Chapter 2

Dashiell reacted to the unfamiliar situation as he always did: shoulders back, arms folded, eyes narrowed as if trying to physically pull the truth out of the person he was staring down. But Elodie was unfazed. She stared right back. ‘I said, I want a divorce.’ The scowl worked its way back into Dashiell’s face. ‘We had a deal.’ ‘Which was voided the moment you decided to jump into the sack with Miss Patton here.’ Selene, ever the picture of innocence, chimed in, ‘Elodie, we were going to tell you, but could never find the right time. You know how Miriam could react if she finds out. She has a weak heart. We don’t want to—’ ‘Miriam is Dashiell’s mother, not mine,’ Elodie said pleasantly. ‘And how she reacts to Dashiell’s infidelity would be Dashiell’s problem - oh, and also yours now - but not mine, as soon as Dashiell here signs the divorce papers.’ Dashiell looked genuinely puzzled now. The woman standing in front of him looked like his wife, dressed like his wife, but sure as hell didn’t act like his wife. Gone was the vacant look from her almond-shaped eyes, replaced by a look of casual defiance. Those Cupid’s bow lips, often turned down in a perpetual pout, were now turned up on one side in a smirky half-smile. And what was she saying? ‘You want a divorce?’ Dashiell echoed, bewildered. Elodie met his gaze unflinchingly. ‘That’s right. And I’ve brought the necessary paperwork to expedite the process.’ She produced a thin folder from her purse, her movements deliberate. ‘Here you go,’ she said, placing a pen beside the document. ‘Just sign here, here, and here, and we can both be on our way.’ Dashiell’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘You came prepared?’ ‘Always.’ Elodie smiled. ‘One of the reasons your mother hired me.’ There was a moment of silence as Dashiell stared at the papers, his mind racing. A divorce was what he wanted, but not on her terms. He had planned to initiate it himself, but Elodie’s unexpected boldness had thrown him off balance. He cleared his throat. ‘Are you sure about this?’ Elodie’s smile widened. ‘Absolutely.’ As Dashiell signed his name, a strange feeling washed over him. It wasn’t sadness or regret, but a sense of finality. This chapter of his life was closing, and with it, the carefully constructed facade of his marriage. Elodie watched him like a hawk, her hand outstretched once he finished. ‘It’s been...interesting doing business with you, Mr Kellan.’ Dashiell stared at the extended hand, his jaw clenched. ‘Since it’s I who breached the terms, I’ll offer compensation, as per our agreement. How does a million dollars sound?’ ‘No need,’ Elodie said, placing the signed papers in her purse. ‘Getting out of this marriage two years early is compensation enough.’ ‘Enjoy the rest of your evening.’ With a final, sardonic bow, she turned and walked away, leaving her ex-husband and his childhood sweetheart to their amorous privacy. The sunrise found Elodie back at the mansion. She surveyed her room, the sterile opulence a stark reminder of the life she was leaving behind. This room had never felt like home, just a temporary shelter. Now, it was time to move on. She grabbed a suitcase, but then paused. There was nothing here that truly belonged to her. A smile curved her lips. This liberation was better than any material possession. Elodie left the room, her steps light and purposeful. She wrote a cheque, placed it on her nightstand, and let out a satisfied sigh. ‘The bill’s settled,’ she whispered to the empty room. At 5:58 AM, as the first rays of sunlight kissed the horizon, Elodie walked out of Dashiell Kellan’s house, newly divorced and free. She walked back into her old life, leaving behind a past she never wanted and a future full of possibilities. Her only souvenir from the marriage was the expensive phone Dashiell had given her, not so much a gift as a tether, something to keep her on a short leash so that she would be available to answer his demands twenty-four/seven. She made one last call before tossing it into a trashcan. ‘Hey, it’s me. I’m leaving Danning. Can you send someone to pick me up?’ A taxi took her to the private terminal at Danning International Airport, where she boarded a sleek, shining G650 without a single piece of luggage. She sank into a plush seat, anticipation bubbling within her. One flight attendant offered her a glass of champagne while another held out a phone. She took it. ‘The flight to Los Montical will take slightly under an hour,’ a warm voice greeted her. ‘Welcome home, Elle.’ *** Dashiell paced the opulent suite, a restless energy thrumming beneath his skin. He glanced at the doorway where Elodie had stood just minutes ago, her departure leaving a void that felt strangely unsettling. He tried to focus on Selene, who sat perched on the edge of the coffee table, her eyes sparkling with a joy that didn’t quite reach his. But even the warmth of her touch and the familiar scent of her perfume couldn’t extinguish the strange disquiet that gnawed at him. He downed the remainder of his champagne, the cold liquid failing to numb the ache in his chest. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He had envisioned a sense of liberation, a soaring feeling of freedom now that the shackles of his marriage were broken. Instead, he felt a hollowness, a void that couldn’t be filled by Selene’s laughter or the luxurious surroundings. ‘Maybe it’s for the best,’ Selene murmured. Dashiell forced a smile, but the words rang hollow in his ears. Was it truly for the best? Had he just let go of something more than a convenient arrangement, something that held a hidden depth he had never bothered to explore? The memory of Elodie’s eyes, devoid of emotion yet filled with a quiet strength, flashed before him. The way she stood tall, a new confidence radiating from her, a stark contrast to the timid girl he thought he knew. And that final look, devoid of regret or anger, simply a calm acceptance of her decision. He had never seen that side of her before. It was as if the divorce had stripped away a layer, revealing a woman he had never known existed, a woman who stood on her own two feet, unafraid to walk away from the gilded cage he had inadvertently built around her. Dashiell shrugged off his bathrobe and grabbed his clothes. ‘Where are you going?’ Selene’s eyes widened. ‘Home.’