He wouldn't let me go

Serena's POV 

The papers sat between us on the table, and I couldn't stop staring at them like they were the only solid thing left in the room.

Freedom. That's what they were. That's all I let myself see, even as I wondered if I should go on with it. But I needed to, I couldn't keep staying with a man who didn't care whether I lived or died.

I couldn't keep hoping for the best with a man that thought my cry for help was because I was seeking attention. Beside me, Alissa gave me a slight nod as if she could feel me tense up.

I flashed her a small smile and looked at Cassian's lawyer. “Shall we begin?”

“Everything is in order,” the lawyer said, sliding the pen toward Cassian. “We just need your signatures, and it's done.”

Done.

I almost wanted to cry from relief. After everything, after the accident, after losing my baby in a hospital bed alone while he didn't even bother to call, this was finally going to be over. I was finally going to be free from a marriage that had done nothing but break me piece by piece.

Cassian reached for the pen without a word, and my chest tightened, caught between grief and something close to hope. 

I watched his hand close around it, watched him bring it to the paper, and for a second, I let myself believe I was really about to walk out of this a free woman.

Then his phone buzzed.

He paused, glancing down at the screen, and I hated myself for still noticing the small shift in his face. Three years of memorizing him, and even now, even after everything, I still knew him too well.

The pen stopped moving.

“Cassian?” The lawyer's voice held the first note of confusion.

Cassian set the pen down slowly, staring at his phone like it had just rearranged everything in his world.

My stomach dropped.

“I'm not signing,” he said, quiet, but sure.

For a moment, I thought I misheard him. I searched his face for a hint that he was joking, that this was some cruel test, but nothing about him looked like he was joking.

“What?” The word cracked out of me before I could stop it.

“I'm not signing,” he repeated, standing up and pocketing his phone like the matter was already settled.

“You can't do this,” I said, my voice rising, my hands trembling against the table. “You can't just decide, after everything, that you're suddenly changing your mind. I deserve to be free from you, Cassian.”

He didn't even look at me.

“Mr. Voss, perhaps we should discuss—” the lawyer tried, but Cassian was already walking toward the door.

“We're done here,” he said, and the finality in his voice was the same one he'd used the night he called our intimacy a mistake.

I sat there, my chest heaving, tears blurring the papers in front of me, listening to the door click shut behind him.

He had taken everything from me. My peace, my baby, my dignity.

And now, even my freedom.

“Serena,” Alissa called behind me but I couldn't turn. I had hoped to be free and he had just done this.

“You can't do this to me,” I whispered, already standing up to dash after him. Cassian's car was already leaving when I reached the garage and for a second, I remained frozen to my spot.

Alissa joined me next. “This divorce will happen, Serena. You deserve to be free from such a monster.”

I held myself back from sniffing and forced a nod. “Yes. Thank you, Alissa,” then I was heading to the road. I boarded a taxi and at home, I settled on the sofa.

It took hours but when Cassian flung the door open, I was already questioning him. “Why did you do that?”

“Because I'm not signing the divorce papers, Serena.” He replied to me, almost walking away but I grabbed his arms immediately.

“You don't get to decide that. You don't decide to do that to me, Cassian. Haven't you had enough, Cassian? Haven't you tormented me enough? Three years of nothing but neglect and now you still wouldn't let me go.”

“I wouldn't. Not yet.”

I chuckled. Not yet. He had said it arrogantly like he was in charge of my life. As if he had the final say. “What happened?” I raised a brow, stepping in his way.

“Do you not want to be with your first love? This is what you wanted. I am giving it to you.”

“This is about that day, is it not?” Cassian asked as he brushed his hair. “It's about Vivienne, is it not?”

“All that calls, the fake accident you told me on the phone. The fake limping, and now this divorce, all because of Vivienne?”

I shook my head, unable to believe what Cassian was saying. He thought I faked all of it. “You believe they are all fake,” I shook my head as I reached for my leg, raising the skirt I was in and revealing my bandaged legs.

“No. Cassian. The accident was real.”

Cassian's lips stayed agape for an extra second as he stared at my bandage.

“You didn't know because we never even shared a room,” my voice thinned and I swallowed to contain my pain. “I change these bandages every day yet you never see. I limp everyday but you thought it was fake.”

“What kind of marriage is this, then?” I asked and answered for myself. “A useless one. And that's why we should go our separate ways.”

“No!” Cassian exclaimed and shook his head. “What do you want? Money for your treatment?” He dashed to a drawer grabbing his chequebook.

“Say any amount you want, Serena and let's put this behind us.”

I stared at Cassian wanting to believe I heard wrong. But the words didn't change. He wanted to compensate me with money.

He wanted to pay me for the life of my child.

This arrogant bastard thought money could solve the issue. How didn't I see all of these within the three years we stayed together?

“Money isn't the problem here, Cassian,” I muttered and tightened my jaw. “I want to be free from you.”

Cassian shook his head. “You wouldn't be free from me any time soon, Serena. Say the amount you want and we will forget about this divorce.”

I ruffled my hair and held his eyes. “This divorce will happen no matter what.” I stated, turned around and headed to my room. As I shut the door behind me, I dashed to the bathroom spitting out everything from my tummy.

I crashed to the floor shortly after, my tears falling.

He didn't want to let me go.

Perhaps he enjoyed tormenting me. Maybe he derived joy from seeing my shine leave.

I grabbed the sink and forced myself to my feet. Catching myself in the mirror, I ran my fingers over my face. My shine was gone, remaining a pale and lifeless face staring back at me.

With a sigh, I packed my hair. “I am getting my freedom whether you like it or not, Cassian.” Then I dashed to my bedroom, packing my things.

Amidst my packing, I heard the ignition of a car engine. I dashed to the window and found Cassian driving out.

“Good.” I whispered.

I didn't even wait to hear his car fully leave before I grabbed my bags and headed for the door. There was nothing left for me in that house anyway.

The taxi ride away from the mansion felt lighter, but my mind wouldn't stay still. It kept dragging me back to that moment. Cassian's phone buzzing. His face changing. The pen just... stopping.

What was on that phone?

I turned it over and over in my head, trying to find something that made sense. He wanted this divorce. He agreed the moment I handed him those papers, no hesitation, no fight. He even arranged with his lawyers.

So what changed in three seconds?

It couldn't have been Vivienne. A text from her should have made him sign faster, not stop.

So what was it then? Who?

None of it matched the Cassian I knew. The one who never once called the hospital. The one who let another woman shove me out of his office like I was nothing. That man didn't hesitate over anything, talk more of me.

Something had made him stop. And I hated that I needed to know.

By the time the taxi got to my old apartment, I still had no answers. I dragged my bags up the stairs and let myself in, the quiet settling around me differently than the mansion's ever did. Smaller. But mine.

No staff. No cameras. And especially no Cassian.

Still, the question wouldn't leave me alone.

I sat on the couch and grabbed my phone before I could change my mind, scrolling until I found a number I hadn't dialled in years.

Mrs. Bello. Beatrice's lawyer.

If anyone knew what Cassian was hiding, it would be her.