Chapter 8

Aurora's eyes gleamed with triumph as she raised her hand toward my face.

The comments went wild, a flood of dark text.

[Dominic's mad because Clara got attacked and still won't ask him for help! Clara, just say something—he'd tear this place apart for you!]

[Speak up, Clara! One word, and he'll cave!]

I met his icy stare. Seven years of explaining myself, and for what?

Crack!

The slap echoed through the air. Dominic's face froze for a moment before slipping back into that distant mask.

My cheek burned, but my heart was a frozen lake, untouched. I looked at him, voice steady. "We done here? That slap square us? Can I go?"

His throat bobbed, his knuckles white from clenching. He opened his mouth but said nothing.

I turned and walked away, each step firm.

Behind me, the comments went berserk.

[Dominic's regretting it!]

[He's breaking inside!]

[Clara, go back and fix this!]

I didn't look back.

Dominic stood rooted, watching me disappear around the corner. He didn't call out, didn't follow.

The morning I went to pick up the bond-breaking papers, I stood outside the family court, the comments erupting like a boiling pot.

[OMG, Clara's really breaking the bond?! She loves Dominic to death—how could she give up now?]

[Dominic's crazy about her too! They're supposed to grow old together—how'd it come to this?]

[My OTP is crashing and burning! Wait, does Dominic even know she's dead set on this? He's gonna lose it when he finds out!]

I stared at the frantic text, my heart still as a grave. When the clerk handed me the stamped papers, the comments vanished, leaving my world quiet for the first time in years.

Back home, I slipped one copy of the papers into Dominic's private study, surrounded by photos and trinkets of me he'd hidden away. I shut the door softly.

As I turned, I nearly collided with him. His eyes widened, panic flashing as he saw where I'd come from. "You were in there? What'd you see?"

I kept my face neutral, shaking my head. "Just passing through, grabbed some files from the office."

He glanced at the papers in my hand, tension easing. "You're moving today. Where's your stuff?"

"I sent it ahead," I lied smoothly.

Something felt off to him—I could tell. He opened his mouth, maybe to say he'd come check out the new place, but Aurora's call cut him off. "Dominic, I'm throwing a party. Wanna come?"

He put her on speaker, his eyes flicking to me, clearly wanting a reaction, waiting for me to beg him to stay.

I just smiled faintly, voice almost generous. "Go have fun. The house is covered."

His face darkened, but he had no outlet for his frustration. He stormed off to the bar, bottled-up anger trailing him.

I watched his car vanish, then grabbed a cab to the airport. An hour later, a private plane carried me into the sky, erasing me from his world for good.