"Joanna, this is the fifth time Mr. Chase has invited you to meet and discuss things this week.

"You're still not going to see him?"

I took the glass of warm water Maverick handed me and swallowed the pills in one gulp.

"See him? And then what?

"Watch him scrutinize me like I'm a quarterly report? Listen to him 'analyze' our nonsense marriage like it's a project post-mortem? Then work with him while he kindly plans to 'process' our divorce agreement?

"That robotic, businesslike attitude of his makes me sick. I'm not going to humiliate myself by throwing myself at him anymore."

I set down the glass and took a deep breath.

"Anyway, there's no avoiding Friday's reception.

"When the time comes, we'll sign whatever needs signing and sever whatever needs severing. One clean break. He can go his way, I'll go mine.

"He can be Mr. Chase. I'll be Ms. Candor."

The sunlight warming my skin made me drowsy. Just before closing the bedroom door, I pulled a bank card from my bag and handed it to Maverick.

"No PIN. Five million dollars."

Maverick froze, staring at the closed door. A soft laugh escaped him, his murmur barely audible.

"She really is treating me like a kept man."

On the day of the reception, the banquet hall's air was thick with the ostentatious blend of champagne and perfume. Since this was my first public appearance after announcing the divorce, I held a glass of champagne and made polite conversation with various family friends and elders.

Kieran cut through the crowd and walked straight toward me.

"Joanna, we need to talk." His tone was slightly gentler than usual.

I looked up.

How things had changed. Now it was my turn to appraise him like merchandise.

"Mr. Chase, what is it?"

Kieran seemed to choke on the formality. After a moment of silence, his assistant, Scott Hudson, stepped forward with a velvet box and presented it to me. Inside lay a dazzling gemstone necklace.

"Before, I neglected you."

Kieran's tone was somewhat stiff. He clearly was not accustomed to apologizing or making concessions.

"This is a small token. As for the divorce, perhaps we could reconsider..."

I looked at Kieran.

I could not figure out what was going through his mind. Perhaps for the sake of his business empire, he was not ready to give up such an excellent "marriage partner"?

The divorce was definitely happening. But from a business perspective, even with a divorce, there was no need to make things too ugly.

No point fighting him when there was money on the table.

While I hesitated, a soft voice suddenly interjected with perfectly calibrated surprise and familiarity.

"Kieran, so this necklace was meant for Joanna. If I'd known, I would have let her choose first."

Leona wheeled herself over, her gaze falling on the necklace with an air of regret and coquettishness. Around her neck hung what was clearly another piece from the same collection.

"A few days ago, I said I didn't like its design. Too simple, I thought. But seeing it today, it suddenly looks so beautiful. I really can't bear to part with it."

She reached out and tugged lightly on Kieran's sleeve.

Kieran's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at me, then at Leona in her wheelchair.

His tone recovered its usual matter-of-fact quality, as if he were mediating some trivial dispute.

"Joanna, Leona wants it after all. I still have business with the Hostler family. Let her have this one. Whatever style you prefer, I'll have my assistant..."

I let out a derisive laugh, though my face showed no anger whatsoever.

"Mr. Chase, I appreciate the sentiment. As for the gift? I, Joanna Candor, am not so desperate that I need to fight over someone else's leftovers."

My gaze swept pointedly over Kieran himself, my tone casual and cutting.

"Besides, once a gift is given, what sense does it make to take it back? Mr. Chase, you've been in business for so many years. Don't you understand even this basic principle?

"Since you're deliberately trying to humiliate me, I don't think we have anything more to discuss."

I deliberately raised my voice so everyone present could hear clearly.

"I'll notify my lawyer. We'll pick a date for me to file for divorce from you, Mr. Chase."

Crash!

Even the champagne glass I held "accidentally" shattered at Kieran's feet, splashing filth across his shoes.

"Sorry, my hand slipped. Some people are just too disgusting."

I turned to leave and encountered a server carrying a tray of drinks. Just as I reached for another glass of champagne, someone intercepted my hand mid-air.

Warm water was pressed into my palm. I looked up to find Maverick's reproachful face.

"No more alcohol. Drink water!"

I smiled and playfully touched his face.

"Yes, my little caretaker. Whatever you say."

A low gasp came from behind me, followed by Leona's affected voice.

"Joanna, what are you..."

I frowned and turned around. Leona was becoming insufferable, haunting me like a ghost. For once, Kieran's expression held something resembling human emotion, tinged red with anger.

"Joanna, we're not divorced yet."

"We will be soon if you're willing to sign."

I was too tired to deal with these two.

Just as I moved to leave with Maverick, Leona deliberately blocked my path. She stepped forward holding two glasses of champagne, her face full of false contrition.

"Joanna, what happened earlier was too selfish of me.

"Let me toast you. I hope you'll forgive me. As an apology, the Hostler family will concede an additional five points in the resort development deal."

Kieran also made a rare attempt at reconciliation.

"Humiliating you publicly was wrong of me. If you forgive Leona, I'll agree to a 70-30 split on the profits from your last project.

"You take 70%. I'll take 30%."

I sneered inwardly.

After weighing it for a moment, I decided not to let personal feelings interfere with business.

We were getting divorced anyway. Not extracting every advantage would be a waste.

Maverick quietly squeezed my hand, reminding me in a hushed tone, "Your injuries haven't fully healed. This small amount of money isn't worth it..."

I raised an eyebrow; surprised Maverick had such high standards. "200 million is small change?"

Before he could finish speaking, I had already politely taken a sip. The taste was unexpectedly bitter. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, I suddenly broke into violent coughing. My body shook uncontrollably.

"Ugh..."

I let out a pained sound.

The next second, bright red blood seeped from between my fingers. It dripped onto the floor in dark, vivid pools.

Every eye in the room turned to me in shock. Even Leona, who had handed me the glass, looked stunned.

"How could this..."

Kieran's voice held disbelief and shock. He instinctively reached out to catch my collapsing body. But someone was faster.

Maverick swept me up in his arms, his usual carefree smile completely gone.

"Call an ambulance! Now!"

The pain was unbearable.

It hurt so much I could not even speak. I could only curl up in Maverick's embrace as blood continued pouring from my mouth, staining his shirt and suit crimson.

My consciousness scattered completely. I fell into darkness.

Outside the emergency room, Maverick looked like an enraged beast. He grabbed Kieran by the collar and slammed him viciously against the cold wall with a heavy thud.

"Kieran Chase, what the hell did you do to her? What was in that drink!

"Do you know she almost died? How dare you go after someone with existing injuries!"

Kieran's head snapped to the side from the punch, his lip splitting and bleeding. His voice mixed shock with unprecedented panic.

"Let go! Leona arranged the drinks. I...

"Wait, what do you mean existing injuries?"

Maverick drove his fist into Kieran's abdomen. Each word came out ground between his teeth, raw and accusing.

"You don't know?

"You don't fucking know? The day you brought that bitch Leona home, Joanna's car was rear-ended on the highway and sent flying. The car rolled and crashed.

"I checked. There were 15 calls for help. You didn't answer a single one! You jerk!"

Maverick pointed at the closed emergency room door, his voice shaking with desperation.

"Do you know she nearly bled out because treatment came too late? They issued two critical condition notices!

"Her heart, lungs, liver, kidneys all ruptured and damaged. It's a miracle she's even alive!

"How dare you go after her again!"

Kieran's pupils contracted sharply. His vision blurred. Ice flooded through his veins.

"What car accident... critical condition... what are you talking about?"