Chapter 5
D
Nelson understood my value to the Stanford Family more than anyone.}
If they wanted to discard me like a useless pawn, they first had to ensure they had the means to do so.
Leonard sneered. “Nicole, stop using Grandpa as leverage every time. I’ve been more than filial. I married you and supported you all these years. That should be enough.”
“I can give you money. Enough to last a lifetime. Just agree to the divorce.“}
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
“Money isn’t the issue, Leonard. You think replacing me will help you climb higher, but how can you be so sure she’ll be your golden ticket?”
He mistook my words for jealousy, assuming I still cared about this marriage, about his betrayal. That thought put him in an even better mood.§
“What’s the point of arguing, Nicole? Even if you can’t live without me, I am getting a divorce.”
“With her status, she’ll be the key to making me even more powerful. The Stanford Family will jump to an entirely new level!“}
“So let’s make this easy. Just sign the papers while I’m still patient.“}
I smoothed the fabric of my dress, unhurried.
“Leonard, if you divorce me, you’ll lose everything you have.“}
“Including these people here… they won’t even have jobs left.”
Laughter erupted from Leonard and Anne as if I had just told the most ridiculous joke they had ever heard.
He leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, smirking. “All right, all right, you’re so powerful.“}}
“If you agree to the divorce, I’ll just sit back and watch myself lose everything, okay?“}
Whispers filled the conference room as they thought that I really lost it and started talking nonsense.}
“This is why women should be independent. Look at her, just the mention of separation, and she’s already falling apart.”}
“I never liked her, and now she’s blaming us for losing our jobs? Our salaries come from Mr. Stanford, not her.“”
“She’s still acting tough, but inside, she must be falling apart.”
Their voices reached my ears, each word dripping with ridicule. I took a deep breath and calmed myself.”
This was the price of being too tolerant.
The mutual respect and kindness my father always talked about depended entirely on the person. Birds of a feather flock together, and the people under Leonard were no different from him.
A listed company? If you ask me, it was taken public too soon.
I reached for my phone, intending to make a call.
However, before my fingers could even touch the screen, Anne suddenly slapped it out of my hand.
“We haven’t even searched you yet. What are you doing with your phone? Trying to leak company secrets?“}
I felt my patience snap, little by little. Since childhood, I had never been subjected to such humiliation.§
At first, I had tolerated it. They did not know any better, and for me, ignorance was not a crime. I did not even bother to take these people seriously.
But now, they were deliberately overstepping, shoving their arrogance in my face. And that was something an apology would not fix. “Anne, if you’re acting under Leonard’s orders, following the instructions of the woman behind him, I won’t blame you.”
.“8 “But before you go any further, you should stop and consider, are you truly prepared to deal with the consequences?“} I swept my gaze across the room, letting it linger on each and every person. The same warning applied to them. Leonard sneered again upon my warning. “Unbelievable. Even now, you’re still trying to threaten my people?“> Anne let out a scornful laugh, waving her hand dismissively. “Enough nonsense. Search her!“}
My expression turned icy in an instant. I had tolerated enough. These people needed to be taught a lesson.
Just as I was about to act, a woman’s voice rang out. “Leonard, why are you making such an unsightly scene in front of everyone? This is hardly fitting for someone of your status.“>
With the rhythmic clatter of high heels against the floor, a woman who appeared to be a few years older than me stepped gracefully into the conference room.
Dressed in a sleek, form–fitting red dress that accentuated her curves, she approached Leonard with an air of effortless confidence. She folded her arms in front of me and lifted her chin slightly. “Nicole, I heard you think I can’t be Leonard’s stepping stone to
