BILLIONAIRES: Father or Son

Chapter Eight

FLORA'S POV

The next morning, I woke up later than usual, dragging myself into what had once been our room—mine and Jayden's. I needed to gather a few things before I finally walked out of the Kensington estate for good. Thankfully, Jayden wasn't in there. The last thing I wanted was to face his half-hearted, "I'm sorry, babe" apology attempt, which would barely qualify as an apology.

Last night, I had locked myself in the guest room, cried until I fell asleep. And not those cute, single-tear movie sobs either—it was the ugly kind of crying that leaves you exhausted. Honestly, I wasn't even sure why I cried so hard. Maybe it was because I knew it was the last time I would shed any tears over my soon-to-be ex-husband and his unbearable family.

Even though I was the one asking for the divorce, it didn't mean it didn't hurt. I had loved Jayden for so long—aside from my dad, he was the only man I ever truly cared for. And yet, here I was, realizing he had been cheating on me with his ex of all people. And he had the audacity to gaslight me, making me believe I was just being paranoid.

I stood in the middle of the room, scanning every corner to make sure I hadn't left anything important behind. But as I did, doubt crept in. Could I really survive outside of Kensington's bubble? What would happen to Sasha if she had to drop out of college because I couldn't cover her tuition anymore? What about my mom's medical bills and medication?

I wiped away a stubborn tear that slipped down my cheek and zipped my suitcase. I would work three jobs if I had to, but I wasn't staying here to be disrespected any longer. Jayden, his mother, the whole Kensington clan—they weren't worth another second of my time.

Just as I reached for the suitcase handle, the door burst open, and in marched Lisette, followed by her loyal lapdog, Melissa. Great. Just what I needed—drama. I considered ignoring them, thinking Lisette had come to escort Melissa to her new post as Jayden's replacement wife, but then Lisette yanked the suitcase handle out of my grip.

"What are you doing?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"I'm looking for my gold and diamond necklaces—the most expensive ones in my collection," Lisette announced, as if this was some routine inventory check. She threw my suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it like she was raiding a suspect's hideout.

"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, my voice rising with irritation.

Melissa stepped forward, rubbing her perfectly flat stomach with an air of superiority. "I saw you sneaking them out of her bedroom last night," she said casually. "When I got up to get some water."

I blinked, stunned. Really? Was this her attempt to impress the Kensington matriarch, accusing me of theft? She didn't need to try so hard. I was already packing my bags.

"I didn't leave my room last night," I said firmly, glaring at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Melissa shrugged. "Well, we'll know for sure once we search your suitcase. She already searched mine," she added, as if that somehow made her more trustworthy.

At that moment, Lisette triumphantly pulled out two necklaces from my suitcase, inspecting them like a detective who had just found the smoking gun. "These are mine," she said, her cold gaze locking onto me.

"What? How did those get in there?" My mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Lisette's lips curled into a sneer. "I see. You were planning to steal my jewelry, worth millions, to support your struggling family. Is that why you were so eager to leave?"