CHAPTER 7

Zayden stood between the doorway of his home office, the air between him and Charlotte charged with tension. She sat on the plush couch, scrolling idly on her phone, her calm demeanor masking the storm brewing beneath the surface.

"We need to talk," Zayden said, stepping inside and shutting the door firmly behind him.

Charlotte looked up, her perfectly manicured eyebrows arching in mild annoyance as if his presence alone irritate her. "I'm listening."

Without mincing words, Zayden said, "I want a divorce."

Her hand became numb as her phone slipped from her hand and hitting the couch with a soft thud. For a moment, her throat tightened as no words came out. Only her blue eyes narrowed as they bore into him. "Excuse me."

"You heard me right," Zayden said, his voice steady but his fists clenched at his sides. "This marriage isn't working and it's time we move on."

Charlotte laugh was sharp and hollow, like glass shattering. "Move on? Just like that? You think you can just throw me away like yesterday's trash," she said, her voice rising at each word. "Don't tell me you've fallen for someone else. Is it her? The little slut you've been sneaking around with."

Zayden's jaw tightened. "This isn't about anyone. It about us. About the fact that we've been living a lie all this years."

“Oh, spare me the noble act,” Charlotte spat, pacing the room. “You think you can walk away from me? From this family? Do you have any idea what you’re risking?”

"I know exactly what I'm risking and I don't care," Zayden snapped. "I'm done playing by the rules of this sham marriage. I'm out."

Charlotte’s eyes flashed with fury. “You won’t get away with this,” she hissed. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number. "Let’s see if Daisy feels the same way.”

It wasn’t long before Daisy Blackwood stormed into the office, her sharp heels clicking against the polished floor. Her presence was as commanding as ever, her tailored suit immaculate, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Charlotte wasted no time. "Your son has lost his mind, daisy," she said, her voice trembling with anger. "He wants a divorce."

Daisy steely gaze turned to Zayden, her expression unreadable. "Is this true."

"Yes," Zayden said, standing his ground. "I refused to pretend anymore."

Daisy let out a soft, bitter laugh. “Pretending, you say? And what do you think will happen to you if you go through with this? You’ll lose everything—your inheritance, your shares in the company, your place in this family.”

Zayden expression was resolute. "If that is all it takes to live my life on my term, then so be it."

“On your terms?” Daisy’s voice rose, her icy veneer cracking. “Do you even understand the consequences of what you’re saying? Do you have any idea what this family has done for you?”

“I know exactly what you’ve done,” Zayden snapped. “And don’t act like this is some noble act of generosity. We both know why I’m here. I’m not your son, Daisy. I never was. I’m just the bastard child of your husband’s affair, a convenient pawn in your little empire.”

Charlotte snapped, her eyes widening. "Zayden, stop," she whispered, as if the words would the harm lingering in the air."

Daisy's eye darkened, her cold exterior slipping further. "Watch your tongue," she hissed. "You may not be my family, but you carry the Blackwood's honour. And I've done more than you would ever understand, and this time too, I will do everything to protect this family honour."

Daisy stepped closer, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “If you walk away from this marriage, you’ll regret it. I will strip you of everything—the money, the power, the influence. You’ll be nothing, Zayden. Nothing.”

Daisy turned and stormed out, her heels hitting the floor sharply. Immediately she left, Zayden unfazed by her outburst, slammed a document on the table. "Sign it, before I get back."

Without another word, he walked out of the room, while Charlotte collapsed on the couch, disbelief clouding her face.

Meanwhile, across town, Cameilla sat in her small apartment, her frustrated eyes scanning over every piece of information she could find about Nicholas Reid. Her laptop screen was a patchwork of tabs—news articles, court records, and obscure forums discussing his fall from grace.

Standing abruptly, she decided to visit the uncompleted building, Nicholas was found, hoping to find something that the authorities might have missed. Cameilla's heart raced as she stepped inside the dark building, the air thick with the scent of decay. She pulled out a torchlight and began to search, her footsteps echoing eerily in the empty space.

In a corner of the room, she found a pile of charred papers, as if someone had tried to destroy evidence. She sifted through the ashes carefully, finding fragments of what looked like financial records. The name “Blackwood Holdings” appeared on several pieces.

Suddenly, a faint voice caught her attention—a shuffling sound, as if someone else was there. Camellia froze, her breath catching in her throat. She turned off her torchlight, straining her ears to the wall, maybe she'd hear something.

"Who's there?" A gruff voice called out, followed by heavy footsteps.

Camellia heart clenched as she peeked out and saw a man in black suit, his face obscured by the shadows. He was holding a phone, speaking in hushed tone.

“She’s not here,” he said. “But someone’s been snooping around. I’ll handle it.”

The man turned and walked out, leaving Cameilla's trembling in this wake. Whosoever he was-he wasn't a cop, and he clearly knew more than what he's letting on.

Back at her apartment, camellia placed together the papers she had found, her mind racing with possibilities. The financial records, hinted at several illicit transactions, involving high profile names including Chief judge Harrison's, the Blackwood's and other prominent family.

Her phone buzzed and she saw a message from an unknown number.

"Stop digging, if you value your life."

Cameilla's blood run cold, but she refused to be intimidated. She knows she was onto something big—some

thing worth risking everything for.