Chapter 3

Whenever it came to Aura, Corey always acted with urgency. That day, we had just finalized the divorce papers, and by the evening, he had already organized a press conference, dispatching his assistant to invite me to make a statement.

I hadn’t even had the chance to reply yet.

Presuming I would decline, the assistant quickly conveyed Corey’s message to me. “Ms. Nadia,” he began, “it’s important for you to attend this press conference, not just for Mr. Lopez’s sake, but for your own reputation as well.”

I paused briefly before letting out a soft chuckle.

Corey was attempting to intimidate me, using the same old strategies to bend me to his will, trying to sully my reputation and leave me vulnerable to public judgment. Ultimately, he wanted me to surrender.

I was never sure if Corey considered me his partner or his adversary... Now he intended to publicly clarify our relationship, and I was no exception to this plan.

The press conference was held in the opulent lobby of New York's most luxurious hotel, with invitations sent out to the top journalists in the field.

Aura arrived on Corey's arm, dressed in an elegant Victorian-inspired gown, as reporters buzzed around them. Corey instinctively placed Aura behind him, deflecting the sea of microphones with a calm smile. “I’ll answer all your questions in a moment,” he assured, “but for now, please give us some space.”

His tone was gentle, and as he looked up, our eyes met among the crowd. A part of me, perhaps naively, still hoped that Corey might come to my side.

But in the next instant—

His gaze slid right past me, a smile playing on his lips, as he escorted Aura to the stage, acting as if I didn’t exist.

I let out a dry, ironic smile.

The reporter nearest to me appeared to be an intern, nervously extending a microphone toward me and asking, “Ms. Nadia, have you really divorced Mr. Lopez?”

“Yes,” I said, nodding with a smile.

The intern adjusted her glasses. “But you and Mr. Lopez met in high school, dated for seven years, and were married for five years.”

“Last month, Mr. Lopez bought an island in your name.”

I maintained a smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “He owed me that.”

He had skipped Thanksgiving to look after the unwell Aura, and this was his way of making amends. Back then, I was thrilled, only to find out later it had been Kendrick's idea, Corey's assistant had picked the island, and Corey didn't even know where it was located.

“And do you still love Mr. Lopez now?”

She looked at me hesitantly, and all the surrounding reporters went silent, even Corey on the stage turned to face me.

His brow furrowed slightly.

I glanced at him briefly, then answered with a confident smile, “No, I don’t.”