Chapter 3

Cordelia entered the master bedroom. She locked the door behind her and walked straight to the French doors leading to the balcony.

She pushed them open and stepped out onto the stone balcony. The cool New York evening breeze bit through her blazer. It cleared the suffocating tension from her head.

She pulled out her phone. Knowing Julian's IT team rigorously monitored the estate's network, she couldn't afford to leave a single digital footprint. She swiftly removed her primary SIM card and inserted a pre-paid, untraceable burner chip she had hidden inside her phone case for emergencies. She scrolled right past Julian's contact and dialed a number saved only as "P. W."

The line rang twice.

"Wright speaking," Penelope Wright, a top-tier Manhattan divorce attorney, answered with a crisp, no-nonsense greeting.

Cordelia took a deep breath. Her voice was remarkably steady.

"Penelope. I need to trigger the exit clause in my prenup."

Penelope paused. The rapid sound of keyboard clacking in the background stopped instantly.

"Did Julian finally cross the line?" Penelope asked.

"Yes," Cordelia confirmed. She stared down at the guest wing windows below. A warm yellow light had just flickered on in Ava's room.

Penelope immediately switched into shark mode.

"I need your verbal authorization to audit Julian's offshore accounts in the Caymans," Penelope said.

"You have it," Cordelia instructed. "Trace every wire transfer made to Ava Monroe over the last six months. Leave no stone unturned."

"Julian will fight dirty to protect the Astor PR image," Penelope warned. "He will try to paint you as unstable. You need to act completely normal. Do not let him know we are looking."

Cordelia smirked into the cold night air.

"Don't worry," Cordelia promised. "I will be the perfect, blind wife until the trap is set."

They ended the call. Cordelia immediately deleted the call log.

She stepped back inside. She closed the French doors and drew the heavy blackout curtains, plunging the room into secure privacy.

She walked into the en-suite bathroom. She stripped off her clothes. She threw the navy blazer Julian had touched directly into the trash can.

She stepped into the shower. She turned the water to scalding hot. She scrubbed her skin with a loofah until it was bright red, desperately trying to wash away the phantom feeling of Julian's grip on her arm.

After her shower, she wrapped herself in a plush white robe. She sat on the edge of the massive, empty king-sized bed.

She checked the clock on the nightstand. It was past midnight.

Julian had not returned to the master suite.

Cordelia picked up a fashion magazine. She flipped through the glossy pages with genuine relaxation. A strange, intoxicating sense of liberation washed over her.

Down the hall, the faint sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the silent house. Cordelia didn't even flinch.

She reached over and turned off the bedside lamp. The room went pitch black. She lay down.

For the first time in three years, she fell asleep quickly. She was completely unbothered by her husband's absence.

The next morning, Cordelia woke up to sunlight streaming through a small gap in the curtains. She felt completely refreshed.

She dressed in a chic, casual cashmere sweater and fitted jeans. She prepared to head down for breakfast.

As she walked downstairs, she noticed the staff whispering in the hallway near the kitchen.

Maria, the housekeeper, quickly stopped talking as Cordelia approached. Maria looked extremely nervous and guilty.

Cordelia paused.

"Is breakfast ready in the sunroom, Maria?" Cordelia asked in a polite, even tone.

Maria stammers, avoiding eye contact. "Um, Mrs. Astor... Mr. Astor requested breakfast to be served in the guest wing this morning."

Cordelia's expression remained perfectly placid. Not a single muscle in her face twitched with jealousy.

She smiled warmly at Maria.

"That's fine," Cordelia said. "Just bring me a simple black coffee and a croissant, please."

Cordelia walked into the sunroom alone. She sat down at the wicker table, pulled out her iPad, and began reviewing her design studio's portfolio. She was completely at peace.