Chapter 2
Kaelyn sat quietly in the back seat of the car, watching the city lights blur past the window. Her mind was oddly calm, as if a storm had finally passed, leaving behind only silence. For the first time in years, she felt like herself—not the woman who sacrificed everything for a man who betrayed her, but the woman she had been before it all began.
Sebastian glanced at her in the rearview mirror, hesitant at first but unable to hold back his thoughts. “So… are you really going through with it?” he asked. “The divorce?”
She nodded without hesitation. “I already told him I want half the assets.”
He let out a low whistle. “About time. You’re the one who brought him back from the brink—literally. Without you, he’d still be in that hospital bed, and yet he… damn.” He shook his head. “What a piece of garbage.”
Kaelyn didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. Everything she wanted to say had already been said back at the villa. She wasn’t going to waste another breath on Landen.
As they pulled up to her apartment, Sebastian parked the car and got out to open her door. “Are you sure you want to go back to work tomorrow? You should take a few days off. Rest. Process everything.”
Kaelyn stepped out and met his eyes with quiet determination. “I’ve wasted enough time. No more breaks.”
He hesitated, then gave a nod. “Alright. Just know we’ve got your back—me and the rest of the team.”
The next morning, Kaelyn arrived at the medical research facility just as the sun rose. Her white coat felt heavier than usual, but the familiar scent of antiseptic and the quiet hum of machines grounded her. This place had always been her sanctuary—the only place she could truly be herself.
As she walked through the halls, staff members greeted her politely, some with concern in their eyes. Rumors had already started to swirl. She ignored them all.
In the private lab she managed, Kaelyn found a vase of fresh flowers on her desk, along with a small card. She opened it.
You deserve better. We’re with you. — S
She allowed herself a small smile. Sebastian had always been loyal. They weren’t close in the beginning, but over time, he had become someone she could count on. And now, that loyalty meant more than ever.
Later that day, while reviewing a new treatment proposal, her phone buzzed. It was a call from the Barnett family’s lawyer.
Kaelyn didn’t answer. Instead, she let it ring out and tossed the phone onto her desk.
They were panicking, no doubt. Afraid she might really demand half the fortune—and she would. Not because she needed the money, but because it was hers. She had earned it.
She had been the one who kept the company’s medical division afloat while Landen was in a coma. She’d made breakthroughs that boosted their reputation and revenue, all while keeping a low profile to protect his pride. No one had known she was the reason the Barnetts were still thriving.
But now, she was done hiding.
Later that night, as she was leaving the facility, a sleek black car pulled up in front of her. She paused, frowning. She didn’t recognize it.
The window rolled down, and a man stepped out—tall, well-built, with sharp eyes that seemed to take in everything.
“Dr. Kaelyn Barnett?” he asked.
“I’m no longer a Barnett,” she replied coldly.
He smiled faintly. “Fair enough. I’m here on behalf of someone who’s been following your work. He’s interested in meeting you.”
Kaelyn raised an eyebrow. “And who is this mystery admirer?”
The man reached into his coat and handed her a card. It was thick, expensive-looking, with just a single name embossed in gold letters.
Zayn Warlord.
The name rang a bell—but only faintly. She had heard whispers of him in the medical world. A powerful, enigmatic figure tied to a private military organization with rumored involvement in experimental medicine.
Kaelyn narrowed her eyes. “Tell him I’m not interested.”
But the man simply smiled again, unfazed. “He thought you’d say that. He said to tell you: ‘I don’t need your interest. I need your expertise. And I’m willing to offer anything in return.’”
She stared at the card for a long moment after he left. Something about the name nagged at her. She had spent years healing others, fixing things that were broken. But maybe—just maybe—it was time to explore what the world might offer her in return.
And so, without knowing it, Kaelyn’s next chapter had already begun.