Chapter 4 – Zora, what have you done?

Ezrah paced back and forth elegantly, his mind filled with confusion and fear after ending the call.

“You want to blackmail me? How much do you want?” He was enraged and disdained that Zora would resort to such means, but he was willing to pay to prevent the audio from going viral.

His parents would not hesitate to demote him despite his hard work in the company, while his lazy elder brothers would benefit without putting in the effort.

“What I want, you already gave, but since the accident took it away, there is nothing you can give me.” She did not disclose her suspicions, as she had someone investigating the matter.

Ezrah suddenly laughed mockingly. “Your father’s company is not as strong as you think. He has been seeking an alliance with me. You want fifty percent of my hard work.”

This could be the reason Zora was pushing for the divorce. Fifty percent from the Gannon Group would elevate her family business to new heights. She felt bitter that he would think so poorly of her.

Despite her feelings, she kept her composure. “No. You were the one who proposed the divorce, so were you planning to leave me with nothing?” Her question left him speechless, and she reminded him of the prenup agreement.

“Did you forget that I signed a prenup before marrying you? I just refreshed your memory so you are free to sign.”

Ezrah recalled that Zora had willingly proposed and prepared the prenup when they announced their marriage after the scandal. She did it all to prove to him that she wasn’t ‘interested in his wealth. He suddenly felt uneasy.

This was not the scenario he had anticipated when he entered the room. Besides, he was hungry and not in the right state to make such a decision. What if Zora was being supported by one of his brothers or both?

“You may have dismissed it, but it's only a matter of time before you reveal that you left with nothing.”

Zora struggled to suppress the pain that came with realizing that Ezrah's delay in finalizing the divorce was not due to developing feelings for her or guilt, but rather to protect his image in front of the media and family. She felt a bitter smile form on her lips.

“Trust me, nothing about our divorce will be leaked to the media.”

“I don’t believe you,” Ezrah responded bluntly. Zora had worked closely with him, and despite her absence from the office in recent weeks, she was privy to confidential information.

Ezrah had never seen her as a threat due to her infatuation with him, but now he feared she might make his life difficult.

“As soon as the papers are signed, you won’t hear from me again. You can have a happy life with the woman you love,” Zora proposed.

Ezrah was already contemplating how he could benefit from her disappearance after the divorce. It seemed like she wanted to start fresh somewhere far away.

“Alright. I’m not heartless. I will still give you 50 million,” he said as he signed the document, only to find that Zora had already signed her part.

After signing the divorce agreement, Ezrah’s phone rang. Seeing it was Piper, he answered it and began to climb the stairs in long strides. Piper keeps breaking the agreement. She wasn’t supposed to call him when she was home.  

Zora overheard him on the phone, “Are you the one who recorded our conversation at the hotel?”  She couldn’t hear Piper’s response but had the conviction that it was her.

Deciding it was best to spend the night on the sofa, Zora couldn't fathom sharing a room with him after their divorce. She was too exhausted to move to another room.

Her sleep was restless, prompting her to wake up before Ezrah. She had already packed her bags, so she dressed and approached him. “Ezrah, it’s time to finalize our divorce in court.”

Ezrah woke up and looked at her glumly. She was still in a somber mood, her eyes red despite the makeup. He sighed, “just a few minutes.”

An hour later, they arrived at the divorce court. With Zora having made prior arrangements, the process was swift, and they soon had their divorce certificates. Without hesitation, they signed their respective portions.

“You should keep your word and leave New York for good, or else you won’t like what I will do,” Ezrah warned solemnly.

Zora had a faint smile on her face. “I have a gift waiting for you at home.”

Ezrah frowned, wondering what kind of gift she arranged for him after their divorce. Zora has always been generous, buying him gifts and anything she knew he would like. He would neither accept nor refuse them.

Whereas, he never used any of the gifts she bought for him. They left together, but Zora departed in a cab against his wishes to drop her at the airport. She reiterated that he would never see her again. Ezrah felt conflicted but remembered his promise to Piper.

Despite his desire to head straight to the office for a meeting, curiosity got the best of him. He rescheduled the meeting and drove home to see the gift Zora had left for him.

Upon arriving, he found a letter on the dining table addressed to him. ‘EZRAH.’ He couldn't recall seeing it earlier that morning, and a sense of unease crept over him as he approached and opened the letter.

It was written in Zora’s handwriting, unmistakable to him. As he read the words, fear, panic, and regret flooded his heart. The letter slipped from his trembling fingers as he cried out, “ZORA, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”