Chapter 4

Fire me? What a joke! Pure fantasy.

Seeing that he couldn't outargue me, Jackson let out a cold laugh and turned to leave. Noticing the look on my face, Mia immediately plastered on a smile and hooked her arm through mine.

"Oh, come on, darling, don't be mad. Jackson has always been like that. The way he talked was just as nasty back in college, when he was your junior. Don't you remember?"

"I do."

Even back then, Jackson had it out for me. I only ever let it slide because he was Mia's friend.

Thinking about it now, their relationship may have started as early as then. I was the only fool kept completely in the dark.

The apartment was a mess. When Mia saw my gaze linger, she quickly scooped up the tissues scattered on the floor, but it did nothing to hide the holes in her story.

To break the awkward tension, she leaned in and asked sweetly, "Darling, where's my birthday present?"

She had been tangled up with another man in my home, and now she was asking me for a gift. The absurdity made me laugh.

"Of course you're getting a present."

I handed her a jet-black folder.

Her eyes widened in delight. "Is this… the property transfer document?" Her excitement burst forth uncontrollably. "That's amazing! I love you, Owen!"

She snatched the folder and opened it, barely able to contain herself. When she saw the words "Property Transfer Agreement" printed across the first page, she was overjoyed. She flipped straight to the last page and signed her name without hesitation.

She never noticed the final document tucked behind it, a voluntary divorce agreement relinquishing all claims.

The moment she finished signing, she asked eagerly, "So when do you want to go handle the formalities?"

I took the folder back, the corners of my lips lifting slightly. My eyes were filled with mockery.

"Just wait."

…

The next morning, as soon as I arrived at Cabot Corporation, I saw Mia and Jackson standing together, intimate and unrestrained. They noticed me too. Mia instinctively tried to pull away, but Jackson dragged her right back to his side.

"The apartment is already yours. What are you afraid of?"

He shot me a provocative look.

I smiled coldly and walked straight into the office without sparing them another glance. What I didn't expect was that they would follow me inside.

Jackson openly sat down in my chair and crossed his legs, his face full of arrogance.

I stared at him coldly. "Get out. You're not welcome here."

"Not welcome?" He burst out laughing. "That's not up to you. This used to be your office, but not anymore."

He tilted his mouth into a crooked grin, wearing a look that practically begged to be punched.

"I told my dad that things weren't peaceful at home for you and that you couldn't focus on work. So he arranged for someone to keep an eye on you."

I locked eyes with him, the chill in my gaze sharp enough to cut.

"Want to guess who that is?"

He twirled a pen between his fingers, savoring the moment, then pointed at himself.

"And now, as your supervisor, my first order is to fire you. You've lost your house and your job too. Owen, you're a stray dog with nowhere left to go now.

"But don't worry. Your job, your wife, even your house—I'll take good care of all of it for you."

"Oh, stop teasing him," Mia said as she leaned into Jackson's arms, her voice soft while her eyes gleamed with open mockery.

I sent Mason the message I had prepared long ago.

"Do it the way we discussed. It's time to make the Cabots pay."

Then I pulled out the same jet-black folder I had taken home the day before and flung the signed documents straight at their faces.

"Unfortunately for you, your perfect plan is about to fall apart."