Chapter 3

Isaac slowly lowered his hand. He brought his thumb up and dragged it slowly across the pad of his index finger. It was a subtle movement, but the original host's memories screamed that it meant he was pushed to the edge.

June saw the gesture. A cold sweat broke out across the back of her neck. She instantly regretted slapping him.

Isaac lunged forward. He planted his hand on the edge of the desk right beside her hip, trapping her completely between his hard body and the solid wood.

He leaned down. His breath brushed across her cheek, smelling faintly of mint and expensive tobacco. It was an invasion of space that made her skin prickle.

June stopped breathing. She gripped the edge of the desk behind her, her knuckles turning white as she tried to press herself further into the wood to escape his heat.

Isaac used his free hand to pick up the divorce papers. He flipped through the first two pages, the corner of his mouth lifting into a cruel sneer.

He locked his blue eyes onto hers. His voice was terrifyingly soft. "Leaving with nothing? Since when did you become a martyr?"

June swallowed the lump of terror in her throat. She kept her chin tipped up. "Because I don't want to look at your face for one more second."

Isaac's eyes turned to absolute ice. He gripped the thick stack of papers with both hands.

June watched in stunned silence as he ripped the document straight down the middle. The sharp rip echoed in the quiet room.

Her eyes widened. The torn halves fluttered to the marble floor like dead leaves. Her brain flatlined.

Isaac crumpled the remaining page in his fist and tossed it over his shoulder. It hit the bottom of the metal wastebasket with a heavy thud.

He straightened his posture, looking down at her frozen expression. He calmly adjusted his platinum cufflinks.

"If you're unhappy with your current situation, you can negotiate anything else," Isaac stated, his tone devoid of emotion. "But there will be no divorce scandals in the Walton family."

Panic flared in June's chest. "What if I cheat on you?" she blurted out. "Would you divorce me then?"

Isaac's gaze snapped to hers. His hand shot out, his long fingers gripping her narrow waist. He yanked her forward.

Her chest crashed against his solid chest. She felt the hard lines of his muscles through his tailored suit. Her eyes blew wide in sheer panic.

Isaac leaned in, his voice vibrating against her collarbone. "Try it. I will make sure the man disappears in LA forever."

The raw violence in his eyes paralyzed her. She forgot to push him away. She just stared at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly against his.

Isaac released her waist abruptly, as if touching her disgusted him. He turned his back on her and walked toward the heavy study doors.

He pulled the door open and paused. He didn't look back. "We have a charity gala tonight. Put on your fake smile."

He walked out. The heavy door slammed shut behind him with a deafening bang that rattled the expensive paintings on the walls.

The suffocating pressure in the room vanished. June's knees gave out. She collapsed into Isaac's massive leather chair, her whole body shaking.

A cheerful chime echoed in her head. "Ding! Directive 'Serve Divorce Papers' has been executed. Target's response: Rejection. Lifespan reward issued."

June looked at the red numbers in her vision. Twenty-four hours were added. She let out a long, shaky breath. Her muscles felt like liquid.

She pressed her hand against her chest, feeling the frantic beating of her heart. Isaac was a terrifying control freak.

She looked down at the shredded paper on the floor. The marriage was a cage, and the door was welded shut.

A sudden, piercing shriek echoed from the hallway, followed by the violent crash of shattering glass.

June flinched, her shoulders jumping toward her ears. Before she could even stand up, the system's red warning lights flooded her vision.

"Ding! Side Quest triggered: Discipline the spoiled child, Tristan, in the main hall. Requirement: Spank him three times. Failure results in immediate lifespan deduction!"

June dropped her face into her hands and groaned in absolute despair.