His jaw tightened, but he wired the money anyway.

The moment the payment notification chimed, I turned and walked upstairs.

The house felt filthy to me now.

Tomorrow, I’d move out.

And soon enough, it would be sold.

That night, I woke up out of habit to use the bathroom.

The space beside me was empty.

I hadn’t wanted to share a bed with him in the first place. He insisted, saying the guest room was for Carmilla, so he had to stay with me.

When he tried to touch me earlier, I shut him down.

As I passed Carmilla’s door, I stopped.

They weren’t even trying to be quiet.

Her laughter drifted out, smug and teasing.

“Being with a big star… feels different, doesn’t it?”

Viggo’s reply was low, casual.

“Of course.”

“She’s different.”

“She doesn’t have a waist as soft as yours. You’re fucking lethal.”

Carmilla chuckled.

“These few days, you’d better keep coaxing her.”

“Cruella’s still hard to handle at this age. Once she starts elementary school, it’ll be easier. Then you can dump that woman.”

Viggo answered without hesitation.

“Alright. Whatever you say.”

That’s when I finally understood.

Why the divorce agreement was signed, yet he hadn’t acted.

He was waiting for me.

Waiting for me to keep serving as their free nanny. Waiting to squeeze out whatever value I had left before discarding me.

A silent, bitter smile touched my lips.

I pulled out my phone and recorded everything.

Then I sent the file to my assistant.

[Seven days. Send this to Carmilla’s biggest rival.]

If this was the entertainment industry, you solve problems the entertainment way.

They're so smug now, so pleased with what they think is their perfect plan. But in the end, the one who will suffer won't be me, but them.

Mariah’s POV

Back in my room, I lay awake all night.

I thought about every time Viggo and I had been intimate over the years. Every single time, it was over before it even began.

I had tried initiating. Tried pleasing him. Tried warming something that always felt cold.

He always said he was just tired. That he didn’t have the energy.

Turns out it wasn’t about energy.

He just wasn’t interested in me.

I wiped the dampness from the corner of my eyes and forced them shut.

When I woke up the next morning, the house was already empty.

I didn’t bother wondering where they’d gone.

I went straight to the company under my name. I wanted everything settled cleanly.