To celebrate my father's early retirement from his position as the highest executive officer in New York City, I took him to the city's best restaurant for dinner.

From a distance away, I saw a festive double-layered balloon arch with the words "Warmly Celebrate Mr. Jonathan Gardner's Honorable Retirement."

My dad was stunned.

"Is this a surprise from Jason Cole? What does 'laid-off' mean?!"

I couldn't help but feel a surge of panic, because Jason Cole had just called me this morning and asked for a divorce.

"Let's get a divorce now! Your dad made a mistake, and I can't let him ruin my future!"

I was about to explain that my dad retired early to avoid suspicion because my brother had just been promoted three levels and transferred to Illinois as an executive officer.

Unexpectedly, Jason Cole, uncharacteristically, hung up the phone immediately after informing me of the divorce.

At that moment, I just wanted to drag my dad home. I didn't want him to worry about such a trivial matter. Unexpectedly, my dad grabbed me and said, "Come in! It's time to clean up the mess!"

——

My dad held my hand, warm and resolute, and we slowly walked into the banquet hall together.

Just like at my wedding, he held my hand and led me to Jason Cole.

It's impossible not to feel heartbroken, but I also found it hilarious.

Back then, Jason Cole knelt before my dad, tearfully begging him to marry me.

I was so overwhelmed, thinking I'd found true love, that I agreed despite my dad's objections.

After we got married, Jason Cole was incredibly considerate of me and even more attentive to my family.

Many times, I'd boast to my dad,

"What do you think? I have good taste, don't I? You're just too conservative!"

My dad would just pout and say nothing.

My brother's transfer wasn't finalized a while ago, and my dad asked us all to keep it a secret.

The day before yesterday, as soon as his transfer was finalized, my dad immediately applied for early retirement from his job. I was just about to tell Jason Cole the truth when he'd heard from somewhere that my father was retiring early, and he immediately rushed to me, demanding a divorce and severing ties with our entire family.

I agreed without hesitation.

But I didn't expect he'd even go so far as to throw a banquet just to humiliate my father!

As I arrived at the banquet hall, I immediately saw Jason Cole, dressed in a suit and tie. A woman in a red evening gown stood beside him.

The gown perfectly hugged the woman's curves, her arm tightly entwined with Jason Cole's.

At the sound of our footsteps, they both turned.

The moment I saw the woman's face clearly, my heart sank.

"How could it be you? I pulled you out of the mountains so you could steal other people's husbands and become a mistress?"

"Aren't you repaying kindness with enmity?"

Susan Quinn was a female student I sponsored. She was always sweet-talking and used to call me "sister" affectionately. But who could have imagined that she'd already been involved with my husband!

Susan Quinn, who had shattered her usual cautious demeanor, now exuded the air of a victor.

"Of course it's to repay a favor!"

"You taught me that I couldn't choose my birth or my parents, but I could choose my future!"

"I've made my choice now. Jason is my future!"

She glanced at my dad.

"You've been bullying your dad for so many years. Now, let's see how you can bully me again!"

"But if you're obedient, I can let you be my nanny and your dad be my security guard."

I sneered.

"You're spending my money, and you're still robbing me." "Hubby, is this how you repay a favor?!"

Susan Quinn was scornful.

"Don't be so harsh! What do you mean by your money? Isn't it all earned by Jason?"

"I'm just cutting out the middleman and repaying him directly. What's wrong with that?"

Jason Cole, unconcerned, kissed Susan Quinn right in front of us.

"Our Susan is so smart!"

"Get out of here! The guests I invited today all hate your Gardner family!"

"Everyone heard about the Gardner family's downfall and wanted to set off firecrackers for three days straight!"

My dad said nothing, looking at Jason Cole coldly.

Jason Cole stretched nonchalantly.

He used to be the most polite person around my dad, but now he wants to shit on my dad's neck!

My dad was furious. He'd seen the fickleness of human nature, but he felt bad that his daughter's sincerity had been trampled upon.

"Jason Cole, my daughter loves you so much, and you treat her like this. Are you still human?"

Jason Cole retorted.

"Human? Do you, the Gardner family, treat me like a human?"

"How have we, the Gardner family, wronged you?"

Jason Cole said righteously.

"You're the highest-ranking official in New York City, after all. My second uncle can't even be the boss of a sanitation worker!"

"You act so high and mighty every day, but in the end, you get fired for getting in trouble!"

My dad took two steps back in anger and rolled his eyes at me.

"Look at what a piece of crap you've found!"

I quickly tried to appease him.

"It's not too late to see clearly now. We'll go get the divorce certificate tomorrow!"

After hearing this, Susan Quinn deliberately flirted with Jason Cole, inadvertently revealing the milky-white jade bracelet on her wrist.

My face paled, and my heart sank. I pointed at the bracelet and questioned Jason Cole.

"Jason Cole, you must know how much this bracelet means to me. How could it be in the possession of this bitch?"

The bracelet was a family heirloom from my grandmother, the daughter of a wealthy family.

It's said to be from the early-18th-century imperial era and priceless. It's the only thing my mother left me.

When I got married, my father gave the bracelet as my dowry and married me to Jason Cole along with me.

I usually keep it locked in the safe and wouldn't even touch it.

Only Jason Cole and I know the combination to the family safe, and yet he gave it to Susan Quinn!

I frowned and held out my hand.

"Susan Quinn, give me back the bracelet!"

Seeing how much I cherished it, Susan Quinn deliberately and slowly slipped it off her hand. She said coquettishly to Jason Cole,

"Jason, you're so mean! How could you give me something that someone else has used?"

"What a broken thing! I don't want it!"

With that, she slammed the bracelet to the ground, shattering it into pieces beyond repair.

I screamed, "Susan Quinn! Why are you messing with something?"

Jason Cole hugged her and said,

"Okay, I'll do as you say! Our Susan is precious. We wouldn't even consider giving her something that could kill her!"

I was so angry that my blood boiled. I just wanted to rush over and tear these two bitches apart. My dad immediately stopped me, patting my hand in a soothing gesture. He looked at Jason Cole coldly.

"Jason Cole, what's going on between you and this woman?"

Jason Cole hugged Susan Quinn, his gesture frivolous.

"Jonathan Gardner, I filed for divorce from your daughter this morning."

"Besides, even if I didn't divorce, finding another girlfriend wouldn't be illegal, right?"

"But you, how could you be fired for no reason?"

"You must have made a mistake! You're not going to jail, are you?"

Most of the guests around us were hostile, their eyes flickering between us.

"A CEO can't be fired for no reason. That must be a crime, needless to say?"

"Jonathan Gardner always acts so noble, but who knows how many immoral things he's done behind the scenes!"

"It must be something serious, but I don't know what it is!"

A large group of people pointed fingers at us, especially my dad. I was so angry, I just wanted to tear them apart.

"What nonsense are you talking about? My dad took his own retirement. He's innocent and hasn't done anything wrong!"

"If he had, would he still be standing here?"

"Jason Cole, you had a mistress behind my back, and you're spreading rumors everywhere!?"

Jason Cole sneered.

"What do you mean by 'I had a mistress behind your back?' What do you mean by 'spreading rumors?'"

"Don't be so harsh. Susan is my true love. She's my spiritual support!"

"Back then, you relied on your father's influence to force me to marry you. I endured humiliation and hardship for so many years. If it weren't for her, I would have been depressed long ago!" "As for spreading rumors, you know for sure whether they're true or not."

This is so outrageous, it almost made me laugh.

"Back then, you begged my dad on your knees to marry me, and now that he's retired, you're immediately throwing in the towel!"

"Besides, we've been married for so many years. If you really can't stand me and our entire family, then just file for a divorce!"

"For so many years, you've enjoyed the benefits my family has provided you, helping your career soar!"

"Now that my dad has just retired, you're flaunting your mistress around. Are you even human?"

Jason Cole was furious upon hearing this. He slapped me in the face.

"Jillian Gardner, watch your mouth! Do you still think you're a rich girl?"

"I, Jason Cole, am where I am today thanks to my own abilities!"

"Your dad has nothing to do with it!"

This slap left me stunned.

I never imagined that after all these years, he would actually hit me. Seeing me being beaten, my father couldn't stand it any longer and punched Jason Cole in the face.

"Whether I committed a crime or not is up to the Internal Affairs Commission. It's none of your business!"

"Who do you think you are! How dare you hit my daughter?"

Susan Quinn immediately stepped forward and blew into Jason Cole's nose.

"Brother, does it hurt?"

Two lines of blood flowed from Jason Cole's nose.

Jason Cole might have felt the warm liquid flowing from his nostrils. He wiped his nose and found it was covered in blood. He was furious.

He shouted angrily,

"If you don't accept my toast, you'll have to drink the forfeit!"

"I'm telling you, you're going to jail!"

"Didn't you just say I knelt and kowtowed to you back then?"

"Things change. If you kneel down and kowtow to me three times, I'll consider letting you go!"

Jason Cole snapped his fingers, and a large group surrounded us. My dad sneered.

"Go to jail? Why are you so sure I'll go to jail?"

"I've been an executive officer for so many years, with a clean record. How could I end up in jail?"

"Even if I retire, my connections are still there. Are you sure you're going to mess with me?"

Those people were Jason Cole's lackeys.

When they heard my dad's words, everyone looked at each other in surprise, no one daring to be the first to take the plunge.

Jason Cole rushed over and slapped me to the ground.

Then, his slap was fast and fierce, as if he wanted to vent all the resentment he'd been holding back for years!