Chapter 2
Edward got home at three in the morning.
The alcohol from the party and Chloe's flattery had left him feeling buzzed, but as soon as he pushed open the door, an unsettling silence filled the air, making him frown.
Normally, no matter how late he came home, there'd always be a warm light left on for him in the entryway.
But tonight, it was pitch black.
He fumbled for the light switch, and when the harsh glare flooded the space, the entire mansion was empty.
"Isabelle?" he called out.
There was no answer.
'Is she sulking again?' Edward thought to himself.
He loosened his tie and headed straight upstairs.
The master bedroom door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open, and his heart sank.
In the walk-in closet, every single piece of Isabelle's clothes, bags, and jewelry had disappeared, nothing left behind.
On the vanity, not even a bottle of her skincare products remained; they'd all vanished without a trace.
The whole room felt like an invisible hand had meticulously erased every trace of her existence.
The alcohol haze in Edward's mind cleared in an instant.
He rushed into the kids' room, completely deserted, and not a thing was left.
Ben's Ultraman action figures and Bella's Barbie dolls were gone.
An unfamiliar sense of dread twisted around his heart, tightening like creeping vines.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Isabelle's number.
But her phone was switched off.
He froze.
Isabelle's phone was always on for him, twenty-four hours a day. It was an unspoken rule between them.
He called the butler next.
"Mr. Sterling... Mrs. Sterling left this afternoon with Ben and Bella. She said... they were moving," the butler replied, his voice extra cautious.
"Moving? Where? Did she say why?" Edward demanded, his voice rising with a tremor he didn't even notice.
"She didn't say anything, sir. Asked me to tidy up the house," the butler answered nervously.
Edward hung up, his chest tight with emotion, his breathing ragged.
He remembered that text.
[Let's get a divorce.]
Rage exploded inside him, burning hot and sudden.
'Divorce?' Edward was stunned, fury and disbelief crashing through him.
'Who does she think she is?' Edward fumed.
Everything she had in her life, her social circle, the status of being Mrs. Sterling, all of it came from him.
Without him, she was nothing.
'This is another one of her manipulative games she wants to push me into giving in, force me to break things off with the women outside,' Edward thought, his jaw tightening.
He let out a cold laugh, a flash of cruelty flickering in his eyes.
He hated nothing more than being threatened.
If she wanted to play hardball, he'd take it all the way, no backing down.
He'd make damn sure she learned that without him, she wouldn't last a single day.
He grabbed his phone and called his assistant, his voice icy and ruthless. "Freeze every bank card and credit card under Isabelle York's name. Not a single one gets spared."
"Mr. Sterling, but Mrs. Sterling..." the assistant faltered.
"Carry out my orders," Edward said, his voice cold and absolute.
After hanging up, Edward felt the rush of power like he was finally back in control.
He imagined Isabelle panicking when she discovered she had nothing, coming back to him in tears, begging for mercy.
When that moment came, he'd teach her what real rules were.
He collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. The fresh, clean scent that used to fill the room. Isabelle's scent was long gone, leaving nothing but cold, empty air.
Edward restlessly turned over, and for the first time, the huge bed felt so empty that it was almost unsettling. He couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness creeping in.
Early the next morning, Edward was jolted awake by the urgent ring of his phone.
It was his personal lawyer.
"Mr. Sterling, we've got a problem," the lawyer said, his voice unusually serious.
Edward rubbed his aching temples, still feeling the hangover, and asked impatiently, "What is it?"
"I received a notice from her lawyer about your divorce with Mrs. Sterling," the lawyer replied.
"She actually hired a lawyer?" Edward snorted, a derisive smile on his lips. "So, how much does she want? Let her name her price."
The lawyer was silent for a few seconds, as if carefully choosing his words. "Mr. Sterling, that's the catch... Mrs. Sterling... she doesn't want anything."
"What do you mean?" Edward's voice was sharp.
"The agreement spells it out clearly. She's giving up all the marital assets your company shares, real estate, and every investment. She's only taking the two kids, and she's asking to split the 10 million in her personal account," the lawyer said.
Edward was stunned. "How the hell did she end up with 10 million?"
He'd set Isabelle's card limit at one million a month. She was always careful with her spending, most of it going to the kids and household expenses. At most, she could've saved a few million over eight years.
"That money is from the returns on her overseas investments, made with her pre-marital personal account. It's completely legal and has nothing to do with you," the lawyer replied, his voice growing more strained. "And Mr. Sterling, I checked she hasn't touched those cards you froze, not a single cent in the last three years."
Edward gripped his phone, as if he'd been hit by a bolt out of the blue.