Chapter 3

After the way Bastian treated me last night, I was completely certain that I needed to divorce him immediately. The wound he inflicted was no longer just a small cut—it was a gaping hole in my chest. There was no room left for negotiation, let alone for his insane plan of a “fake divorce” just to satisfy his desire for Vivian.

I sat in my executive chair, staring at the stack of papers on my cold desk. My fingers trembled as I touched the white folder containing the draft of the divorce papers. The marriage I had built with sweat and tears had only lasted five years. Five years that now felt like a failed investment. The promise to stay loyal until death, which he once said with teary eyes, now sounded like the most hollow joke I had ever heard.

Knock, knock.

The door slowly opened. Levia, my most loyal personal assistant, stepped in with a worried expression.

“Madam President Director, you called for me?” she asked softly, as if afraid to break the suffocating silence in the room.

I let out a long breath and slid the folder toward her. “Give these divorce papers to Bastian. Right now.”

Levia froze. Her eyes widened as she stared at the folder, then shifted back to me, searching for answers.

“Madam… do you really want to divorce Mr. Bastian? Is this all because of Vivian, your husband’s new secretary?”

I only gave a faint smile—a bitter one that concealed the storm inside me. I didn’t need to confirm what had already become an open secret in this office. Bastian and Vivian’s behavior had been far too obvious to ignore.

“It’s not just about her, Levia. This is about my dignity,” I replied calmly. I stood up and looked out the large window at the bustling city below. “I also want to resign from this company. I don’t want to work here anymore. Prepare my resignation letter.”

Levia looked choked with disbelief. “But Madam, you built the foundation of this company. Without you, Mr. Bastian might never have—”

“I stayed in this company because of Bastian,” I cut her off. “Now he is no longer the man who loves me. Why should I remain in a place where every corner only reminds me of betrayal?”

But that calm didn’t last long.

Bang!

The office door slammed violently against the wall. Bastian stormed in, breathing heavily, his face flushed with rage. Without a word, he snatched the folder from Levia’s hands and threw it straight at my face. The papers scattered across the floor like dry leaves.

“Casandra! Didn’t you agree last night to a fake divorce?! Then why did you hurt Vivian and make her resign from this company?” he shouted thunderously.

I frowned, trying to process his absurd accusation. “I don’t know why she wants to resign from your company, Bastian. Since last night, I haven’t even wanted to say her name—let alone meet her.”

“Liar!” Bastian stepped forward and grabbed my shoulder harshly, making me wince. “You’re clearly the mastermind behind her resignation! You threatened her, didn’t you? You’re afraid she’ll take your position as the lady of this house. You’re such a greedy woman, Casandra!”

“Bastian, what is wrong with you? Watch your words!” I tried to break free from his grip, but his strength was overwhelming.

His eyes gleamed with a hatred I had never seen before.

“You’re really testing my patience, Casandra. Do you think threatening Vivian will make me come back to you? No! Now come—I’m going to punish you so you understand your place!”

Ignoring my protests and Levia’s horrified stare, Bastian dragged me out of the room. He pulled me down the office hallway, which was already growing quiet, toward a rarely used freight elevator. I struggled, trying to break free, but his grip on my wrist felt like cold iron shackles.

“Let me go, Bastian! You’ve lost your mind!” I shouted.

He didn’t respond. He took me down to the ground floor, heading toward the back of the building—a damp, neglected warehouse area. The smell of dust and mold hit me instantly as he kicked open the door to one of the dark storage rooms.

“Get in! I’ll lock you in here until you’re willing to apologize to Vivian!”

I froze when I looked inside. The room was filthy and dark, and I could hear faint squeaking and scurrying behind piles of old boxes.

Rats.

Bastian knew very well that I had a severe phobia of them since childhood.

“Bastian, please don’t do this! I’m afraid of rats! Please, not here!” My voice broke in genuine fear. The tears I had been holding back finally began to fall.

He looked at me coldly, without a hint of pity.

“Maybe this will clear your mind, Casandra. Think about your mistakes in there.”

Bastian shoved me into the suffocating room, causing me to fall onto the dusty floor. Before I could even stand, he had already pulled the iron door shut and locked it from the outside.

“Bastian! Open the door! Please!” I pounded on the metal door until my hands bruised.

His footsteps faded away, leaving me alone in the suffocating darkness. Around me, the squeaking of rats grew louder, as if they were drawing closer to welcome a new intruder into their territory.

I curled up in the corner, hugging my knees tightly, trembling uncontrollably in the darkness.

This was the end of my devotion over five years—locked away like an animal by the man who once promised to protect me.