Chapter 2

After sending Zoya's body to the crematorium, Claire went straight home. She tore the place apart until she found the divorce papers Nathan had pushed her to sign a month ago.

Back then, Nathan had said, "Claire, it's an act. Sophie doesn't want to be called the homewrecker. I've already signed, need your name. Once I get what I want, I'll come back and marry you again.

"You know how much I love you. You're not like those random girls I fool around with. You're the one I want for life. So don't get all worked up over something so trivial, alright?"

At the time, Claire had hurled the divorce papers into the trash, her eyes blazing, practically gritting her teeth. "Nathan, you'd better think this through. If you really want a divorce, I'm never coming back. Don't talk to me about getting back together."

Claire never lied. Back then, she really didn't want a divorce. But now? She was done with Nathan, no more second chances, no turning back, ever.

Claire didn't hesitate. She signed her name right then and there.

Then Claire sent the entire agreement to her lawyer for review. "Ms. Thompson, your divorce papers are valid. After waiting period, your marriage to Nathan will be officially terminated," the lawyer explained.

Claire let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you."

*****

After hanging up, Claire realized it was already late at night. But she didn't rest. Instead, she pulled out some stationery and, as Nathan wanted, started writing that 1,000-word apology letter.

But Claire was no pushover. She wasn't about to let anyone walk all over her. What she was about to write was far more than a simple apology.

Claire spent the entire night writing, pouring her heart and soul onto the pages. By the time dawn broke, she had filled a thick stack of papers. Without hesitation, she mailed the whole thing straight to the lab's higher-ups.

After two days and nights without a wink of sleep, Claire was so drained she barely made it to bed before passing out. But she'd barely closed her eyes when the door crashed open, jerking her awake.

Nathan seized her wrist and hauled her right off the bed, his glare thunderous with rage. "Claire, what did you do?"

Claire's brows knitted as pain shot up her arm from Nathan's iron grip. "Let go. You're hurting me," she snapped.

But Nathan only squeezed harder, the veins on his hand bulging. Claire felt like her bones might shatter, but with her face drained of color, she refused to utter a single plea.

"What did I do? What's that supposed to mean?" Claire fixed Nathan with a cold stare.

With a sharp click, Nathan flicked his lighter, the blue flame flickering between them. His eyes were dark with mockery. "Claire, did you seriously think that pile of stuff you wrote would ever make it to the higher-ups?

"I told you to write an apology letter, but what did you actually put in there? Stealing data, endangering lives, academic fraud?"

Nathan spoke each word slowly, his voice growing colder with every syllable. "Claire, you're really getting out of line. I'm losing my patience."

Claire closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm stating the facts—" She barely got the words out before Nathan suddenly grabbed her.

As he dragged her downstairs, he called his assistant. "Cancel the cremation scheduled in two hours. Take Zoya's body out of the crematorium right away."

Claire's eyes blazed with rage and panic. "Nathan, what the hell are you doing?"

Nathan glanced back at her, a vicious smile twisting his lips. "Claire, I really don't like it when you don't listen. If you keep refusing to write that 1,000-word apology letter, you can forget about ever seeing your sister again.

"And right now, you're seriously testing my patience. You're not going to write it. You'll stand in front of everyone at the lab and read it out loud, and then you'll apologize to Sophie. Got it?"

Nathan's cold, shadowed eyes made Claire feel like she was plunging straight into hell. The man she once thought she knew better than anyone now felt like a complete stranger.

Once, every woman in Amiston envied her. When someone had said one disrespectful word to her, Nathan had made sure that person was ruined. But now that same ruthless cruelty was being turned on her.

Only then did she finally realize that she had never been his special one. She wasn't the only one he would treat this way.

So what was there left for me to be attached to?

Claire closed her eyes, swallowing back her tears with all her strength. Then her expression was numb and detached. "Fine, I'll write it. I'll read it out loud. As long as Zoya can be laid to rest, I can take a little humiliation. It's nothing."