Within an instant, Catherine shot to her feet. The chair legs scraped across the floor with a piercing screech.

“No! Simon, listen to me!”

She turned to my parents with a pleading look before turning back to me.

“Robert, we’ve been working together for many years. Divorce will only hurt both sides. Georgia’s only temporarily infatuated with that kid. I’ll teach her a lesson when I get back!”

Jane snorted. “Catherine, looking at all the arranged marriages in our circle, no one can put up with such a disrespectful marriage! We’ve shown you enough respect!

“We entered this marriage deal for business and not because of Georgia. You’ve not only hurt our interests, but you’ve also openly ruined our reputation. Don’t you think it’s time to reconsider our deal?”

Catherine’s face instantly turned ashen, and she strode over to me.

Looking at the woman who had watched me grow up, I saw a humility I had never seen before.

“Simon, I beg you. I’ve treated you well over the years. Don’t go through with this divorce. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it!”

I felt a flicker of emotion when I saw her bending over backward.

Although Georgia and I were in an arranged marriage, it was true that Catherine treated me well. She had always shown me respect and care.

She herself was a well-respected elder.

I fell silent for a moment and decided to give Georgia a chance for Catherine’s sake.

So, I took a deep breath. “Alright. If Georgia gets rid of that man, apologizes to me, and keeps up her duties in our arranged marriage, we’ll forget about divorce.

“I’m doing this for your sake. If she fails, there’s nothing I can do.

“Our business is on the rise now. Naturally, we don’t want to get tangled up in such trouble. You understand, right?”

“Of course!” Catherine nodded repeatedly as if she had narrowly escaped a disaster.

Unexpectedly, Georgia’s mind had already been distorted by true love.

The next day, she did come back.

However, it was not to apologize to me. Instead, she came to put me in my place.

I was sitting on the couch and going through company emails when she pushed open the mansion’s main entrance.

Georgia strode in unapologetically. A clean-cut young man with a white shirt on and an innocent gaze followed suit.

He was none other than her new flame, Fernando White. Fernando was a rising young idol in the entertainment industry.

The moment Georgia entered through the door, she tossed her car keys onto the coffee table. Her face was filled with hostility.

“Simon, you think you’re so great, huh? How dare you run and tattle to my mom? Do you think I’ll be intimidated just because you use my mom to pressure me?”

I closed my laptop and did not bother sparing her a glance as I said, “Georgia, if you came back to make a scene, the door’s right there. See yourself out.”

My behavior infuriated her. She let out a cold snort before wrapping an arm around Fernando’s waist.

“I’ve brought Fernando home today. I’m here to inform you that from now on, he’s staying here with us. We’re staying in the master bedroom on the second floor. Please be sensible and don’t cause him trouble.”

I finally looked up and gave Fernando a proper once-over.

He was good-looking indeed and the clingy type of boyfriend. At this moment, he was standing behind Georgia timidly and partially hidden. But the way he looked at me carried a hint of provocation and curiosity.

“Georgia, do you have a few screws loose in your head?” I leaned against the couch as I looked at her as if she was dumb.

“This is my house. You openly bring in a pretty boy and think he can just move into the master bedroom?”

Georgia froze and seemed to remember Catherine’s warning. Her anger faded a little. Still, her tone was defiant.

“What’s this talk about yours or mine? This house is registered under our names! Fernando isn’t in good health. He’s got an old injury from dance training and needs a quiet place to recover. This environment suits him best. Simon, you’d better not be too pushy. As long as you behave, you can retain your title and all that is yours.”

Right after she finished her sentence, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller, and it seemed like something urgent from the company. She frowned a little before pointing at Fernando and saying to me, “I need to take this. Get Fernando a glass of water. Drop that spoiled-rich-boy attitude.”

After that, she took her phone and went to the balcony.

Fernado and I were the only ones left in the living hall.

The moment Georgia left, her young, clingy boyfriend instantly revealed his true colors.

Fernando straightened up, and the timid look on his face instantly disappeared.

With his hands in his pockets, he strolled around the living hall. He brushed his fingers over my priceless antique vase as he clicked his tongue.

“Simon, heed my advice. Be sensible and take the initiative to remove yourself from this relationship. Georgia doesn’t like you at all. Whenever she’s with me, she always complains about you. She says you’re dull and boring like a block of wood.”

I raised my cup and gently blew away the foam. I found this amusing.

“Really?”

Did I ever care about winning Georgia’s heart?

Seeing that I was not angry, Fernando only grew more arrogant. He leaned closer and lowered his voice in a threatening whisper, “Don’t think that being Georgia’s husband means anything. You’re nothing but a kept man living off the Snow family. I’ve seen plenty of guys like you who do nothing but spend a woman’s money.

“I’m warning you. Don’t ever spend Georgia’s money. If you know what’s good for you, take a breakup payout and get lost. If not, once Georgia is pregnant with my child, you won’t get a single thing!”

I almost spat out my coffee.

“Living off the Snow family and spending Georgia’s money, huh?”

Over the years, I kept a low profile and handled my family’s capital operations behind the scenes. This idiot actually thought I was some kept man all this while.

Did he seriously think that I, as the only son of the city’s richest man, was nothing but just a pretty face?

I was about to shut him down when Georgia opened the balcony door. She hung up and walked back in.

Fernando’s expression instantly changed.

He dialed back his arrogant expression and abruptly took a step back. Then, he let out a sharp cry as he slammed heavily into the coffee table.

“Argh! My leg!

“Simon, why did you push me?! I know you don’t like me, but you can’t just lay hands on me! If I hurt my leg, how am I supposed to dance in the future?”

His acting was so over-the-top I almost wanted to applaud him.

“Fernando!”

When Georgia heard his scream, she rushed over like a gust of wind. She immediately helped Fernando up from the floor.

Fernando cradled his knee, and tears instantly streamed down his face. “Georgia, it hurts. I was just trying to say hello to Simon and ask him not to be mad at you. But he pushed me all of a sudden…” he cried.

He then buried his head into Georgia’s arms. His body shook as if he had suffered some sort of horrible grievance.

Georgia looked up and glared at me with bloodshot eyes. It was as if she wanted to devour me alive.

“Simon, you’re a wicked man!

“What did I just tell you? I said don’t cause him any trouble! Fernando’s an artist. His health is everything. If anything happens to him, I’ll make you pay with your life!” she shouted angrily.

I stayed seated on the couch in the same position as I watched these jerks put on a show with cold detachment.

“Georgia, are you blind or willfully ignorant? I was standing two meters away from him. Did I knock him over with invisible force?”

I pointed at the surveillance camera above my head. “We have a 360-degree surveillance camera installed in the living hall. Do you want me to retrieve the footage and see how your beloved lover tripped on his own—”

Upon learning that we had a surveillance camera in our house, Fernando froze and stuttered for a split second.

However, Georgia was in no state to listen, or rather, she simply did not care about the truth at all.

“Don’t try to scare me with that surveillance camera!” Georgia waved her hand in dismissal and cut me off rudely. “Fernando is kind and innocent. How could he possibly set you up? You’re just jealous of him! Simon, apologize to him now. Beg him for forgiveness!

“As long as you apologize, I’ll let this go. Or else—”

“Or else what?” I interrupted her as I rose to my feet.

“Or else, I’ll really divorce you!” Georgia said through gnashed teeth.

I stared at the woman whose face had twisted into absolute savagery. Right then, I believed I had terrible judgement in the past.

Even though the Snow family was good, Georgia was hopeless.

When we were both in our thirties. I had already taken over most of my family’s business. Georgia, on the other hand, still muddled through her days while indulging in her “powerful CEO” fantasy.

“Okay,” I said flatly.

Georgia was caught off guard. “What did you say?”

I walked over to the cabinet and took out an agreement. I already had my lawyers draft the agreement as I tossed it onto the coffee table.

“I said okay. Let’s get a divorce.”

The divorce agreement was printed in black and white. It lay quietly on the coffee table.

Fernando peeked out from Georgia’s arms. When he saw the divorce agreement, there was a glimpse of delight in his eyes.

“Simon, you finally came to your senses! Are you giving us your blessings and letting us be together?”

Meanwhile, Georgia fixed her gaze on the divorce agreement as her expression kept changing.

She probably never expected me to actually bring up divorce.

Over the years, she had been out partying. She never bothered with her family’s business.

In her mind, I was probably still the inexperienced young man from eight years ago.

She believed I was nothing but trash without the Snow family.

Georgia sneered. “Simon, you’re the one who brought this up. When my mom asks about it, you’d better tell the truth.

“Good. After all, I’ve never had any feelings for you. You should step away and let Fernando take your place.”

Did I even care if she had feelings for me? Upon hearing her childish remarks, I almost laughed.

I took the pen and signed the papers. Then, I uncapped it and held it out to her.

“It’s my call. Whoever regrets it is the loser. Go ahead, Georgia.”

She snatched the pen and quickly signed her name across the papers.

“You can have the house and the car. I don’t care about them!” Georgia tossed the pen aside and wrapped an arm around Fernando’s waist as she helped him up.

“Fernando, let’s go. A place like this isn’t worth staying in! I’ll buy you an even bigger mansion.”

Fernando nestled into her arms and shot me a smug look before turning toward the door.

“Wait,” I called out to them.

Georgia turned around, and her face was full of mockery. “What? Are you scared? Do you want to make me stay? Too late.”

I smiled brightly like never before.

“No. I only want to remind you that once you step out of this house, everything you think you have may not be the same anymore.”

Georgia snorted. “Who are you trying to scare? My family business is far bigger than you think. You don’t get to threaten it!”

Right after she finished speaking, she walked out with Fernando. She slammed the door shut without a second glance.

After the loud bang, the world finally fell quiet.

I took the signed divorce agreement from the table and lightly blew on the still-wet ink. I felt a sense of relief I had not felt in a long time.

I took out my phone and dialed my mother’s number.

She picked up very quickly, and her steady voice came from the other end of the line. “What’s the outcome, Simon?”

I looked out the window as Georgia’s Maybach disappeared into the distance. My tone was calm and firm.

“It’s done. Get ready to pull out the investment.

“Withdraw all funds from the Snow family’s projects in West City. Notify the banks and start calling in their loans. Also, issue a public statement that Lokeman Group is terminating all strategic collaborations with Snow Group.”