My Compensation

Sia's POV:

It had already been an hour into the party, yet I stood still, trying to process everything. Shouldn't Ethan Brooks be an old man, probably in his fifties? How come he is this man—the man I had shamelessly begged to sink his fangs deep into my pussy?

Shameless!

I palmed my face and sighed heavily. I had come here to cause a scene, yet I found myself too overwhelmed to do anything. I couldn't believe I had slept with Ethan fucking Brooks.

"Sia," a familiar voice called. As much as I hated hearing that voice, it was still better than being called by anyone else at this party.

I turned to find Ashton standing there, a frown plastered on his face.

"Why are you here?" he questioned. I snorted and completely ignored him.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. I tried to retract it, but he wouldn't let go.

"Don't cause a scene; come with me," Ashton warned before dragging me out of the hall, down the corridor, and into a study, where he pushed me to the ground—right before Kira.

"Ouch," I winced, pain shooting through my ankle from the hard fall. Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back, unwilling to shed even a single one.

My gaze moved to Kira, who wore a mocking smile. She crouched to my level and sneered, "You aren't leaving this place until you sign the papers."

I chuckled and bit my lower lip, suppressing the pain radiating from my ankle.

"You must feel so proud of yourself, being a mistress," I mocked and tried to stand, even though my ankle hurt like hell.

To my surprise, Kira shoved me back down, and I landed on my butt. Ashton just stood there, watching the scene unfold.

Look at the man I once considered my husband. The man who had been so obsessed with me. A lot had changed.

"You proposed a divorce, and now here are the papers. Go ahead and sign them," Ashton scolded.

I chuckled, finally understanding their game. They wanted me to sign the papers so the case wouldn't go to court, avoiding any discussion about property division.

Honestly, I was tired of this family. I was done with the Woods. Even if I fought with my life, I would never win against them, and I refused to stoop any lower.

"Where is the pen?" I asked, noticing the shock in Ashton's eyes, which quickly turned to excitement.

Kira beamed as well before shoving the pen and document toward me. I skimmed through the lines, making sure they weren't trying to trick me.

Then I sighed, grabbed onto the table, and stood up, dragging my foot toward Ashton.

"There was no need to threaten me into signing this. I was going to sign it anyway. Don't you know I shiver in disgust every time I remember I was still married to you?" I snorted and threw the papers in his face.

"Does your little slut know that you don't own any assets? Poor boy, living off Uncle's money," I taunted.

Kira stepped between us, hands on her hips. "You're just bitter because you didn't get any compensation from him."

I raised a brow. Was she stupid?

"Trust me, honey, there are better men than him," I said coldly, clenching my fists. I pushed Kira out of my way, but Ashton caught her quickly.

"Sia, enough!" he yelled, raising his hand as if to hit me. I flinched and fell to the ground in fear when a hoarse voice echoed from the door.

"Ashton Wood."

My gaze snapped to the door and met Ethan Brooks's. Beside him stood a man in his thirties.

"Uncle," Ashton stuttered as Ethan walked over to me. He crouched, craning his neck slightly before shifting his gaze to Ashton.

"Hurting a woman is a crime. But hurting this woman is worse," he muttered. His voice was low, but I heard him clearly, and his words confused me.

Ethan cupped my cheeks, his intense gaze burrowing into me. My safety barriers shattered, and the tears I had been holding for so long spilled down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away and pushed his hand aside.

He ignored my resistance.

"Are you done with the divorce process?" Ethan questioned.

I blinked, then remembered that I had told him earlier I was in the middle of a divorce.

"Uncle, this woman is a parasite. The longer she stays, the more she'll suck us dry," Ashton spat before pulling out his phone. "I'll call security."

I was done humiliating myself. It was time to leave.

I struggled to stand, my sprained foot making it difficult, and, as expected, no one helped me.

Ethan, however, was busy reading the divorce papers he had picked up from the floor. He handed the documents to the man beside him. "Make this official first thing tomorrow," he ordered.

Ashton and Kira's faces lit up with smug satisfaction, clearly mocking me. This was my cue to leave.

I managed to hobble toward the door, dragging my injured foot when—

"Sia," Ethan called.

I halted. What more did they want? I had already signed the damn papers.

Ethan walked toward me, his expression unreadable. "Will you leave without what you deserve?" he asked.

"You mean my compensation?" I raised a brow. He nodded.

"I heard you're a woman who never misses an opportunity. So why leave empty-handed?"

I felt insulted. No, he wasn't trying to insult me—he was insulting me. But I merely shrugged.

"I already got my compensation," I said, my gaze shifting to Ashton. "Being freed from such a man is the biggest compensation."

"He treated you badly. I want to compensate you," Ethan said. "And honestly, you don't have a choice but to accept it."

"No, Uncle!" Ashton protested.

"I paid for her education for years, so she should be compensating me!" he scolded.

Kira chimed in, "That's true! Sia was just an illiterate before she met Ash. She didn't even have a high school diploma!"

I clenched my fists. I would make sure this slut paid.

And they were right. I was in my second year of university, and Ashton had been the one paying. Now, I just wanted to disappear into a hole.

"Hmm… you paid with my money," Ethan countered.

Ashton's face turned red.

To everyone's shock—including mine—Ethan crouched before me and removed my heels.

Was Ethan Brooks taking off my shoes? Jules would scream when she heard this.

I was still in shock when he stood up and pointed at himself.

"Me," Ethan said.

"I don't follow. You?" I asked.

"The compensation. The one you have no choice but to accept."

My eyes widened.

"Let's get married," Ethan Brooks declared, as if the words meant nothing.

He was serious. Did he realize I had just divorced his nephew?