Chapter 4 - The Ultimate UltimatumThe VIP wing of St. Mary’s Hospital was locked down under heavy private security provided by Matteo’s men, but even armed guards couldn't keep out the impending storm.
Adrian strode down the corridor, his tailored suit immaculate, his expression an impenetrable mask. He bypassed Room Three entirely, ignoring Lena’s protests through the intercom, and walked straight to Room 12—Isabella’s private suite.
He pushed the door open without knocking.
Isabella was sitting up in bed, looking through a thick stack of financial audits. Standing beside her was Marcus Sterling, the most feared divorce attorney in the tristate area, a man known for dismantling billionaires before breakfast.
Marcus closed his briefcase as Adrian entered. "Mr. Voss. Perfect timing. We were just reviewing the asset distribution."
"Get out, Marcus," Adrian said, his voice dropping an octave.
The attorney looked at Isabella. She gave a slight nod, and Marcus quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Adrian walked to the foot of Isabella’s bed, resting his hands on the metal frame. "You’re really going to do this? You’re going to tear down twelve years of work over a mistake?"
"A mistake?" Isabella laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "Adrian, an affair is a mistake. Moving another woman into a luxury apartment, paying her expenses, and letting her believe she has a claim to your life—that’s a double life. That’s a betrayal built on architectural precision."
"I never loved her," Adrian said, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.
"And that’s supposed to make it better?" Isabella’s eyes flashed with righteous fury. "You used her, just like you use everyone else in your orbit—as a tool, a distraction, a possession. But I am not one of your assets, Adrian. And neither are these children."
She placed both hands over her stomach, her breathing shallow but controlled.
"If you fight me on this divorce, I will strip Voss Global down to its bare studs," Isabella continued, her voice steady and absolute. "I will hand the federal prosecutors every ledger, every offshore account, and every dirty shipping manifest I helped you hide over the last decade. You’ll spend the rest of your life in a federal penitentiary, and you’ll watch your empire crumble from a prison cell."
Adrian knew she wasn't bluffing. Isabella was the only person in the world who knew where every digital key and paper trail was hidden.
"And Lena?" Adrian asked quietly. "What happens to her?"
Isabella looked at him with a gaze so piercing it felt like physical pain. "That’s your mess to clean up, Adrian. But she stays out of my life, and she stays away from my children. That is non-negotiable."
Before Adrian could answer, the door flew open.
Matteo stood in the doorway, his face pale—a rare sight for a man who had survived gang wars.
"Boss," Matteo breathed. "You need to come to Room Three. Right now."
Adrian’s heart stopped. "What happened?"
"Lena... she overheard the conversation through the hallway intercom. She packed her bags, grabbed the spare car keys from your jacket, and drove off."
Isabella sat up straight, her alarm overriding her anger. "Where?"
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"Toward the bridge," Matteo said grimly. "And she’s not alone. Viktor Vance’s men intercepted her vehicle ten minutes ago."
Adrian didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted out of the room, leaving the divorce papers behind on the hospital bed.
