Chapter 3

The harsh morning sunlight pierced through the floor-to-ceiling windows, burning Kaia's eyes. She pushed herself up from the thick carpet of the master bedroom, her joints aching and stiff.

She walked into the bathroom. She stared at her hollow cheeks in the mirror. She turned on the faucet and slapped freezing water against her face until her skin turned red and her mind cleared.

Kaia changed into a structured beige Chanel suit. She pulled her hair back into a tight, severe bun. The desperate, begging woman from last night was gone.

She walked past the guest room. The door was wide open. The bed was perfectly made. Gerrit had already left for the office.

She rode the elevator down and got into the Maybach. "Take me to the Downs Estate in Long Island."

The car drove down the tree-lined avenue, passed through the massive iron gates, and stopped in front of the main mansion.

The butler led her straight into the study. The room smelled heavily of cigar smoke and aged mahogany.

Cornelius Downs, the patriarch of the family, sat behind a massive desk, reading the Wall Street Journal.

Kaia sat in the leather chair across from him. She didn't offer a greeting. "I am divorcing Gerrit."

Cornelius stopped turning the page. His thick eyebrows pulled together. He looked at her, shocked that the usually compliant daughter-in-law was speaking to him this way.

"Absolutely not," Cornelius snapped. "A divorce right now will cause a massive drop in the Downs Group's stock price."

Kaia opened her bag. She pulled out a document and slid it across the desk. "I am voluntarily transferring all my shares in the Woodward family to Gerrit as compensation."

Cornelius looked down at the paper. A flash of greed crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by intense suspicion. "What is your real angle here, Kaia? Is this a new tactic from your father?"

"I am just tired," Kaia said, her voice completely flat. "I want to end this meaningless marriage."

Cornelius stared at her for a long time. The financial gain was too massive to ignore. He slowly nodded, giving his silent approval.

Kaia stood up. She gave a stiff, polite bow to the man who had once pretended to care for her.

She turned and walked out of the study. Her footsteps were heavy, but her chest felt lighter than it had in three years.

She got back into the car. "Drive to the Adler Law Firm in Midtown Manhattan."

When she arrived, the receptionist escorted her immediately into the private conference room of Julian Adler, the senior partner.

Julian took one look at her pale face and frowned. "Kaia, are you alright? You look terrible."

Kaia didn't answer. She reached into her bag, pulled out the medical report, and handed it to him.

Julian read the paper. The color drained from his face. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"Keep this completely confidential," Kaia said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I need you to draft a divorce agreement immediately. And my final will."

She pointed to her legal file on his desk. "Transfer all the income rights of my premarital assets to Gerrit after my death. And if things deteriorate," Kaia added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I have a contingency. A backup plan to disappear completely. I will let you know when it is time to initiate the final plan."

Julian shook his head violently. "You need to tell Gerrit the truth. You cannot go through this alone."

Kaia let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Gerrit gave me his answer last night. I don't need his pity."

Julian let out a heavy sigh. He opened his laptop and began typing rapidly, entering the complex legal clauses exactly as she demanded.

The printer spat out a thick stack of papers. Kaia picked up the heavy fountain pen. She signed her name on the will and the share transfer documents.

As she crossed the last 't', a violent wave of dizziness slammed into her brain. The room spun. She dropped the pen and gripped the edge of the heavy wooden table so hard her knuckles popped, fighting to stay conscious. The gears of her divorce were officially in motion.