Chapter 6

Maya POV

I watched the flame devour the edge of the photograph.

It was our wedding picture. In that frozen moment, Liam had looked at me like I was the only star in his sky. Now, watching his face blister, curl, and blacken into unrecognizable ash inside the stainless steel trash can, I felt nothing but a grim satisfaction.

The penthouse was silent, stripped of the warmth that had once made it a home. I had sent the staff away. I had packed nothing. When you die, you don't take luggage.

My phone buzzed on the marble counter. Liam. Again.

I ignored it.

The lock on the front door clicked. The electronic keypad beeped, signaling an override. Of course. He owned the building. He owned the security codes. He owned me.

Or so he believed.

Liam stormed in. He looked frantic, his tie askew, sweat beading on his forehead. He saw me standing by the kitchen island, watching the last of our memories turn to smoke.

"Maya."

He breathed my name like a prayer. He took a step toward me, hands outstretched, pleading.

"We need to talk. You can't just sign papers and disappear. That's not how this works."

I looked at him. Really looked at him. He was a man used to getting his way, used to bending the world to his will. He thought this was just a tantrum. A negotiation tactic.

"It's over, Liam," I said. My voice was steady, unrecognizable even to myself. "I cleared out my things. The lawyers have the rest."

He laughed, a harsh, incredulous sound. He closed the distance between us, invading my space. The scent of his cologne, mixed with the stale reek of stress cigarettes, filled my nose.

"You think I'll let you go? You're my wife. You took a vow."

"You broke yours first," I countered.

He grabbed my shoulders. His grip was tight, desperate.

"It was a mistake, Maya. A moment of weakness. Ava means nothing to me. She was a distraction. You know the pressure I'm under. The Commission, the territories... I needed an outlet."

*An outlet.*

He had reduced our marriage to a battery that needed recharging, and his infidelity to a necessary utility.

"You destroyed our child for an *outlet*," I whispered.

He flinched as if I'd struck him.

"I'll make it up to you," he pleaded, the desperation rising in his voice. "Let's go to dinner. Just one dinner. Let me explain properly. In public. Neutral ground. If you still want to leave after that... I'll listen."

He was lying. I knew he was lying. He just wanted to get me to a secondary location, somewhere he could control the narrative.

But I needed time. My extraction team wasn't ready until midnight.

"Fine," I said. "One dinner."

He relaxed, the tension draining from his shoulders. He thought he had won. He thought he had maneuvered me back onto the chess board.

We went to Le Bernardin. He had rented out the private room, naturally. But as we walked through the main dining area, the hushed whispers followed us. The rumors were already circulating.

We sat down. He ordered wine. He reached for my hand across the table.

I pulled it away.

Then, the air in the room changed. It became electric, charged with a sudden, malicious energy.

I looked up.

Ava Sinclair was walking toward our table.

She wasn't hiding. She was strutting. And she wasn't alone. She was flanked by two of Liam's own soldiers-men who were supposed to be guarding the perimeter.

Liam froze. His face went white.

Ava stopped at the edge of our table. She placed a hand on her stomach. It was a small gesture, but it screamed volumes.

"Hello, Daddy," she said, her eyes fixed on Liam.

"Ava, get out," Liam hissed, shooting to his feet.

She laughed. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. She slammed it onto the table, right next to my untouched wine glass.

It was a medical report. Positive pregnancy test. Dated yesterday.

"You can't kick me out, Liam," she smirked. "Not when I'm carrying the heir you actually want."

She looked at me then. Her eyes were full of pity and triumph.

"You should go, Maya. You're barren now, aren't you? Broken goods. He doesn't need a mule that can't carry a load."

The silence that followed was deafening.

I looked at Liam. He was staring at the paper, his expression a mixture of shock and... calculation. I saw the gears turning. He was already doing the math. A son. A legacy.

That hesitation was my answer.

I picked up my water glass. Ice water with a slice of lemon.

I didn't say a word. I just threw it.

The water hit Liam square in the face, drenching his expensive suit, dripping down his shocked expression. It splashed onto Ava, ruining her silk dress.

She shrieked.

I stood up. I felt light. Weightless.

"Enjoy your heir, Liam," I said. "I hope he has your loyalty."

I turned and walked out of the restaurant. I didn't run. I didn't look back. I walked straight through the lobby, past the stunned maître d', and into the night.

The final thread had snapped. Now, there was only the fall.