Chapter 5
655words
My decision to walk away empty-handed was like shoving away a mountain of gold with my bare hands.
The shock on both Sophia and Adrian's faces was immediate and unmistakable.
Even the uninvolved directors in the room suddenly sat up straighter, breathing quickening.
One executive mumbled an excuse and stood. The others caught on quickly, filing out one by one.
Adrian's yes-men. Sophia's cheerleaders.
Of course they wouldn't spare an ounce of sympathy for an "outsider" like me.
They'd be secretly celebrating that I'd voluntarily surrendered my claim to Mitchell's fortune.
After all,
Without an ex-wife siphoning off Mitchell's shares, their own positions would remain secure.
And Sophia could step into her rightful place beside him, the devoted partner she'd always been.
"Adrian, I… perhaps I should leave you two alone."
But Adrian seized her wrist, his eyes locked on mine.
"Stay right where you are."
"We have nothing to hide. Nothing to be ashamed of."
What a joke—"nothing to hide."
Absolutely revolting.
I'd thought I was calm before walking in here.
But facing their self-righteous attitudes, my heart twisted painfully all over again.
I drew a silent breath, forcing steel into my spine.
I slid the already-signed divorce papers across to him.
Adrian didn't even glance at them, speaking directly to Sophia instead.
"Review the terms."
Sophia snatched up the papers, flipping through them with barely concealed eagerness, a slight smile playing at her lips.
She looked up, her voice tight with suppressed triumph.
"It's a complete walkaway. No assets, no claims. The agreement… is acceptable."
She extended a pen toward Adrian.
Adrian ignored the pen, fixing me with a furrowed brow.
"Are you absolutely certain about this?"
"A divorced woman faces significant challenges in the marriage market."
"Sophia… never intended to drive you to this extreme."
I nearly laughed in his face as I watched Sophia blanch beside him.
"Then why was my rightfully earned bonus withheld?"
"To force me to confront you myself?"
Sophia's lips quivered as she prepared some defense.
I cut her off before she could start.
"Save it. The performance is over."
"Just paint me as the villain—the naive wife who couldn't understand your 'special connection.'"
"I surrender. I'm out of your way."
"All I want is the bonus I earned. Payment for services rendered."
As for them,
They'd better vanish from my life completely.
I never wanted to see either face again as long as I lived.
Sophia's eyes instantly welled with tears—her acting skills were Oscar-worthy.
Just as the first tear threatened to fall, Adrian snatched the pen and scrawled his signature across the papers.
Divorce agreement, two copies.
Marriage dissolution final in thirty days.
He tossed the bonus approval form onto the table like an afterthought.
I snatched up the form and turned to leave.
"Victoria."
Adrian's voice carried that familiar patronizing tone.
"You're acting rashly. I'll transfer a million dollars to your account as compensation."
I didn't break stride, tossing one last comment over my shoulder.
"Don't bother."
"Consider it your wedding gift to her. No need to return the change."
As I reached the door, Sophia found her voice, suddenly firm.
"Victoria, a million dollars would set you up quite comfortably. Don't let pride stand in your way."
"If comfort was all I wanted, would I be here signing divorce papers?" I shot her a look. "What's this? Having second thoughts about me leaving?"
Sophia clamped her mouth shut, terrified I might reconsider.
Adrian inhaled deeply, his tone carrying that infuriating faux concern.
"Victoria, you're still so young…"
I yanked the door open and flashed him a glacial smile.
"It's exactly because I'm young that I can burn everything to the ground and start fresh."
"Only after this divorce will I truly be free."
What's divorce anyway?
Just smashing open the door of a gilded cage.
I'm only twenty-five.
And youth is the only currency that matters!
