A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 20:

I gave her a pitying look, allowing my gaze to sweep over her with mild disinterest. “Is that right? Well, Vanessa, if that’s what helps you sleep at night, by all means, hold onto it. But remember one thing—power doesn’t have to announce itself. It just is.”

I grabbed my dress and paid for it before walking away, leaving them behind. And as I stepped out of the store, I felt their gazes boring into my back—but for the first time, I didn’t care in the slightest.

As Dominic and I entered the grand hall, I kept my posture poised, my expression calm. The lights sparkled, casting a warm glow over the ornate decorations, and the low hum of laughter and music filled the space. It was a night of celebration, marking the partnership Alexander had pursued so persistently for years. But for me, it was another step in a plan that I couldn’t afford to see fail.

Dominic smiled, gave my hand a gentle squeeze, and headed into the crowd, leaving me to survey the room alone. I spotted Alexander across the hall, and as if he could feel my gaze on him, he looked up. The crowd seemed to part as he approached me, but my heart skipped at the hardened expression he wore—those dark eyes of his revealing no warmth, no compromise.

As he reached me, the silence between us was palpable, charged with the weight of unspoken words. He didn’t need to say it. His expression alone spoke volumes. He wasn’t going to budge.

ALEXANDER

The party was in full swing, a grand celebration of my business deal with the Grahams. A cascade of murmured conversations, the soft clinking of glasses, and the glow of chandeliers cast an opulent sheen over the room. As Raina walked in with her lover, I knew this was the last place I wanted to be, and yet, here I was. Raina was relentless, determined to force my hand, and while the stakes couldn’t have been higher, it grated on me that I’d have to concede. I was sure she’d be a match.

With each demand Raina had made, I’d countered with one of my own, carefully balancing the scales, keeping her on her toes. But today… was no different. With Liam’s life hanging in the balance, I’d resolved to meet her terms as much as she was ready to save Liam’s life. My lawyer’s carefully drafted agreement had been rock-solid, everything airtight, as it needed to be. I didn’t trust Raina as far as I could throw her, and yet she’d been alarmingly quick to sign. I should have known it was all for show.

When I spotted her across the room, her laugh floating lightly through the crowd, it took all my strength to keep my composure. I moved through the crowd, keeping my gaze fixed on her. She was with Dominic, and as I approached, he noticed me first, his expression unreadable.

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Raina’s gaze met mine, cool and unflinching as I extended the final custody papers in her direction.noveldrama

“Is this what you wanted?” I asked, barely keeping my voice even, the weight of our son’s life pressing down on each word.

She nodded, taking the document from me without so much as a flicker of hesitation. With an eerie calm, she took the pen I handed her and signed, her hand moving in precise, confident strokes, as if she’d planned for this moment all along. Her ease in sealing the agreement felt like a mockery, and yet, there was no turning back now.

“Done,” she said, handing the papers back, and it took everything in me to keep the mask of control on my face.

I raised an eyebrow, my tone laced with bitterness. “You don’t waste time, do you?”

She met my gaze, unbothered. “Why would I? You were the one stalling.” Her indifference stung, the audacity she wielded sharp enough to slice through steel.

“I know this is all a show,” I muttered, watching for any flicker of guilt or hesitation.

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