Elias slowly pulled off his leather gloves, placing them neatly on the desk.

“The board is asking questions, and the press is starting to notice your absence,” he said.

“Let them ask,” I said. “Tell them the truth. Tell them I left you.”

Elias’s jaw tightened, a small muscle twitching near his cheek.

“You know I can’t do that,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

“Because of your grandfather’s trust,” I said, looking him dead in the eye.

He didn’t flinch, but his gray eyes narrowed.

“You read the documents in my study,” he said.

“I did,” I replied. “I saw the clause. You only keep your voting shares if you remain married.”

“Then you understand how critical this is,” Elias said, stepping closer.

“I understand that our entire marriage was a lie,” I said. “You didn’t want a wife. You wanted a shield.”

“It was a mutually beneficial arrangement,” he said. “You wanted security, and I provided it.”

“I wanted a husband, Elias. I didn’t want to be a line item in your corporate portfolio.”