Chapter 3

I could not believe Valerie's audacity. It was bad enough that she cheated on me, but she even wanted me to pay for their wedding.

Did she really take me for a fool?

I forced a troubled expression and let out a weary sigh. "I understand why you'd ask, but the company's finances are tight right now. The shareholders are watching every penny, and with you being pregnant, I had to set aside funds for your medical care. I even hired a private medical team for you, considering your heart condition. I just can't afford to move money around right now."

Valerie's expression fell, clearly disappointed at the thought of not having a proper wedding. "But what should we do? Eugene really can't afford it."

I leaned in, my tone gentle and supportive. "Why don't you have him borrow the money for now? Once we go through with the divorce, I'll make sure you get a generous share of the assets, enough to cover the wedding. That way, the shareholders won't suspect anything."

Valerie hesitated, then slowly nodded. "Alright."

A few days later, Eugene scraped together a loan, and the two of them quickly threw together a small, private wedding. Valerie was terrified of her parents finding out, so they only invited Eugene's side of the family, keeping the entire affair a secret from her own.

By that afternoon, I received the wedding video in my inbox, courtesy of the event company they had hired.

I genuinely spared no expense on Valerie's care, providing her with a medical team that monitored her daily. I made sure she had the best nutrition and the most expensive prenatal supplements.

I cared about the baby as if it were my own child.

Alas, Valerie rarely stayed home. She frequently snuck out to be with Eugene at the hospital, but I pretended not to notice.

Given my efforts, Valerie's baby was growing healthy and larger than average. Pregnancy was already taxing on a woman's body, and for someone with a congenital heart condition like Valerie, it was especially dangerous.

By the fourth month, her heart started struggling to keep up. Some of her test results were already showing troubling signs. Still, with the medical team constantly adjusting her care, Valerie remained blissfully unaware of just how fragile her condition had become.

Meanwhile, Susan's health took a surprising turn for the better. Word had it that a suitable kidney match had finally been found. All they needed was for the donor to pass away, and she would be eligible for a transplant.

However, surgeries like that did not come cheap. When Valerie came to me for money again, I used my same excuse about tight finances.

With no other options, Eugene turned to a loan shark, betting on the substantial divorce settlement to cover the costs once Valerie and I officially split.

Then, one day, the lead doctor on Valerie's team pulled me aside. He informed me that her pregnancy had reached the four-month mark, and by this point, terminating it would be as risky as carrying it to full term.

I was relieved. Finally, the net I had cast started to tighten, and it was time to settle the score.

I called Valerie. "Valerie, it's time for us to finalize the divorce. Otherwise, your child with Eugene won't have a proper legal status."

Valerie and Eugene rushed over to my office without hesitation. I had already arranged for my lawyer to be present. Valerie had brought up divorce countless times, but I always found a reason to delay.

She glanced over the agreement before signing. Her eyes quickly landed on the section about asset division. When she realized it stipulated that she would walk away with nothing, she froze.

She pointed at the lines in question and asked, "What does this mean? A divorce means splitting everything in half. Why aren't you giving me a single cent?"

I shrugged, feigning innocence. "Isn't this just a fake divorce? We're only doing this for the kid's paperwork. Why bother dividing the assets? Unless, of course, you plan on running off with my money."

Her face flushed with guilt. She shot a quick, nervous glance at Eugene, insisting, "It's just better to be clear about these things. You never know what might happen."

I knew exactly what might happen. They were hoping to cash out and ride off into the sunset together, living off my hard-earned fortune.

"Alright," I said, pulling a few glossy photographs from the folder. "Let's be clear, then. You cheated during our marriage, so walking away without a cent sounds fair, doesn't it?"