Chapter 5

I didn't go home. I went straight to a hotel near my company.

Early the next morning when I arrived at the office, Ethan was already sitting on the couch in my office.

The receptionist looked apologetic when she saw me come in:

"Ms. Smith, Attorney Johnson, he..."

"It's fine. You can go."

I set down my bag, sat down, and glanced at him.

He wore a dark gray suit with a document folder beside him. If he put on a lawyer's robe, it would be his standard courtroom attire.

He was treating me as the opposing party.

"Leah," he stood up, his tone calm as if nothing had happened yesterday, "I know you don't want to see me right now, but there are some things we must discuss."

He opened the folder, pulled out a stack of documents, and pushed them in front of me.

"This is your company's current equity structure analysis. You hold 51%, of which 12% was previously held by Claire and her mother combined. The rest are scattered shares."

I glanced at it but didn't touch it.

"And so?"

"So," Ethan looked at me, "I need you to transfer the 12% you took from Claire back to her name."

I thought I'd misheard.

"What did you say?"

Ethan's voice remained calm, as if stating a universally acknowledged fact:

"Since you don't want our child, then barring any accidents, Claire's child will be my only child in this lifetime. She's carrying my flesh and blood. In the future, that will be your child too. I need to consider the child's future."

I stared at him, suddenly feeling like he was a complete stranger.

Was this really the same Ethan who once draped his jacket over my shoulders in that hospital corridor and said, "I'll always be on your side"?

"Ethan, I spent two years and fought three lawsuits to get that 12% back from those two! And now you want me to give it back?"

Ethan frowned, his pretense of patience seemingly exhausted:

"Leah, legally speaking, Claire is your sister. You share blood..."

"She is not my sister!"

I cut him off.

"Her mother slept with my father, and she slept with both my husbands. Ethan, you want me to transfer my shares to her? Do you think I'm some kind of dumping ground where any trash can be thrown?"

Ethan's patience ran out, his expression finally darkening:

"Leah, I'm trying to have a civil discussion with you."

"So am I."

He fell silent for a few seconds, then pulled another document from the folder and handed it over:

"Then I'll have to take a different approach."

I took it and saw it was a draft of a lawyer's letter.

The gist was that Ethan, as my legal spouse, had the right to claim 50% of the assets I'd acquired during our marriage, including half of my company shares.

"Are you insane?"

"I'm not insane." Ethan's lips curved into a smile, his eyes glancing at me. "Leah, you know I'm one of the best lawyers in the country. I handled your divorce case and left Victor with nothing. I know exactly how to play this game."

He took a step closer to me.

His tone carried a chill:

"If you cooperate and transfer the shares to Claire, there won't be any issues between us. You'll still be Mrs. Johnson. After Claire gives birth, we'll have you raise the child. Everything continues as before. But if you refuse—"

He paused, looking at me with pity:

"Then we'll see each other in court. I'll show you just how easy it is for a top lawyer to take your company away."

I stared into his eyes.

I used to love those eyes, thinking they were filled with nothing but me.

Now I finally saw clearly—they were full of calculation.

"You're threatening me?"

"I'm giving you advice," he stepped back, resuming that gentle tone. "Leah, you know I never want to hurt you."

I said nothing.

He picked up the folder and walked to the door, then suddenly turned back:

"By the way, regarding your mother, I've already contacted the hospital and moved her to a new room. You don't need to worry about the expenses. I'm her son-in-law, your husband. I'll arrange everything. I also have the right to arrange it."