After Dumping the CEO, I Went Back to Being the Billionaire

"We should get a divorce." His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

Stella Dawson lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of his shirt. "Alexander, I love you. Please, don't do this."

Alexander Sterling turned away without a second glance, strode to the coffee table, and tossed a document in front of her.

"The divorce agreement. Look it over. Make sure I didn't forget anything."

Stella froze for a heartbeat, then a sardonic twist of her lips preceded her reaching for the papers with trembling hands.

"Alexander," she whispered, her voice laced with a pleading note he knew was false, "is there really no other way? Am I that easy to discard?"

But Alexander's expression remained unmoved, a mask of growing impatience.

"Stop wasting my time," he stated bluntly. "This is what you wanted, wasn't it? The money? Two million. Just sign."

"I married you because of my grandfather's wish. I've held up my end of the bargain."

"I've kept my word. There's no reason for you to cling to this farce any longer."

The air grew still, thick with unspoken words. Only their uneven breathing punctuated the heavy silence.

Stella bit her lower lip, her knuckles white where she gripped the paper.

"But I don't want to let you go..."

She watched him from under her lashes.

Sure enough, Alexander's face hardened into an icy mask.

He looked down at her, his voice dangerously calm. "If you won't sign voluntarily, we'll settle this in court."

Her eyes welled up, glistening with unshed tears. "Alexander, do you really despise me this much?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out his phone as if ready to call his lawyer that very instant.

"I'm not playing games. You know how this ends if you refuse."

Finally, as if utterly defeated, Stella lowered her gaze and scrawled her name across the document.

Silence descended once more.

After a moment, Alexander retrieved the signed agreement and stared at her for a long second.

"Keep this quiet. No one is to know. The finalized papers will be sent to you."

His tone wasn't just cold-it was glacial.

Stella's face paled, her hands clenched into tight fists, looking fragile enough to shatter.

"You'll regret this, Alexander Sterling," she murmured under her breath.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing. He simply turned and walked out.

The spacious living room was tomb-silent.

Stella looked at the copy of the agreement on the table, traced her signature with a fingertip, and suddenly, a slow smile spread across her lips.

Honestly...

This felt incredible.

She'd never felt so light, so unburdened.

If her stepsister Emily hadn't been so obsessively in love with Alexander, Stella would never have agreed to this sham marriage in the first place.

After months of waiting, the divorce papers were finally here. Stella sank back into the plush couch, a visible wave of relief washing over her.

She lazily picked up her phone and dialed Kevin Porter.