Chapter 14
Chapter 14:
A roar filled his ears, drowning out Alycia’s voice. She’s mine. The thought was primal and ugly. She signed the papers, but she’s still mine. How dare she let another man near her when he had not yet signed the decree.
“Cole?” Alycia touched his arm. “You’re hurting me p>
Cole shoved her hand away. “I have to go p>
“What? Cole p>
He did not wait. He stormed down the stairs, shouldering past security, his eyes cutting through the lounge like a hunter scanning for prey.
He burst onto the lower level. “June p>
𝘑𝗼𝗂𝗻 𝘁h𝗈𝘶ѕa𝘯𝗱s о𝖿 f𝖺𝗻ѕ on ѕ.с𝘰𝗆
He found the booth. He saw Sloane Harper laughing. He saw the empty shot glasses.
The seat where June had been sitting was empty.
“Where is she?” Cole demanded, seizing Luca by the collar.
Luca raised both hands, entirely unbothered. “The lady left, man. Said something about having a life to live p>
“Did you touch her?” Cole snarled, his fist tightening in the fabric.
“Cole!” Sloane snapped. “Let him go. You’re making a scene p>
Cole shoved Luca back into the seat and spun around, chest heaving.
She was gone.
He pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
The subscriber you have dialed is not available.
He hurled the phone across the room. It exploded against the wall.
“Find her,” he barked at his security detail. “Find out where she’s sleeping p>
The morning sun over Manhattan was too bright, too cheerful.
Cole sat in his office at Compton Tower. He had not slept. The image of June with that stranger was burned into his retinas.
Lawrence Kane, his personal attorney, sat across from him with a look of quiet unease. He set a thick stack of documents on the desk.
“You asked me to hold onto these,” Lawrence said. “From when she left them at the hospital. I thought — you should finally take a look p>
Cole stared at the papers. They were slightly creased from months in a drawer. June’s signature was already at the bottom, dated weeks ago. He had not bothered to read them at the time. He had expected a fight. He had expected demands — the Hamptons house, a few million in alimony. That was what Alycia had told him. She’s holding out for a bigger payout, Cole.
Now, for the first time, he turned to the settlement page.
Alimony: Waived. Assets: None. Spousal Support: USD 0.00.
Cole blinked. He read it again.
“Is this a typo?” he asked, his voice rough.
“No, sir,” Lawrence said. “I called her attorney, Carter Vance. He confirmed it. She signed weeks ago. She wants nothing. She wants the divorce finalized — expedited p>
Cole felt something strange shift in his gut. It felt like falling.
“She’s bluffing,” Cole said, slapping the file shut. “It’s a negotiation tactic. She thinks if she asks for nothing, I’ll feel guilty and hand her everything p>
“Sir, if you sign this, it’s over. The judge will grant it by Wednesday. Uncontested p>
Cole picked up his fountain pen. The gold felt cold between his fingers.