I tucked the divorce agreement into the bottom of my vanity drawer, clinging to the sliver of hope that I was wrong about him.

After all, Liliana was married. But fate had a cruel sense of humor. Liliana's marriage was a nightmare.

Two months ago, Cillian had used his family’s influence to extract her from that disastrous marriage, even bringing her back to New York to start a new life.

Now, he wanted her living in our home.

I was in the middle of reviewing my assets when they walked in.

My father had provided a generous dowry when I married Cillian. Now, I needed to liquidate it to fund his legal battle.

I switched off my phone and rose to my feet as Cillian entered the room.

He announced, "Liliana wants this room. You'll move."

After we married, he began spending his nights in the study. He claimed he didn't want to disturb my rest, so he had me move from the master suite—the room that symbolized my place as the lady of this house.

This room was the one closest to his. Its balcony, which he’d filled with white roses planted by his own hand, overlooked the terrace where the swing from our honeymoon still sat.

Liliana peeked out from behind him, a triumphant glint in her eyes as she surveyed the room.

I looked up at him and, for the first time, refused. "No. The estate is enormous. There are plenty of other rooms. Why must it be this one?"

Liliana’s lip trembled as she tugged on his sleeve.

A pained look crossed Cillian's face before it hardened. He retorted coldly, "Because Liliana likes it. These white roses... they were always for her."

The cold truth struck me like a physical blow. Liliana was satisfied, her smile as radiant as the roses blooming on the balcony.

I glared at her, and Cillian instinctively shielded her behind him. "You'll be out by tonight. Don't make this difficult for everyone."

I lowered my gaze. "Fine."

My father had lost his power. The Callahan family’s standing was gone. I was alone, and Cillian no longer had to pretend to respect me.

By evening, I had moved into a small guest room at the far end of the hall. I gathered all the jewelry and designer bags Cillian had ever given me and took them to a discreet pawn shop in Manhattan.

I was a regular here, and the manager greeted me warmly, leading me to the VIP room.

As I laid the pieces on the black velvet, my eyes fell on the engagement ring first. The Brennan family had been in a critical period of expansion back then, yet he had spent a small fortune on it.

The second, a Cartier bracelet he bought after securing the East Side. The third, a necklace he gave me after I’d nursed him through an injury from some internal family business.

I used to love wearing that necklace when I visited his operations. The diamond pendant would catch the light, and he would hold me, his fingers tangling in my hair, and whisper that I smelled fresh, clean—not like the other women he knew.

The manager looked surprised. "These all look like gifts from Mr. Brennan. Are you sure?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice firm.

She inspected the items and wrote me a check. I took the offered price without negotiation and left with the money.

The boutique-lined street was bustling. Then, I heard Cillian's voice.

"Do you like this necklace?" he was asking.

"I do," Liliana answered, her voice shy.

He bought it without a second thought. As he was paying, he looked up and our eyes met. His gaze dropped to my left hand, to the bare finger where my engagement ring used to be.

He closed the distance in three long strides, his hand clamping around my wrist. "Where's your ring?" he demanded.

I kept my eyes fixed on the floor. "I took it off."

Cillian's grip tightened, and a pained hiss escaped my lips.

Liliana quickly intervened. "Cillian..."

As if jolted from a trance, he released me and forced a smile for her. "Sorry, I lost my composure."

I turned and walked away, the stares of the onlookers burning like needles against my back.

...

Six days before my departure, I was organizing documents.

Cillian's mother, Maeve, called, telling me to step aside for Liliana as soon as possible. I refused, stating that a divorce required Cillian's consent.

She was not pleased. "You've been in this family for three years without producing an heir for the Brennans," she chided, her tone sharp. "It's time Cillian found someone who can."

I lowered my head. "He can. But only after he agrees to a divorce."

Cillian could marry whomever he wanted. It was no longer my concern.

Besides, the divorce agreement was already signed. All it needed was a trip to the courthouse.

I hung up the phone. In the hallway, I caught a glimpse of Cillian and Liliana strolling in the garden below.

He wore a crisp white shirt, his posture perfect. Liliana, wearing her new diamond necklace, smiled as she reached up to adjust his collar.

She stood on her toes, and the sunlight caught the diamonds, making them sparkle. The breeze rustled their clothes as their eyes met, a private, tender moment.

Cillian always used to lock himself in his study, claiming he was busy. He had never once taken a walk with me like that.

I stormed back to my room, thoughts spiraling. The documents in my hand were a blur. I couldn't focus. Just a pawn. A piece in his game. All his passion, all his tenderness—it was always reserved for Liliana.

I stared blankly at the papers until my assistant, Anya, came in with the asset report I'd requested.

Anya Petrova reported, "Ma'am, I've cross-referenced everything. Besides the investment assets, an heirloom from your mother is missing—her handmade wedding dress and the Callahan family crest necklace."

My head snapped up. "What did you say?"

My dowry had been so vast, it was impossible to keep track of every single item.

She repeated, "The family crest necklace and a wedding dress."

"A crest necklace?" I mumbled, and then the image of Liliana's new diamond necklace flashed in my mind.

I stormed into her room and found her standing before a full-length mirror, trying on the very wedding dress my mother had sewn by hand for me.

Her wedding to Cillian was in six days. Everything was happening so fast. I couldn't shake the feeling that he'd had this planned long before my father's fall.

Rage boiled inside me. I strode forward and grabbed the hem of the dress. I tore at the delicate, handmade lace and pearl beading, ripping them from the fabric. They scattered across the floor like a shattered dream.

But my fury wasn't spent. I yanked harder, rewarded by the brutal, satisfying sound of tearing fabric.

Liliana cowered. "I'm sorry! I'll take it off right now."

I clenched the ruined fabric in my fist, glaring down at her. Liliana collapsed onto the floor, a weeping mess amidst the ruined dress, pearls rolling into the corners of the room.

She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling. "If you wanted it off, you just had to say so. Why did you have to do this?"

I looked down at her and nudged her with the toe of my shoe. "You wore my mother's heirloom without permission, and you have the nerve to question me?"

She lowered her head and broke into sobs.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the hall, and Cillian burst in. He shoved me aside and pulled Liliana into his arms.

I stumbled, my hand flying out to steady myself on the nearby vanity.