Divorcing The Female CEO: Leon's Revenge

8. The Dragon’s Den

Hong Kong International Airport buzzed with life, a restless hive of polished floors, luxury boutiques, and fast-moving suits. 

Leon Grant stepped out of the terminal, blending effortlessly into the rhythm of elite travelers, his presence sharp and cold like a blade sheathed in velvet.

At his side was Jason, eyes hidden behind dark glasses, earpieces buzzing with constant updates.

“He’s expecting us,” Jason said, glancing at the encrypted message they’d received just hours ago.

“Come alone if you want the truth. Penthouse. The Peninsula Hotel. 8 PM.” Zhou Ming

Leon’s eyes narrowed as he stepped into the waiting Rolls-Royce. “He’s not offering a meeting. He’s offering a test.”

Jason exhaled. “Then let’s show him what happens when you test fire with steel.”

…

At Starline HQ, Cloudcrest, the atmosphere inside Starline had shifted dramatically.

Staff still whispered behind their screens. The once-worshipped image of Selena Hart was now fragmented. 

Some called her a fraud. Others, a fallen queen. But all watched with wide eyes when she walked into the boardroom that morning.

Wearing a navy suit and no makeup, Selena exuded quiet control.

She laid a thick folder on the boardroom table. “This,” she said to her stunned executives, “is everything I never wanted to admit.”

Mia, seated to the side, blinked. “Is this, ?”

Selena nodded. “Yes. Financial discrepancies. Strategic missteps. Hidden ties. Everything I’ve done wrong.”

One board member scoffed. “Are you hoping confession will save you?”

“No,” Selena said evenly. “I’m hoping it will remind you I’m still willing to fight, and that I’ll do it honestly this time.”

They didn’t answer.

But as she walked out, heads turned. Not in judgment, but in dawning respect.

…

Hong Kong. 8:07 PM. At the Dragon’s den. The elevator dinged open into the penthouse suite of the Peninsula. Rich red walls. Glass sculptures. Incense burning in antique bowls.

Leon stepped in alone, Jason waiting downstairs with a strike team on standby.

Zhou Ming stood at the far end of the suite, pouring himself a glass of plum wine. His silver suit shimmered beneath the golden lights.

“You’re late,” Zhou said, not looking back.

“I came as fast as your paranoia would allow,” Leon replied.

Zhou turned with a smirk. “Still charming. Still dangerous.”

Leon stayed still. “Why expose me now?”

Zhou sipped his wine. “Because the world’s changing. Old shadows are being burned away. You’ve stood in the dark too long, Leon. It’s time you were dragged into the light.”

Leon’s voice was calm. “I’m not the one hiding behind mercenaries.”

Zhou smiled wider. “I’m not hiding. I’m hunting.”

He tossed a folder onto the table. Leon picked it up. Inside: photos of The Architect. Leon’s former mentor. And a death certificate dated two years ago.

Leon froze. “She’s dead?”

Zhou’s voice dropped. “Murdered. And guess who they’re saying did it?”

Leon clenched his fists. “You’re pinning her death on me?”

Zhou leaned in close. “I don’t need to pin anything. I just have to let the world wonder.”

…

Back in Cloudcrest, Selena stepped onto the Starline media stage in front of a wall of flashing cameras.

She hadn’t given a press conference since the leak. Today, she chose to do it live.

“To those I’ve disappointed,” she said into the mic, “I take responsibility. I failed to acknowledge those who supported me. I failed to lead with integrity. But I am not running. I will rebuild.”

One reporter shouted, “Is it true your ex-husband funded your empire?”

Selena met the gaze head-on. “Yes,” she said.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. “And you used him?”

“I made a terrible mistake,” she said. “And now I must live with the consequences. But I will not let Starline fall because of my pride.”

The silence that followed wasn’t judgment, it was stunned admiration. She had bared her throat to the world, and somehow, gained back a piece of her crown.

…

At Hong Kong, Leon closed the file. “You’re using The Architect’s death to control me.”

“No,” Zhou said. “I’m offering you a deal.”

“What deal?”

“Step away. Leave Vanguard. Give up Selena. Walk away from everything, ”

Leon chuckled darkly. “Or?”

“Or the world learns the full story. The offshore accounts. The weaponized takeovers. The forged shell signatures. And yes, your name connected to the day The Architect died.”

Leon’s stare hardened. “You think blackmail will work on me?”

Zhou shrugged. “I think love makes men stupid.”

Leon moved before Zhou could blink. In one motion, he gripped Zhou by the collar and slammed him against the glass window with the breathtaking cityscape below.

“You want to threaten me?” Leon growled. “Then remember who trained with the wolves while you played at being a snake.”

Zhou smirked, blood at the corner of his mouth. “Then kill me. Right now.”

Leon didn’t. He dropped him. “I’m not here to silence you,” Leon said. “I’m here to survive you.”

As Leon left the penthouse, Jason met him at the elevator. “Well?” Jason asked.

“He’s after more than me,” Leon said. “He’s after the legacy of Lyra. He thinks I killed The Architect.”

Jason’s eyes widened. “But… you didn’t.”

“No,” Leon said. “But I know who did.”

He pulled out a small encrypted USB stick from his jacket.

Inside, security footage from two years ago, just before The Architect’s death, and a face familiar to both men.

Jason cursed. “That’s Gregory Hart. Selena’s father.”

…

Back in Cloudcrest, Selena sat alone, rereading her own statement in silence. 

Her phone buzzed. A text from Leon. “Zhou isn’t your enemy. Your father is.”

Selena stared at the message for a long time. Then she replied. “Then let’s bring him down. Together.”

…

In a private estate, Gregory Hart sat in a cigar-lit room, flipping through news reports of his daughter’s redemption arc.

An assistant entered quietly. “Sir, she’s talking to Leon again.”

Gregory didn’t look up. “Then it’s time we reminded her who owns her blood.”

He placed a call. “Activate Black Level Protocol. We’re going to erase the past.”