Chapter 2

James's eyes flashed with impatience. "I'm not denying everything you've done for me. That's why I'm trying to compensate you."

"Compensate me?" I stared at him. "What am I to you? Just another line in your budget? Is this a severance package?"

"Olivia," his voice grew heavier, "don't make it sound so ugly."

"Ugly?" I stepped closer, grabbing his arm. "You called off our wedding and came back with a love bite on you. Now you're throwing shares at me to erase seven years. James, you really think I'm the one being ugly here?"

He tried to shake me off, but I clung tighter, my breath shaky. "You said we'd build a home together, and that I'd be your one and only. Now Emily's back, and you expect me to just step aside? What am I to you?"

James finally pried my fingers off one by one. His touch was gentle, but it stung more than if he'd just shoved me away.

He said, "Emily is the one I've never been able to let go of. Life kept us apart before, but now that she's back, I don't want to make the same mistake again."

I froze for a couple of seconds, my throat so tight it felt blocked. It took me ages to force out, "And what about me?"

"You'll get by," he said, sliding the agreement toward me. "The shares and the house. They're enough."

He sounded like he was appraising some old furniture.

I stared at the agreement, my chest churning with anger. I spun around, stormed into the study, yanked open the drawer, and pulled out all his project plans. The papers were stacked perfectly, every page full of annotations.

Arms full of papers, I marched back to the living room and, right in front of him, tore them apart one by one.

"Olivia!" James' face darkened suddenly.

I ignored him. Once the plans were shredded, I grabbed a glass from the table and hurled it at the computer. The screen went black, sparks shot out, and the sharp smell of burning filled the air.

"Didn't you say I was being dramatic?" I panted, my eyes burning. "Alright, I'll show you what drama really looks like."

James strode over and clamped down on my wrist, his grip so tight it made my bones ache. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Yeah, I'm crazy," I shot back. Tears were about to fall, but I forced a smile. "Otherwise, how else would I be worthy of your big payoff?"

He stared at the pile of shredded paper and the broken computer, his breath getting heavier. After a moment, he let go of me and bent down to pick up the agreement.

He said, "10% isn't enough? Fine, make it 20%," he said, setting the paper back on the table. "Sign it, and we're square."

My wrist was numb, and my eyes lowered as I heard the words "we're square".

He really believed a transfer agreement could buy my seven years of companionship.

I looked up slowly. "So the house is mine too?"

"It's yours," he said, quick and direct.

"The wedding's off, so you're just going to deal with the mess yourself?" I asked.

"I'll handle it," he replied.

I stared at him for a long time, forcing my tears back until they wouldn't fall. Then I reached for the pen and signed my name on the last page of the agreement.

My hand trembled as the pen moved across the paper, but my signature was steady and clear.

James took the agreement, looking like a weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders. He pulled the property documents from a bag and set them on the table. His tone slipped back into that businesslike way. "I'm moving out tonight."

The door clicked shut behind him, and the living room was suddenly unbearably quiet.

I stood in the wreckage for a long time before I finally sat down. Suddenly, my phone buzzed.