Chapter 5

Bianca remained silent. That only emboldened her friends.

"Bia, you've supported him for so many years, providing him with good food and drinks and letting him live in a luxury mansion. You've already done more than enough. Are you really going to waste the rest of your life on this deadbeat?

"If we had known things would turn out like this, we would have played matchmaker for you just because he bought us a few cups of coffee."

"Exactly! Back then, he spent so much money on us, I thought his family was loaded. Turns out he was just putting on a front."

"At the end of the day, we're the ones who ruined your life. We'll definitely help you correct this mistake and get your life back on the right track."

After hearing that, I chuckled. Birds of a feather really did flock together.

A few cups of coffee? Back when I was pursuing Bianca, I basically bankrolled their caffeine addiction for four years.

When I treated Bianca to lavish meals at Michelin-starred restaurants, I had always brought them along, too. Furthermore, when I bought Bianca a present, I would get one for each of them as well.

Now that they had enjoyed the food and used the gifts, they started advising Bianca to divorce me. However, they weren't doing this for Bianca's own good. Rather, they just assumed Jesse was wealthier and could give them even more.

"Bia, if you're worried about your reputation, we could always fabricate evidence and claim he was the one who cheated first. Then—"

I had heard enough. I threw the door open and marched right in.

The room instantly fell pin-drop silent.

Bianca's expression froze, and a flicker of guilt crossed her face. Instinctively, she parted her lips to explain herself.

Yet, she abruptly remembered she was supposed to be giving me the silent treatment. So, she put on a stoic face and checked the time. "It's not even 6:00 pm yet. Did you leave work early again? It appears you haven't learned your lesson, so—"

I shot her a bewildered look. It dawned on me that she had absolutely no idea I had quit. She must have been so wrapped up in preparing Jesse's birthday party that she hadn't even checked whose name was on the resignation form before blindly approving it.

Bianca sure went all out for Jesse. I scoffed, cutting her off. "Don't bother. I've already resigned."

"You've resigned? Since when?" Bianca was caught off guard. Then, something hit her, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. The project has already hit the ground running, so we don't really need you anymore. Have it your way. I was going to be generous and keep your name on the account so you could get a cut of the commission, but since you don't want it, I won't force you."

I cocked my brow. To my surprise, she was completely oblivious to the fact that the entire deal had tanked.

I was about to tell her when a roaring engine echoed from downstairs. Right then, a multi-million-dollar, limited-edition luxury car—one that money alone couldn't buy—pulled up below the building.

Bianca's best friends practically squealed with delight, rubbing it in my face. "I bet you don't know this, but Jesse took his mother's last name, Collin, whereas his father's a Wright, as in the Wrights who own Wright Group. That car down there belongs to his older sister, Kate, and she's definitely here to deliver a birthday gift to Jesse.

"Kieran, now that you've crossed Jesse, you're done for. Both of you might share the last name, but your statuses are worlds apart. That's just how the cookie crumbles. So, you should know your place!"

The ladies rushed to the door to greet Kate, completely missing the hardened look on Jesse's face. Bianca also lifted her chin smugly. "For old time's sake, as long as you're willing to hand over all your accounts to Jesse, I'll allow you to stay home and be a useless parasite. If not..."

I was well aware that she was attempting to use divorce to threaten me, squeezing out my very last bit of value. Yet, I paid her no mind.

Just then, the door flew open, and Kate walked in, dressed in an immaculate suit. Ignoring Bianca's best friend's sycophantic flattery, she patted my shoulder. "Ready to go, Kie? Mom and Dad are still waiting for us for dinner."

Bianca stared at me in disbelief.

I pulled out the divorce certificate and handed it to her. "I forgot to tell you that I've already asked my parents to pull the plug on that multi-million-dollar project. As for that opportunity, I don't need it anymore, because we're already divorced."