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Chapter9
Grace Miller had nearly died from the pain. In the end, it was the family physician, Dr. Victor Hale, who arrived in time with powerful analgesics and antibiotics, carefully treating the wounds across her back.
“Fortunately we caught it early,” he said. “With the best meds, you shouldn’t scar. But you must keep the area dry and rest. No exceptions.”
Grace lay on her stomach, tears long since spent.
Her body might heal. Her heart felt ruined.
For days she holed up in her room, too afraid to face the wreckage outside her door.
Then the noise started–laughter, music, the thrum of a sound system rolling up from downstairs.
She remembered. it was Bella Hart‘ s birthday.
Alexander Stone was throwing her a lavish party at Stonecrest.
In the end Grace stepped out, stopping at the second–floor balustrade like an onlooker. She watched the clink of crystal and the glitter of gowns, watched the man downstairs pour every ounce of patience and tenderness into the girl who never stopped making scenes.
Bella complained the cake was ugly, then griped that guests were “looking at her funny,” picking a new fight every few minutes. Alexander indulged every whim without exception–he even
crouched to straighten the hem of her dress him.
Someone glanced up and spottedce. “Mrs. Stone-
That single address lit the fuse.
they blurted, reflexively.
Bella slammed down her glass, tears springing hot. “Alexander, you said it yourself. we haven‘ t filed at the County Clerk’s Office, but you love me. I’m your one and only. Why is she still being called ‘Mrs.‘ ?”
Alexander moved to soothe her at once. “All right, all right. It’s just a title=”
“No! You‘ re lying to me!” she cried. “Unless you announce it right here in front of everyone. No one calls her ‘Mrs.‘ again. And I want to punish her!”
She flung a hand toward the pool. “You–dump in a bin of glass shards. Then make her wade in and
Chapter9
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fish out every last piece. Not one left.”
A guard looked to Alexander. He didn’t so much as frown. His silence was permission. The man
hurried out and tipped a crate of crushed glass into the water.
The crowd gasped.
Alexander didn’t blink. He looked up at Grace. “You heard Bella. Get in.”
Grace’s whole body went cold. “Alexander Stone, must you humiliate me like this?”
“Humiliate?” He huffed a mirthless laugh. “Do you need reminding that your parents‘ company lives or dies on my word?”
The words struck like lightning. Color drained from her face.
He’d even use her parents‘ company as leverage‘‘.
Looking down at the glitter of broken glass floating in the water–and at the ruthless emptiness in
Alexander’s eyes–Grace felt the last of her hope shatter.
She descended the stairs one step at a time, under a hundred looks–some pitying, some eager for
spectacle and walked into the frigid pool.
The first slice came instantly. Then another. Razor edges scored her skin, and blood fanned out in thin vermilion clouds. With every shard she lifted, another cut opened, pain drilling to the bone.
After a while, the pain became far away. She moved like a machine. dive, grope, lift, bleed.
No one knew how long it took. At last she found the final fragment.
Soaked, shaking, her hands a mess of blood and ruined flesh, she hauled herself out and stood before Alexander and Bella like a figure forged from red.
Alexander took in the sight without the faintest flicker. Then he turned to the guests and
announced, cool and clear, “I trust everyone saw that. From today on, in this house, anyone
calls her ‘Mrs.‘ is picking a fight with me.”
He ground what was left of her dignity into the floor.
Something in Grace died for good.
who
She turned, dragging her blood–wet body toward the front doors. Every step felt like walking on knife points.
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Every step felt like wading out of a years–deep swamp.
Her phone rang as she crossed the threshold.
It was the Northbridge County Clerk’s Office.
“Ms. Miller, your one–month divorce cooling–off period with Mr. Stone has expired. Are you able to come in today to finalize the registration?”
Grace stared at the number on her screen, then let out a low laugh. As she laughed, tears slipped free.
“Yes. I can come now.”
When the dark red booklet–the Divorce Decree–hit her palm, she felt light for the first time in
years.
On the drive back, she passed the Northbridge CityCenter MegaLEDs and made a decision.
He hadn’t wanted her to be “Mrs. Stone“? Then she would oblige him–she would let the entire city know that Grace Miller and Alexander Stone had nothing to do with each other anymore.
She pulled over at Apex AdWorks, paid top dollar, and bought a loop across every core–location screen for the next day’s Citywide Public Notice Loop. The copy was blunt and simple.
Official Notice. The marriage of Mr. Alexander Stone and Ms. Grace Miller was formally dissolved today. Effective immediately, each is free to marry as they please. Ms. Miller is now single–suitors
welcome.
With that done, she went back to Stonecrest, packed a single suitcase, booked the earliest international flight, and left without a backward glance.
The plane lifted, cutting into the blue.
Grace watched the city shrink beneath the clouds, and peace–quiet, steady settled in her chest.
Whatever face Alexander wore when he discovered the city–wide announcement, she no longer cared.
She was free.
Morning rose like always.
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Alexander woke to find Bella still asleep beside him. He reached for his phone, habit tugging him toward his inbox–and froze at the avalanche of missed calls and alerts.
The headline staring back at him was unmistakable.
“Exclusive. World’s Richest Man Dumped–Alexander Stone Divorced! Ex–Wife Grace Miller Buys Every Screen in Northbridge. ‘I‘ m Single. Come and Get Me.‘”
