Chapter 2

The next morning, I was cornered in the company conference room.

My parents, Jessica's parents, and the earliest founding members of Eterspring were all there.

Jessica sat at the other end of the long table.

She hadn't slept all night. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she was still wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday.

In front of her lay the divorce agreement, already signed.

My mother picked up that agreement, her hands shaking the whole time.

"Are you happy now? Jessica spent the last eight years with you as your wife. She's now giving up the marriage. Can you go do the compatibility tests for Tanya now?"

I flipped to the last page.

Jessica's name was signed with so much force that the final stroke had torn through the paper.

I closed the agreement.

"Two more to go."

Jessica looked up at me.

"Kevin, I've already agreed to the divorce. What more do you want?"

I pushed the property waiver and the share transfer agreement toward her.

"Sign."

My father-in-law slammed the table and stood up.

"Do you have no conscience?

"Eight years ago, when you had nothing, Jessica sold the house her father left her and gave you $90,000 to start your business.

"The first time Eterspring's cash flow broke, she pawned her jewelry to pay the employees.

"Now that the company's worth something, you're trying to kick her out?"

No one in the conference room spoke up for me.

Gordon Wells, one of the company's founding members, took off his glasses and looked at me with disappointment.

"Kevin, when you were hospitalized for gastric bleeding, Jessica stayed by your side for seven days. The doctors said you were in critical condition, so she didn't sleep a wink. Do you remember the vow you made in front of us back then after you were discharged?"

Of course I remembered.

Back then, I had said in front of everyone that I would always be loyal to Jessica.

At our wedding, I had also held her hand and promised that half of everything I had would be hers.

Now, all those promises had become weapons for everyone to condemn me.

Jessica's mother spoke through tears.

"After Jessica got pregnant with Tanya, she voluntarily stepped down from company management. She said you would be tired from work and someone had to take care of the family. She traded her career for 12% of the shares. How could you take it all away now?"

Jessica lowered her head and clenched her fingers.

"Mom, stop."

She picked up the pen and hovered over the property waiver for a long time.

"I'm willing to give up the house and the savings, but I can't give you the shares."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Then there's nothing to discuss."

"Are the shares really that important to you?"

She suddenly let out a chuckle, but tears fell from her eyes at the same time.

"Those are eight years of my youth. They're proof that I stayed with you from a basement to where we are now.

"You want a divorce, I'll give it to you.

"You want money, I'll give it to you too.

"But why do you have to snatch away the last thing that I have?"

I stared at her and said nothing.

My mother walked up to me.

"Tanya is in the ICU. She could die anytime. Even if money is more important than eight years of marriage to you, surely it can't be more important than your own daughter?"

"The agreements have nothing to do with Tanya."

I placed the pen in front of Jessica.

"Sign them, and I'll do it."

Jessica stared at the pen, and her shoulders slowly slumped.

A second later, she slid off the chair and knelt before me.

The conference room instantly turned chaotic.

Jessica grabbed my leg and cried so hard she could barely breathe.

"Kevin, please, I beg you, do the compatibility tests first. As long as Tanya survives, we can talk about everything else later."

I looked down at her.

"There is no later. Unless all the agreements are signed, I won't do it."