Chapter 4
Elena's POV
I whipped around.
Alex stood at the end of the hallway, his face dark. It was only a few dozen yards from the VIP ward to here, but his expression told me he'd heard what he shouldn't have.
Shit.
My heart hammered against my ribs. Sarah sensed the tension too, her gaze darting between me and Alex.
"Sarah," I said quickly, my voice shaking, "you meant Lisa, right? Lisa from Finance?"
Sarah blinked, clearly confused for a moment, then saw Alex striding toward us and caught on.
"Oh, right, right," she nodded frantically. "Lisa's the one who's pregnant. Just ran into her at the OB-GYN. Doctor said her morning sickness is awful." She gestured at my bandage. "Elena, your concussion—the doctor said you need rest. No heavy lifting or anything."
Alex stopped in front of us, those sharp eyes scanning between Sarah and me like he was looking for holes in our story.
The silence dragged on. Felt like forever.
Finally, he focused on my face. "Elena, you look like hell."
"Probably from the head injury," I tried to stay calm. "Doctor said that's normal."
He frowned and moved to check my bandage. I stepped back instinctively.
"A concussion's no joke," his tone was stern. "Why didn't you call me?"
"You were with Sophia. I didn't want to—"
"Sophia's fine now."
A nurse hurried over. "Mr. Sterling, your wife just woke up asking when you're coming back."
Alex didn't even flinch. Didn't correct her. Just nodded and said, "Tell her I'll be right there." Then to me: "Car's downstairs. Driver will take you home. We'll talk later."
I watched him stride back toward the elevator, my chest tight.
"Elena," Sarah lowered her voice, "you sure about keeping this from him?"
I smiled bitterly. "Now's not the time."
There would never be a right time.
For the next week, Alex barely came home.
Sophia was kept for observation, and he camped out at the hospital. He sent a few texts checking on me, but I didn't reply.
His absence gave me time to pack.
I stood in the master bedroom's walk-in closet, staring at all the expensive designer clothes and jewelry. They felt like a beautiful prison—I'd thought I was a pampered pet, not realizing I was just keeping someone's spot warm.
I packed only the basics, plus that medical report.
Standing in the living room with my simple suitcase, I took one last look around.
Five years ago when I first moved in, I'd walked through this door full of hope, thinking I'd finally found home. Back then I naively believed time would fix everything, including the Sophia-shaped hole in Alex's heart.
Now I knew better. Some spaces stay empty no matter what.
"Mrs. Sterling?" Lisa saw my suitcase and looked confused. "Going somewhere?"
"Business trip. I'll be away for a bit." I kept my smile steady.
"Want me to tell Mr. Sterling?"
"Don't bother. He'll find out."
Lisa nodded, not pushing.
Passing the study, I stopped and pushed open the door. The smell of leather and wood polish hit me.
I pulled out my copy of the divorce papers and placed them dead center on his desk.
Five years ago, I'd signed our prenup at this same spot. My hands had been shaking, and Alex had talked about "standard procedures" like I was just another business deal.
Now the tables were turned. Funny how that worked.
Alex's POV
The next evening.
I came home past midnight, completely drained. Sophia had finally agreed to recover at her own place on the Upper East Side. These past few days at the hospital had worn me out, and honestly? I was getting tired of playing nursemaid.
The house felt dead quiet.
"Elena?" I called out. Nothing.
Upstairs, the master bedroom was dark. I flicked on the light—bed was made, looked like no one had been near it.
I checked the walk-in closet.
Half her stuff was gone. Everyday clothes, personal things—vanished. Only the fancy shit I'd bought her was left hanging there like abandoned costumes.
My gut clenched.
"Lisa!" I yelled.
The housekeeper came running. "Yes, sir?"
"Where the hell is Elena?"
"Mrs. Sterling said she was going on a business trip," Lisa said carefully. "Left three days ago."
"Business trip? Where to?"
"She didn't say, sir. Just that she'd be gone for a while." Lisa hesitated. "She did go into your study before she left."
Ice shot through my veins. I headed straight downstairs.
A document sat on my desk under the lamp, impossible to miss.
I grabbed it, and when I saw the header, everything stopped.
DIVORCE AGREEMENT
