Semua Bab Divorce and Regret, His Ex-wife is a Billionaire: Bab 281 - Bab 290

Jordyn’s POV Bam.It felt like a bomb has just exploded as Larry’s words hung heavy in the air.Stanley’s words, actually. His final words to my father.We all sat, stunned, grappling to process what we’d just heard.My mother snapped her head up, her eyes liquid with vileness and hatred. She opened her mouth to retort, but Larry shot her a warning look. She snapped her mouth shut, but we could all feel her fury coming off of her in waves.I didn’t quite know that to make of my grandfather’s letter to my father. I was shocked. It had never occurred to me that he’d known, all along, that my mother was a cruel and abusive wife to my father.But of course he’d known. How could he not? My grandfather was no fool, and I guess he’d chosen the time right before his death to let us all know that.Stanley had admitted to wanting Howard to stay, and that’s why he’d never intervened. Even if he had though, I doubt my father would have left. My father’s loyalty was to me. He couldn’t

Jordyn’s POV Larry finished and the room fell silent, so silent, that we could all hear the clock ticking. I struggling to process the gravity of the letter I’d just heard. I didn’t know what to think, or what to feel. My grandfather had just laid out all my flaws for everyone to hear. But he’d also pinpointed all my attributes. I’d spent my entire life believing that I had to hide my emotions. I’d gone through great lengths to do it. I’d never really shown Cassandra the sort of affection I’d actually felt for her early on in our marriage. I’d always been stoic when it came to anything intimate or emotional because I carried such a deeply rooted embarrassment over my wild and extreme feelings. I remembered the day I killed the butterfly. I was surprised that my grandfather did too. I’d just been walking in the garden, like any other day, with some of my friends on our way to the pool, when a butterfly had flitted down from a petal

Cassandra’s POV I looked away from Larry, overcome with emotion. I needed a moment because I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The promise. The promise I’d made the night Stanley died. I could still the look on his face, still hear the tone of his voice as he took my hand and said: “Promise me you’ll look after Jordyn.” I’d promised him, in a moment of weakness because I loved Stanley and I wanted to make him happy in his final days. But then I’d realized that I couldn’t keep that promise. I’d been scared about how looking after Jordyn would affect Dillon and I. Our relationship had been so new, and there had still been so much tension between Dillon and Jordyn.So, the next morning, I’d woken up with the intention of going back to Stanley to tell him that I couldn’t keep that promise. It had been too late though. Stanley had already died. Which had left me with a promise I couldn’t undue.

Cassandra’s POV Vivenne didn’t have a chance to respond. None of us did, because the moment Stanley’s final words to Vivienne were read, Larry launched right into the reading of the will.“The final will and testament of Stanley Jordyn Smith, to be executed by Larry Larkin.”We all took a collective breath, but I don’t think any of us were as nervous as Vivienne. She was sitting back in her chair now, her arms crossed over her chest. Larry also took a breath, and then continued.“I, Stanley Smith, being of sound body and mind, do hereby declare that my belongings, assets, financial holdings, and the likes, are to be bestowed in the following ways:“To my son-in-law, Howard Churning, I bequeath my company. Ownership of the company is to be transferred to Howard immediately, and Howard is to become the sole owner. This includes any of the company’s assets, holdings, investments, and the likes. I also bequeath to Howard my collection of rare automobiles, my vacation home in Bermuda, and

Dillon’s POV As soon as I was done at the courthouse, I ventured over to the law office. Cameron, Laura, and Stella were all waiting at a café across the street, so I joined them. “All set?” Laura asked, flashing me a smile. I nodded and smiled back, but my mind was on Cassandra. I wished I could be there with her, at the reading of the will. None of us had any idea what Stanley had left Cassandra, but we all assumed it was probably some sort of jewelry. That wasn’t the reason I wanted to be there though. I hated the idea of Cassandra being in a room with Vivienne. I knew that Jordyn wouldn’t let anything happen to her, but I also knew that Vivienne was unhinged at best. Once the will was read, Jordyn was going to serve his mother Howard’s divorce papers, and the men in Larry’s law office were going to grab her and detain her until the police came. Vivienne would lose her shit when she found out what we’d planned. My protective n