Chapter 3 The Unexpected Side Of Kaelyn

Until Kaelyn finished packing and walked out the door, Kathy and Verena remained rooted in place, their expressions frozen with disbelief. Their eyes fixated on the divorce petition lying on the table.

"Is she really going to divorce Landen?" Verena muttered under her breath, suspicion flickering in her tone. Picking up the divorce petition to examine it closely, her face twisted with rage. "Ha! Just as I thought! She's only after the money! Look at this - she wants half of the Barnett family's assets. Shameless!"

The sound of the front door opening broke their stunned silence. Landen stepped inside, his expression tired but composed.

Kathy and Verena immediately sprang into action, rushing to him like an ambush.

"Landen, you need to put a stop to this nonsense!" Kathy cried, her voice sharp with indignation. "That woman has drained the Barnett family dry, and now she's demanding even more! She's using this divorce to extort money from us!"

"Yes, and that's not all!" Verena chimed in, her voice trembling with outrage. "She disrespected Mom and me, throwing the divorce petition at us and acting completely out of line! I say we expose her to the public and let everyone know she's nothing but a disgrace! Once she's rejected by everyone, she'll have no choice but to come crawling back to us!"

Landen's frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as he processed their words. "No," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

The Barnett Group was at a pivotal point, now recognized as one of the world's top 100 companies. With the support of Rodger Barnett, the current family head and a man of immense global influence in military and financial circles, their future could soar to unprecedented heights. At a time like this, any scandal could be disastrous.

Before he could respond further, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Landen pulled it out, irritation flashing in his eyes as he answered.

But within moments, his expression shifted. His irritation melted into urgency, his voice rising slightly.

"What did you just say? You've got a lead on Egret?" he asked, his eyes bright with interest. "Keep digging. Whatever it takes, I need to secure their help!"

...

Ten o'clock that night at Radiant Bar.

"Here's to Kaelyn's triumphant return!"

Sebastian raised his glass high, his grin wide and unrestrained as he basked in the lively atmosphere. His joy was plain for all to see, unhidden and infectious.

Sebastian's men, seated around him, enthusiastically followed his lead, raising their glasses and cheering loudly.

"Welcome back, Kaelyn!"

"Kaelyn, you're incredible! The moment word got out, people were scrambling to find out about the legendary healer, Egret!"

"Exactly! I heard the Barnett Group even offered a million! Can you imagine the look on Landen's face if he knew who you really were?"

At the mention of Landen's name, Kaelyn's expression turned frosty instantly.

Sebastian noticed the shift immediately and hurried to steer the conversation elsewhere. "A Million? That's pocket change. Someone else upped the ante - fifteen million just to track Kaelyn down! And get this, they offered seventy million if she'd take on their case!"

Kaelyn swirled her drink lazily before taking a sip, her demeanor calm and detached.

She didn't respond. Anyone willing to pay that much undoubtedly had a complicated condition, tangled in a web of power and influence. She had only just resurfaced and wasn't keen on diving into anything so demanding just yet.

Noticing her silence, Sebastian wisely dropped the subject and redirected the chatter toward lighter topics with the group.

Kaelyn stayed quiet, sipping her drink as her thoughts wandered.

But their lively group soon drew attention, and before long, strangers began approaching, eager to join in their conversation.

The interruptions grated on her nerves. With a frustrated sigh, she leaned toward Sebastian and tugged on his sleeve. "Let's go dance."

Kaelyn stepped onto the dance floor, her movements fluid and confident. After years of suffocating restraint within the Barnett family, tonight, she wanted nothing more than to revel in her freedom.

As the pounding rhythm of rock music filled the air, she let herself go, moving with effortless grace and power. The world around her blurred until nothing existed but the music and the motion.

Gradually, the dancers around her faltered, captivated by the magnetic presence she exuded.

Under the flashing lights, her black dress clung to her figure, accentuating her beauty. Every step, every turn was mesmerizing - a blend of strength and elegance that left the crowd spellbound.

"Is that... Kaelyn?"

At the bar's entrance, Landen stood frozen, his voice barely audible over the music. His gaze was locked on the radiant figure in the center of the dance floor, his tone tinged with disbelief.

He had brought Verena and a few friends to celebrate Claire's return from abroad, never imagining that he'd encounter Kaelyn in a place like this.

The usually dull and unremarkable Kaelyn had such an unexpectedly captivating side?

Claire, clinging to Landen's arm, felt his muscles tense the moment his eyes landed on Kaelyn. Her brows furrowed slightly in displeasure.