Chapter 7
The hallway stretched in silence until Jared returned.
Jared lowered his eyes before speaking. “Sir… she’s gone.”
Colton’s jaw tightened. “What the hell do you mean gone?”
“She left early. Took a taxi. She didn’t use any of the family vehicles. I checked her logs, her card activity–there’s nothing. And then…” Jared hesitated, as if the words themselves hurt to say. “She canceled her identity, sir. There’s no trace of her anymore.”
Silence thundered between them. Colton didn’t even realize the moment his fingers loosened and the ring slipped from his hand as he stood frozen.
Colton stood frozen. The paper trembled between his fingers, crisp edges cutting into his skin, but he barely felt it. His eyes scanned the divorce decree again and again, each word sinking like knives into his chest.
No. This wasn’t happening. Ellie wouldn’t do this. Not without a word. Not to him.
He grabbed his phone, heart pounding. His hands shook as he dialed his attorney’s
number.
“Mr. Colton?” the man answered.
“What the hell is this?” Colton snapped. “You filed our divorce?”
A pause. “Sir, yes. It was filed and processed–under the clause in your prenup.”
“What clause?” Colton barked, forgetting about the agreement. Honestly, he didn’t care about any because he never thought this would happen. He always thought that he would forever be with Ellie, no matter what he does, Ellie would stay.
“The betrayal clause,” the attorney said slowly, as if reading directly from the contract. “If one party provides evidence of infidelity, the other party may file and execute divorce without need for the opposing party’s consent. Miss Ellie submitted photos. Of you. With Miss Shania.”
The words hit like a punch.
Colton’s mouth dried. “She–she sent those?”
“Yes, sir. Three high–resolution images, timestamped. Legally sufficient. Therefore, the petition was granted.”
“Damn it!” Colton roared, hurling his phone across the room. It slammed against the wall and shattered. Shards clattered to the marble floor.
Colton didn’t imagine that Ellie had gathered that evidence. Ellie never said a word, never Was it because he
complained. All these times, he thought that everything was er said a word, never
kidnapped her younger brother? But it was her fault!
All he could feel was rage now!
The bedroom door creaked open behind him.
My Husband Believed i Kidnapped His Mistress
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kidnapped her younger brother? But it was her fault!
All he could feel was rage now!
The bedroom door creaked open behind him.
15:00
Shania stepped in, wrapped in silk sheets, her blonde hair tousled, eyes heavy with sleep.
“Colton?” she asked, voice still lazy. “What’s going on? What was all that yelling?”
He turned slowly, his jaw clenched, chest rising and falling.
“She left me,” he said, voice low and unfamiliar.
Shania blinked. “What?”
“Ellie,” he gritted out. “She left. She divorced me.”
There was a beat of silence. Then Shania laughed.
“Wait–seriously?” She moved closer, eyeing the crumpled paper in his hand. “She actually divorced you?” She took it from his hand and skimmed it. “Oh my God, finally! This is great news, isn’t it? I mean, we should celebrate!”
But Colton wasn’t listening. His gaze was still locked on the wall, on the space where his phone had hit. His thoughts were racing.
Shania turned toward him, beaming. “This means it’s just us now. No more hiding.”
But instead of smiling, Colton stepped forward and ripped the paper from her hands–then tore it in half.
“Hey!” she shouted. “What the hell are you doing?”
Colton’s face was twisted with rage. “She can’t leave me.”
Shania stared at him. “Excuse me?”
“She can’t just walk out,” he growled. “That’s not how this works.”
Her expression hardened. “Wait… are you saying you don’t want this?”
He hesitated. For a moment, the truth nearly escaped his lips. That strange, unfamiliar ache in his chest wasn’t just anger. It was loss. Something he didn’t want to admit.
But he forced it down.
“No,” he spat. “It’s not about that. It’s about principle. She can’t just leave. She was sold to me. She’s mine. And she doesn’t get to walk away without paying for it.”
Shania raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. “Right. Of course. It’s about ownership.”
Colton didn’t answer.
She walked to the window, pulling the curtain aside as sunlight streamed in. “Look,” she said, trying to be sweet again, “give it time. Ellie doesn’t have anything. She’ll run out of money, just like before. Remember? She tried to leave you once, too–and when she failed, she came crawling back,”
That memory echoed like a ghost. It was true. Ellie had run before. But she came back. Because she had nowhere else to go.
“She’ll come back,” Shania said, smiling and stepping closer to him. “Until then… let’s go.
Chapter 7
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08:18
May
Shania raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. “Right. Of course. It’s about ownership.”
Colton didn’t answer.
She walked to the window, pulling the curtain aside as sunlight streamed in. “Look,” she said, trying to be sweet again, “give it time. Ellie doesn’t have anything. She’ll run out of money, just like before. Remember? She tried to leave you once, too–and when she failed, she came crawling back.”
That memory echoed like a ghost. It was true. Ellie had run before. But she came back. Because she had nowhere else to go.
“She’ll come back,” Shania said, smiling and stepping closer to him. “Until then… let’s go out. Shopping, maybe? You can buy me that gold clutch I showed you yesterday.”
She ran her hands along his arms, pressed a kiss to his jaw.
But Colton didn’t move.
His mind was elsewhere.
Where had Ellie gone? Did she have help? Money? Connections? She had been too quiet this time. No yelling, no fights. Just… gone. Like she had been planning this for months.
He pushed Shania away gently, eyes distant. “Not now.”
“What?” she pouted. “You’re seriously going to sulk over her?”
But he was already walking away, heading to his office.
“I said not now, Shania,” he barked.
He needed to think.
He needed to find Ellie.
Because no matter what the law said–no matter what that paper said–this wasn’t over.
Not yet.
He would bring her home.
Chapter 8
