Camera flashes were going crazy. I’d invited the press without anyone knowing, and before you knew it, the entire country would know the truth.
Isaac’s voice shook. “Cassandra, stop this—”
“No.” My voice was calm. “You stopped me once. Never again.” I turned to the police men I had called over. “Now you have your evidence, arrest the woman who killed my baby.”
“What?” Naomi shrieked as the officers marched toward her. “You can’t do this. No! Isaac you can’t let them take me! Julian!”
Isaac tried to stop the officers but they were too strong for him. I watched in satisfaction as Naomi was dragged away, yelling profanities.
“This isn’t over, Cassandra! You think you can lock me up? I’ll be back before you know it!”
“Cassandra, what is this madness?” Isaac tried to pull my arm, but I pulled away from him.
With a deep sign, I set the mic down, turned my back on all of them, and walked away.
I had just finished zipping my suitcase when the front door slammed open.
Isaac’s voice tore through the hallway.
“Do you have any fucking idea what you’ve done?!”
I didn’t flinch. “Yes. Finally, for once in my life, I know exactly what I’m doing.”
He strode in, his face red with fury. “You humiliated me in front of the entire board! In front of investors and in front of my friends! Do you know what that video did to my reputation?”
I met his glare. “It showed the truth. Something you never cared to look for.”
“The truth?” He laughed bitterly. “You edited that! You’re still as unstable as ever— just like before. You think destroying my name will bring your child back? You think you can put Naomi behind bars? I’ll bail her out before you can even blink! You think you have any power? Your child is gone and you're acting crazy!”
His words felt like a slap to my face, but I didn’t show it.
“You let our daughter’s killer live in our house. You let her wear my clothes, sleep in my bed, call you hers. And you watched me rot in a cell while she smiled beside you.”
“Enough!” he barked. “You were careless! You let the child die, and you’re trying to blame everyone else. You need help, Cassandra.”
I stared at him. My chest felt tight. “I begged you to believe me. You didn’t even come to the trial. You wanted revenge— because I embarrassed you with my depression, with my grief. You wanted a perfect wife, and when I broke, you decided I deserved punishment.”
“You killed our child. You deserved more than eight months in that hell!”
Before I knew what I was doing, I slapped him. The slap was so hard that his face turned to the side, and I could see an imprint of my fingers when they left his face. Isaac looked mortified, but I was angrier.
“You do not have the right to call her your child anymore! You’re a disgrace! You couldn’t protect her and then you took her killer’s side. She was just a baby! I was too weak back then, but I’m not that woman anymore. I’m different now, and I’m leaving you.”
He scoffed. “You’re delusional. You’re my wife, Cassandra. You’re not going anywhere.”
That was the last straw.
I reached into my bag and pulled out the signed papers. His signature stared back at him, bold and black.
“Actually, I can,” I said quietly. “You signed it yourself.”
He froze. “What is that?”
“Divorce papers, Isaac.” I let the words sink in. “You signed them yourself. I’m free from you. And this time, I won’t come back.”
“What? I didn’t sign those with my consent. You tricked me. Those papers mean nothing!”
“How about you take that up with a judge and see?”
“You have no idea what you’re doing. You think your little stunt proves anything? You think you can lock Naomi up in jail? I’ll get her out before the end of the day and you know it!”
I did know that. Isaac would bail Naomi out just to spite me. In fact, I expected him to. But that wouldn’t be the end.
Julian walked in. He must have been eavesdropping. “You’re being stupid, Cassandra. Think about what you’re doing.”
“I don’t have to think about anything. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Anthony laughed dryly. “Where would you even go? You’re nothing without me!”
Julian nodded in agreement. “He’s right, Cassandra. You’re just a poor girl that my parents adopted. You have no one else. My parents didn’t even leave you anything when they died. You have nothing in your name. You’ve always needed us to survive.”
Julian was right. I was an orphan that his parents adopted. They never even loved me. I think they just adopted me so they show society that they were charitable people. And in the end, they left him everything. I’ve had to depend on others my whole life, but not anymore.
I could’ve taken half of everything that belonged to Anthony in the divorce, but I didn’t want his money either. I would get my revenge another way.
The two of them clutched each other in laughter. “Can you imagine it? She’ll be crawling and begging us to let her back in before the day ends.”
“And in just a few weeks, I’ll be bagging a billion dollar deal with The Voss Group.” Isaac chirped in. “I’ll be a billionaire, Cassandra. And trust me, when that happens, I won’t listen to your pleas!”
The Voss Group. Was he talking about the same company that was owned by Anthony Voss? The same man that had spent all these years fawning over me? That was interesting.
“Why don’t we wait and see then?” I asked. “You can have your little laugh now. But I’m leaving, and I promise you that I won’t come back. You and I are done, Isaac Bennett.”
