07/24/2025
When her husband che:ated, she ignored him. When he presented her with divorce papers, she immediately turned her cards over.
The silence in the room was thicker than the leather-bound contract in Nathan's hands. He stood tall, dressed in his navy suit, holding the divorce papers as if they were a trophy.
âHere,â he said coldly, tossing the blue folder onto the glass coffee table.
Amelia sat perfectly still on the cream-colored sofa, her back straight, fingers laced in her lap. She looked flawless in her ivory pantsuit, not a wrinkle out of place, not a tremble in her hands.
âYouâre not going to say anything?â Nathan asked, his voice tinged with irritation. âNo begging, no questions, no tears?â
She looked up at him, her eyes calm, almost⌠amused.
âNo, Nathan,â she replied smoothly. âIâm done playing that game.â
Nathan frowned. âWhat game?â
âThe one where you pretend you're still the man I married, and I pretend I havenât known about Michelle for six months.â
His jaw twitched. âYou knew?â
âIâve always known,â she said with a soft shrug. âYou just thought I wouldnât do anything because I was comfortable. Because I kept quiet.â
Nathan was silent, unsettled by her composure.
âWell,â he said stiffly. âI suppose this makes it easier. Letâs make it official and move on.â
She stood then, graceful as ever, and walked to the console by the window. She opened a drawer and pulled out a thick envelope.
âWhatâs that?â he asked.
âMy response,â she said, placing it neatly on top of his blue folder. âI had it drafted weeks ago.â
He opened it and frowned. It was her own set of divorce terms.
âThese terms are outrageous,â he scoffed. âYou want the house, both cars, and fifty percent of the company shares?â
Her eyes met his, sharp and unyielding. âCorrectionâI want the house, the cars, and your fifty percent of my company shares.â
Nathanâs laugh was incredulous. âYour company? You mean the business I helped you start? I fronted the capital!â
âAnd I turned it into a multi-million dollar enterprise,â she said coolly. âYour name is nowhere on the documents. I checked.â
He blinked. âYouâre bluffing.â
Amelia turned to her laptop, opened a folder titled Legal â Ironclad, and displayed signed ownership documents, registration certificates, and emails with timestamps.
âEverythingâs been in my name since day one,â she said. âYou were just the cheerleader.â
Nathan looked as if heâd been slapped.
âYou waited for this moment,â he muttered.
âI did,â she replied, voice calm but steady. âBecause I knew youâd eventually show me exactly who you are.â
He paced the room now, frustrated. âYou think youâll win everything in court?â
âI wonât need to,â she said, sliding another paper forward. âThatâs a letter from Michelleâs husband. Heâs more than willing to testify on my behalfâespecially after seeing your texts.â
Nathan's face paled.
âAnd thereâs more,â she added, âbut I think this is enough for you to reconsider whoâs holding the cards.â
He sat down, suddenly very quiet. For the first time, Amelia saw him for what he truly wasâsmall, panicked, exposed.
âYou never loved me,â he said bitterly.
She tilted her head. âNo, Nathan. I did. Until you made sure I couldnât anymore.â
Flashback: Seeds of Strength
Six months ago, Amelia found the first text.
At first, she told herself it was just business. Michelle worked at Nathanâs firm. But as the messages grew more suggestiveâand eventually explicitâAmelia stopped pretending.
But instead of confronting him, she began preparing.
She moved company assets into secure trusts, hired a forensic accountant to document finances, and quietly bought out Nathanâs silent stake in one of their joint ventures. He didnât even notice.
Then she hired the best divorce attorney in the city. A woman with a reputation for precision and a taste for revenge.
And she waited.
Now
Nathan sat on the edge of the sofa, hands clasped. âWhat do you want?â
âI want you to sign,â she said. âSign everything over peacefully. In exchange, Iâll keep the press out of it. No public disgrace. No boardroom shame.â
He hesitated.
âYouâll still walk away with money,â she added. âBut not a legacy. Thatâs mine now.â
For the first time in years, Amelia felt free. The weight was gone. She hadnât raised her voice. She hadnât cried. She had simply⌠taken control.
Nathan reached for the pen.
âI hope she was worth it,â she said quietly as he signed.
âShe wasnât,â he muttered.
Amelia picked up the documents and slipped them into her case. âGoodbye, Nathan.â
She turned and walked toward the door, heels clicking with confidence.
He called after her. âWhat will you do now?â
She paused, smiled over her shoulder.
âIâm building something bigger.â
And then she was gone.
To Be Continued đ