Chapter 3

3

A flash of surprise crossed Sienna's eyes.

She didn't expect me to give in so easily.

She looked at me suspiciously.

"Besides the signature, I need the keys to this house. You have to leave right now."

"Fine."

I let out a cold laugh and looked her straight in the eye.

"You can wait right here. I'm going to pack my bags."

Sienna's suspicion grew.

She insisted on watching me pack.

I didn't care.

I went to the bedroom and pulled a suitcase from under the bed.

My laptop, my ledgers, and the licenses for my food cart.

These were the only things I truly owned.

But when I tried to walk out with my suitcase, Sienna blocked the way.

She wore a polite smile, but her voice was dripping with spite.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Jenkins. You can't take those."

"Why not?"

I hadn't taken a single thing that belonged to Caleb.

I was even leaving most of my own stuff behind just to avoid a scene.

The only thing that mattered was on my laptop.

Caleb's company only went public because of the "Aria" system I had spent years developing for him.

The source code was on this computer.

As long as I had it, I had a chance to rebuild and make him pay.

No one knew I was the creator, so why was she stopping me?

"Caleb said your laptop is an expensive item and counts as marital property. You can't take it."

"Also, your cart licenses and those ledgers are considered confidential data for the Vance project. You have no right to them."

I felt a surge of pure rage.

What was Caleb trying to do?

The laptop was mine.

The ledgers were filled with my records of the money I earned.

The food cart was my business.

He hadn't helped me for a single second!

He was trying to strip me of everything.

I sneered at her.

"Really? Is the great heir to the Vance fortune so broke he's stealing from a street vendor? Is he already preparing for his own failure?"

Sienna didn't flinch.

She just waved her phone at me and smiled.

"Caleb's orders. My hands are tied."

"If I were you, I'd just behave. If Caleb gets angry, that million dollars might disappear."

"And if you try to take those things, the Vance Group will sue you for theft."

I didn't want to hear another word of her nonsense.

I tried to push past her.

Suddenly, she lunged at me, trying to grab my suitcase.

I was startled and instinctively swung my arm to block her.

"Ah!"

Sienna acted as if I had shoved her with massive force.

She stumbled back and hit the corner of the wall, letting out a piercing scream.

She collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

"Mom! Mom!"

"You evil woman! I'm telling Dad! You're dead!"

I ignored Connor's screaming.

After a moment of shock, I slammed the door shut, cutting off the noise inside.