"Careful, you useless trash! If you scratch a single pearl on that display, you won't be able to pay for it even if you sell your organs!"The harsh, screeching voice of Evelyn Collins echoed through the grand banquet hall of the Golden Leaf Hotel.Ethan Vance quietly adjusted the massive, crystal-embedded floral archway, his knuckles white from the strain. He wore a faded, slightly oversized suit that had clearly been bought from a thrift store. Compared to the glittering luxury of the venue, he looked entirely out of place."I'm keeping an eye on it, Mother," Ethan said softly, keeping his gaze trained on the floor."Don't call me mother! I’ve told you a thousand times, you don't deserve to use that word!" Evelyn sneered, her heavily jeweled hands resting on her hips. "For three years, you’ve done nothing but eat our food, live under our roof, and embarrass my daughter. Look at you! Tonight is the most important night in the history of the Collins family, and you look like a beggar

Back inside the grand penthouse banquet hall, the atmosphere was electric. The scent of expensive champagne, high-end perfumes, and rich food filled the air.The entire Collins family was gathered near the main stage. Evelyn was grinning from ear to ear, holding a copy of the freshly signed divorce papers like a golden trophy. Dexter stood proudly beside her, constantly adjusting his tie and greeting the local businessmen who were trying to curry favor with him.Chloe stood slightly apart from them, looking down at her empty hands. A strange, hollow feeling was blossoming in her chest. She kept looking toward the back exit where the security guards had dragged Ethan out into the freezing downpour. Had she been too harsh? He was penniless and lacked ambition, yes, but he had never looked at her with the piercing, dead coldness he had shown right before he signed the papers."Chloe, stop staring at the door!" Evelyn hissed, stepping over and aggressively grabbing her daughter’s arm. "Lo

The rain continued to lash against the glass walls of the penthouse suite, but the warmth inside the grand hall had vanished entirely. The elite guests who had come to celebrate with the Collins family were now whispering among themselves, casting looks of absolute disdain at the three broken figures left on the floor. Chloe stood frozen in place, staring at the closed double doors. Her hands were trembling violently. The silence in her chest was louder than the thunder outside. Ten million dollars. To her family, that amount of money was a colossal fortune—a sum that could instantly rescue Collins Logistics from the brink of total ruin. But to Chloe, it felt like an execution order. By handing her that money as "room and board reimbursement," Ethan hadn't just paid a debt; he had severed their history. He had looked at her not as an ex-wife, but as a transaction he wanted to settle and forget. Ding. A sharp, crisp notification rang out from Chloe's purse. Evelyn, who was still

The next morning, the storm had cleared, but the morning sun brought no warmth to the headquarters of Collins Logistics.Chloe walked through the glass doors of the office building, her eyes heavy with dark circles. The moment she stepped into the lobby, she froze. The usual front desk receptionists were gone. Instead, two men in midnight-blue suits—the uniform of the Grayson Group—stood guard by the security turnstiles, looking over the staff with sharp, cold eyes.When Chloe tried to swipe her employee badge, a sharp beep rang out. Access Denied."Excuse me, Miss Collins," a cold voice sneered from behind her.Chloe turned around to see Dexter walking out of the executive elevator. He was no longer wearing his proud burgundy suit; instead, he wore a standard gray one, and the bandage on his forehead from the night before made him look incredibly frantic."Dexter, what is going on?" Chloe demanded, gesturing to the security guards. "Why is my badge deactivated? I am the Head of Opera

The digital confirmation on Chloe’s phone screen seemed to glow with a malicious light. Three million dollars—gone in the blink of an eye.Garrett Grayson let out a sharp, mocking chuckle as he watched her stare at the screen. He leaned on his silver-headed cane, looking down at her like a master who had just successfully broken a stubborn pet. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it, Chloe? You still have seven million left to play with. Assuming, of course, your little stunt tomorrow night actually works.""Get out of my office, Garrett," Chloe whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and profound exhaustion."Oh, I'm leaving. I have a company to strip down, after all," Garrett sneered, turning on his heel. He paused at the door, glancing back over his shoulder at Evelyn and Dexter, who were still hovering like frightened ghosts. "Make sure she’s ready by tomorrow evening. If she ruins this, I won't just take the shipping docks—I’ll have the eviction notices served on your ma