Chapter 3

I didn't look at Roderick, but turned my gaze to Kael instead.

He was like a bystander, as if our three-year marriage had nothing to do with him.

"Kael," I spoke, "is this what you want too?"

His body jerked violently, his knuckles turning white around his wine glass.

Every eye in the hall turned to him. Even the air went quiet.

"Yes." That single word completely shattered the last bit of warmth remaining in my heart.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Good. Very good."

I stood up and surveyed the room full of people.

Roderick's brow furrowed tightly, extremely dissatisfied with my reaction.

"What are you laughing at? Five hundred thousand isn't enough? Elara, don't be shameless!"

Sera leaned on Kael's shoulder looking at me, disdain practically spilling from her eyes.

"A full-time housewife who's been freeloading for three years.

Without Kael, you couldn't even earn five hundred thousand. What's there to be dissatisfied about?"

And Kael just let her lean on him without even frowning.

"Elara, be smart. Take the money and leave. Don't make this uglier than it needs to be."

"Ugly?" I looked at him, the smile at the corner of my mouth growing colder.

"Kael, from the moment you allowed Sera to sit here and humiliate me, things were already ugly."

"I'll divorce you, but not now."

The moment I said this, everyone in the room froze.

Sera laughed mockingly, sitting up straight.

"What, trying to drag it out? Even if you drag it out ten or eight years, it won't change the fact that he wants to divorce you. Stop wasting your energy."

"I'm not trying to drag it out." I spoke calmly.

"I just feel that when Kael and I got married, we didn't have a proper wedding. Now that BlackPine Pack is back at its peak, why don't we invite all our business partners to a grand press conference to announce our divorce."

"It would be a proper ending to our marriage. A dignified conclusion."

My suggestion left both Roderick and Sera stunned.

They couldn't figure out what I was planning.

To them, this was tantamount to public execution, trampling what little dignity I had left.

A gleam flashed in Roderick's eyes.

He immediately realized this was a golden opportunity for him!

He'd been worrying about how to announce his powerful return to the business world,

how to introduce Sera, the new daughter-in-law who could bring more resources to BlackPine Pack.

I'd voluntarily given him this chance. How could he not seize it?

"Good! That takes guts!" Roderick's face broke into a wide smile.

"Elara, I didn't expect you to have some backbone! Let's do it! I'll arrange the press conference and make sure it's dignified!"

Sera looked at me with eyes full of contempt and pity. "Elara, don't go crying when the time comes. Do you need me to sponsor a decent dress for you?"

I ignored her, only giving Kael one last look.

His face showed confusion and bewilderment, perhaps even a trace of barely perceptible guilt.

But what did it matter?

He chose this path himself.

Then he must be the star of this grand finale.

Over the next few days, Roderick indeed threw all his energy into preparing for this banquet.

He booked the most luxurious hotel ballroom, inviting every business elite and Alpha from every Pack across North America he could reach.

Word spread throughout the North American werewolf community.

BlackPine Pack had risen from the ashes, and heir Kael was about to marry a noble new partner.

I became a complete joke.