LOGINDamien found Sebastian before sunset.Not by accident.Nothing about this felt accidental anymore.The message had been simple.We need to talk.No explanation.No greeting.Just an address.Sebastian almost ignored it.Almost.But something in him already knew—This wasn’t going to stop unless one of them faced the other directly.The rooftop bar was nearly empty.Quiet.Private.Wind cutting softly through the open space.Sebastian spotted Damien immediately.Standing near the railing.Hands in his pockets.Looking out over the city like he owned it.Like he owned everything.Including her.Sebastian’s jaw tightened as he approached.“You picked a dramatic location.”Damien didn’t turn right away.“You came.”“I’m here to make one thing clear.”That made Damien glance over.Cold eyes.Controlled expression.“Then we’re here for the same reason.”Sebastian stopped a few feet away.No handshake.No civility.Just tension.Heavy.Immediate.“You need to stop,” Sebastian said first.Dam
Astrid almost didn’t answer.Her phone rang once.Twice.Three times.Sebastian’s name glowed across the screen, steady and patient.She stared at it longer than she should have.Then finally—She answered.“Hello?”Silence for a second.Then his voice.Soft.Careful.“Astrid.”Something inside her loosened instantly.Not completely.But enough.“You called earlier,” she said quietly.“I know.”She closed her eyes briefly.“I was busy.”The lie felt weak.Sebastian didn’t call her out on it.Instead, he asked gently, “Can I see you?”Astrid hesitated.Her eyes drifted across the room—the unopened gifts, the flowers beginning to wilt slightly in the vase, the expensive things Damien kept leaving behind like proof that he was everywhere.“Yes,” she whispered.They met by the lake just outside town.Neutral ground.Away from the house.Away from Damien.The evening air was cool, the water still, reflecting the fading light.Sebastian was already there.And when he saw her—He didn’t smil
ASTRIDThe shift wasn’t subtle anymore.It was overwhelming.It started the next morning.A box sat at the edge of Astrid’s bed.Neatly wrapped.Too neatly.She frowned, walking closer like it might explode if she touched it wrong.“Damien?” she called.No answer.Her fingers hesitated before untying the ribbon.Inside—A dress.Soft, elegant, expensive.Exactly her taste.Her stomach tightened.Not because she didn’t like it.But because he knew she would.Behind her, his voice came quietly.“You used to like that color.”Astrid turned sharply.“I don’t remember telling you that.”“You didn’t.”That didn’t make it better.“Then how—”“I pay attention.”The words weren’t meant to sound heavy.But they did.Astrid closed the box slowly. “I don’t want gifts.”“You didn’t say that was a boundary.”Her jaw tightened. “I’m saying it now.”A pause.Then—“Noted.”Too easy.Too calm.That should’ve been the end of it.It wasn’t.By afternoon—Another box.Jewelry this time.Simple.Beautiful
The shift didn’t happen all at once.It built.Quietly.Carefully.Like Damien had decided—if he couldn’t pull Astrid toward him…He would remove everything pulling her away.Astrid noticed it in pieces.A canceled meeting.A missed call.Then another.Sebastian wasn’t the type to disappear.Not like this.She stood by the window, her phone pressed to her ear, listening to it ring… and ring… and ring.Nothing.Her chest tightened.“Why isn’t he picking up?” she muttered.Behind her, Damien’s voice came calm.“Maybe he’s busy.”Astrid turned sharply. “He’s not.”A pause.Then her eyes narrowed slightly.“Did you do something?”Damien didn’t react.Didn’t even blink.“I said I wouldn’t interfere with who you talk to,” he replied.“That’s not an answer.”“It is.”Her grip tightened around her phone. “Damien—”“I haven’t touched him,” he added, his tone steady.Not a lie.But not the truth either.And something in Astrid felt that.By evening—Her patience snapped.She grabbed her keys.“
The days didn’t pass.They pressed.Every hour in that house felt like something tightening around Astrid—quietly, steadily—waiting for her to slip.And she almost didn’t.Almost.It started small.Too small to notice at first.Astrid was in the living room, scrolling through her phone, trying—failing—to focus on anything that wasn’t Damien’s presence somewhere in the house.A message came in.Sebastian.“Can I see you today?”Her chest softened instantly.Safe.Simple.She typed back: “Yes.”That should’ve been it.But when she stepped outside—Damien was already there.Leaning against the car.Waiting.Her steps slowed. “What are you doing?”“I’m driving you.”“I didn’t ask you to.”“I know.”Her brows furrowed. “Then don’t.”Silence.Then—“You’re going to see him,” Damien said.Not a question.Astrid’s grip tightened around her phone. “That’s none of your business.”“It is if you’re still my wife.”The words hit harder than they should have.“Only on paper,” she snapped.His gaze
ASTRIDThe papers sat between them.Clean.Final.Terrifying.Astrid stared at the signature line like it was both her freedom… and something she didn’t fully understand yet.Damien stood across from her, calm—too calm—watching her reaction like he had already anticipated every thought running through her mind.“You wanted this,” he said quietly.Astrid swallowed.“Yes.”Her voice didn’t shake this time.Because she meant it.“I’m ready to sign.”A small pause.Then Damien reached forward—slowly—and placed his hand over the papers.Stopping her.Astrid’s brows furrowed. “What are you doing?”“I’ll sign,” he said.Relief flickered in her chest—too quickly.Because the next words killed it.“But not for free.”Her stomach tightened.“This isn’t a negotiation,” she said immediately. “It’s a divorce.”“It’s both.”His tone was calm. Certain.Controlled.Astrid shook her head, stepping back slightly. “No. You don’t get to bargain with my freedom.”Damien’s gaze didn’t waver.“I already am.
Astrid's pov "Interesting how?"The smile on her face would have fit perfectly on a snake without any creases."Since you claim to trust your man so much I'm sure that you are ready to take any form of risk because you know he will come out victorious right?"I glanced at Sebastian who was waiting
Chapter 23Astrid's pov It's amazing how ungrateful people can be, Taylor would probably not have enough strength to inhale air or in fact even be alive if it wasn't for the sacrifice I made years ago granted I did it with the hope that my husband would have finally pay attention to me which was m
Astrid's pov Why are you telling him all of this? That was what the little voice in my head was telling me right now. For all of these years I had to never be vulnerable. I had never let anyone see the wounds that lay inside of me, the suffering that I was going through every moment I threw breat
Astrid's pov Turns out the night was colder than I expected.Much colder.There was not much between me and the cold than a thin sheet of fabric, suddenly I regretted my pride.“Should I just ask him what's the worst that's going to happen? I'm sure that he's going to make fun of me a little bit a







