The assistant stood up. "You need to leave. Don't—"

"Ha! This is going to be my company. Why should I leave? You're the ones who should get lost."

Valerie shoved the assistant aside and strode forward, arrogance dripping from every step.

"Since everyone's here, I'll cut right to the chase." She swept her gaze across the boardroom. "From now on, this company belongs to me, not the Gilberts. This is a stock transfer contract, signed by Nathaniel Gilbert himself."

She slapped the document down in front of the shareholders and motioned for the lawyer she'd brought along to make the case.

The atmosphere turned suffocating. The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances, then picked up the contract and began reading.

I sat in my chair, watching Morris with a calm I didn't feel. Beneath the surface, a storm was raging.

"When did I ever sign a stock transfer contract?" I scoffed. "That's complete nonsense."

But the contract with my signature on it was real.

The shareholders had already seen it. I snatched it from the nearest one and looked for myself.

Valerie caught the shift in my composure and let out a mocking laugh. "See it now? That's your handwriting, isn't it?"

"Valerie, explain yourself. When did I sign this?"

She pulled out the chair in front of me, dropped into it with open contempt, and met my eyes.

"Three months ago. The night before you rushed off on that business trip. I got you drunk, and afterward, while we were in bed, I slipped it in front of you. You thought it was some contract for a car or a house. Didn't even bother to read it before you signed." A cruel smile curled her lips. "That's how much you trusted me."

She was right. I had trusted her without reservation. And all it earned me was betrayal.

So that was how I'd signed the stock transfer contract. No wonder Morris had the nerve to turn on me. He didn't think he needed to answer to me anymore. As far as he was concerned, the company was Valerie's now, and she called the shots.

My fingers tightened around the pen in my hand until my knuckles went white, then purple.

"Valerie, you're ruthless. I must have been blind to ever trust you the way I did."

She rose from the chair, satisfaction written all over her face, and walked over to me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a patronizing pat. "Well, that's just your bad luck. Who told you to be so good to me? Who told you to catch feelings?"

Morris, sensing blood in the water, dropped any pretense of respect.

"Nathaniel! From now on, I'm the one stepping on you." He threw his head back and laughed. "You have no idea how many years I've been waiting for this day."

"You know what? Every single minute, I've been dreaming about you losing everything and crawling to me on your knees like a dog, begging."

"Morris, I've never treated you badly. Not once. Why do you hate me this much?"

"Because every time we went back home, the whole village would sing your praises and spit on me. They laughed at me for not being as good as you. Called me useless. Said I'd spend my whole life as your lapdog." His voice cracked with years of bitterness. "Tell me, how could I not hate you?"

The fool. He had no idea those villagers only stirred up trouble because they were jealous he had someone like me looking out for him.

I stared at the two of them, unblinking. They mistook my silence for defeat.

Valerie waved the lawyer over with the divorce agreement. "Sign it. As for the assets, I'll give you a million dollars as a consolation fee."

"As for your things, I don't want any of them. The contract spells it out. You've got nothing left." She tilted her head, feigning generosity. "But don't worry, I won't push you to the edge."

The moment she finished, she flung the divorce papers in my face and demanded my signature.

Morris, convinced they'd already won, scooped her up and spun her around in celebration.

I pulled out a cigarette, placed it between my lips, and lit it. Drew a long, slow drag.

Then I picked up the pen and signed without hesitation.

But my company? They would never take it.

"Good. Now that the divorce is settled, go back to your office, pack your things, and get out. The seat's Morris's now."

The shareholders in the conference room burst out laughing, every last one of them looking at Valerie and Morris like they were watching a pair of idiots.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Morris snapped.

"Nathaniel, are you going to walk out of here on your own, or do I have to call security to drag you out?"

I leaned back in my chair. "What do you think?"

When Valerie saw I wasn't budging, humiliation twisted into rage and she called the security guards in.

"Throw Nathaniel out of this building. I'm the one running this company now. Do you hear me?"

But the guards didn't move. They stood behind me, hands clasped, perfectly still.

"Are you all deaf? I said do it!"

I rapped my knuckles on the table, amused. "You heard her. Go ahead."

The guards moved instantly. One of them crossed the room and backhanded Valerie across the face, sending her sprawling.

"Valerie, I built this empire with my own two hands. You really think a pair of backstabbing lowlifes can take it from me?"