Elena's POV
I walk into the meeting room and every head turns toward me like I'm a convicted criminal entering court.
Adrian sits at the head of the table, his lawyer Richard beside him. They both look secure. Comfortable. Like they've already won.
They have no idea what's coming.
"Mrs. Kane, please sit." Richard points to the chair across from them—the one facing the window so the sun blinds me. A power move. How clever.
I sit without complaint. Without moving the chair. I let the sunlight hit my face and don't even squint.
"Where's your lawyer?" Adrian asks. His voice has that edge it gets when things don't go according to his plan.
"I don't need one." I fold my hands on the table. Calm. Collected. "Let's just get this over with."
Richard and Adrian trade glances. Richard clears his throat. "Mrs. Kane, I strongly advise you to have legal representation—"
" I said I don't need one." I meet Richard's eyes and watch him shift uncomfortably. Good. He should be unhappy. "I know what the prenup says. I'm not going to fight it. Let's just sign the papers and move on."
The meeting with Vivian two hours ago plays through my mind. Her frantic face. Her shaking hands. The USB drive she pressed into my hand with whispered words: "He's using both of us. This is everything. Destroy him before he destroys us."
But I can't think about that now. Right now, I need to play the part of the broken wife who's given up.
"Well." Richard shuffles papers, trying to hide his surprise. "That's very... mature of you, Mrs. Kane. Let's go through the terms then."
He slides a paper across the table. I read it even though I already know what it says. Already remembered every insulting word.
"You'll receive a one-time payment of $50,000," Richard says. "No alimony. No claim to any properties, cars, or business assets. The house, cars, and all investments stay with Mr. Kane."
"Fine." I don't even look.
Adrian leans forward. "Elena, are you sure you don't want to—"
"I'm sure." I cut him off. "What else?"
Richard looks like Christmas came early. "There's the matter of custody. The prenup stipulates that in the event of divorce, primary custody defaults to Mr. Kane, with you getting standard visitation rights every other weekend—"
"He can have full custody."
The room goes dead.
Adrian's face drains of color. "What?"
"I said he can have full custody. No visits. I'll sign away all parenting rights." The words taste like poison, but I force them out. "Liam doesn't want me. He made that very clear. I'm not going to force myself on a child who wishes I'd disappear."
"Elena, you can't be serious—" Adrian starts.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" I stare at him until he looks away. "Your son wants you and Miss Winters to be his family. Congratulations. You got what you wanted."
Richard jumps in, spotting an opportunity. "Mrs. Kane, this is highly unusual. Most moms fight for custody—"
"I'm not most moms. And certainly, I'm not the mother my son wants." Each word is a knife in my chest, but my voice stays calm. "Draw up the papers. I'll sign them."
Adrian stands quickly. "Richard, give us a moment."
"Adrian, I don't think—"
"I said give us a moment!" Adrian's voice echoes through the meeting room.
Richard gathers his papers and leaves, shooting me suspicious looks. The door clicks shut.
Adrian steps like a caged animal. "What are you doing?"
"Signing divorce papers. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Not like this. Elena, Liam is your son—"
"Was. " The word comes out cold. Final. "He was my son. Until he decided Miss Winters would make a better mother. Until you decided I wasn't good enough to be part of your beautiful little family."
"That's not—" Adrian runs his hands through his hair. "Elena, I know I made mistakes—"
"Mistakes?" I laugh, and it sounds wrong even to my own ears. "Cheating on me was a mistake? Getting your lover pregnant was a mistake? Planning to divorce me for months while I asked you to love me was a mistake?"
"I never meant to hurt you—"
"But you did. You destroyed me. And now I'm doing what you've wanted all along—I'm leaving." I stand, face him. "So why do you look so upset, Adrian? This is your dream come true."
He opens his mouth. Closes it. Tries again. "Because I didn't think you'd actually leave Liam. I thought—"
"You thought I'd fight? That I'd ask for scraps of custody? That I'd spend the rest of my life trying to prove I'm worthy of being his mother?" I shake my head. "I'm done fighting for people who don't want me. I'm done being the enemy in your story."
"You're not the villain—"
"Then what am I, Adrian?" I step closer. "What was I to you? Really?"
He can't answer. Won't answer. Because we both know the truth.
I was nothing. A blank. A convenience. "Let's finish this." I walk to the door and open it. "Richard, please come back."
Richard returns, looking between us uncomfortably. "Are we ready to proceed?"
"Yes." I sit back down. "Where do I sign?"
Twenty minutes later, it's done. My autograph on a dozen pages. My marriage broke. My son taken away. My life erased.
$50,000 and nothing else to show for seven years.
Richard nearly vibrates with glee as he files the papers. "Well, that was the smoothest breakup I've ever handled. Mrs.—sorry, Ms. Morgan—you'll receive your settlement check within five business days."
"Thank you." I stand, collect my purse. "I assume we're done here?"
"Yes, all finished. Mr. Kane will handle filing with the court—"
"Good." I walk toward the door, then stop. Turn back. "Oh, one more thing, Richard."
"Yes?"
"How long have you been sleeping with Vivian Winters?"
The room freezes.
Richard's face goes white. "I don't know what you're—" "Security footage from Adrian's office building. November third, 11:47 PM. You and Vivian entering his private office together. Looking very... close." I tilt my head. "Does Adrian know that his lawyer and his mistress are having an affair?"
Adrian's head snaps toward Richard. "What is she talking about?"
"Adrian, she's obviously lying—"
"I have photos." I pull out my phone, show them the pictures Vivian sent me. "Time-stamped. Crystal clear. You two look like quite the couple."
Richard's jaw clenches. "Those photos prove nothing—"
"You're right. They don't." I smile sweetly. "But the revised prenup you and Vivian made behind Adrian's back? The one that leaves everything to her instead of me? That proves quite a lot."
Adrian grabs the phone from my hands, scrolls through the pictures. His face turns red. Then purple. "Richard, what the hell is this?"
"I can explain—"
"Explain why you're sleeping with Vivian? Explain why you two are planning against me?" Adrian's voice rises to a shout. "You're my lawyer! You're supposed to be protecting my interests!"
"I am protecting your interests—"
"By stealing from me?!"
I watch them turn on each other like wolves. It's beautiful. "Gentlemen." I fix my jacket. "I'll leave you to sort this out. Oh, and Adrian? You might want to check your offshore funds. I think you'll find they're significantly lighter than they were yesterday."
Adrian's eyes widen. "What did you do?"
"Me? Nothing. But you might want to ask Richard and Vivian where your fifteen million dollars went. Because it wasn't moved to Vivian like you planned." I head for the door. "It went somewhere much more interesting."
"Elena, wait—"
I don't wait. I walk out of that meeting room with my head high, leaving my husband and his lawyer screaming at each other.
In the lift, I finally let myself breathe. Let myself feel. Let the mask slip just for a moment.
My phone buzzes. A text from Marcus: Did you do it?
Me: Signed everything. It's done.
Marcus: Good. Now get to my office. We have work to do.
Another text comes through. Unknown number: Nicely played, Elena. But the game's just starting. Check your email. You're going to want to see this. -D D? Who's D?
My hands shake as I open my email. There's one new message with no subject line. Just a file.
I download it.
It's a movie file.
I press play and feel my blood turn to ice.
The video shows Adrian's room. Yesterday. But it's not video of Richard and Vivian.
It's footage of Adrian and someone else. Someone I don't know. A man in an expensive suit.
Their talk is crystal clear:
"So we're agreed?" the stranger asks. "Once the divorce is final, you'll marry Vivian, and I'll handle the rest?"
"Yes," Adrian says. "Once Elena's out of the picture, Kane Industries will join with your company. But you're sure this is legal?"
The stranger laughs. "Legal? Adrian, we're going to steal your wife's formula, patent it under my name, and sell it for billions. Legal is unimportant when you're rich enough."
My program. They're planning to steal my formula.
But the video isn't finished. The man continues: "Your wife's smart. Smarter than you give her credit for. We need to make sure she never finds out what that formula is really worth."
"She won't," Adrian vows. "Elena gave up her job years ago. She doesn't even remember she made it."
The stranger's face finally comes into focus as he turns toward the camera.
I know that face.
Everyone knows that face.
Damien Cross. Billionaire investment. Tech genius. The man every business paper calls "The King of Silicon Valley."
The man I've been emailing for the past month about possible investment in a startup.
The man who sent me the foreign account information.
The man who's been helping me.
Except according to this video, he's not helping me at all.
He's been working with Adrian the entire time.