Chapter 3

Her sudden burst of anger caught me off guard.

What was Selene even mad about?

In the past, I had behaved like a hysterical madman. I had done everything to track down evidence of her affairs, checked her phone for endless flirty texts, and tried to block every man who came near her.

Back then, she despised me for it. She called me a psycho, a controlling freak.

Now that I was finally giving her the freedom she wanted, why was she still angry?

I felt incredibly exhausted. I took a deep breath, gently but firmly prying her fingers off my wrist.

"I'm not giving you attitude, Selene. I'm just tired and want to rest."

I took two steps, then paused as something crossed my mind. I turned back.

"By the way, I've signed the divorce papers. My signed copy is in my bag, and yours is back on your desk. If you have time tomorrow morning, let's go to the attorney's office to file the paperwork. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes."

"I haven't told Victoria about this yet. Her health is fragile, and I don't want to shock her. You should find a gentler way to tell her later."

Selene let out a harsh, bitter laugh, her words dripping with sarcasm:

"You're calling her 'Victoria' already? How ungrateful."

"Ashton, if my mother hadn't literally threatened to starve herself to death, a guy like you would have never even crossed my path, let alone married into the corporate dynasty."

My fingernails dug into my palms, turning my fingertips white.

But I didn't want to argue. I just kept my head down, remaining silent.

My silence made Selene feel like she was punching a wall of soft cotton. Her irritation flared even higher.

She pushed her plate away and stood up abruptly.

"Fine! You're in such a rush to leave? Let's go tomorrow!"

The next morning, the silence in the back of the town car was suffocating.

Suddenly, Selene turned her head, a cruel, mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Too bad Hunter was still asleep and couldn't join us. Otherwise, once we file these papers, I could have proposed to him right outside. He's been with me for years; it's time I gave him a legal title."

I knew she was trying to get a rise out of me, so I didn't take the bait.

Instead, I turned to look at her.

"Since we're legally parting ways today, can you tell me the truth?"

"Selene, why have you hated me so passionately all these years?"

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