Betrayed Heiress Strikes Back

Chapter 10

The afternoon sun shimmered across the pool, its surface rippling with lazy waves. Rylee sat beneath the shade of a wide umbrella, a stack of unopened mail resting on the table beside her iced tea. She had been avoiding it all morning, unwilling to face whatever reminders of Sebastian might lurk inside. But when the envelope marked with the courthouse seal caught her eye, her breath stalled.

Hands trembling, she tore it open. The words leapt from the page: Finalized Divorce Decree. Her name, Sebastian’s name, the signatures—all neatly aligned. But what made her heart jolt was the date. Processed in one day.

One day.

She blinked, disbelief tightening her chest. That wasn’t normal. That wasn't normal for ordinary people... but not for someone like Patrick Bryd, her father.

Her fingers brushed the paper, the ink stark against the white. Relief mingled with unease. Freedom had come faster than she expected, but the speed carried a weight she couldn’t ignore.

“Kya.”

She looked up to see her father strolling across the patio, crisp polo shirt tucked neatly into tailored slacks, sunglasses perched on his nose. He carried himself with the same quiet authority that had always defined him, the kind that made people step aside without question.

“Dad,” she said, rising to greet him. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

He smiled faintly, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “I had a few minutes before meeting my golf buddies. Thought I’d stop by.” His gaze flicked to the papers in her hand. “Ah. You’ve seen them.”

She held the decree tighter, her voice low. “It says it was processed in one day. That’s… impossible. Did you have something to do with this?”

Her father’s expression didn’t waver. Calm, composed, as if the question had been expected. “Yes,” he said simply. “I made sure it was expedited. No sense dragging out something that was already broken.”

Rylee’s lips parted, surprise mingling with gratitude. “You… you did this?”

He adjusted his sunglasses, his tone matter‑of‑fact. “Of course. You’ve suffered enough. I wasn’t going to let him keep you tied to his mess any longer.”

She sank back into her chair, the decree heavy in her lap. Relief washed over her, but so did curiosity. Her father rarely interfered so directly. His world was one of boardrooms, golf courses, and quiet power plays. For him to step in like this meant something more.

He glanced at his watch, already shifting toward the gate. “I’ll let you enjoy the afternoon. But tonight, dinner. Just the two of us. There’s an important matter we need to discuss.”

Rylee frowned, her pulse quickening. “Important matter?”

Her father’s smile was enigmatic, unreadable. “You’ll see.”

Rylee sat back in her chair, the divorce decree heavy in her lap. Her father’s footsteps had already faded down the stone path, leaving her alone with the quiet hum of the poolside. The ink on the page blurred as her thoughts drifted backward, unspooling memories she had tried to bury.

The courthouse had smelled faintly of disinfectant and old paper, its walls lined with faded posters about legal aid and family law. She remembered the way the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting everything in a pale, unforgiving glow. There had been no flowers, no music, no laughter. Just a clerk with tired eyes, a judge with a monotone voice, and two signatures that bound her to Sebastian Henry.

Sadie hadn’t been there. She had begged her best friend to come, but in the end, she couldn’t bear to drag her into something so hollow. It was supposed to be a moment of love, of promise, but even then, Rylee had known it was little more than a transaction.

Cecilia Henry had been there, though. She sat stiffly in the back row, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes sharp with disapproval. Rylee remembered the way Cecilia had looked at her—like Sebastian had lost the lottery, like he had chosen a prize that wasn’t worth claiming. Every sigh, every glance had carried disdain, as if she were watching her son throw his life away.

Sebastian had smiled faintly that day, but it hadn’t reached his eyes. He had slipped the cheap ring onto her finger, his hands steady but detached. No vows beyond the legal ones, no promises whispered in her ear. Just a signature, a nod, and the hollow echo of footsteps as they left the courthouse together.

Her mind drifted further back— to that first night as husband and wife.

The apartment had been small, cramped, with only two bedrooms and barely enough space for the three of them. The walls were thin, the furniture worn, and Cecilia’s presence pressed into every corner like a shadow. Rylee had tried to smile, tried to believe that love could make the space feel bigger, brighter.

She remembered stepping out of the bathroom, hair damp, cheeks flushed from the steam. Cecilia had been waiting in the hallway, arms folded, her voice sharp. “Make sure you shower fast. Water is expensive.”

Rylee’s smile faltered, her heart sinking. She nodded quickly, clutching her towel tighter. Cecilia’s eyes narrowed, her tone dripping with disdain. “And don’t be loud. The walls are thin.”

The words cut deeper than she let show. She had been nervous already— her first night as a wife, her first time sharing a bed with a man. A virgin, she knew the theory of intimacy, the whispers of the birds and the bees, but not the reality. Her stomach fluttered with nerves, her hands trembling as she opened the bedroom door.

Sebastian was already asleep. His back turned, his breathing steady, his body angled away from her. No touch, no kiss, no whispered promise. Just silence.

She had slipped beneath the covers quietly, staring at the ceiling, listening to the hum of the pipes and the muffled sounds of the city outside. Her heart had ached with confusion, but she told herself it was fine—that he was tired, that there would be time later. She clung to that hope, even as the night stretched long and empty beside him.



Rylee closed her eyes now, the memory pressing against her chest. She had believed then that love was enough, that sacrifice and devotion could build a life. But Cecilia’s cold stare and Sebastian’s muted smile had told a different story—one she hadn’t wanted to hear.

Now, with the decree finalized in a single day, she realized how short that chapter truly was. A marriage that had begun with silence and disapproval had ended just as quickly, erased by ink and paper.

That emptiness had been the truth all along. From the very first night, she had been alone.

Her phone buzzed. The name on the screen made her chest tighten: Sebastian Henry.

For a moment she considered ignoring it, but curiosity won. She pressed the phone to her ear.

Silence. Just his breathing, uneven, hesitant.

Finally, his voice broke through, low and uncertain. “I… I got the paperwork.”

Rylee said nothing, waiting.

He cleared his throat. “It was fast. Really fast. But… I kind of knew it would be like that. Maya has connections. She can make things move.”

Her lips curved faintly, though he couldn’t see it. She didn’t correct him. She let him believe the lie, let him cling to Maya’s supposed influence. Inside, her thoughts sharpened: Maya had better be able to pull off her act. Because when I strike back, her lies won’t last.

Sebastian’s silence stretched, heavy with words unsaid. Then, almost abruptly, he muttered, “Anyway… I just thought you should know. It's too bad you didn't take the settlement." He sighed. "I still worry about you, Rylee.”

"Okay." She replied without enthusiasm and Sebastian felt it.

"Why are you being like that?" He didn't receive a reply. "Listen, I didn't call to fight. I just want us to part ways like adults and--"

The line went dead.

Rylee ended the call because she couldn't stand hearing his blubbering. Sebastian’s voice lingered in her ears, but it no longer carried weight.