He stared at me, stunned.

For a moment, I thought Adrian might finally choose me. I saw the flicker of indecision in his eyes, the way his jaw tightened as if he were weighing an impossible choice. Then, his gaze shifted—away from me, toward a future I’d never be part of.

“I can’t,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

That was it.

The final blow.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to stand tall. “I thought so.”

Turning away, I walked toward the towering iron gates at the edge of the Crossestate. My heart felt heavy, but for the first time in years, it wasn’t broken. The constant ache I’d lived with was gone, replaced by a strange sense of clarity. I wasn’t trapped anymore—no longer waiting for a love that would never come. I finally felt free.

Behind me, I heard Adrian’s footsteps, deliberate and measured. “Clara, wait.”

I stopped but didn’t turn around. My voice was steady, even as my chest tightened. “There’s nothing left to say, Adrian.”

He sighed, his frustration evident. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “You didn’t just hurt me, Adrian, you destroyed me, I’m done waiting for you to fix it.”

“Clara….” He started to say but I hushed

I could feel his struggle, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him. it didn’t matter to me anymore.

“This is over,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze for what I vowed would be the last time.

“Clara—” His voice cracked, but I didn’t let him finish.

“Goodbye, Adrian.”

*********

The familiarity of my parents’ home wrapped around me like a protective cocoon when I arrived at my family's house. My mother’s voice greeted me from the kitchen as soon as I stepped inside.

“Clara! You’re just in time, I was about to head to the market, ee’re having your father’s favorite tonight—roast lamb,” she announced, her tone cheerful.

The warmth of her words eased the tension in my chest, this waa what family should be, peaceful, joyous, not the nerve wracking tension I had with Adrian. “Let me come with you,” I offered, setting my bag down.

Her eyes lit up with surprise. “Really? You haven’t been to the market with me in years!”

I smiled faintly, realizing how much of myself I’d lost trying to fit into Adrian’s world. There had been countless dinners I’d missed, birthdays I’d ignored—all because I was too busy clinging to a life that never truly belonged to me.

Things would be definitely be different now.

In the afternoon, my phone buzzed incessantly. Adrian’s name flashed across the screen repeatedly. I ignored every call, my resolve hardening with each missed ring.

By evening, the doorbell rang.

I wasn’t expecting him.

Adrian stood at the entrance, looking immaculate as ever in his tailored suit. He carried a bottle of wine in one hand and a bouquet of white Lillian s in the other.

My father, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow at the unexpected visitor. “Mr. Maddox! Clara didn’t mention you’d be joining us.”

“I wanted to surprise her,” Adrian replied smoothly, his charm as effortless as ever.

Without hesitation, my mother ushered him inside. “Come in! You’re just in time for dinner. Clara, set another plate!”

I hesitated, torn between anger and resignation. Finally, I grabbed my coat. “I’m heading out,” I said abruptly.

“What? But the roast is almost ready!” my mother protested.

“I’ll eat later,” I muttered, slipping past Adrian without so much as a glance.

“Clara,” Adrian called, his voice low and commanding. He followed me outside, catching up before I reached the driveway.

“Enough of this,” he said, his tone hard. “We need to talk.”

I turned to face him, my anger bubbling to the surface. “Talk? About what, Adrian? How I wasted five years of my life waiting for you to care about me? How I gave up everything just to be with you and for what? nothing thats what”

His jaw tightened, and I could see the frustration in his eyes. “You’re being unreasonable,” he said. “You knew what this was. I never lied to you.”

“No,” I said sharply, stepping closer. “You never lied, but you let me believe there was hope, you let me stay, knowing you’d never choose me, that’s worse.”

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze dropping to the ground. “You don’t understand, Clara. My relationship with Sophia is... complicated.”

“Complicated?” I repeated, my voice dripping with disdain. “She’s your first love, Adrian. The woman you’ve spent years chasing, even while she made it clear you’d never be enough for her. Don’t insult me by calling it ‘complicated.’”

His silence was all the confirmation I needed.

“Five years,” I said softly, my voice cracking. “Five years, and you never saw me, you used me to fill the void she left behind. And I let you, but not anymore and to think we might have had a child… thabk God we didn't, it would have made things much harder.

I thought he might apologize—truly apologize—but instead, he said, “You’ve changed.”

I laughed bitterly. “No, Adrian. I’ve finally woken up.”

“You don’t mean that,” Adrian's voice, usually calm and calculating, cracked with a desperation I hadn’t heard before. “Clara, we don’t have to do this.”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “We do,” I said firmly. “Let’s part ways, Adrian, after the separation, we’ll both find our own happiness and you can stay with Sophia, where you’ve always belonged.”

His face shifted—anger, regret, maybe even a touch of shame flickered through his eyes. But deep down, we both knew the truth. He would never choose me over her. The connection between him and Sophiawasn’t something I could compete with. I was just an intruder, an outsider in his perfectly curated world.

Keeping my voice steady, I added, “She’s waiting for you, Adrian. Don’t keep her waiting.”

His shoulders sagged, but he didn’t fight me this time. He simply nodded, though his eyes hardened with something dangerous beneath the surface. “Fine,” he said quietly. “For your happiness, Clara. I agree.”

“No,” I replied with a bitter smile. “Not for my happiness—for yours.”

I turned on my heel, stepping into the street. A car approached, and I flagged it down without sparing Adrian another glance. The driver pulled over, and I slid into the back seat.

Adrian called after me, “Aren’t you coming back in my car?”

I didn’t bother to answer. Instead, I told the driver to go.

As the car sped through the city streets, I could sense Adrian’s eyes burning into the back of my head, his presence heavy even though I refused to look back.

The driver, a middle-aged man with a thick New York accent, glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Rough night, miss?” he asked.

I sighed, my thoughts already drifting. “Just get me home.”

The skyline blurred into a wash of neon lights and towering glass buildings as the car wound through the bustling streets. My mind was elsewhere, focused on the suitcase waiting for me in my penthouse. Once I was there, I could pack the last of my things and leave—disappear from this life I had been trapped in for too long.

When I arrived at my building, I moved quickly, heading straight to my penthouse. I grabbed my clothes and other essentials. None of it mattered anymore. I wasn’t the same woman who had married Adrian. That woman was gone.

I was about to turn off the lights when there was a knock at the door.

My heart lurched in my chest. I knew who it was before I even opened it.

Adrian stood there, shirtless, his tailored trousers hanging loosely around his hips, with a bottle of red wine clutched in his hand. The city lights behind him cast deep shadows over his broad shoulders. His usually composed face was twisted into something darker, more dangerous.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice sharp.

“We’re still married,” Adrian said casually, swirling the wine. “I thought we could have a drink together.” He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to brush my waist.

I jerked away, instincts on high alert. “What are you trying to do, Adrian?”

His lips curled into a strange smile. “What’s wrong, Clara? Didn’t you complain to my parents about how you’ve slept alone for five years? Tonight, I thought I’d make it up to you.”

I crossed my arms, stepping back to keep distance between us. “I don’t need anything from you,” I spat. “Stay away from me.”

Adrian’s smile faltered. His eyes flashed with a predatory glint, his voice dropping lower. “We’re still married, Clara, there is no law that says a husband can’t sleep in the same bed as his wife?”

I stared at him, heart pounding. This wasn’t about love or reconciliation. This was about control and I'll be damned if Iet him do this to me.

“ I know what you’re doing, Adrian” I said coldly. “You want to keep up appearances. Isn't that right? As long as we’re married, you can still be the perfect son, the perfect CEO in the eyes of the world. But behind the closed doors, I’m just a tool and you’ll still be able to run to Sophiawhenever she calls.”

His expression darkened. He knew I was right, and the truth stung him like a fresh wound.

I took a deep breath. “But that ends tonight. I won’t be your pawn anymore.”