Chapter 9

The moment the door closed, an endless wave of darkness and fear swallowed Winona whole. She shivered violently, curling up in the cold corner, biting her lips to keep herself from crying out. Terror drove her to claw into her own arms, leaving long scratches. The sting of pain was the only thing that could dull, even slightly, the torment in her heart. She lost all sense of time—perhaps a day, possibly longer—until at last, the confinement room door creaked open. Caleb stood in the doorway, backlit, staring at her curled-up figure in the corner. A flash of pain crossed his deep-set eyes, but a darker emotion quickly replaced it. He stepped forward, bent down, and lifted her in his arms. Back in the bedroom, he gently treated the wounds on her arms, carefully applying ointment from the first-aid kit. "So? Will you post it now?" His voice was soft, tinged with hoarseness. Winona looked up, his face only inches away from hers. She gave a sorrowful smile. "What if I still don't want to?" Caleb froze mid-motion. He met her gaze, silent and unreadable, but the weight of that silence was more suffocating than any cruel words. In that stillness, she felt her heart die completely. "Fine," she said, eerily calm. "I'll do it." Relief flickered across his face as he handed her the phone. "I'll watch you post it." Her fingers trembled as she opened a social media app. Just as she was about to type, Dylan rushed in. "Mr. Solt, Ms. Granger was so overwhelmed by the online comments that she fainted while crying!" Caleb's expression shifted instantly. He rose and issued a quick command. "I'll check on Miranda. Make sure you clarify everything." Without another word, he followed Dylan out, leaving her alone. Winona watched his resolute back disappear and smiled faintly. At that moment, her phone rang. It was Frank. "The divorce papers are done. The Solt family was very straightforward about it. I mean, losing a husband like Caleb? You'll regret this! I can't believe what you did to our family—" Winona listened with a blank expression. Before he could finish, she hung up. Then, with deliberate efficiency, she blocked and deleted every contact for Frank, Martha, and Cecilia. She walked into the walk-in closet, pulled out a suitcase, and began packing her things in silence. When she finished, she dragged the suitcase into the kitchen, lit a piece of paper on the stove, and tossed it onto the expensive wool carpet in the living room. Orange flames leaped up instantly, spreading fast. Now that she was divorced, this so-called marital home no longer had any reason to exist. She dragged her suitcase out of the villa without looking back. Then, she hailed a cab and headed straight for the airport. "To the airport, please." … Meanwhile, Caleb spent several hours at Miranda's place, finally coaxing her to sleep. Dylan, glancing anxiously at the time, couldn't hold back any longer. "Mr. Solt, the 50-billion-dollar merger project can't be delayed any longer. The executives and overseas branches have been waiting. You've already postponed too much today because of Ms. Granger…" Caleb rubbed his temples, checked the time, and finally stood. "Let's go." Inside the 500-attendee conference room, the atmosphere was solemn. A newly hired project manager whispered to a colleague beside him. "It's my first time attending a meeting hosted by Mr. Solt. I'm so nervous. I heard he's extremely strict—" The veteran patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. He demands a lot, but he's a wise and composed man. We've worked with him for years and have never seen him lose it. Just be prepared and report honestly." As he finished speaking, the conference room doors swung open. Caleb walked in, flanked by a group of senior executives.