Chapter 6

June Mitchell POV

Night fell, and the top-floor ballroom of the seven-star hotel under Sinclair's ownership blazed with lights.

All of New York's elite had been invited to attend this grand birthday party. Everyone knew this was a banquet Ethan Sinclair was throwing for his mistress, publicly humiliating his wife.

I wore a minimalist black trench coat without makeup as I walked into the resplendent ballroom.

My appearance instantly silenced the originally noisy hall.

Countless gazes fell on me, mocking, sympathetic, but mostly derisive.

"How does she still dare to come? She was just forced to apologize publicly yesterday, and today she's here to be humiliated again?"

"I heard Mr. Sinclair wants to divorce her. She's probably here to beg for reconciliation."

"Tsk tsk, the former genius engineer, now not even as good as a mistress."

I turned a deaf ear to these malicious speculations. I walked straight toward the center of the ballroom where Ethan was embracing Sadie in her haute couture princess dress, accepting everyone's congratulations.

Seeing me approach, Ethan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. I was dressed too plainly, looking out of place among the socialites in their designer gowns, even somewhat shabby.

"What are you doing here? Dressed like this, are you deliberately embarrassing me?" Ethan lowered his voice, his tone full of displeasure.

I ignored his rebuke and picked up two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter's tray, handing one to Sadie.

"Miss White, happy birthday." My voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet hall it was clearly audible.

Sadie accepted the glass, a hint of triumph in her eyes. "Thank you. You really didn't need to be so polite. Ethan said you were very stubborn. I thought you wouldn't come."

I raised my glass and lightly clinked it against Sadie's.

"I came because I wanted to give Mr. Sinclair and Miss White a big gift."

With that, I tilted my head back and drank the champagne in one gulp.

Watching my abnormal behavior, Ethan grabbed my wrist. "What exactly are you trying to do? Leave immediately after you're done. Don't ruin things for us here!"

I forcefully shook off his hand and pulled a document from my trench coat pocket, throwing it hard against Ethan's chest.

The papers scattered across the floor. The top page read in bold letters: Divorce Agreement.

The hall erupted in shocked gasps.

Ethan's face instantly turned livid. He stared at the documents on the floor, then looked up at me, saying furiously, "June Mitchell, have you lost your mind? You dare ask me for a divorce?""Why wouldn't I dare?" I looked at him coldly, my eyes full of mockery. "Ethan Sinclair, did you think that by threatening me with our son, I would grovel at your feet like a dog forever?"

"You want Sinclair Group? I'll give it to you. You want that system? I'll give you that too. You want this woman? You can marry her openly."

I stepped back, creating distance between us.

"I've already signed the agreement. I don't want your money. But custody of Atlas goes to me."

"No!" Ethan erupted in fury, grabbing my collar, his eyes bloodshot. "June Mitchell, who do you think you are? Let me tell you, without my permission, you'll never leave me in this lifetime! As for Atlas, he's a Sinclair child. Don't even think about taking him away!"

"Is that so?" I suddenly smiled, smiled until tears almost came out.

Looking at this stranger before me, I felt like I'd wasted ten years of my youth on a dog.

"Ethan Sinclair, do you really think you've won?"

I leaned close to him, speaking in a voice only the two of us could hear. "What you just authorized in the lab wasn't permission stripping at all. It was the self-destruct program for 'Genesis' core code."

Ethan's pupils contracted sharply.

"What did you say?!"