Rachel's fingers trembled as she scrolled through her contacts, the phone pressed against her ear. The dining room behind her remained a disaster zone of shattered plates and spilled food, but she'd already stepped over the mess into the kitchen. On the third ring, a groggy voice answered."Rachel? It's almost midnight. What's wrong?""Karen, that bastard wants a divorce!" Rachel's voice cracked with indignation. "Can you believe it? After everything I've done, sacrificing my youth to marry him, and now he has the audacity—""Wait, wait." Karen's tone shifted instantly from sleepy to alert. "Dylan asked for a divorce? Dylan? Your househusband Dylan?""Yes! Out of nowhere, just like that. 'We should get a divorce.' As if he's doing me some kind of favor!"A laugh erupted from the other end of the line—sharp, delighted, almost gleeful. "Oh my God, Rachel. This is perfect. This is absolutely perfect."Rachel blinked, momentarily thrown by her friend's reaction. "Perfect? Karen, what are

Karen stood frozen in the doorway, her face a mask of confusion and dawning horror. The luxury vehicles lined the street like a presidential motorcade, their engines purring softly in the morning air. She watched as James Crawford held open the door of the Rolls-Royce, waiting patiently for Dylan.Dylan paused at the threshold, Emma's small suitcase in one hand, his daughter's hand in the other. He turned back to Karen, and the look in his eyes made her blood run cold—not anger, but something far more dangerous. Contempt."Karen," he said, his voice quiet and measured. "If I ever hear that you've insulted my daughter again—if I even hear a rumor that you've spoken her name with anything less than respect—I will make you regret it. Not as a threat. As a promise."Karen's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her throat had gone dry, and something about the absolute certainty in his tone paralyzed her vocal cords. This wasn't the meek househusband she'd been mocking minutes ago. This was

Dylan looked at Rachel—at the woman he'd once loved enough to give up everything for—and felt only a cold, detached amusement. A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth, though there was no warmth in it."That's an interesting accusation coming from you, Rachel," he said, his voice carrying just enough edge to cut. "Considering your relationship with Tyler here seems far more intimate than appropriate for a simple business partnership. Tell me, when exactly did this 'cooperation' between you two begin? Before or after you started coming home late reeking of alcohol and expensive cologne?"Rachel's face went white, then crimson. The crowd around them murmured with renewed interest, their eyes darting between Rachel and Tyler with speculation."How dare you!" Rachel's voice cracked like a whip. "How dare you try to twist this around on me! I've been working—building my company while you sat at home doing nothing! Tyler has been a professional colleague, nothing more. Unlike you,

Patricia remained on her knees, her whole body trembling violently. Cold sweat poured down her face, soaking through the collar of her pristine white blouse. Her carefully maintained composure had shattered completely, leaving behind only raw terror."Please," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Miss Sterling, Mr. Pierce, please forgive me. I didn't know. I swear on everything I didn't know who you were. I made a terrible mistake. Please, I'm begging you—""Silence." Victor's voice cut through her pleading like a knife. He hadn't moved from his position near the entrance, but his presence dominated the entire lobby. The fury in his eyes had crystallized into something colder, more terrible. "You claim to know every member of the Sterling family personally, Patricia. You've worked at this hotel for twelve years. And yet you couldn't recognize my own granddaughter?""She's been abroad, sir! She's been studying overseas since she was young. I've only seen photographs, and they were from

Rachel's face had drained of all color, leaving her complexion a sickly gray that made her expensive makeup look garish and clownish. But she forced her lips into a trembling smile, her voice coming out higher pitched than usual, almost hysterical."Mr. Chen, please. This isn't funny." She gestured around the room with a shaking hand. "There are journalists here. Photographers. This is being documented. You can't just... you can't just make jokes like this. The contracts are ready. Everything is arranged. We're supposed to sign today."Michael's expression remained cold, carved from stone. Not a trace of his earlier warmth remained. "I'm not joking, Ms. Bennett. The Sterling family has made their decision. There will be no partnership. There will be no contract signing. Consider all previous negotiations null and void.""But—" Rachel's voice cracked. "But why? What changed? Everything was perfect just an hour ago!""The circumstances have changed," Michael replied flatly. "That's all