Chapter 4

Kayden's POV

Inside the bedroom, Sienna murmured my name softly under her breath, "Kayden…"

I didn't tirelessly change her clothes or wipe her down like I used to. Instead, I stood by the bed, staring down at her for a long time.

In the end, I pulled off my wedding ring and tossed it into the wastebasket right alongside hers.

After nine whole years, we had finally gone from college sweethearts to despising the very sight of each other.

I spent the night in the guest room, only to be yanked awake by a furious Sienna the next morning.

She glared at me, her eyes filled with sheer disappointment. "Kayden, did you beat up Ivan last night?"

Woken by the sharp pain, I yanked my wrist free from her grip. "What, feeling sorry for him?"

"His parents called the police! They're making a scene at the college right now! You're coming with me to apologize to him!"

Sienna looked anxious, her eyes bloodshot, as she slammed my clothes against my head.

Rubbing my sore wrist, I let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, so he actually has parents? I thought he was an orphan with the way he runs to you for every little thing."

"Kayden!"

She pointed a trembling finger at my face, her expression a storm of rage and disbelief. "How could you say something like that? When did you become so completely unreasonable? You're coming with me today to apologize!"

She dragged me to the college like she was escorting a criminal.

Inside the office, Ivan sat on the couch with his head hanging low. His parents sat beside him, shouting furiously at the department head, "Our son came here to study, and now he gets beaten half to death for no reason! You'd better give us an answer!"

"Professor Waller!"

The moment Ivan saw Sienna, he rushed over dramatically. Pointing at the lingering bruise on the corner of his lip, he complained, "After I brought you home last night, he accused me of seducing you and hit me like a madman! My head hurts so bad…"

Seeing me, Ivan's mother shot up from her seat, screeching, "So you're the uncultured brute who laid hands on my son? You pay us at least ten thousand dollars in compensation today, or this isn't over!"

I glanced at them with cold indifference, pulled out my phone, and opened a screenshot I'd saved from Ivan's social media.

He had posted it at midnight and deleted it seconds later, but I caught it.

It was taken in the hospital. Sienna was asleep by his bedside, and he was leaning in to steal a kiss.

I zoomed in on the picture and shoved it right into his parents' faces.

"Fine by me. But I'd love to ask how you two raised your son, too. What kind of person flirts with his professor while getting his master's degree?"

Ivan and his father traded a quick glance.

Instantly, his father snapped and charged forward to hurl a heavy fist straight at my face. "You worthless trash who got used by female thugs! How dare you slander my son? Those thugs should've finished you off back then!"

My world spun out of control. I stumbled backward and hit the floor hard. The blinding pain in my head knocked the wind right out of me.

After a long moment, my vision finally cleared, and I was met with several hostile faces.

Sienna looked at me with a flicker of worry in her eyes, yet her body remained firmly planted in front of Ivan and his father.

I scrambled up and charged at the man to throw that punch right back.

Before I could land it, a pair of arms locked tightly around my waist. Sienna held me back, yelling, "Kayden, calm down! You were the one who started this in the first place!"

"Sienna, get off me!" My eyes burned red as a wave of humiliation and fury rushed over me.

Why did everyone feel entitled to rip open my scars to humiliate me? Why?

"Sienna, he just hit me! Didn't you see that? Why did you tell them about that night? Can't you hear how he's insulting me?"

My desperate screams echoed down the hallway, drawing a crowd of students leaving their classes to watch the spectacle.

Embarrassed by the scene, Sienna dragged me into the stairwell. "Go home first. I need to take Ivan to the hospital for a full checkup."

She shielded Ivan as they pushed through the crowd of onlookers.

Suddenly, Ivan turned back and reached out a hand to shove me backward.

I tumbled down the flight of stairs, slamming hard onto the floor below. The impact felt like it shattered every bone in my body.

Sienna merely glanced back at me with a frown before quickly averting her gaze.

She was embarrassed of me.

A student couldn't bear the sight and helped me up. After thanking them, I limped straight to Sienna's office.

A flight notification appeared on my phone, reminding me that boarding was in six hours.

I placed the divorce agreement on her desk, took a photo, and sent it to her. "I've signed it. Sienna, let's get a divorce."