Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

(Cass)

The smell of mildew hits me the moment I open the door to my tiny apartment. My stomach churns as I step inside, taking in the chaos left behind. Furniture overturned, drawers yanked open, and everything I once owned strewn across the floor like a crime scene. I should clean this place up and sell it. But letting it go is harder than I imagined. It's what I bought with money from Mom, to start my new life. To be the person she always believed I'd be.

That worked well, didn't it?

I drag myself out of the downward funk, this time I'll make good.

I swallow hard, gripping the strap of my duffel bag. It's been months since I fled this place, running from my own disasters. Part of me wonders why I came back at all.

But I know it's because it's all I have left of Mom-her money barely stretched far enough to buy this shoebox, but it was something of my own. My tiny sanctuary.

I drop my bag on the only chair still upright and let out a shaky breath. "Okay, Cass," I mutter to myself. "Let's get started."

I grab a garbage bag from under the sink and start with the broken picture frame on the floor. It's one of the few pictures I printed of Mom-us on the beach, her smile so bright it felt like sunlight even on bad days. The glass is cracked, but the photo is intact. Small mercies. I place it in my duffel bag.

As I toss shards of glass into the bag, a noise freezes me in place.

The door creaking open.

I straighten slowly, my heart hammering. Who can that be?

Footsteps.

I duck behind the couch, my pulse roaring in my ears. After my last time here, I'm not taking any chances.

The footsteps get closer, then stop just a few feet away. I hold my breath.

Then I hear the door again and a second set of footsteps...heavier footsteps. I'm not chancing looking in case they see me.

"Mia," a male says, his voice low and gravelly. "This place is beneath you."

"It isn't mine. It's where I could meet you without anyone watching," she says, her Cuban accent more pronounced than usual. "You said this was urgent."

"It is urgent. The authorities are closing in. Since you testified against me. I've already had to activate several contingencies. My time here is limited."

"I'm sorry Don Alejandro, forgive me. I had no choice."

"If I didn't forgive you, you'd already be dead, mi niña."novelbin

Fuck, who is this guy? The silence is almost scary.

"You've been prepared for this your entire life," he says, his tone softening like a predator lulling its prey. "You may not have realized it, but everything I've done has been for our family. For you. My empire is your legacy." "You-Abuelo, you said this was about helping people. Giving them opportunities."

Abuelo? This is her grandfather? Gabriel's grandfather? The man who had me kidnapped and almost killed me and Winona...

"And it is," he says smoothly. "I've changed thousands of lives, giving them a better life for their families."

"But people die too."

"You're as naïve as your mother

thinks, if you think the world rewards

honesty and kindness. Power, mi niña. That's how you protect the ones you love. Money is power. I've found a way to make it. Gringo's think they own the world, that they are the only ones who can have money and power. No. I've built this for our family. My own daughter disowns me. You, Mia, you are the only one who understands me. You are the one I love. The one I trust."

"Gabriel has majority shares in Brennan Industries. I could no longer stop them seeing what's been happening. What I'd been doing under your instructions."

"Gabriel is a fool," Alejandro says

dismissively "He's blinded by his mother's weakness. Maria never

understood what it takes to

in this world. But you... you're different. You see the biggero picture."

"I gave evidence against you, leading to your arrest."

"This is how I expected it to go. This is how we lay low for a while. I disappear. You make people trust you again. Then we strike."

Mia's voice trembles. "I don't know, Abuelo. I'm not ready."

"You are," he says firmly. "And you'll prove it. Feed me the information I need. Keep an eye on Gabriel and his siblings. They'll underestimate you, as they always have. Use that to your advantage." "Okay," she whispers. "I'll do it."

But I know Mia well enough to know when she says anything in that tone, she doesn't mean it. We were best friends. I know I wasn't wrong about that.

But Mia changed. Now I see why. There's a lot more going on in her world than I realized back then.

"That's my girl."

The sound of a phone buzzing breaks the moment. Alejandro says, "I have to go. I'll be in contact."

His footsteps echo on the bare floors as he leaves.

I stay hidden, my mind racing. I

won't reveal myself to her. I want no part of all of this. It all got me into enough trouble before. But maybe I should tell someone. Not Winona or Jayden right now. They have enough to deal with.

Maybe Gus but I can't contact him. Gabriel, well... I'm not sure. If Mia's loyalties are compromised, who's to say the same hasn't happened to Gabriel.

Mia's been groomed for this her entire life. The worst part is, I can hear how conflicted she is. But I can't help her, this is her fight. She has to decide on her own moral compass.

As much as I want to confront her, to call her out for what she's doing, I know it's not my place. Not yet.

But someone has to know. This information could be important.

Viktor.

He's the only person I can think of. Gus trusts him. I know I can. He's just that guy. But if this sets off his protection mode over me again... I'm not sure I can handle that. For now, I stay crouched behind the couch, my heart pounding as I wait for Mia to leave. Whatever happens next, one thing is clear.

I'll never trust her again.