Chapter 5: The Divorce Trap
The words should have hurt.
Maybe a few weeks earlier, they would have destroyed me.
But standing there, surrounded by the people who had finally come when I called, I felt strangely calm.
“He was preparing to leave me with nothing?””
My voice was quiet.
The attorney nodded.
“We found documents prepared by Mr. Vance’s legal team.””
Isaac immediately stepped forward.
“That’s not what they are.””
Noah raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting.””
Isaac looked at him.
“What?””
“You denied it before seeing the documents.””
Isaac stopped.
A mistake.
A small one.
But everyone noticed.
My father extended his hand.
The attorney gave him another file.
My father opened it.
“This agreement was created four months ago.””
He looked at Isaac.
“Four months before tonight.””
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
Four months.
While he kissed me goodbye in the morning.
While he told me he was busy.
While he said he was working late.
He was preparing to erase me.
Isaac’s voice lowered.
“Flora, listen to me.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because it’s complicated.””
I almost laughed.
“Complicated?””
“Yes.””
He stepped closer.
“This was just protection.””
“For who?””
He hesitated.
“For the company.””
There it was.
The answer.
Not me.
Never me.
“The company.””
Isaac sighed.
“You don’t understand business.””
My brothers immediately reacted.
But I lifted my hand.
I wanted to hear him.
I wanted everyone to hear him.
Because sometimes people revealed themselves when they stopped pretending.
“You’re right,” I said.
His expression softened.
“You’re finally understanding.””
I looked at him.
“I don’t understand your business.””
A pause.
“But I understand betrayal.””
His smile disappeared.
The room remained silent.
I walked toward the table where my birthday cake still sat untouched.
Thirty-four candles.
A celebration that never happened.
I touched the edge of the cake box.
“I spent years defending you.””
Isaac stared.
“I defended you when people questioned your decisions.””
I looked back.
“I defended you when you were cruel.””
His face tightened.
“I defended you when you made me feel like I was difficult for wanting basic respect.””
I stepped closer.
“And the entire time, you were preparing paperwork to destroy me.””
“Flora—”
“No.””
My voice stopped him.
That was new.
I had spent years letting him interrupt.
Not anymore.
“No more explanations.””
Clover suddenly spoke.
“Isaac.””
Everyone looked at her.
She stood near the window, holding the folder.
“You lied to me too.””
Isaac looked annoyed.
“Not now.””
Her face changed.
Not sadness.
Anger.
“You don’t get to say that.””
She threw the folder onto the table.
“You made me believe I was waiting for a future.””
She laughed bitterly.
“You made me hate a woman who didn’t even know why I hated her.””
I watched her.
For the first time, I didn’t see an enemy.
I saw someone else who had been manipulated.
But forgiveness was not the same as forgetting.
Isaac looked around desperately.
“You’re all acting like I’m some monster.””
Nobody answered.
Because nobody needed to.
His actions had already spoken.
Then Wendy moved.
She had been quiet too long.
“Isaac.””
He looked at his mother.
“You need to fix this.””
My eyebrows lifted.
Fix this?
Not apologize.
Not admit wrongdoing.
Fix the situation.
That was the Vance family.
Everything was a public relations problem.
Everything had a price.
Wendy approached me.
“Flora.””
I looked at her.
Her expression was different now.
Almost gentle.
Almost.
“We can handle this privately.””
I stared.
“Privately?””
“Yes.””
She glanced at the guests.
“This doesn’t need to become a scandal.””
I smiled.
“You’re worried about a scandal?””
She said nothing.
I leaned closer.
“Wendy, your son forced his wife to kneel at her birthday party.””
Her face hardened.
“Watch your tone.””
“No.””
I looked directly at her.
“Tonight, everyone watched my tone.””
The room went silent.
“And nobody stopped him.””
A strange sound came from outside.
A car door closing.
Then another.
Then another.
Noah looked toward the entrance.
His expression changed.
“Flora.””
“What?””
He walked toward the window.
“There are more people arriving.””
I followed him.
Outside the estate gates, black vehicles lined the driveway.
Not one.
Not two.
A dozen.
Isaac looked terrified.
“Who are they?””
My father didn’t answer immediately.
He just watched the vehicles approach.
Then he said:
“The people your husband tried to hide from.””
The ballroom doors opened.
May you like
And the first person who entered was someone Isaac never expected to see.
His own grandfather.
