AFTER THE DIVORCE, EX-HUSBAND SHOCK THE WORLD

CHAPTER FOUR: CRACKS IN THE EMPIRE

The Greenwood Tower gleamed in the heart of the city, a monument of glass and steel piercing the sky. But beneath its polished surface, the foundation was shaking.

Boardroom chaos erupted like wildfire. Executives bickered, analysts hurled reports across the table, and the numbers on the giant screen spoke louder than any words.

Losses. Delays. Contracts dissolving, Richard Greenwood slammed his fist down. “Enough! How the hell are we losing three million in a single day?!”

A trembling executive stammered, “Our shipments through Ridge Empire’s distribution lines were halted without notice. Backup suppliers refused to cooperate. We tried rerouting, but”

Richard cut him off with a glare sharp enough to draw blood. “Don’t try. Fix it!”

Deborah sat at the far end of the table, her lips painted into a calm smile, though her hands twisted in her lap beneath the desk. She raised her glass, feigning composure.

“This is nothing but a storm, Father. We’ll weather it. Greenwood Empire has survived worse.”

Richard leaned across the table, his face dark. “This isn’t weather. This is war. And someone is targeting us deliberately.”

The room fell silent, Across the city, in the shadows of the compound, Gibson Ridge watched the same numbers flash across his monitors. Every drop of Greenwood’s blood was measured, calculated, orchestrated.

“Three million gone in one day,” Marcus said, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. “Imagine what a week will do.”

Gibson’s gaze never left the screen. His eyes were cold, unblinking. “Not too fast. Deborah needs to think she’s in control. We’ll let them stabilize just enough… before we rip it away again.”

Marcus smirked. “A slow bleed.”

“A lesson,” Gibson corrected. His jaw tightened. “The first of many.”

That evening, Deborah sat in her penthouse suite, the city lights spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She sipped her wine, forcing her mind to stay calm.

But her daughter’s voice broke the silence. “Mommy?”

Deborah turned. Clara stood in the doorway, clutching her teddy bear, eyes wide and questioning.

“Why did Daddy leave?” the girl asked softly.

The wine glass trembled slightly in Deborah’s hand. She set it down quickly, her smile smooth, practiced. “Your father… wasn’t strong enough for us, Clara. He couldn’t give us the life you deserve.”

Clara hugged the teddy bear tighter. “But Daddy said he’d never leave me. He promised.”

Deborah’s mask cracked for a fraction of a second before she crouched down, stroking her daughter’s hair. “Sometimes promises are broken, sweetheart. It’s for the best.”

But Clara’s eyes, innocent yet sharp, narrowed. “You’re lying.”

The words struck like a blade. For a moment, Deborah’s facade faltered. She grabbed her daughter’s shoulders, voice sharper than intended. “Enough, Clara! Your father is gone, and that’s all you need to know!”

Clara’s lips trembled, tears spilling. She turned and fled down the hall, slamming her bedroom door, Deborah exhaled shakily, pouring another glass of wine to silence the echo of her daughter’s accusation.

Back in the compound, Gibson sat alone in a dimly lit room, staring at a small photograph, Clara’s smile frozen in time. His chest ached worse than his ribs.

He whispered into the silence, “Hold on, Clara. Daddy’s coming back.”

Marcus entered quietly, watching him. “She’s your anchor. But anchors can also drown you if you’re not careful.”

Gibson’s eyes burned with resolve. “No. She won’t drown me. She’ll remind me why I fight.”

Marcus studied him for a long moment, then nodded. “Then let’s give Deborah her first real taste of fear. Tomorrow, Ridge Empire moves publicly. By this time next week, Greenwood will realize they’re dancing on your strings.”

Gibson’s lips curled into something between a smile and a snarl. “Good. Let her enjoy her wine tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll poison it with her own failure.”

And somewhere in the Greenwood mansion, Clara cried into her teddy bear, whispering into the night.

“Daddy… please come back.”

The storm outside rattled the windows, thunder growling like an omen. Unseen, unheard, Gibson Ridge was already moving pieces across the board. And with every move, the Greenwood Empire trembled closer to collapse.