Dominic didn’t answer me right away.

He merely cast a look of sheer, utter disbelief in my direction.

I forged ahead. “We established the rules the very night I entered the Cross family—it was a marriage of convenience for both parties. Sign the divorce papers, and we can both walk away from this with some shred of dignity.

“Or are you planning to cheat me out of what’s rightfully mine, too?”

His eyes grew entirely bloodshot, and he opened his mouth to speak.

Elena, practically hanging on by a thread, cut him off weakly. “You really are delusional, Sienna. But then again, you were ready to murder our own mother. There’s nothing you won’t do.”

The slight movement caused her to cough up fresh blood.

Panicked, Dominic scooped her up in his arms, desperate to soothe her. “We’re getting you into surgery right now. Don’t say another word.”

A heavy silence descended upon the grand hall, broken only by my mother’s frantic weeping.

The private doctor arrived at the exact moment my attorney called. I instructed him to mail the finalized divorce agreement directly to the Cross estate.

Overhearing this, my mother sobbed, throwing bitter accusations my way. “Sienna, how did you become this twisted? How could you bring yourself to shoot your own sister?”

“She pulled the trigger herself,” I countered.

My words carried absolutely no weight. My mother lunged forward, gripping my arm tightly.

My father finally barked out:

“If you want a divorce, then get one! You didn’t bring a single cent into the Cross family when you married him. How the hell do you have the audacity to demand half of his empire?!”

My mother chimed in, “You enjoyed eight years of absolute luxury and power as the Donna entirely because of your sister’s sacrifice. Demanding money now is a pathetic, classless move!”

The sheer irony was hysterical. I shot them a cold look and violently shook my mother’s hands off my arm.

Without me, the Cross family would never have built this empire. Demanding half of the assets wasn’t a favor; it was my right.

Before leaving the estate, while Dominic was still waiting outside the private surgical room for Elena, I turned to face my parents one last time.

“To me, you two were nothing more than stepping stones to get me to the top.”

My father erupted in absolute fury, while my mother broke down into hysterical, breathless tears.

I had never felt a shred of genuine affection for them anyway.

If they hadn’t forced me into that substitute marriage, I would still be living in my rundown rental shack, pursuing the things I actually loved.

I would have spent the last eight years living a carefree, peaceful life, instead of looking over my shoulder in constant terror every single day.

For that, I utterly loathed them.

After I walked away from the Cross family estate, the divorce papers were delivered straight to Dominic. Yet, days passed, and he refused to sign them.

While staying at a high-end hotel, a text message from Elena lit up my phone.

Elena was completely unhinged, unleashing a barrage of insults:

“You pathetic bitch! Where do you get the nerve to demand his money?

“If I hadn’t handed it to you on a silver platter, you would never have tasted what it’s like to be the Donna. If you’re going to get lost, do it quietly.

“What’s the matter? Did spending eight years in my seat make you actually believe you’re the mistress of that house? Dominic only took you in because you look like me.

“After what happened tonight, he will never forgive you for shooting me.”

Shortly after, a message from my mother popped up:

“Sienna, no matter how much you hate us, you need to come home. Let’s sit down and handle this divorce like a family.”

Then came Dominic’s text:

“Come back so we can talk. I’m not signing the papers.”

I powered down my phone completely. Their sudden desperation was transparent—they were only panicking because I was about to bleed Dominic’s empire dry.

My attorney advised me, “Since he refuses to sign the papers, our only option now is to file a formal lawsuit.”

“Proceed with it,” I replied, handing my phone over to him. “Go to the Cross estate, and make sure Dominic gets this as well.”

I had already packed my bags. I was completely exhausted, and I desperately needed to disappear for a while to clear my head.

However, the moment I arrived at the airport terminal, my attorney phoned me back.

His voice was laced with sheer panic, his words flying out at a frantic pace. “Ms. Vance, something went terribly wrong!”