Her laugh was sharp, cutting. “A divorce? You? Are you fucking nuts?” She stepped closer, swaying slightly. Her eyes blazed. “You don’t get to walk away, Adrian. You and Aria — you’re my anchors, dragging me down. You think you can just leave? You’re nothing without me. If there’s anyone to initiate the divorce, it should be me, not you!”Adrian didn’t answer. He just shook his head, the disappointment settling like ash in his throat. Finally, he’d seen her true colors —he actually had for a while now— but hearing it, feeling it, was different. He turned, walking toward the guest room. Behind him, a plate crashed to the floor, then another, and another. Vanessa in her rage, began smashing the dishes, screaming, turning the kitchen into a pile of mess. Adrian didn’t look back. Aria was asleep upstairs, her tiny heart counting on him. And tomorrow, the Cross family would remind Vanessa exactly who she’d just thrown away.Vanessa stood in the wreckage of the dining room, shards of porc

Lisa stood rooted in Vanessa’s living room, her cheek still burning from Adrian’s slap, her mind reeling from what she’d just seen. She was shocked, frozen, flabbergasted and evey other synonym in between. It was now that the slap stung even more.That butler —Marcus. The guy that looked like a god— had dropped to his knee, calling Adrian “Mr.West” like he was royalty. What?!Adrian noticed her countenance and he just shot her a cold glance. Her eyes locked on Adrian, who held Aria’s tiny hand, his face carved from ice. They both walked up to her and Adrian sope his final words;“If I ever hear you insult my daughter again, Lisa,” he said, his voice low and sharp a blade wrapped in velvet, “You will pay. And you won’t like the price. Sell your entire life career and you still won’t be able to afford it.”Lisa’s mouth opened, but her throat seized up, fear drowning her smugness. Her legs wobbled like they’d forgotten how to stand. She could only watch in shock and horror. What the heck

Vanessa’s accusation was a serious one. Her face was red, her eyes wild, like she’d caught him red-handed. Adrian was amused, really. What kind of woman had she turned out to be?He smirked, a cold smirk forming at the corner of his lips. “Cheating? Really? That’s um.. rich, Vanessa. You and Bobby here are the ones cozying up. You are the one cheating with him. Me and Helen? We literally just met today.”Vanessa’s jaw dropped, her purse nearly slipping from her grip. Cheating was her worst fear, the label she’d kill to avoid. “You lying monster!” she screamed, her voice bouncing off the marble walls. The crowd leaned in, eating it all up. “You’re making this up to save face! What’s next, huh? You gonna say she —” she jabbed a finger at Helen, whose calm smile hadn’t budged —“invited you to dinner with the Cross family? Huh? Huh? Is that it?” Adrian’s eyes didn’t waver, his voice flat but sharp. “You are right in saying that Helen is Cross family, yes. But no, she didn’t invite me. So

Vivian knelt on the floor, her red blazer creased. Sweat dripping down her face like she’d just walked out of hell fire alive. It turned out that everything Helen had said was true. She really was a Cross. And not just any Cross, John’s favorite. Now, all Vivian could do was beg. Really drop on her knees and beg for Adrian and Helen’s forgiveness. And so she did.John Cross, however, loomed over her, his cane thumping, his face red with rage. “You. How dare you? You’re done,” he growled. “You are fired. For insulting Mr. Adrian West!”Vivian’s hands shook, her voice a broken whisper. “Mr. Cross, please, I didn’t know…” She looked at Adrian, then Helen, her eyes pleading. “I’m sorry, I swear on my mother’s grave, I didn’t mean…”John cut her off, his cane jabbing the air. “Save it. You’re out.” He turned to Adrian, his face softening, almost ashamed. “Adrian, I’m so humiliated this happened. Please, let me make it right. Please, join us in the Supreme Banquet Hall.” Really, John Cros

Vanessa suddenly stood up, frozen to death. Her glass trembled in her hand. The manager’s words, “The Cooperation with your company is canceled,” sounded like a joke in her ears. The crowd stared, and they began to whisper things that the cameras couldn’t record. She forced a smile, her voice shaky. “Mr. Carter, come on, I know this is pun intended, and I appreciate your sense of humor!,” she said, loud enough for the reporters to hear. “But come on, we’ve got press here. This is a big deal. You might want to stop joking!”But Mr. Carter was in fact not joking. His face was stone, no trace of the flattery and respect he’d shown earlier. He crossed his arms, his gray suit creased from his rushed exit. “This is no joke, Miss Lang,” he said, his voice cold as the marble floor. “The Cross family’s done with you. The Cooperation is off.” Vanessa’s knees wobbled, her black dress clinging to her sweaty skin. She nearly collapsed, her glass slipping, but Bobby quickly caught her arm, his c