Chapter 3
The morning light filtered through the blinds as I sat in the waiting room of Sophia Rossi's law office. My hands trembled slightly as I adjusted my oversized sunglasses, a pathetic disguise but necessary. I couldn't risk being recognized—not here, not now.
"Mrs. Parker?" The receptionist's voice was hushed, respectful. "Ms. Rossi will see you now."
Sophia Rossi's office was minimalist and elegant, much like the woman herself. She rose from behind her desk, extending a perfectly manicured hand. Her reputation as Manhattan's most formidable divorce attorney preceded her.
"I appreciate your discretion," I said, removing my sunglasses and settling into the leather chair across from her.
"Discretion is what you're paying for." She smiled thinly. "That, and honesty. Which is what I'll give you now—this won't be easy."
I slid the prenuptial agreement across her desk. "I need to know my options."
Sophia spent the next hour methodically dismantling any hope I had of a clean break. Her voice remained steady as she outlined the reality of my situation.
"The Parker family has judges in their pocket across three states. This prenup"—she tapped the document with one finger—"is airtight. You leave with what you brought in, which according to this, was very little."
"And the baby?" My hand instinctively moved to my stomach.
Sophia's eyes softened marginally. "That complicates things. They'll fight for custody—not because Ethan wants the child, but because the Parkers never let go of what they consider theirs."
"Even if I can prove infidelity?"
"Especially then. They'll paint you as unstable, vengeful. The evidence you've gathered? They'll claim it was manipulated. Your word against the Parker empire." She leaned forward. "Olivia, these people don't just have money. They have influence. They rewrite narratives."
I left Sophia's office with leaden feet, her parting words echoing in my mind: "Whatever you decide, be prepared for war."
* * *
Three days later, I stood frozen at the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum's sculpture garden. The annual cancer research fundraiser was in full swing—champagne flowing, diamonds glittering under the evening sky. I'd helped organize this event, poured months into ensuring its success.
And there, by the fountain, stood Maya.
She wore a fitted red gown that showcased her pregnancy, her hand resting possessively on her belly. Beside her, Eleanor Parker nodded approvingly at whatever Maya was saying.
My phone buzzed in my clutch. A text from an unknown number—Maya's latest burner phone, no doubt.
I opened the message to find an ultrasound image. Below it, a message: "He cried when he heard the heartbeat. Did he ever cry for your empty womb?"
Before I could process the cruelty, another message appeared. A video clip this time. I recognized the sterile environment of an exam room. Maya's voice, soft with wonder. Ethan's hand entering the frame, touching the monitor screen.
"That's our son," his voice, thick with emotion. "Our boy."
The clip cut to another—my own ultrasound from last week, the one I'd recorded privately on my phone. Somehow, she'd accessed it. The sacred moment of seeing my baby for the first time, now intercut with Ethan's voice cooing to Maya's child.
I looked up from my phone to find Maya watching me from across the garden, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. She raised her champagne flute in mock toast.
I fled to the ladies' room, locking myself in a stall as more messages flooded in. Clips of Ethan whispering promises to Maya, interspersed with moments stolen from my private life. The violation was complete, absolute.
* * *
The penthouse was dark when I returned home. I moved through the rooms like a ghost, packing essentials into a small bag. I needed space, time to think.
The lights suddenly flooded on. Ethan stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.
"Going somewhere?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.
"I need some air," I replied, zipping my overnight bag.
He crossed the room in three strides, grabbing my wrist. "You've been avoiding me for days. Meeting with lawyers? Did you think I wouldn't know?"
The realization hit me like a physical blow. "You've been having me followed."
"Protecting my interests." His grip tightened. "You're my wife, Olivia."
He released me abruptly, running a hand through his hair—a calculated gesture of distress. From behind his back, he produced a velvet box.
"I've made mistakes," he said, his voice breaking perfectly. "Terrible ones. But I'm ending things with Maya. Tonight. This is for you—for us."
Inside the box lay a diamond bracelet that matched the earrings he'd given me on our first anniversary. His eyes shimmered with tears that looked so genuine I almost believed them.
"I love you," he whispered, pulling me into an embrace. "Only you. Always you."
I let him hold me, my face pressed against his expensive shirt. Over his shoulder, I saw his phone light up on the counter. A text from Maya: "Can't wait to see you tonight. Baby's been kicking all day."
As Ethan's lips pressed against my hair, murmuring promises he had no intention of keeping, I made my decision. I would disappear—not just from this apartment or this marriage, but from existence itself.
The Olivia Chen that Ethan Parker knew would have to die for me to truly live again.