Chapter 5
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“Hello, attorney? This is Emerald. I want to file for divorce.”
There was a pause on the other end, the kind that makes your throat tighten even when you’ve already made up your mind.
“Ms. Emerald,” the lawyer’s voice was cautious, almost reluctant. “Are you sure about this? If you divorce Mr. Leandro, you will gain nothing. Not the house, not the shares from the company, not even the cars registered under his name. Everything will be lost to you.”
I closed my eyes, letting the silence weigh on me for a beat. Nothing. That word didn’t scare me anymore. What was left to lose when the man who vowed to love me turned into a stranger? When he watched me suffer and called it punishment? When he refused to lift a finger to save the daughter we brought into this world?
“I don’t care,” I said, steady, even when my heart was pounding. “Just send the divorce papers by tomorrow. On our wedding anniversary. It will be my gift to him.”
And before the lawyer could protest, I hung up.
My fingers trembled as I dialed Martin’s number next. He answered on the first ring, his tone sharp as ever.
I swallowed. “Where’s Gwen? Is she really okay?”
There was a shuffle, then Martin’s voice softened. “Talk to her.”
A beat later, the sweetest sound I had ever heard echoed through the line.
“Mommy?” Gwen’s little voice was fragile, like a bird’s wings beating against a storm.
My throat closed, tears burning my eyes. “Gwen, baby, it’s Mommy. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“I’m scared,” she whispered. “Why can’t I come home? Why aren’t you here?”
I bit my lip, holding back a sob. “Because… because Mommy is fixing something, sweetheart. But soon, very soon, we’ll be together again. You just have to be brave for me, okay?”
“Will you really come?” she asked, her voice breaking.
“Yes, I promise. Mommy will never leave you. Just wait a little longer.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
The words shattered me. “I love you too, Gwen. More than anything.”
The line went quiet, and then Martin came back. “Satisfied?”
I exhaled shakily. “Thank you. I just… needed to hear her voice.”
“Good,” he said. “Then remember our deal. I’ll see you tomorrow. Prepare everything.”
“Yes,” I whispered, before hanging up, clutching the phone to my chest as if it were the only thing keeping me alive.
But my relief was short–lived.
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But my relief was short–lived.
Behind me, a voice cut through the silence. “What are you talking about?”
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I spun around. Leandro stood at the doorway, his eyes narrowed, suspicion dripping from every word.
I forced a smile. “I’m preparing a funeral for Gwen. After all, you won’t help me, right? So it’s better this way.”
His jaw twitched. “So you’d give her up, then? Rather than begging me?”
My chest heaved. “You want me to beg for her? For our child?”
“Yes,” he said coldly, stepping closer. “Prove to me this isn’t your scheme. Kneel. Kiss my shoes if you must. Show me you’re not lying.”
A bitter laugh escaped me. “No thanks. I’m done with you.”
pushed past him, but his voice thundered behind me. “You’re turning your back on me now?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “Because you don’t deserve to be Gwen’s father.”
His lips curled into a cruel smile. “Well, up to you. At least she won’t be an heir. And you-” his gaze dropped, venomous “-you won’t give me another child anyway. You’re barren after giving birth to Gwen. So it’s your loss, not mine. You’re nothing to me now.”
The words sliced me open, but I forced my chin up. “Then don’t worry. You’ll be happy when I’m gone.”
Before he could retort, Nadine’s voice shrieked from down the hall. “Leandro! Please–take me to the hospital! My tummy–ah!”
He turned instantly, his expression shifting to panic. “Don’t you dare leave, Emerald, or else your punishment will be worse. Now make sure everything is prepared by tomorrow. Big. investors are coming. Don’t fail me again.”
I gave him a tight smile. “Yes. Sure.”
He rushed out with Nadine in his arms, leaving me standing in the ruins of what we once called a marriage.
But I didn’t prepare for his investors.
I called every supplier and canceled the orders. I went into his office, copied the presentation from his laptop onto a flash drive, and deleted the original. If Leandro wanted to play with fire, I’d hand him the flames myself.
By morning, I was gone.
Martin’s car pulled up at dawn, sleek and black. He stepped out, smirking like the devil who knew he had won. “Ready?”
I nodded, clutching my bag.
At the private plane, the moment I stepped inside, my knees buckled. Gwen was there. My
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daughter.
“Mommy!” she squealed, running into my arms.
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I sank to the floor, holding her tight, my tears soaking her hair. “You’re safe. You’re safe now.”
Martin’s voice echoed behind me, amused and victorious. “Welcome back to me, Emerald. And remember–your freedom comes at a price.”
But at that moment, I didn’t care. Gwen was with me. And that was enough.
When we reached the private plane, I pulled out my phone, stared at it for a long moment, then removed the SIM card. My hands shook as I hurled it out of the plane’s open window before the engines roared to life.
