Chapter 5 The Parting Gift

Striding into the grand living room, Kingston did not hesitate for a single second. He dropped to one knee the moment he reached the sobbing woman, gently gathering Bianca from the cold marble floor. As he supported her weight, he turned a grim, glacial gaze upon Rowena. His voice dripped with icy condemnation.

"I thought you would behave decently after the legal divorce," Kingston snapped, his jaw tight with anger. "I was unprepared for you to resort to such despicable, petty physical tactics. It makes me sick to look at you right now."

Rowena stood silent, her posture straight as she watched the theatrical display unfold before her.

"I had planned to transfer the ownership of this sprawling mansion to your name as a gesture of goodwill," he continued, weaponizing his wealth with a cold sneer. "But given your current vicious behavior, that compensation is no longer necessary. You will get nothing from me."

Feigning traumatized guilt, Bianca leaned heavily against Kingston's broad chest. Her loud, pitiable sobs echoed through the cavernous space. Beneath the tears, however, wicked, triumphant pride danced wildly in her eyes when she sneaked a glance at Rowena from the safety of his arms.

"Don't blame Rowena, King," Bianca begged softly, playing the ultimate victim. Her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt. "She only pushed me accidentally because I made her mad. The fall was my own fault. Admonish me instead."

This manipulative display only infuriated Kingston further. A thick layer of frost blanketed his handsome face. He stared down Rowena, issuing a harsh, commanding demand. "Apologize to Anca immediately. Right this moment."

Instead of cowering or launching into a frantic, useless verbal defense, a spark of intense anger flickered deep within Rowena's chest. She did not argue. Instead, a wide, strikingly brilliant beam spread across her flawless face. The corners of her lips curled upward into an eerie, detached smile.

Puzzled by this unexpected reaction, Bianca was momentarily dazed. Her guard dropped. She could not comprehend why her rival was not throwing a tantrum or pleading her case like a normal person would.

Taking full advantage of this momentary lapse in Bianca's act, Rowena stepped forward. She reached out and delicately pulled the other woman right out of Kingston's protective embrace.

Before either of them could process the sudden movement, Rowena raised her hand.

*Smack!*

A crisp slap echoed like a gunshot through the massive living room.

A piercing, genuine shriek of agony split the air. Bianca's head snapped to the side from the sheer force of the blow. She lost her footing and fell hard onto the ground, desperately cradling her rapidly swelling, bright red cheek. Tears sprang to her eyes, authentic and stinging.

Having put all her physical strength into the brutal strike, Rowena's palm hummed with a numb sensation. She stood tall, staring down at the weeping woman with a chillingly calm smile.

"Since you already loudly claimed you were picked on," Rowena mocked lightly, her voice smooth as silk, "it would be terribly rude of me not to help you affirm the misdeed with a real, physical strike."

Shocked and paralyzed by the fact that Rowena would dare get physical right in front of his face, Kingston froze. The next second, he glowered with a threatening, murderous intensity.

"Not only did you fail to apologize," Kingston yelled, his voice booming through the hall, "but you audaciously escalated the violence! Are you intentionally testing my limit?"

Unfazed by his towering rage, Rowena's grin widened. She calmly met his furious gaze, refusing to back down an inch.

"You think far too much of yourself, Mr. Thorne." Rowena casually dusted off her hands. "Since we were once a married couple, I prepared an epic parting gift for you before I make my final exit."

Without breaking eye contact, she reached down and unzipped her bag. Her fingers closed around a thick, heavy stack of printed papers. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she tossed them directly at his face.

Dozens of pages fluttered chaotically through the air like snow, scattering across the polished floor.

Kingston's reflexes kicked in. He forcefully snagged one of the papers mid-air. His profound shock mounted as his eyes scanned the page. He read the exact copies of Bianca's arrogant, insulting text messages sent to Rowena, taunting her about her status and the events of the previous night.

Swiftly flipping the page over, his breath hitched. He uncovered concrete, undeniable proof. The documents contained bank transfers and communication logs, all revealing that Bianca was the true, singular mastermind behind him being slipped the drug.

His heavy brows knit together in deep realization. He slowly swung a terrifying, lethal glare toward the woman on the floor.

Bianca's face drained of all color. She turned ashen white, realizing her meticulously crafted scheme was irredeemably exposed to the man she wanted. Her lips trembled as sheer panic set in.

Without bothering to wait for Bianca to frantically justify herself, or for Kingston to formulate an apology, Rowena calmly bent down. She picked up the handle of her packed suitcase, her grip firm and resolute.

Taking one final, piercing look at the man she had once loved with all her heart, she confidently delivered her final, cutting words.

"Remember this, Kingston Thorne—I'm not the one who's divorced and abandoned. Instead, it's you! I don't want you anymore, nor is the Thorne family worthy of me!"