Chapter 3

We sat across from each other in silence, the tension between us so thick that I could barely breathe.

Lexi stared at me, her expression unreadable.

"We agreed on everything last night, so why are you making a scene now?" she finally said. "I told you. If you can't take this, just divorce me."

"I'm not divorcing you!" I yelled, still trembling from the cold, but my eyes burned with stubborn determination. "As long as I stay in this marriage, you and Finley are shameless cheaters, despised by everyone."

Lexi's patience ran out, her voice dropping an octave. "You don't want to force my hand. I can cut off your entire financing network if I want to, and you know it."

I naturally knew what she was capable of.

The woman in front of me was no longer the powerless girl my dad had once rescued. Over the years, she had built herself into the undisputed corporate queen of Noruaspire.

Almost every major company in the city had dealings with her in one way or another, and she had enough influence to squeeze a struggling corporation until there was nothing left.

If Lexi decided to cut our funding, it wouldn't take more than a week for us to collapse.

"Are you seriously so heartless?" I shouted indignantly.

"When you were being beaten and left on the verge of death, my dad saved you. He took you in and treated you like his own daughter for all these years. In return, you're threatening to destroy the company he built?"

"That depends on you." Lexi reached across the space between us and brushed the hair back from my temple.

Her fingers lingered there for a moment before sliding down to cradle my cheek, as though she hadn't just threatened me at all.

She added, "As long as you stop making trouble, the Murray Group will be fine."

The tenderness of the gesture only made the pain worse. My eyes burned, and before she could see the tears gathering there, I turned my face away.

I couldn't understand it. How had we gone from loving each other to this?

After a long silence, she let out a soft sigh. "Forget about what happened today. Honestly, you should spend more time in the lab. I'll put another 80 million dollars into your research."

She took my hand and took me home.

By the time we arrived, the house had been cleaned thoroughly. Every broken piece had been cleared away, and aside from a few faint marks, there was hardly any trace of the madness that had taken over the place the night before.

Lexi guided me onto the couch, then sat beside me and took my injured hand. She carefully cleaned the cuts and rubbed ointment over them with utmost tenderness.

"Didn't I tell you not to hurt yourself?"

Her voice was soft, carrying the faint frustration of someone who had warned me countless times before.

My throat tightened, and I looked away. "It has nothing to do with you."

Right then, an older voice came from behind us. "Edward, why are your eyes so red?"

I froze and turned around. "Dad? What are you doing here?"