“Welcome back, Madam,” the butler greeted as usual.
Zion Hawthorne and Serena Sterling looked over.
Upon seeing Rowan Keller, Serena hesitated for a moment before greeting her, “Rowan.”
Raina Keller didn’t even give her a glance, staring straight ahead as she made a beeline for the stairs.
‘She was afraid that if she looked at her, she wouldn’t be able to resist losing her temper.’
“Serena greeted you.
Didn’t you hear?” Zion Hawthorne’s cold, detached voice cut in.
“Or are you simply this impolite, Ms.
Keller?”
Rowan Keller stopped in her tracks.
‘Ms.
Keller?’
She turned to face them, a sarcastic retort tumbling from her lips.
“Bringing your affair right into our home, and you expect me to be polite to you?”
“This is my house, and I’ll do as I please,” Zion Hawthorne said unhurriedly.
“If you can’t stand it, you can move out.”
Rowan Keller’s hands, hanging at her sides, abruptly clenched into fists.
Even though she knew his heart was no longer with her, hearing such cruel words from his own lips still felt like a knife wound.
‘He was the one who had told her this was her home, that what was his was also hers.’
“Zion, Rowan is your wife, after all,” Serena Sterling said persuasively.
“Isn’t it a bit harsh to say that?”
“I gave her a chance, and she’s the one who threw it away,” Zion Hawthorne said, his gaze fixed on Rowan Keller.
Rowan Keller was looking at him, too.
Neither was willing to yield, neither would compromise.
“Rowan, why don’t you just apologize to Zion?
He cares about you so much, I’m sure he won’t hold it against you,” Serena Sterling added, subtly fanning the flames.
“I’ll move out, you don’t have to tell me,” Rowan Keller retorted, her stubborn streak flaring as she ignored Serena completely.
“This place reeks of a scumbag and his mistress.
Staying here one second longer makes me sick.”
With that, she turned and headed upstairs, her pace quickening as if she were afraid something disgusting might catch up to her.
SLAM!
The door slammed with a resounding crash.
Once inside, Rowan Keller grabbed a suitcase and began packing her things.
She knew Zion Hawthorne was just trying to provoke her, but she couldn’t take it anymore.
After packing her important documents, she went into the walk-in closet.
She paused for a moment, gazing at the countless clothes, bags, and accessories.
In the end, she headed straight for the jewelry.
‘She was short on cash, and selling these things would provide some emergency funds.’
Before she could take anything out, Zion Hawthorne walked in with Serena Sterling.
“Rowan, how can you be so careless with such valuable jewelry?” Serena Sterling said, her eyes turning green with envy as she looked at the countless limited-edition and custom pieces.
“Are you planning to sell it?”
Rowan Keller answered her curtly, “It’s none of your business.”
Serena Sterling glanced at the man beside her before continuing, “But these were all gifts from Zion.
How could you sell them?”
“And what business is it of yours?” Rowan Keller’s temper flared, revealing a side of her that was anything but gentle.
At this, Zion Hawthorne, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke.
“I didn’t realize you had a habit of stealing jewelry, Ms.
Keller.”
Rowan Keller’s hands froze.
‘Stealing?’
“If I were to report this to the police, how many years in prison do you think you’d get?” Zion Hawthorne asked, watching her.
“Leaving aside the fact that we haven’t even finalized the divorce, you gave these things to me.
How is that stealing?” Rowan Keller shot back.
Zion Hawthorne took a step toward her, his voice gentle as he spoke words that cut like a knife.
“How would you prove they were gifts to you, and not just items from my collection?”
Rowan Keller froze.
In that instant, she understood.
He wasn’t going to let her take a single thing with her.
‘He was determined to leave her with nothing.’
“Go ahead and take them, I won’t stop you.
But the day our divorce is finalized, I’ll report a burglary at my home to the police.” Zion Hawthorne never left any room for retreat.