He threw money on the bed after our one-night stand.
I threw it back in his face at his own inauguration.
By sundown, we were engaged. By the week's end — married.
Franklin Flemington needed a wife to secure his empire. I needed a miracle to save my family. For two years, we played our parts flawlessly — the golden couple the whole city envied.
Behind closed doors, I was invisible to him.
When the two years were up, I handed him divorce papers without blinking.
He stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "I've given you everything a husband should. What more do you want from me, Octavia?"
I smiled, signed my name, and walked out.
I thought that was the end. I thought I'd finally won.
I forgot one thing — Franklin Flemington has never lost anything in his life. And he has no intention of starting with me.
Game on.

I waited in the conference room, my pulse a jagged rhythm in my ears, until Octavia walked in. She moved with a chillingly professional grace, her expression so neutral it felt like a slap in the face.


"Miranda said you needed to see me?" she asked. Her tone was so detached, so corporate, that for a second I forgot we were still legally bound by a marriage certificate.


She hesitated, then took a seat across from me, the polished mahogany table between us feeling like a canyon. 


"If you called me here to announce that you're finally ready to sign the divorce papers, you can skip the formalities and just do it. You don't need my permission to set yourself free."


"I didn't call you here to talk about the divorce," I said, my voice tight. "In fact, I haven't changed my mind. I'm still not signing the divorce papers."


Octavia's brow furrowed. "Then why am I here? What are you fucking waiting for, Franklin?"


Chapter 50 - ~ 50