Chapter 2: All That’s Left Is Me

“I want a divorce!” Tessa exploded. She slapped Nathan’s hand away when he tried to touch her and stormed toward the car.

Nathan bent down, scooped up the ring that had fallen to the ground, then grabbed her wrist before she could escape. He forced her to stop and meet his eyes.

Those blue eyes that used to feel calm now burned with rage. “You want a divorce?” His brow lifted, mocking. “It should be me saying that. Marrying the daughter of a criminal is humiliating. I’m done.” His voice thundered, but Tessa caught the crack beneath the surface.

His words hit her like a blow. Her throat tightened, her chest shaking with a mess of anger and grief. She drew a deep breath and answered coldly, “Fine. Whether it’s you or me asking for the divorce, what matters is that you stay away from me.”

Nathan’s grip only tightened. Then he shoved the ring back into her palm. The weight of it pressed heavy, thick with memories she could barely hold back.

Her chest ached as she stared down at the ring. All the memories they’d built together seemed to crumble right there in her hand.

“Keep it. You’ll need it,” Nathan said, his voice low and sharp. “Besides, it’s one of the few things you own that won’t get seized, because I bought it.” He released her wrist, but his eyes stayed locked on hers.

For a brief second, though, there was something else in his gaze. Something more than anger. Tessa caught it, and her heart skipped.

“I don’t need it!” she hissed, tempted to hurl the ring as far away as she could. But instead, her hand curled tightly around it. As if this ring was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

“Oh, you’ll need it. Trust me.” His jaw clenched, his voice a storm of fury laced with concern. “That pride of yours won’t survive when you finally face the real world. You weren’t raised for that, Tessa.”

“I’m stronger than you think. I can handle anything.” Her lower lip trembled, but her eyes didn’t waver. “My father’s in prison. Every property we owned has been taken. People hate me just because I’m Robert Caldwell’s daughter. And now I’ll lose my husband, the man I loved, because he despises me for the family I was born into.” Her voice cracked but carried on. “Do you think it can get worse than this? Maybe it can. But I’ll survive it. I will.”

Tessa forced a smile through her tears, not even sure who it was meant for. All she knew was that she was still standing, even as the world around her collapsed.

She turned toward the car, but before she could open the door, a man in uniform stepped forward and slapped a notice against the windshield.

“Sorry, ma’am. This vehicle is part of the seized assets,” he said, pulling the keys from her hand and replacing them with a sealed court order.

Tessa froze, staring at the paper as if the universe had just smacked her in the face. The officer slid into the driver’s seat, and seconds later, the car disappeared down the street, taking another piece of her with it.

Nathan stood off to the side, jaw rigid, eyes sharp, a mocking smirk tugging at his mouth.

Tessa swallowed hard, brushed away a tear, and forced her voice steady. “It’s fine… I’ll just call a cab,” she whispered to herself, boiling frustration bubbling under her skin.

“Ms. Tessa! Ms. Tessa!” a voice shouted. Lila came running toward her, panic in her eyes. “You can’t leave! What’s going to happen to us without you?”

Tessa’s gaze landed on her faithful servant’s face, but behind Lila stood all the people who had worked for her family. Their eyes were filled with worry, desperation, silently begging her for answers.

She had never once worried about their wages, her father always handled that. But now, the weight of all their futures landed squarely on her shoulders. And she had nothing. No money for herself, let alone severance for them.

“I… I don’t know what to do,” she whispered, her throat tight. The thought of lawsuits over unpaid severance sent a chill through her. If she lost, she could end up in prison too, just like her father.

Nathan stepped forward. His tone was steady, commanding, but his eyes kept flicking to Tessa, measuring her. “I’ll take care of their severance,” he told the workers. “No one’s losing their job for no reason. And anyone looking for work, come to my house. We’re always hiring.”

The workers looked at him, then back at Tessa. Confusion and hope flickered across their faces.

Lila pressed her lips together, fists tight, as if holding back the words she wanted to say. “Miss…”

Tessa’s pride was shattered, but deep down, she felt a wave of relief. “Don’t worry about me. You’re free to accept his offer. Don’t feel guilty about it,” she told them firmly, her voice steady but kind. Her gaze swept across the group, making sure they understood. “I respect your loyalty, but you have families to take care of. Think of them. Think of yourselves.”

She squeezed Lila’s hand gently, gratitude passing between them without words.

Then she lifted her chin, meeting Nathan’s eyes with quiet defiance, even though her emotions trembled beneath the surface.

“If you think I’ll argue or insult them for choosing work in this crisis, you’re dead wrong. I’m not my father,” she said, her voice ringing with conviction. “It’s time you understood that.”

She turned back to the group, gave them one last nod, and stepped toward the street.

A taxi pulled up almost immediately, the door swinging open. “Where to, miss?” the driver asked.

Tessa stared out at the empty road. For a moment, she had no answer.

Her bank accounts were frozen. Hotels were out of the question. Her so-called friends ignored her calls.

She drew in a shaky breath and slid into the back seat, eyes fixed on the lonely stretch of road ahead.

In her chest, only one thought echoed: Face it, Tessa. You’ve already lost everything. What else can the world take from you?