Chapter 7

"My God... she's actually that horrible?"

Ryan's expression darkened instantly. "Alexandria, have you caused enough trouble yet?! Georgia only restricted your spending for the good of the company! If you have a problem, take it out on me! Why are you making things difficult for her?! If you keep acting like this, I really can't stay married to you anymore."

I let out a cold laugh and threw the printed screenshots of Georgia's social media posts at him. "So is it the company that's making you unable to stay married to me...

"Or is it because you want your precious Georgia to replace me?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Ryan barked angrily, though the panic in his eyes gave him away. "Stop spreading rumors about her!"

I pulled a pregnancy report from my bag and slammed it against his chest. "Georgia is pregnant. And the baby is yours. Are you still going to claim I'm making things up now?!

"You even signed an agreement promising that if she gave birth safely, the child would receive five percent of the company's shares!"

Ryan looked down at the pregnancy report in his hands, but there wasn't even a trace of guilt or embarrassment on his face. Instead, he sighed helplessly and looked at me as though I were the unreasonable one.

"Since you already know, there's no point hiding it anymore. Yes, Georgia is carrying my child. But I'm not divorcing you. Once the baby is born, we can just bring the child home and raise it together.

"And if that makes you uncomfortable, I'll arrange a separate place for Georgia and the baby to live. They won't get in your way.

"As for the shares, it's only security for their future. Don't worry. Sterling & Co. Holdings will still belong to our child in the end."

I laughed in sheer disbelief. "Ryan, who exactly gave you the authority to touch the company shares? I don't agree."

Ryan's expression immediately turned cold. "Then let's get a divorce. Don't forget. We never signed a prenup. If this goes to court, half the company and half the marital assets belong to me.

"You've been playing housewife for so long that you clearly haven't noticed I've already taken the reins of this company," Ryan sneered. "Your meager shares aren't nearly enough to oppose me anymore.

"When the time comes, five percent will be the least of your worries. I intend to hand the entire company over to Georgia's child."

I grinned. "You seem to have forgotten something. This was never a conventional marriage; you married into my family. My assets were never within your reach.

"I allowed you to work for me for five years, yet you've managed to forget who actually owns this company."

Then my voice turned ice-cold. "Ryan, we're getting divorced. And you're walking away with nothing."

I looked directly at the stunned employees surrounding us. "Right now, as the controlling owner of Sterling & Co. Holdings, I am officially notifying you both right now—you are fired.

"Security, remove these two from the premises immediately."

The office fell into a heavy, absolute silence for a single heartbeat. Then, the room erupted into total pandemonium.

"Wait... he married into her family?"

"Seriously?!"

"No wonder he became president so quickly..."

"So the company actually belongs to Mrs. Newman?"

Georgia's face visibly turned pale.

Ryan's fists clenched so tightly the veins in his hands bulged. He stared at me through gritted teeth, his voice practically forced out between them.

"Stop talking nonsense. When did I ever marry into your family? The law doesn't even recognize something like that."

Then he suddenly raised his voice, almost like he was trying to convince himself as much as everyone else.