugh, her bright smile dazzling as she chatted with the people around her.

The curve of her waist flashed beneath her top, a sliver of skin that gleamed like an unintentional tease.

Something fierce and unnameable clawed up his chest. His eyes darkened, stormy with a rage he couldn't quite explain.

"I didn't ask her to come."

Before the words settled, a faint pull tightened at his sleeve.

Davina eased closer, her voice dipped in soft concern. "Leland, the people around these racing teams are a mixed crowd. It's really not a place Kaelyn should be wandering. If someone with bad intentions snaps a photo and twists the story, it could damage the Morgan family."

A bitter little chuckle rose from his chest, as though the outcome hardly surprised Leland. Kaelyn clearly had no intention of making this divorce easy for him.

She acted so detached, signing the divorce papers without blinking—yet here she was, appearing right where Davina would notice, as if she meant to spark trouble on purpose.

Such calculated malice clung to Kaelyn's every move.

"Davina, hold on a second." His voice dropped low as he broke away, hurrying down the steps.

Leland closed the distance in long, cutting strides and clamped a hand around Kaelyn's arm without warning.

A biting frost rolled off him, sharp enough that people nearby felt it prickle across their skin.

"What the hell are you doing here? Wasn't five million supposed to be plenty? How much more are you trying to squeeze out of me now?"

The riders nearby went still, exchanging stunned looks for a beat before the pieces fell into place.

Was this the woman Leland had dumped? Was she unhappy with the breakup payout and now here to cause a public scene?

She looked devastatingly gorgeous, leagues above the delicate woman on the grandstand who seemed ready to swoon at every breeze, yet somehow this beauty was the one tossed aside.

Leland had to be out of his mind!

Kaelyn arched a brow, taking in the man who had stormed over with a glare sharp enough to cut.

Her gaze stayed steady and cool, untouched by his fury. "Didn't I rip up that five-million check and toss it in your smug face when we divorced? Are you suffering memory loss now?"

A ripple of confusion swept through the riders, drawing them in tight.

Divorced? Was this really their boss's ex-wife?

Their curiosity spiked; they hovered as if rooted to the spot, eager for every scrap of gossip.

Heat climbed up Leland's neck, and the humiliation on his face was impossible to hide.

He yanked her closer, staring down at her delicate features—only to find nothing there. No hurt. No longing. Not even irritation.

Her composure only stoked the storm in his chest.

And the moment he caught sight of her without those glasses—her beauty surged into focus, stunning in its intensity—his frustration twisted deeper.

It felt as though he'd tossed aside a stray he'd raised for three years, only to discover too late she'd been a rare, priceless creature he never actually deserved.

"Kaelyn, I told you to keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Did you really have to make a scene right under my nose?"

Leland had grown used to Kaelyn bending to his will, a quiet obedience he'd never questioned.

Yet in the blink of an eye, she shoved his arm away.

A cool sweep of contempt crossed her face. "Back when we were married, I never stepped out on you. Once those papers were signed, I earned my freedom. Why should I skulk around? If you're feeling ashamed, stay inside."

The bluntness nearly knocked the breath out of him.

Somewhere in the crowd, a muffled snort slipped through before being hastily swallowed.

Everyone understood the jab—she was calling him the one who cheated.

And as if summoned by the accusation, a honeyed voice drifted over the noise. "Leland."

Davina glided toward them with a slow, practiced sway, the racing team manager trailing behind her.

Wrapped in a sleek, all-white motorcycle suit that hugged every line of her body, she wore Leland's jacket over her shoulders like a trophy.

Once she reached his side, she lifted a delicate hand toward Kaelyn, her smile polished and sweet. "Hey Kaelyn, long time no see."

Cold amusement flickered across her mouth as Kaelyn let a thin smile appear.

When Morgan Group finally found its footing, Leland drifted from one shiny distraction to the next—funding a flashy racing team, sponsoring over-the-top gaming tournaments, and even sinking money into a private flower estate whispered to keep rare, exotic creatures.

Not once had he invited her to see a single part of that world.

Leland's favorite excuse had always been the same. "You wouldn't understand!"

All of those things suddenly looked intended for Davina.

By their second year of marriage, the shift had already begun. The divorce had clearly been mapped out long before the papers appeared.

Yet in those same years, he had tackled brutal projects at her side, shoulder to shoulder, as if they were an unbreakable team. The contradiction stung with a bitter sort of irony.

Kaelyn lifted her gaze, her stunning eyes catching the light, and a relaxed, almost careless smile curved across her lips.

Watching her glow with that calm confidence made Davina's lips jerk in a tight, annoyed twitch.

"Kaelyn, I already heard about what happened between you and Leland," Davina began, smoothing her expression with practiced gentleness. "His grandfather forced that marriage on you for three years. Honestly, Leland owes you far more than what he's offering. If you're unhappy with the settlement, we can take it up in private. There's no need to follow us here and…"

She let her gaze sweep over Kaelyn from head to toe, irritation curling in her chest when she couldn't spot a single flaw.

Kaelyn's sculpted figure and endlessly long legs were enough to spark a stab of envy.

Damn it!

Fighting the sour twist in her stomach, Davina pulled Leland's jacket tighter around her shoulders, as if bracing herself.

"Your motorcycle suit shows half your waist," she remarked coolly, her tone dipped in condescension. "If a reporter snaps a photo, it'll be embarrassing for Morgan Group. Kaelyn, you keep trying to squeeze into circles that don't want you. There's no need to force your way in."

The dismissal flattened Kaelyn like she wasn't worth a second thought.

Kaelyn brushed her palm along the sleek bike beside her, tapping the fairing with an easy, confident motion.

"Don't you recognize this motorcycle?" she queried, her drawl dripping with quiet challenge.

Davina offered a bored glance, barely sparing it any attention. "Renting some cheap ride dressed up like a racing model might fool people who've never stepped on a track, but anyone who actually races would laugh their heads off."

A ripple of muffled snickering rolled through the rich ladies clustered behind her.

"I've never seen that thing at any official event. Looks like scrap metal pretending to be relevant."

"I should snap a picture and send it to my cousin. He owns a motorcycle repair shop—he'll confirm whether it's a knockoff."

"Davina holds an international racing license, you know. If her health hadn't forced her to step back, she'd already be the 'racing legend' people worship in the circuit."

The smug chatter only made Leland's cheeks burn hotter.

"Kaelyn, please—just head home. I'll throw in another five million, alright? Stop turning this into a spectacle." He rubbed his forehead, sounding desperate.

The team manager, who had been quietly circling the motorcycle, finally cleared his throat and lifted his hand. "Mr. Morgan… Miss Hayes… this appears to be a limited-edition Harley. Market value is over fifty million."

"What?" Davina's expression snapped, all color draining from her face.

A sharp possibility flickered through her mind—had Leland actually bought this for Kaelyn?

Leland cut that thought apart with a cold snort. "She's nothing but an orphan. Without me, how would she ever afford something like this?"

No one knew Kaelyn's finances better than he did, and that certainty curled in his voice like a cutting edge.

The team manager, finally piecing together the implication, shut his mouth without protest.

A ripple of mocking laughter rolled through the gathered riders.

"I really thought we had a VIP here. So she's just a pretty doll after all."

While the crowd jeered, Davina lifted her chin, smugness sliding across her shoulders in a slow, indulgent wave.

"Kaelyn, do yourself a favor and leave. I'd hate to watch you embarrass yourself even more than you already have," she remarked, letting a thin, mocking smile tug at her lips. "And don't ride something that fake again. Roads like these aren't forgiving. If you end up crippled, Leland won't be responsible for cleaning up the mess."

Beneath her syrupy concern lurked a poisonous insinuation—Kaelyn was chasing pity, staging a pathetic scene to claw her way back into Leland's arms.