Chapter 44
Rowan's POV
I sat in my car, fingers tight around the steering wheel, Kathy's words from Jack's report playing on a loop in my head.
"Lena rarely cried. Even when the beatings were bad, she'd just bite her lip and take it. She said crying made it worse."
I thought of Lena at dinner tables—always sitting perfectly straight, barely speaking, every movement calculated.
I'd thought that was her personality.
It was her survival instinct.
When I pulled into the driveway of Lakeview Estate, the living room lights were still on. I took a breath and pushed the car door open.
Lena sat on the couch, laptop balanced on her knees, reviewing documents. She glanced up when she heard my footsteps, her gaze flat and distant, then returned to her screen.
"Still up?" I asked, my voice quieter than I'd intended.
"Working through some files." Businesslike. As if we were colleagues.
I sat across from her. Silence stretched between us.
"Lena," I started, "are you certain you want to end this?"
Her fingers paused on the keyboard, then resumed their rhythm.
"We've discussed this."
"I know," I leaned forward, "but renewing wouldn't be a bad thing. We could renegotiate terms—"
"Bad?" She looked up, something sharp flickering in her eyes. "Maybe not for you, Rowan. But for me, renewing is the bad thing."
Her tone was calm, but every word cut like ice.
"Or," she closed the laptop, "are you just short on a sex partner?"
My throat tightened.
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" She stood. "Our contract is clear. Two years. Then we walk away. No debts."
"Lena—" I stood too. "Did you ever think of me as a husband?"
She froze, as if the question caught her off guard.
"What?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me when things were difficult?" My voice came out heavier than I'd intended. "Why did you choose to carry everything alone instead of—"
"Did you ever think of me as a wife?" she cut me off, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Except when we were in bed?"
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.
Her question landed like a punch, hitting a truth I couldn't deny.
"I—"
"Having second thoughts?" She laughed, cold and bitter.
I couldn't respond.
Because I didn't know what to say.
Yes, I didn't want her to leave.
But I couldn't say that out loud.
"Whatever," she turned toward the bedroom. "It's almost over anyway."
I watched her walk away, frustration coiling tight in my chest.
The moment she pushed open the bedroom door, I followed. Almost reflexively.
"Rowan," she looked back, "you're sleeping in the guest room tonight."
"We could talk—"
"There's nothing to talk about." She stepped into the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower."
The door closed in my face.
I stood there, listening to the water start running.
Then the soft rustle of fabric.
My hand moved before I could think, pushing the door open.
Lena was unbuttoning her blouse. She jerked the fabric closed when she saw me.
"What are you doing?"
"It's nothing I haven't seen before," my voice came out rough. "No need to hide."
"It's inappropriate." She stepped back, her eyes wary.
I saw that look—the mix of caution and resistance—and suddenly understood what I was doing.
I was pressuring her.
Just like they had.
Before I could speak, my phone rang.
Nora's name lit up the screen.
I answered.
"Rowan?" Nora's voice came through, deliberately intimate. "Are you busy? I wanted to talk to you about something."
Lena took the opportunity to shove me hard.
This time I didn't resist. I stepped back.
The door slammed shut between us.
"What is it?" I asked, my tone cooling instantly.
"I need a favor," Nora's voice carried a plea. "About the Madison situation... could you help manage the press? And I was thinking, maybe I could join your company's legal department? I—"
"Nora," I cut her off. "Drop it."
"What?"
"Stop scheming to get close to me," my voice was flat but clear. "And stop using these tactics. Or the consequences will be worse than this."
I hung up and stared at the closed bathroom door.
The sound of running water came from inside.
I imagined Lena's expression right now—disappointed, probably.
After all, she'd just heard Nora's voice.
I turned and left the bedroom. The hallway stretched empty and silent.
Had I done something wrong?
Or had I been wrong from the very beginning?
---
Lena's POV
I stood in the bathroom, back pressed against the door, listening to Rowan's voice on the phone outside.
"Rowan?" That was Nora's voice, saccharine and deliberate even through the door. "Are you busy? I wanted to talk to you about something."
My fingers curled into fists.
Of course.
She always knows exactly when to call.
I heard Rowan's footsteps retreat, his voice fading.
I took a deep breath and turned on the shower, letting the water fill the space with white noise.
He'd asked if I'd ever thought of him as a husband.
The question was almost funny.
Of course I had.
Every clause I wrote into that contract, I wondered if he'd ever see me as a real wife.
I spent two years walking carefully around him, hoping he'd notice me.
But he never did.
He only remembered me when he wanted sex.
He only remembered me when he needed to maintain the appearance of our contract.
And now, one phone call from Nora, and he walks away.
I turned off the shower and dried my hair, then pulled on a robe.
The face in the mirror was pale, but the eyes were steady.
You're used to this, I told my reflection. You should have been used to this a long time ago.
I opened the bathroom door. The bedroom was empty.
Good.
I picked up my phone and opened my notes app.
Grant & Clarke To-Do:
- Hire one or two assistants
- Secure office location
- Contact Isabelle's client referrals
- Prepare for opening
I stared at the list, a small smile tugging at my lips.
Diana had agreed to be my partner today.
That was the only thing worth celebrating lately.
I remembered her in that courtroom—calm, professional, unwavering.
That courage to sacrifice everything for justice—that was what I wanted.
I added a line at the top:
Firm name: Grant & Clarke
Simple. Equal. No compromises.
Like the new life I wanted.
I set down my phone and lay back against the pillows.
Outside, I heard Rowan close his study door.
I closed my eyes and stopped thinking about him.
He has his Nora.
I have my firm.
We'll both be fine.