The thought flashed through her mind like lightning.And she killed it just as fast."No. That's impossible."Vivian's nails dug into the edge of her desk. Her jaw tightened."Ethan has no connection to Stellaris. Why would they cancel everything just because he's gone?"She forced herself to breathe. Forced the logic to hold.But the question wouldn't stop circling — who was the person Stellaris valued so much?Knock knock.The door swung open before she could answer.Her HR manager rushed in, face white as paper."Ms. Lockwood — we have another problem."Vivian's stomach dropped. "What now?""Arthur Voss submitted his resignation. Effective immediately."The room went dead silent.Damian's head snapped toward the door."Our new drug still has unresolved defects," the HR manager continued, voice shaking. "The optimization project is only halfway through. Without him, the entire R&D pipeline is dead in the water."Vivian didn't move.Two hits. Back to back. In the span of ten minutes.

"Does it matter?""Of course it matters!" Vivian's teeth clenched so hard the tendons in her neck stood out. Fury blazed in her eyes — not at herself, but outward. "Whoever told you is trying to drive a wedge between us. They want us to divorce. Tell me. Who was it?"Ethan's voice exploded through the hallway."Enough!"Vivian flinched. Her mouth snapped shut. She stared at him, stunned into silence."Vivian. Before today, I was your husband. You hid all of this from me — and you think that's acceptable? Now someone tells me the truth, and your first reaction isn't guilt. It isn't shame. It's anger — that someone dared to let me know?"He stepped closer. His voice dropped to something quiet and lethal."What is going on inside your head? When did your values get this twisted? The woman I married — the girl who used to be soft, who used to curl up next to me and hold my hand — she's gone. I don't know who you are anymore."He stepped back."We're done. Whatever's going on in your life

The meeting dragged on for over an hour.Nothing got resolved. Not the Stellaris partnership. Not Arthur Voss's resignation. Two critical problems, zero solutions.Reginald Lockwood's patience finally snapped. He tore into every department head at the table — finance, operations, logistics, R&D — nobody was spared. By the time he dismissed them, half the room couldn't make eye contact.Chairman's office.Reginald sat behind his desk, jaw clenched, the storm still rolling behind his eyes."I handed you the reins less than a year ago. And this is what you've done with my trust?"Vivian stood across from him, head lowered. "Dad — Chairman. These two issues aren't my fault. Stellaris chose to pull out. Ms. Voss chose to resign. What was I supposed to do?"Reginald wanted to keep going. But the look on his daughter's face — that wounded, cornered expression — softened him. Barely.He exhaled hard through his nose."This company is ours, Vivian. Those executives out there can afford not to

Time slipped hard and fast.By five-thirty, most of Stellaris had already emptied out. The business department was nearly silent, just the low hum of computers and the occasional click of a keyboard.Ethan sat with a client file open in front of him, eyes moving line by line.Across from him, Aurora propped her chin in both hands and stared at him with open annoyance."Are you seriously doing this right now?" she muttered. "It's after work. That file will still exist tomorrow."Ethan didn't look up."You don't have to wait for me. I'll leave after I finish this."That only made her roll her eyes."As if I'm waiting because I enjoy it. I want the dinner you promised me."A faint smile tugged at the corner of Ethan's mouth.Yesterday, she had still been testing him. Today, she had gotten bolder.Probably because she had realized he wasn't going to snap at her for every little thing.He closed the folder.Aurora lifted a brow. "What, giving up already?""You said you wanted me to cook."

Reginald stared. He'd heard it from Vivian already, but clearly hadn't believed it. His expression said he still thought it was a bluff.Vivian's face went white. Her fork hovered in the air, frozen.Eleanor set down her silverware.She looked at Ethan first — a long, pained look — then turned and smacked the back of Vivian's head."Vivian! What did you do to him this time?" Eleanor's voice shook. "How many times have I told you — your career isn't everything! You keep ignoring Ethan's feelings, and for what? Is this how a wife behaves?"Vivian flinched. "Mom! Why are you hitting me? I'm not the one who asked for the divorce!""So what?" Eleanor's eyes blazed. "I know Ethan. Unless you did something to break his heart, a man who loved you that much would never walk away on his own."She pointed straight at Vivian's face."You ungrateful girl. Haven't I told you privately? Ethan is a good man. I told you to cherish him. Why don't you ever listen?""Do you need to lose him completely? W