And me? He left me here.
I stood at the rest stop, alone.
No car. No signal. No water. No food.
Les didn't look back.
He wasn't coming back. I knew that.
Not because he'd stopped caring. Because he assumed I'd wait for him.
The way I always had. Every single time he told me to wait, I waited.
I pulled my own bag out of the trunk and went through it.
Wallet. ID. One bank card. Enough.
I started walking along the highway.
I didn't know how far the nearest town was, or how long it would take to get there.
The blisters on my feet had burst a long time ago. Every step hurt. I didn't stop.
About an hour in, headlights lit up behind me.
"Hey, what are you doing out here alone?"
"Car broke down. Could you give me a ride? Just to the next town with a train station."
"Hop in."
When I reached the town, I bought the earliest ticket available.
Once I was on the bus, I borrowed a portable charger and turned my phone back on.
Dozens of messages flooded in.
Not one of them was from Les.
I called Attorney Fox directly.
"I need you to draft a divorce agreement."
"He leaves the marriage with nothing."
A pause on the other end. "Nothing? That's a tall order—unless there's serious fault on his side—"
"He cheated during the marriage. I have evidence. Also, that major client his company relies on? I'm the one who brought them in. The contract expires next month. I've already spoken with the other side. They won't be renewing."
"…Understood. I'll start drafting immediately."
I hung up and dialed my assistant.
"Rachel, book me a flight out of the country this afternoon. Anywhere. Just get me out."
"President Swanson, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said.
Two days passed before Les had his assistant reach out to me.
"Theodore, get Hope on the phone. I can't get through to her. Tell her I'm at the hospital—Lila's still in critical care, I can't leave. Have her wait at the rest stop. I'll send someone to pick her up later."
Theodore hesitated. "President Henson… President Swanson is already back."
"What?"
"President Henson, President Swanson's side… Attorney Fox sent over a divorce agreement. And Westbridge Holdings… they've sent a client termination notice."
Everything behind Les's eyes went white.
He couldn't feel his legs. Couldn't feel his hands. He just stood there, hollowed out, like something vital had been ripped clean through him.
"President Henson? Are you still there?"
