Chapter 2 The Divorce Papers

The late afternoon sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the mansion's second-floor study, casting long golden streaks across the polished mahogany desk and the expansive city skyline beyond.

Evelyn sat in the high-backed leather chair that had once been her quiet sanctuary, her laptop open to a half-finished design blueprint. The room smelled faintly of aged wood and the subtle jasmine diffuser she kept on the bookshelf, a small touch of personality in an otherwise austere space dominated by Alexander's tastes: minimalist art on the walls, shelves lined with business awards, and a globe bar in the corner that was rarely touched.

She had spent the day as she often did reviewing anonymous submissions for Knight Empire's upcoming projects, refining details that would soon be credited to someone else. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard when the door opened without a knock.

Alexander strode in, his presence filling the room like a sudden chill. He was still in his office attire: a charcoal gray suit tailored to perfection, crisp white shirt, and a silk tie in deep navy. His dark hair was impeccably styled, his jaw clean-shaven, but his gray eyes held that familiar frost detached, calculating

Evelyn closed the laptop calmly and stood, smoothing her simple cream blouse and pencil skirt. You're home early.

He didn't respond to the observation. Instead, he placed a thick manila envelope on the desk between them with deliberate precision. The embossed seal of the family's prestigious law firm gleamed under the light Knight & Associates, the very firm that handled all of Knight Empire's multimillion-dollar dealings.

Sign these, he said, his voice low and even, devoid of any warmth.

Evelyn's heart gave a single, sharp thud, but her face remained composed. She had known this moment was coming. The signs had been there for months: the late nights that stretched into mornings, Sophia's increasingly bold presence at family events, the way Alexander's indifference had solidified into something colder, more final.

She picked up the envelope, feeling its weight heavy with legal finality and opened it. Inside were the divorce papers, neatly bound, pages upon pages of legalese outlining the dissolution of their three-year marriage. The terms were generous, almost insultingly so: a substantial settlement, the deed to a modest apartment in the city, nothing compared to the mansion, and no claim on Knight Empire assets. No mention of fault. A clean, efficient break, just like one of his business transactions.

Alexander watched her intently, arms crossed over his broad chest. He had prepared for this. In his mind, he had rehearsed the scene countless times. Evelyn would read the papers and crumble. There would be tears silent at first, then pleading. She might beg him to reconsider, remind him of their wedding vows, or accuse him of cruelty for Sophia's sake. Perhaps she would demand more money, revealing a hidden greed beneath her quiet facade. Women in his circle often did when faced with loss.

He was ready to handle it all: the drama, the negotiations, the eventual acceptance. It would be messy, but temporary. Sophia was waiting, eager, vibrant, ambitious in ways Evelyn had never been.

But Evelyn did none of that.

She scanned the documents quickly, her hazel eyes moving over the clauses with surprising speed. No alimony beyond the lump sum. No public statements required. Mutual agreement to discretion.

Perfect.

She reached for the Montblanc pen on the desk, the one he had gifted her on their first anniversary, engraved with her initials and uncapped it without hesitation

Alexander's brow furrowed slightly. You can have your lawyer review them if you want. Take your time.

No need, she interrupted softly, her voice steady as she leaned over the desk and signed her name on the designated lines. Evelyn Harper-Knight. The flourish at the end was elegant, practiced the same signature that had anonymously graced hundreds of groundbreaking designs now fueling his empire.

She signed every page, initials where required, and dated the final sheet with today's date. Then she straightened, capped the pen, and slid the papers back across the desk toward him.

A small smile curved her lips not bitter, not triumphant, but serene. Almost relieved.

Thank you for the last three years, Alexander.

The words hung in the air, polite and final.

He stared at her, unmoving, the envelope now heavy in his hand once more. This wasn't the script. Where were the tears? The questions? The accusations about Sophia, or pleas to stay for the family's sake?

That's it? he asked, his voice betraying the first crack of confusion.

That's it, she echoed, her smile unchanging.

She stepped around the desk, brushing past him without touching. Her jasmine scent lingered faintly as she moved toward the door, heels silent on the plush carpet.

Alexander turned, watching her go. For the first time in years, he really looked at her, the graceful line of her shoulders, the way she held her head high, the subtle strength in her posture that he had never bothered to notice before.

Evelyn, he called, the word sharper than intended.

She paused at the threshold but didn't turn fully, only glancing over her shoulder.

Why aren't you fighting this? The question escaped before he could temper it. He wasn't used to uncertainty; in boardrooms, he dictated terms.

Her eyes met his clear, unflinching. Because there's nothing left to fight for.

Then she walked away, down the hallway toward the master bedroom, leaving him alone in the study.

Alexander stood frozen for a long moment, the signed papers clutched in his grip. He flipped through them absently, confirming her signature neat, decisive.

A strange unease twisted in his chest. He had expected resistance, emotion, something that would affirm his decision, make him feel justified in moving on to Sophia, who burned bright and demanded attention.

Instead, Evelyn's calm acceptance felt like a dismissal. As if he were the one being discarded.

He set the envelope down and poured himself a scotch from the globe bar, the ice clinking sharply in the glass. Staring out at the city lights beginning to flicker on below, he replayed the scene.

That smile. It hadn't been broken. It had been free.

Down the hall, Evelyn entered the master suite and closed the door softly. Only then did she allow her breath to tremble. She leaned against the door for a moment, eyes closing as the weight of the moment settled.

It was done.

No more pretending. No more dimming her light for a man who had never seen it.

She crossed to the walk-in closet and pulled out a single suitcase not the designer ones he had bought her, but an older, practical one from her pre-marriage life. She began packing methodically: her personal clothes, the hidden portfolio of original designs, a few cherished books, and the encrypted drive containing years of work.

Tomorrow, she will leave.

And when she did, the empire he thought was his alone would begin to reveal its true foundation.

In the study, Alexander finished his drink and texted Sophia: It's done.

Her reply was immediate: excited emojis and promises of celebration.

But as he pocketed his phone, the unease lingered.

Evelyn's goodbye echoed in his mind not tearful, not angry.

Just complete.

And for reasons he couldn't yet name, it left him more unsettled than any fight ever could.