Chapter 6

Jade's POV

Hearing I was moving out, Damien hadn't responded yet when Clara let out an exclamation first.

"What are you doing? If you don't welcome me, I'll leave right now."

She made a show of pulling her suitcase, tears welling in her eyes, looking as if she'd suffered the greatest injustice.

Damien immediately pressed down on her hand, looking at me with furrowed brows, his eyes full of reproach.

"Jade Wilson, have you made enough of a scene? Clara is just staying for a few days. Do you have to make everyone unhappy to be satisfied?"

I ignored them and headed straight for the door with Mason's hand in mine.

The luggage had been packed long ago, stored in the entrance cabinet.

Two black suitcases containing all of Mason's and my belongings from these seven years.

Pitifully few.

Seeing those two cases, Damien froze for a moment.

He blocked the doorway.

"Where are you going? This early in the morning, where can you take the kid?"

"That's not for Mr. Carter to worry about."

I looked at him.

"Move aside."

Damien didn't budge. Instead, he laughed coldly.

"Jade, you think threatening me by running away from home will work?"I understand. I'll continue translating from where the previous section ended, maintaining exact sequential order.

---

"Cards?"

I pulled out that supplementary card from my bag, snapped it in half right in front of him, and threw it on the ground.

"Damien, I don't want your money. All these years, I've kept accounts of every cent of household expenses. Here's the ledger."

I slapped a thick account book against his chest.

Damien instinctively caught it and flipped it open. The pages were densely packed with spending records from the past seven years.

Detailed down to every loaf of bread, every pack of tissues.

Even Mason's medical expenses from each illness were separately marked as loans.

His face instantly turned iron-grey.

"What are you trying to say? Keeping such detailed accounts with me? What do you take me for?"

"A creditor."

I looked directly into his eyes.

"Now the debt is cleared. Between us, only divorce remains."

I pulled another divorce agreement from my bag.

This was the backup copy I'd printed last night.

"It doesn't matter that you tore up the other one. I have this. Damien Carter, sign it."

Damien stared at that black-and-white document, his chest heaving violently.

Clara stood to the side, watching this scene spiral out of control. Her eyes rolled, then she suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed.

"Damien, my chest hurts so much... Is my low blood sugar acting up again..."

Damien's attention was instantly diverted.

He caught Clara, his voice changing pitch with anxiety.

"What's wrong? Did you skip breakfast? Quick, go lie down on the sofa!"

Taking advantage of his distraction helping Clara, I pulled my suitcase and led Mason around them, pushing open the front door.

The morning sunlight was somewhat blinding.

"Stop right there!"

Damien roared from behind.

"Jade, if you dare walk out that door today, even if you come crawling back begging me on your knees, I'll never let you through it again!"

My steps didn't falter. I only turned my head slightly.

"Damien Carter, those are exactly the words I want to say to you."

"From now on, even if you kneel yourself to death in front of me, I won't spare you a single glance."

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Mason gripped my hand tightly and looked up to ask me.

"Mommy, are we really free now?"

I looked at the child's face, where the swelling from the slap hadn't yet subsided, and crouched down with a pang of heartache, kissing his forehead.

"Yes, Mason. We're free."

Getting into the taxi, I gave an address.

It was a five-star hotel in the city center.

The visa and plane tickets to Switzerland still needed a week to process. We'd find a place to stay first.

After settling in, I took Mason to the hotel restaurant for a meal.

Mason was taking big bites of his sandwich when he suddenly asked me.

"Mommy, when are we going to Switzerland?"

I stroked his head.

"Next week. Mommy already bought the plane tickets."

"Then... can we get a cat in Switzerland?"

"Of course we can."

"And we won't have to see that bad person anymore?"

I smiled.

"Never again."