Chapter 4
After Lucas left, I stayed awake until dawn.
The next day, I watched him bring Jessica to a press conference, using his status as a son-in-law of the Warren family.
On the TV screen, he looked composed and dignified, while Jessica sat beside him with a shy, sweet smile.
“Jess is the second daughter of the Warren family. Bringing her back into the fold was the wish of the family elders.”
The reporters’ camera flashes went off nonstop.
“Mr. Sinclair, why isn’t your wife, the eldest Warren daughter, here today?”
“Mr. Sinclair, you’ve been very publicly pursuing Miss Jessica. Has the eldest Warren daughter agreed to this sister-wife arrangement?”
“Mr. Sinclair, regarding Mrs. Warren’s death and her daughter and son-in-law’s imprisonment-rumor has it Jessica was involved too. Does the eldest Warren daughter approve of Jessica returning to the family?”
Lucas stared coldly at the questioning reporter.
“What paper are you with, spreading lies like that? Mrs. Warren died of natural causes, and Jess is completely innocent.”
But by the time I arrived at the venue, the press conference was over.
Seeing me, Jessica smiled sweetly.
“Sister, you’re here! Perfect timing-let’s have the reporters take a photo of us together.”
I yanked my hand away from hers, strode forward, and slapped Lucas hard across the face.
Seeing my bloodshot eyes, Lucas’s own eyes flashed with anger.
Jessica quickly stepped in front of him and slapped me hard in return.
“Sister, you grew up with everything handed to you in the Warren house, while I wandered around with Mom, homeless. Lucas took pity on me-why are you hitting him?”
“Mom was just following her heart. Why should she have been kicked out? You’re just afraid I’ll take part of your inheritance. I don’t want anything-I just want to come back as a Warren daughter and light incense for Grandma. Is that too much to ask?”
Jessica shoved me hard toward the refreshment table set up for guests.
The falling table crushed my leg.
As I collapsed in agony, I heard Lucas’s voice.
“Vivian, I already used your power of attorney to transfer half of the Warren family shares to Jess. Your tantrum won’t change anything.”
My pupils constricted. The power of attorney had been my trust in him, and he’d used it as a tool to hand over my family to Jessica.
“For old times’ sake, you’ll always be Mrs. Sinclair. With me protecting you, what are you afraid of? The Sinclair family can keep you in luxury.”
My throat went dry and I couldn’t speak. I could only stare at him as tears streamed down my face, hitting the ground.
“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it, Lucas?”
“You wanted to tie me to your side forever, make me completely dependent on you.”
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Lucas’s eyes, but moments later, his resolve hardened again.
“be good, Vivian. You don’t need all that. You just need to stay behind me and behave.”
My dead heart was struck with fresh agony, and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Laughing until tears streamed down my face.
“What I really don’t need is you, Lucas Sinclair!”
My words made him freeze mid-motion as he’d been about to crouch down and check my injuries.
He looked down at me from above again. “Vivian, where else can you go without me? Now you don’t even have the Warren family anymore. Is it really so hard to just be obedient?”
Sitting on the floor, I frantically threw things at him.
Jessica let out a delicate cry, and Lucas immediately pulled her into his protective embrace.
“Vivian, you can stay here and have your breakdown alone. When you’ve learned your lesson and come to your senses, give me a call.”
He didn’t spare me another glance as he took Jessica’s hand and left.
Only after they’d been gone for a long time did I finally wipe the tears from my face.
Dragging my bleeding leg, I went
to
the law firm and demanded they finalize the divorce papers immediately.
I’d been the one refusing to get divorced all along.
Seeing me come forward on my own, the lawyer was thrilled to process the paperwork. Through some special procedures, I was holding the red divorce certificate in my hands that very day.
Walking out of the law firm, I opened the ‘Countdown’ app and stared at the empty box at the bottom of all those red ‘X’s.
After a long moment, I expressionlessly drew the final red line.
One stroke, then another, marking the end of my love for Lucas Sinclair.
After finishing this, I turned without hesitation and stepped into the extended Cullinan that had been waiting for me.
Peter’s quiet voice came from inside the car. “Is there anything you need to go back and get?”
I shook my head gently. No.
I’m leaving Lucas everything that shows how much I loved him-every piece of it.
