Chapter 320

Chapter 318
Cassian’s POV
For three days, the silence in Oakhaven has been suffocating
I move through it like a ghost, my footsteps echoing in the vast, empty spaces. I only check on her, peering through the cracked door to ensure she hasn’t done anything to herself. Beyond that, we do not speak at all.
Words feel like trespasses in her fortress of grief.
On the third day, I return from Blackwell Industries earlier than planned with a lead on her mother’s case. The hospital surveillance was repaired.
There’s a figure, a woman, seen entering Lisette’s room late that night. I need to tell her, I need her to know I am trying to find answers for her.
I step into the foyer, and I’m surprised to find Gemma sitting in the living room, perfectly still, her back straight. She isn’t lost in her thoughts; she is waiting… for me.
Gemma, there is progress on your mom’s case… I move to her, shedding my coat, ready to lay out the pieces of the puzzle I’ve been desperately trying to solve for her.
But she speaks first, and her words are like a guillotine.
1/7
Cassian, let’s get a divorce.
15:30
< Chapter 318 Lucky Draw The sentence steals the breath from my lungs. I freeze, the words about the surveillance footage dying on my tongue. Afraid I haven’t heard clearly, she looks directly at me. But her eyes are calm, flat like a still, dead sea. “I said I want a divorce from you.” A spark of anger and of sheer, blind panic, ignites in my chest. “Gemma, this is not the time to throw a tantrum!” Why is she doing this? Now? And why won’t she tell me about the child? Our child? Seeing my anger, she remains calm on the surface. But I see it— the slight, tell–tale tightening of her fists where they are hidden in the sleeves of her sweater. She is not as unaffected as she seems. I didn’t throw a tantrum with you, Cassian. Her voice is chillingly level. “We’ve been talking about divorce for so long. Do you remember the last time we had sex? Since every time we take precautions, do you think this child could be yours?” The question leaves me reeling. She’s right. From the beginning, I was careful. I supervised the pill. Later, I trusted her. The idea that she would forget, that she would be careless… it was inconceivable. She knows this is the one doubt I would never entertain. My face pales as she speaks. 15:30 It’s useless to say more now, she continues, her tone final. “Í’1ñ3° < Chapter 318 Lucky Draw We go to the county court. The staff member, adhering to some script about reconciliation, offers a few platitudes. Gemma’s expression remains impassive, but a faint flush of embarrassment touches her cheeks at the public airing of our private failure. She hands over the divorce agreement. “Take a look at it. If there are no issues, then sign it.” She picks up the pen and signs her name, Gemma Marino, in a swift stroke. There is no hesitation, like someone shedding a heavy chain. Gemma, are you lying to me? The question is a desperate, final plea from a man being pushed off a cliff. “I have no reason to lie to you.” Her voice shatters the last, fragile illusion I was clinging to. My mind scrambles to think of the hardships she’ll face alone. I try to calculate what benefit staying married to me could possibly offer her now, in her state of utter devastation. I can find none. My hand trembles as I bring the pen to the paper. Finally, with a effort that feels like it costs me a part of my soul, I scrawl my name beside hers. Cassian Blackwell. The divorce certificate is processed with a shocking speed. When she takes her copy, I see a wave of palpable relief washing over her features. 3/7 15:30 < Chapter 318 Lucky Draw We walk out of the courthouse together, two strangers bound only by a freshly severed legal tic Her steps are light, almost carefree, while I feel like I’m dragging anchors. By the roadside, she turns to me, and for the first time in what feels like an eternity, she offers me a genuine, sincere smile. It doesn’t reach her eyes, but it is real. From now on, our paths won’t cross, Mr. Blackwell. Goodbye!“” Zina pulls up, her car a bright, obnoxious splash of color in the gray day. She sees the certificate in Gemma’s hand and her face breaks into a wide, delighted grin. “Congratulations, Gemma, you’ve finally escaped from misery! To celebrate your new beginning, we must go out for a nice meal today!” Gemma smiles back at her, and I stand a few feet away, the desolation wrapping around me like a shroud. Gemma, I call out, my voice rough. “If you ever need help in the future, just go to Blackwell Industries. If you ever want to remarry…” I turn slightly away, the words feeling foolish and inadequate, an attempt to build a fragile bridge where a chasm has opened. But I don’t get to finish. She is already in the car, the door closing with a firm thud. The engine revs, and they pull away, leaving me standing on the curb. It’s over… just like that. And she drove away without a single look back. 4/7 15:30 < Chapter 318 Liam’s POV Lucky Draw The bass thumps through the floor of the dimly lit bar, a low pulse that matches the headache feel coming on. But Cassian isn’t just drinking; he’s brooding inside a storm of his own making. An attractive woman leans into his space, hips swaying, her intentions clear. But he doesn’t even look at her. His head turns, and his eyes, pure, unadulterated ice, lock onto hers. Get lost. The woman flinches like she’s been slapped, before she turns and practically flees into the crowd. I let out a low whistle, walking over to claim the now–vacant stool. Cassian, what are you doing? I ask, sliding onto the seat. Since when does he drown his sorrows? In response, he doesn’t speak. He just slaps a crumpled piece of paper onto the sticky tabletop with a force that makes the nearby glasses rattle. It’s a divorce certificate. I got divorced today, he slurs, his voice thick with a bitterness that could curdle milk. “Can’t I be happy?” I just stare at him. Happy? His mouth is set in a grimace that could sour wine, and he’s gripping his glass so hard his knuckles are white. 5/7 15:30 < Chapter 318 Lucky Draw I feel a flush of secondhand embarrassment and quickly snatch the certificate, stuffing it into my own pocket before anyone else gets a good look. But the shock remains. Gemma actually divorced him. The Gemma who, for three years, followed him around like a devoted shadow. The one who never protested, never complained. I remember the bet Rhett and I made, both putting our money on Cassian cracking first. How could he not? The way she looked at him back then… it was like he hung the damn moon. An hour later, I’m half–carrying, half–dragging his dead weight out of the bar. The cool night air does nothing to sober him up. He plants his feet on the pavement, suddenly immovable. Need to find my wife! He slurs, loud enough for the whole street to hear. I sigh, patting him down for his phone. Maybe Gemma can talk some sense into him. I find it, hit her contact, and put it on speaker. It rings once, then goes to a robotic message. “The number you have dialed is unavailable.” She blocked him?! The screen mocks me, showing the call duration was less than a second. I glance at his miserable, slumped form, a pang of genuine sympathy hitting me. With a sigh. I pull out my own phone. Pet’s see if she answers for a number she doesn’t recognize. admin