Chapter 2: The Bet 

Seraphina's pov

"Two months. She's so desperate she won't even notice you're counting down."

I froze outside Cassian's home office. The door was ajar. Declan's voice, that smug, lazy drawl I'd grown to hate, was laughing about something. About me.

"She's a puppy," Cassian replied. His tone was bored. "Feed her a compliment, she wags her tail. Ignore her for a day, she whines. It's actually pathetic."

My hand trembled on the doorframe. The coffee mug in my other hand, because I was still trying to be the perfect wife shook so violently that hot liquid burned my fingers.

"And the project?" Marcus asked. His voice was sharper, more eager.

"Mine." Cassian's voice was cold. "The moment I hand her divorce papers, I get the Aurelian Project. Easy."

The coffee mug slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor.

The voices in the office stopped.

"What was that?" Marcus asked.

The door swung open. Cassian stood there, looking down at me coldly. "Seraphina. What are you doing here?"

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

He looked down at the mess on the floor. "You spilled coffee everywhere. That's going to stain the hardwood."

Behind him, Declan and Marcus appeared in the doorway. Declan had the decency to look uncomfortable. Marcus just looked amused, like this was the entertainment he'd been waiting for.

"Seraphina." Cassian's voice was sharper now. "I asked you a question."

I finally found my voice. It came out as barely a whisper. "I heard you."

His jaw tightened. "Heard what?"

"The bet. Two months. Divorce papers. The Aurelian Project." I forced myself to meet his eyes. "I heard everything."

For a split second, something flickered across his face. "You're overreacting. Let's go somewhere private and talk about this."

"Talk about what?" I laughed.

"Seraphina…"

"Don't." I held up my hand, "Don't say my name like you care. Don't pretend this is anything other than what it is."

Marcus snorted behind Cassian. "Oh, this is rich. The puppy finally bites."

I looked at him, "You're right," I said softly. "I'm a puppy. A desperate, pathetic puppy who thought someone actually loved her. Congratulations. You all win the bet. I hope the project is worth it."

I turned and walked away into the guest bathroom and fell apart, pressing my hands to my mouth to muffle the sobs.

I gave up my identity for this man and he was laughing at me the whole time. Cassian doesn't deserve to know who I really am.

I reached for my phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in years. My father's personal lawyer… Mr. Graves who had handled the Vale family's legal affairs for decades.

He answered on the second ring. "Miss Vale? Is something wrong?"

"I need your help," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I need to arrange a clean exit from my marriage. Discreetly. And I need to start documenting everything."

There was a pause on the other end. Then: "Of course, Miss Vale. I'll have my team start immediately. Is there anything else?"

"Yes." I looked at my reflection again. "Don't tell my father. Not yet. I need to handle this myself."

"As you wish."

I hung up and stared at the phone for a long moment.

I was done being the chubby girl who couldn't keep a man and hiding who I really was.

My phone buzzed. Vespera.

I stared at her name for a long moment. A part of me wanted to scream at her but that would be too easy and let her off the hook.

I pressed answer. 

"Hey, girl!" Her voice was cheerful, "I was just calling to check in"

I forced a smile into my voice. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Good. Because I was thinking… maybe we could have a girls' night tomorrow? Just us? We could go to that new wine bar downtown. Catch up properly."

"I don't think I'm up for a wine bar," I said. "But maybe we could have dinner at my place? I'll cook."

Vespera paused. "Your place? Cassian won't mind?"

"Cassian has a business dinner tomorrow. It'll just be us."

Another pause. When she spoke again, her voice was careful, "That sounds lovely. What time?"

"Seven."

"Perfect. I can't wait to catch up."

I hung up and whispered to myself: "Two months? No, Cassian. You don't get two months. You get two days… then I'm gone, and you'll never know what you lost."

I walked out of the bathroom and headed back toward the bedroom. I needed to start packing. I needed to start planning.

I had helped him solve difficult business deals that funded his lifestyle while he made me feel like I was a burden.

The irony made me want to scream.

By midnight, I had a folder full of evidence, enough to destroy him in court. I closed my laptop and lay back on the bed. Cassian hadn't come to bed yet, he was still in his office, probably still celebrating with his friends.

I was done being the nice girl…