Chapter 10
They looked pathetic.
Alexander had lost weight—his custom suits hanging loose, dark circles carved under his eyes. Catherine stood behind him, smaller than I remembered, clutching a rosary like it could save her.
Between them stood a nervous-looking priest who clearly wanted to be anywhere else.
"Vivian." Alexander dropped to his knees the moment he saw me. "Please. I can't—I can't do this without you."
I remained standing behind my desk. "Do what, exactly?"
"Live. Function. The company's gone. My reputation's gone. Everyone's abandoned me." His voice cracked. "You were the only real thing I ever had, and I was too stupid to see it."
"You're right," I said. "You were stupid."
Catherine stepped forward. "Vivian, dear, please—Father Mitchell is here to counsel you both. Marriage is sacred. The divorce papers are just... just legal formalities. In God's eyes—"
"In whose eyes?" I cut her off. "The same God you invoked when you told me a 'proper wife' should tolerate her husband's mistress?"
Catherine flinched.
I walked around my desk slowly, looking down at Alexander's kneeling form.
"Let me be very clear," I said. "I don't owe you anything. Not forgiveness. Not mercy. Not a second chance."
"But I love you—"
"You love what I gave you. Stability. Status. Money. Power." I crouched down to his level, forcing him to look me in the eyes. "Name one thing about me—just me, as a person—that you love."
Silence.
His mouth opened, then closed. His eyes darted. Nothing came out.
"That's what I thought."
I stood up.
"Security will escort you out. And Alexander—" I paused at the door. "If you come to my building again, I will have you arrested for trespassing. This isn't Cole Tower. You have no name here."
He let out a broken sob. Catherine was crying. The priest was edging toward the exit.
I walked out without looking back.
In the hallway, my hands were shaking.
Not from sadness. Not from anger.
From finally being free.
Alexander had lost weight—his custom suits hanging loose, dark circles carved under his eyes. Catherine stood behind him, smaller than I remembered, clutching a rosary like it could save her.
Between them stood a nervous-looking priest who clearly wanted to be anywhere else.
"Vivian." Alexander dropped to his knees the moment he saw me. "Please. I can't—I can't do this without you."
I remained standing behind my desk. "Do what, exactly?"
"Live. Function. The company's gone. My reputation's gone. Everyone's abandoned me." His voice cracked. "You were the only real thing I ever had, and I was too stupid to see it."
"You're right," I said. "You were stupid."
Catherine stepped forward. "Vivian, dear, please—Father Mitchell is here to counsel you both. Marriage is sacred. The divorce papers are just... just legal formalities. In God's eyes—"
"In whose eyes?" I cut her off. "The same God you invoked when you told me a 'proper wife' should tolerate her husband's mistress?"
Catherine flinched.
I walked around my desk slowly, looking down at Alexander's kneeling form.
"Let me be very clear," I said. "I don't owe you anything. Not forgiveness. Not mercy. Not a second chance."
"But I love you—"
"You love what I gave you. Stability. Status. Money. Power." I crouched down to his level, forcing him to look me in the eyes. "Name one thing about me—just me, as a person—that you love."
Silence.
His mouth opened, then closed. His eyes darted. Nothing came out.
"That's what I thought."
I stood up.
"Security will escort you out. And Alexander—" I paused at the door. "If you come to my building again, I will have you arrested for trespassing. This isn't Cole Tower. You have no name here."
He let out a broken sob. Catherine was crying. The priest was edging toward the exit.
I walked out without looking back.
In the hallway, my hands were shaking.
Not from sadness. Not from anger.
From finally being free.