Chapter 4 : Signed in blood

Jack Moore smirked. A satisfactory thing seeing the shocking expression on him Killian's face.

"Guess you're not the only one good with surprise, Killian Dante." He chuckled, arms spread in mock triumph. "I am not dead. I'm very much alive."

He pulled Cassandra to his body in a way that showed possessiveness.

"We made you believe what we wanted you to believe, Killian. You're that gullible." He smirked smugly. "Don't take it too hard on yourself. We'll send you our wedding invitation. Something grand the world has never seen. Honey moon where you can't afford and will never be able to afford."

He sized Killian up with a mockery smirk.

"You've lost too much weight in that place. You'd better come to the wedding and eat something nutritious. At least you deserve it."

Realization cut through Killian like a knife. His eyes shifted back from Jack Moore to Cassandra. She couldn't look at him. It wasn't guilt and neither was it remorse. It was a clinical detachment. His presence was making her... inconvenient.

"I see it clicked now." Jack nodded, smirking like he played it well. "The accident was planned to remove you. I wasn't dead— stayed away from the public for just a month. Private Penthouse—"

He paused, circling Killian like a predator taunting a battered prey.

"— so when I came out, the people thought I was just recovering. Miraculous survival following the death announcement. It was conveniently believed by everyone. The media made it more interesting. 'Magical survival of Moore's heir' They pitied. They gifted expensive stuff to celebrate a man who was never dead while you— you were rotting away in that shit hole."

He smirked, gloating, standing in front of Killian now.

"You willingly took the blame for the crime so we can be together."

Killian blinked. Knowing Cassandra betrayed him cut something inside his chest but Jack rubbing it to his face like he'd initiated everything made anger rise inside.

He turned to her— really looked at her.

"Tell me," he asked. "everything he said is true."

Cassandra raised her head now. She held his gaze now, her expression cracking just a bit with something that was pity.

"Killian—"

"Answer me!" Killian snapped. Fingers clenched at the side as anger climbed inside. He wanted her to admit it. He wanted to hear her agree or deny everything he'd heard.

"Yes. It is the truth." Her voice was ice wrapped in steel. And there was no guilt after. Not a flicker of remorse.

Her composed expression snapped back in place.

"I didn't want scandals. The public would probe, my reputation as the CEO and Ashbourne group will take a dent if I had initiated a simple divorce at first. And you'll make it worse."

Her voice was sharper now, cutting fast like a new blade.

"You're not in my league, Killian. Never was." Her lips curled in Distaste. "When I married you, I always knew you weren't even close to my standard. I thought you would improve. Not as the house husband but as someone who really gets what it is like to be in a room like this."

"Jack is everything I need. The Moore family is among the top Ten Elite families in Silvergate. They have power, connection, and money. Marrying an Ex-convict and settling for less? That is impossible."

She looked at Killian one last time and delivered the parting shot with clinical precision.

"We're DONE."

Killian chuckled. A low bitter laugh as reality crashed over him like a wave. It was shocking to realize Cassandra sent him to Prison just to exile him so she could marry another man because she felt he was better.

He'd thought he was saving her but she was drowning him.

His jaw clenched. "So, this is about money? Fame?" He shook his head. "You're making a big mistake, Cassandra."

Cassandra turned slightly, and smiled just small, but cold enough to cut through glass.

"You were the mistake, Killian."

"My child? Where is She?"

Cassandra turned fully to Killian again, standing beside Jack now. They exchanged glances then suddenly burst into laughter that made Cassandra doubled over like she'd just heard a ribbing joke.

Cassandra's chest was shaking with laughter.

"Child, Really?" She stood straighter, eyes still glinting in amusement. "You actually clung to the lie I told all these years when I mentioned about the baby? I knew you would fall for it. I knew your weakness even though I never paid much attention."

"You couldn't even handle common responsibility. How would you handle a baby. There was never any baby."

The confession cut through Killian's heart like a swung blade.

"You lied." He started, his voice surprisingly calm despite everything. "You said I wasn't responsible. Who was it when your family was drowning in loan and they wanted to take your grandfather's life for organ extraction in exchange. Who paid? Who had always supported you when your company was just an overlooked dust at the bottom of the society? It was me. So you don't get to speak to me like you did me favor by marrying me. I thought you loved me."

And Killian was done being their puppet.

Cassandra's composure cracked noticeably.

She pulled out a checkbook from her drawer and tore clean a sheet and scribbled pen over it.

" $5 million dollars." She stretched out the cheque. "Thank you for everything you did. We're even now. Though anyone could have done it." She said, her voice clipped.

"This is compensation for time wasted inside prison— 720 days. I'm being kind due to our past relationship. Five million is more than everything you've touched in your entire life and enough to start you up somewhere. Somewhere far. Don't cause trouble for me, for my family. You and I have no business together anymore."

Killian stared at the cheque in cold disinterest. She thought money could just buy him off after everything? Something inside his chest began to fold anger to something new which was the Will to strike back.

He reduced his name for the Ashbourne but they had betrayed him.

This is unforgivable.

But not here. Not now.

Killian Dante doesn't act impulsively. His actions are calculated.

Without another word, he pulled out the divorce paper from the envelope, dug a nail into his skin deep enough to collect blood. He pressed his bloody thumb onto the divorce paper.

Cassandra and Jack exchanged a stunned glance.

"What are you—"

Killian slapped the paper on the desk.

"I'm done with you, Cassandra Ashbourne."

He turned and walked out, leaving their jaw dropped in the room.

And Killian Dante was GONE and DONE!.