Chapter 3

Two hundred thousand dollars.

To buy out three years of our marriage.

I'd settled thirty million in debt for him, and he was offering me two hundred thousand to get rid of me.

It was laughable.

Everyone in the living room was focused on me, smirking, waiting to see my angry or desperate reaction.

Eric was smug, as if he was already the terminator of my marriage and Scarlett's next partner.

I didn't look at Richard. Instead, I turned my gaze to Scarlett.

From start to finish, she had kept her head down, like a puppet, as if it had nothing to do with her.

"Scarlett," I said. "Is this what you want too?"

Her body stiffened, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Seconds stretched into an eternity.

Finally, she still didn't look up, but forced out a single word through gritted teeth.

"Yes."

That word completely broke me.

I couldn't help but laugh aloud, my chest shaking with it.

"Good. Very good."

I stood up, scanning the room full of people.

Richard frowned, clearly displeased with my reaction. "What are you laughing at? Is two hundred thousand not enough? Alex, don't be greedy!"

"No, it's plenty." I shook my head, the smile on my lips growing colder. "For someone about to lose everything again, two hundred thousand is indeed a large sum."

Richard's face changed. "What do you mean? Are you cursing me?"

"Dad, don't waste time with him!" Scarlett finally spoke up, her voice annoyed. "Alex, what do you want? Do you have to make this so ugly?"

"Ugly?" I looked at her. "Scarlett, it became ugly the moment you allowed him to sit here and humiliate me."

I gestured towards Eric.

"I'll divorce you," I said, my smile gone, my face turning completely cold. "But not now."

Everyone was stunned.

Eric sneered, "What? You want to drag it out? Let me tell you, Scarlett will be mine. Dragging your feet won't change anything."

"I just feel," I slowly adjusted my cuff, "that we never had a grand wedding when we got married, and that's always been Scarlett's regret. Now that the Hayes family is flourishing, why don't we host a grand banquet? Invite everyone we couldn't afford to include back then."

"At that banquet, we'll announce our divorce. It'll be a proper farewell, a dignified end to our marriage."

My proposal stunned Richard and Eric.

They couldn't figure out what I was planning.

To them, this was public humiliation, tearing off my last shred of dignity and stomping it underfoot.

A glint flashed in Richard's eyes.

He understood.

This was a golden opportunity for him!

He was already looking for a chance to announce his triumphant return to everyone and introduce Eric, the wealthy suitor.

With me setting the stage, why wouldn't he be happy to perform?

"Excellent! That's showing some character!" Richard slapped his thigh, his face beaming. "Alex, I didn't expect you to have some backbone after all! Let's do it! I'll arrange the banquet, and it'll be grand!"

Eric also laughed, his gaze at me filled with disdain and pity. "Alex, just try not to cry on the day, okay? Do you need me to sponsor a decent suit for you?"

I ignored him, giving Scarlett one last look.

Her face held confusion, bewilderment, and perhaps a hint of imperceptible guilt.

But what did it matter?

This path was her choice.

So, in this grand finale, she had to be the star.