Chapter 13
Chapter 13
“This is what you deserve,” I told Kaelan as he regained consciousness. “All I wanted was a divorce.”
I didn’t understand.
When we got married, a single ID card was enough.
But now? Not only did you have to make an appointment many days in advance, but there was also more than three months cooling–off period.
As long as Kaelan didn’t agree, I would forever remain his wife.
Kaelan lay in the hospital bed, his handsome, chiseled face surprisingly calm.
“Just because I humiliated you with a few words in the past?”
“Is that worth holding such a grudge, Seraphina? Did I ever deny you anything–clothes, food, anything?”
He not only never changed, but grew worse, tormenting me in various ways whenever we were alone.
Yes, to be fair, Kaelan treated me well materially.
He bought two apartments downtown–one near my parents‘ home, the other near my office–both in my
name.
The Winters mansion had a massive walk–in closet on the second floor, filled with the latest pieces from luxury brands.
The far wall was entirely covered with designer handbags.
But meanwhile, Kaelan’s control over liquid assets was incredibly strict.
He transferred a fixed amount of twenty thousand into my account each month–enough for daily life, but not enough to save much.
We had also signed a prenuptial agreement: if we divorced, I wouldn’t get a penny.
Kaelan always said that women become corrupted with money, and he wouldn’t give me the opportunity to leave him.
Not even the slightest chance.
“Besides, things said in bed are just play–you can hardly call that humiliation.”
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Chapter 13
The man whistled at me, utterly flippant.
The new head of the Winters family seemed to fear nothing. With police at the door, he still had the mood
to taunt me.
I coldly rebutted, “Your so–called ‘play‘ was never to my liking.”
“Without respect, it’s not love–it’s objectification.”
“Kaelan Winters, you only ever treated me as an object.”
“…I guess I’ve really been played by you this time.” Those were Kaelan’s last words to me before the police took him away.
I looked out the window at the blanket of white.
It was snowing.
As snowflakes drifted down from the sky, I exhaled softly.
“Seraphina Season, you’re free now.”
But that so–called freedom was nothing but an illusion.
It took less than a week for the Winters empire to secure Kaelan’s release.
Their legal team worked tirelessly, and the substantial “donations” to various foundations certainly helped expedite matters.
Money and power spoke volumes in this world, something I had learned the hard way.
The breaking news alert flashed across my phone screen: “Winters CEO Released on Bail – Claims Evidence Was Fabricated.”
My stomach tightened into knots. I had known this would happen, yet seeing it materialize so quickly still
shook me to my core.
That evening, as I was packing my belongings from the small apartment I’d rented, there was a knock at the door.
Two men in black suits stood there – Kaelan’s bodyguards.
“Miss Season, Mr. Winters requests your presence,” one of them said, his tone leaving no room for refusal.
I wanted to slam the door in their faces, but I knew better. “Tell him I’m busy dying my hair,” I replied sarcastically.
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Chapter 13
The taller guard’s expression didn’t change.
“We’ve been instructed to wait, Miss Season. For as long as it takes.”
I sighed, grabbing my coat. I knew this confrontation was inevitable.
The familiar Rolls–Royce was waiting downstairs. As I slid into the back seat, I felt the weight of Kaelan’s
cold stare.
“My lawyers say I could sue you for defamation,” he said, his voice eerily calm. “The recordings were edited, weren’t they?”
“They weren’t,” I replied, meeting his gaze. “Every word was the truth.”
His jaw tightened. “I gave you everything, Seraphina. A home, financial security-”
“A prison,” I corrected him. “You gave me a gilded cage.”
Kaelan’s laugh was hollow. “And now you think you’re free? You’ve merely exchanged one cage for
another.”
“I won’t sign the divorce papers,” he stated flatly.
“Not now, not ever. You wanted to play this game? Fine. But remember, I always win.”
It was psychological warfare, designed to break me down until I crawled back to him.
But what surprised me most wasn’t his cruelty–it was the hollow ache in my chest when I saw his
haggard appearance on business news segments.
The dark circles under his eyes. The tightness around his mouth that hadn’t been there before.
One night, as I huddled under a thin blanket in my freezing apartment, I realized with horror that despite everything, a part of me still cared for him.
Perhaps it was Stockholm syndrome, or maybe something deeper that had always been there, buried beneath layers of fear and resentment.
I caught myself checking his company’s stock prices, worrying when they dipped. I found myself wondering if he was eating properly, sleeping enough.
“You’re pathetic, Seraphina,” I whispered to myself. “The man ruined your life, and you’re worried about his sleep schedule?”
But emotions rarely follow logic, and mine were a tangled mess of contradictions.
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Chapter 13
Two days later, I discovered why I’d been feeling so nauseous in the mornings. The pregnancy test in my trembling hands displayed two unmistakable pink lines.
I sat on the bathroom floor for hours, unable to process what this meant.
A child with Kaelan. Another tie binding us together that couldn’t be severed.
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