At his words.
Rowan Keller froze.
In that instant, she saw him for who he really was.
She finally understood that ever since she’d filed for divorce, they were nothing more than strangers.
The heavy, suffocating feeling in her chest suddenly vanished without a trace.
She composed herself, her demeanor growing cold and distant.
“I’m no one important, but if you had simply returned my property, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“It’s just a suitcase.
It’s not as if Zion would want to keep it,” Serena Sterling said, defending him.
“He wouldn’t,” Rowan Keller said.
As she looked at the pair, the anger and sorrow that usually filled her eyes were gone, as if all emotion had been drained from her in an instant.
“But I don’t want my suitcase contaminated by the filth in this place.”
Zion Hawthorne’s eyes darkened.
Rowan Keller’s voice was devoid of emotion.
“Give me my things, and I’ll leave immediately.”
She had suddenly let go.
Let go of Zion Hawthorne’s sudden lack of affection and accepted that he would always choose someone else over her.
“Summer saw me take the suitcase,” Zion Hawthorne reminded her.
“It wouldn’t be difficult for a man of your means, Mr.
Hawthorne, to buy an identical one.” She herself was surprised at how quickly her heart had died.
“And I assume you don’t want us meeting often after this, either.”
Zion Hawthorne stared at her, his gaze scrutinizing.
“Bring the suitcase from upstairs to Ms.
Keller,” he ordered the bodyguard behind him.
The bodyguard replied with a “Yes, sir,” and went inside.
A moment later,
a brightly colored suitcase was brought out.
Just as Zion Hawthorne and Serena Sterling expected Rowan Keller to take the suitcase and leave, she suddenly opened it right in front of them.
Serena Sterling feigned confusion.
“Rowan, what are you doing?”
“Checking to see if anything is missing,” Rowan Keller replied in the calmest of tones, her words designed to infuriate.
Zion Hawthorne ran his tongue over his back teeth.
He hadn’t expected her to learn so fast.
“Are you questioning Zion’s integrity?” Serena Sterling said, adding fuel to the fire.
“Forget the fact that it’s just documents and certificates.
Even if there was something priceless in there, he wouldn’t give it a second glance.”
“He might not, but would you?” At this point, Rowan was ready to verbally cut down anyone who stood in her way.
“Zion…” All Serena Sterling could do was run to him for help.
“Weren’t you just eyeing all the jewelry and bags in my room this afternoon?” Rowan Keller snapped the suitcase shut as a thought suddenly occurred to her.
“Then again, I don’t really use that stuff.
It’s only fitting for trash to end up at a recycling center.”
The hands at Serena Sterling’s sides clenched into fists.
But she didn’t dare let her anger show in front of Zion Hawthorne.
“I’ll have those things disposed of,” Zion Hawthorne said before she could.
“Amber won’t use your hand-me-downs.”
“Then isn’t she using you?”
Serena Sterling instinctively glanced at Zion Hawthorne.
His dark eyes were inscrutable.
“I’m telling Summer about the divorce tonight.” Rowan Keller’s clear eyes met his, a hint of mockery in her voice.
“You’d better think of an excuse beforehand.
One that might make him hate you just a little bit less.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Her retreating back looked more distant than ever before.
“Wait,” Zion Hawthorne called out.
Rowan Keller stopped, then frowned, annoyed at herself for obeying his command so readily.
Zion Hawthorne walked toward her.
“Give the card to Amber.
It no longer belongs to you.”
Rowan Keller took it out of her purse.
Zion Hawthorne had canceled the card on the very day his affair with Serena Sterling was exposed.
She glanced at it a few times before finally holding it out.
Zion Hawthorne reached for it.
Just as his fingers were about to touch it, Rowan Keller’s grip suddenly loosened, and the Black Gold Card fell swiftly to the ground.
CLACK.
The card hit the ground with a crisp sound.
A torrent of emotions swirled in the depths of Rowan Keller’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed them all, her expression smoothing over as she said, “Sorry.
My hand slipped.”