Chapter 4: The Divorce Papers

Sienna looked at Damian, who stood in the doorway, his breathing slightly uneven.

Tension immediately filled the small room.

Sienna made no attempt to hide the documents on the desk or the cardboard box beneath it.

She gently set the book she was holding aside before standing upright to face her husband.

"This isn't happening behind your back, Damian," Sienna said, her voice calm and steady. "Tomorrow is the last day of our contract. I'm simply preparing for what we both agreed to in writing a year ago."

Damian stepped forward, closing the distance between them until he could clearly see the traces of exhaustion on Sienna's face, along with the unwavering determination in her eyes.

"Our agreement was to part on good terms after each of us achieved our respective goals," Damian said, his voice low and sharp. "But the way you've behaved these past few days makes it seem as though I'm the villain here. You've withdrawn from this house, ignored my family, and now you've prepared these documents before we've even had the chance to sit down and discuss everything with my lawyer."

A quiet laugh escaped Sienna's lips.

It sounded painfully bitter to Damian.

"Sit down?" Sienna met Damian's gaze without hesitation. "With your lawyer?"

She looked at him steadily.

"What for, Damian? So your lawyer can draft another clause to make sure I won't claim a single cent from the Blackwell family?"

Her eyes sharpened briefly before she continued.

"You don't have to worry. Look at this."

Sienna picked up the folder from the desk and held it out toward Damian.

"I've already signed it. It clearly states that I'm waiving all post-divorce financial support. I'm not asking for a single square meter of Blackwell property, and I'm not taking a single cent from the shopping mall project you secured with the help of my contributions to the asset partnership documents. I'm leaving with nothing more than what I brought when I first came here."

Damian stared at the papers.

Sienna's signature was there—neat, firm, and unwavering.

There wasn't the slightest trace of hesitation in the ink.

The sight left an unexpected emptiness in the pit of his stomach.

A man who had always been in control of every negotiation now felt that control slipping completely from his grasp.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Damian asked.

Without realizing it, his voice had softened, revealing an uneasiness he hadn't intended to expose.

"Your mother's house has already been returned to you. As for your foundation... if you want, I can speak to Mother and have it reinstated as one of the charity gala's partners."

"There's no need," Sienna interrupted immediately.

"Your mother was right, Damian. I don't belong in your world. And I'm tired of pretending to wear shoes that are too small just to look presentable while my feet bleed every time I walk in front of the media. My role as your trophy wife is over. Our contract officially ends tomorrow morning at eight."

Damian lowered his gaze to the cardboard box on the floor.

Inside were only a few old books, the pearl necklace that had belonged to Sienna's mother, and several simple outfits she had bought before marrying him.

Every luxurious gown and every diamond jewelry set he had purchased for formal occasions remained neatly stored in the master bedroom closet.

Sienna hadn't taken a single one of them.

"Do you really think starting over from scratch will be easy with a family like yours?" Damian tried once again to appeal to reason, hiding both his pride and his reluctance to let her go. "Your father and stepmother won't leave you alone once they find out you're no longer backed by Blackwell Group. Zoe will seize this opportunity to come after you again."

Sienna smiled.

This time, her smile carried a quiet confidence that had only recently begun to grow.

"I know."

"Facing them won't be easy. But at least I'll be fighting for myself—not serving as a shield to protect the reputation of a man who never once looked back while his family trampled on my dignity."

Her words struck Damian head-on.

The memory of the charity gala flashed through his mind.

Sienna had looked at him from across the room, silently pleading for help.

He had chosen to look away so he could greet a government minister instead.

Damian fell silent.

His tongue suddenly felt heavy.

For the first time, the ambitious businessman couldn't find a single logical argument to answer her.

Sienna bent down again, picked up the last book, and placed it inside the box.

"It's getting late, Damian. You should get some rest. Tomorrow is an important day for Blackwell Group... and a new beginning for me."

Damian remained frozen in the middle of the silent room for several long moments before finally turning around and walking out, his chest burning with emotions he couldn't untangle.

He kept convincing himself that this was nothing more than dependence on routine.

He was simply accustomed to being taken care of.

Nothing more.

Tomorrow, once she was gone, everything would return to normal.

At least, that was what he kept telling himself in stubborn denial.