Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Before he could read further , I grabbed his wrist , my voice low , lethal . ] I was eight months pregnant . [ ] Do you know what it feels like to feel a baby kick in the morning , then have it ripped silent from your body at night ? To hear no first cry , just … nothing ? ] Stop please , he breathed , face paling . Ill sign anything . Just let me fix this . [] His signature came quick , messy , as if the words were a knife he wanted to bury . [ ] I closed the folder , standing to tower over him , my shadow swallowing his hunched form . [ ] Loss doesnt teach you whos real , Ethan . It just strips away the lies . [ ] He looked up , confused , but I was already gone , the door slamming behind me . His final plea- Ill build a life with you , I swear ! faded into the echo of my heels on linoleum . ཟ ོ ྃ ་ རྗ You wont have a life to build . I murmured , pulling the divorce papers from the folder as I stepped into sunlight . Dialing my lawyer , I added , Expedite it . No loose ends . ] Ethan emerged from police custody a month later , reeking of desperation , keys clutched in a fist . [ But the door to his villa swung open to strangers a middle aged man in a tacky polo , barking orders at movers . Who the hell are you ? Get out of my house ! Ethan snapped , voice cracking . The man sneered , eyeing Ethans stubble and wrinkled suit . [ ] Your house ? Bought it last week from Lila . Ring a bell ? The pregnant woman in that viral video ? Yeah , that hero . He brandished a feather duster like a weapon . [ Scram , bum . Dont defile my new foyer . Ethan froze, keys clattering to the porch . Sold ? My villa ? He let the man shove him outside , collapsing onto the pavement , staring at the FOR SALE sign now flipped to SOLD . ] When he finally scrambled up , fingers fumbled for his phone only to find her number disconnected , WhatsApp messages bouncing back as red alerts , his last voice note a desperate plea : This is a game , right ? Come home , well- The notification cut off : You are not friends with this user . He called his assistant next , fury boiling . What the hell did you let happen ? My property- Mr. Ethan , the assistant said , tone icy , formal the way hed never dared speak before you signed everything over . Remember ? To Ms. 0 A pause , then : And Ive taken a new position . The line went dead . Ethan stared at the phone , pulse rating , as the movers hauled out his prized art collection , his life packed into cardboard boxes . [ ] Yo quir ? Why the hell didnt you tell me ? Ethan snarled , knuckles white around his phone His former assistant laughed a cold , bitter sound . [ ] Sull think youre Mr. High and Mighty CEO ? Newsflash youre nothing . Ethans chest Ughtened , dread pooling in his gut What are you talking about ? Hawthorne Corps gone , Bankrupt . Liquidated . That little transfer agreement you signed ? Lila sold it for pennies a week ago . [] The assistants voice dripped with Wake up , Ethan . Youre not even a has been youre a doormat [ ] The line went dead than stared at the screen , her last words echoing Lose everything see whos real . He collapsed to his knees , a raw scream tearing from his throat when a delivery man stepped forward , clipboard in hand . Ethan ? Package for you . ] His hand shook as he took it , memories of the blood stained box flooding back , but this felt light , Dat a booklet . ] Lila sent this she still cares , he murmured , tearing it open . The red cover hit him like a bullet : DIVORCE CERTIFICATE [ ] No no . He pulled out the papers , vision blurring . | The signature at the bottom was neat , final her name , not his . [ ] He sprinted to the office tower , heart pounding , only to freeze at the entrance ; the glant Hawthorne sign had been replaced , bold gold letters spelling Hatherley