Chapter 4

He'd just gotten back, looking exhausted, still in his overcoat, a chill clinging to his face.

He flipped through it with a pleasant smile.

Seeing the cheap-looking invitation card, rough around the edges, he gave a low, dismissive chuckle.

"Has your taste truly fallen this low?

"Even if you don't stay with me, you don't need to debase yourself like this, just picking up some random guy."

"He's not random."

I clutched at the hem of my dress, my voice soft.

"He's a friend from the orphanage. He's very smart and he's good to me. He's just not well-off right now... I believe he'll only get better."

He gave a careless laugh.

With a sharp rip, he tore the invitation card in two.

"Damian!"

Eleanor cried out, a mix of shock and anger.

"What are you doing!"

He ignored Eleanor's outburst, simply looking at me with an indifferent gaze.

"If you're going, then go completely. Don't take anything with you.

"The jewelry and clothes the Thorne family provided you, the house my mother gave you last year, the shares – everything must be left behind.

"If you want to suffer with another man, you won't leave with anything that reminds anyone of the Thornes. Understand?"

This was all to be expected.

I nodded.

"I know."

"If I'm not mistaken, the clothes you're wearing right now, I bought those too."

Damian slowly pointed towards the door.

"Strip everything off and get out."