Selena''s fingers brushed against a solid paperweight on the table, and without a second thought, she chucked it at him. The thing was metal, all sharp edges and heft. It hit Everett square on the forehead, and blood started streaming down his face.


    Everett grunted, letting go of Selena. His paleplexion made the vivid red of the blood running down his prominent nose even more striking, adding a strangely haunting allure to his features. His eyes were a mix of shock and sorrow.


    Selena gathered her torn blouse around her, her face steely and unyielding. "Get out. I don''t want to see you."


    Despite her eerily calm exterior, Everett could hear the cracks in her voice and see her body trembling uncontrobly. He stood there, frozen, watching her for what felt like an eternity...


    Finally, he turned and walked out. The door closed softly behind him. Selena lowered her gaze to the paperweight in her hand, now smeared with Everett''s blood. Her grip was so tight it stained her fingertips. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the storm inside her.


    Downstairs, Everett sat on the sofa, casually pulling a couple of tissues to dab at the blood on his face, acting as if he didn''t care. The wound stung like hell, but it was nothingpared to the ache in his heart or the pain from the disappointed look Selena had given him. He was terrified of that look, scared that there might be noing back from this.


    Just then, Ava came over with a first-aid kit. A flicker of hope crossed his eyes. "Did she send you?" Ava snorted, "Don''t kid yourself, sir. I''m just making sure you don''t pull some pity stunt to guilt her into caring. That''s not gonna fly!"


    With a thud, she dropped the kit, muttering a deserved insult as she left.


    Everett: "...........


    He had zero standing in the household now. After half-heartedly tending to his wound, he didn''t bother going back upstairs. Instead, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one.


    The next morning, Everett hoped to take Mateo to school, but Selena didn''t give him the chance. She revved up her car and sped off right in front of him, leaving him ina cloud of exhaust.  en


    Ava, sweeping leaves nearby, couldn''t resist chiming in, "You reap what you sow!" He could''ve had a loving wife and a happy kid, but he just had to go and screw it up!


    At Bet Corporation, in the CEO''s office, Alex knocked and entered, finding her boss behind the big desk, a bandage on his forehead, his


    handsome face clouded with a


    brooding aura. Her heart skipped a beat. When the boss was in a bad mood, everyone caught the fallout.


    Clutching the papers in her hand, she felt like crying but pushed through, presenting them with a shaky voice, "Mr. Everett, the divorce papers..."


    She remembered thest time she had this task-it wasn''t long ago. It felt like a never-ending cycle. Everett nced at the documents, his eyes darkening, lips curling slightly. "Do I need to teach you? Let Bradley handle it!"


    The implication was crystal clear-he wasn''t going through with it. Alex nodded quickly and made a hasty


    exit.


    Handling these things was usually a


    walk in the park for Bradley, but this


    time,


    not even ten minutes after


    getting the papers, he rushed into


    the CEO''s office.


    Everett leaned back in his leather chair, displeasure etched on his face. "What''s up?" Bradley, usually so calm andposed, looked rattled. "Thewyer your wife hired is ine!" Everett raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "And? Are you scared?"