Chapter 5

“But don't worry. Even though you're giving up your shares, I'll still marry you. From now on, you'll be Mrs. Hull.”

“Your monthly allowance will only go up, never down.”

“As for Eileen, I won't let her show up in front of you or challenge your position as Mrs. Hull.”

After all these years, he hadn't improved in any other way, but he'd sure learned how to have his cake and eat it too.

“Ronald, you really have it all figured out, don't you? I'm supposed to give up my dividend-paying shares and go home to be some kept woman with her palm facing up?”

“I don't want it!”

Eileen pulled out a recording of me. My own voice played back clearly, saying I'd honor the bet and give up my shares.

Then she handed me a voluntary equity relinquishment agreement.

Renee's eyes went red as she lunged to grab it. I stopped her.

Then I picked up a pen and signed.

Eileen's face flushed with excitement.

Something complicated flickered through Ronald's eyes, but satisfaction won out in the end.

I set the pen down and asked：“Satisfied?”

Ronald nodded and announced to everyone：

“From now on, Eileen is my partner. She'll be taking over Aria's position.”

Some people felt the chill of what that meant for them. Others were already falling over themselves to suck up.

“We'll absolutely follow Ms. Fletcher's lead from now on.”

“What are you standing around for? Get Ms. Whitmore's things out of there and make room for Ms. Fletcher!”

The insulated tumbler Ronald once bought me was knocked to the floor, dented on impact.

The blanket I'd knitted by hand fell to the ground and got trampled under several pairs of shoes.

Even the orchid I'd been growing had its branches snapped off.

But I didn't stop them. I didn't get angry.

I just remembered the day we'd first moved in, when he'd picked me up and spun me around.

“Aria, we did it! This is our empire!”

My vision blurred for a second, then cleared.

I stood there, watching the place I'd poured years of my life into

get hollowed out piece by piece.

Until the nameplate on the door changed from "Director Whitmore's Office" to "Director Fletcher's Office."

Only then did I turn around

and walk straight into Ronald's office.

I sat down in his chair.

I said：“Ronald, you're fired.”