The test results reached quickly, but when I held them in my hands, they felt heavier than I expected. The report confird exactly what Lewis and I had suspected. Monica had gone to terrifying lengths for her lover.
Grant had many flaws. He was stubborn, possessive, and selfish in his own way. But things would never have spiraled this far without Monica pushing him, whispering in his ear, steering him in the wrong direction. Despite everything Grant had given her, she still chose cruelty.
She would pay for that.
And so would the man behind her.
I sat in the car, lightly tapping my temples as I asked, "How’s Zack’s relationship with his wife?"
The bodyguard replied calmly, "Very good. Bridget Harrison cos from a prestigious family, and she’s gentle. Zack truly loves her. He rembers every anniversary, cooks for her sotis, and brings her flowers when he’s free."
I wasn’t surprised. A man who treats his wife like that doesn’t leave easily. Families like theirs protect their image and their legacy. If there wasn’t real affection, they wouldn’t have built such a big family together.
The bodyguard pulled up more files. "Mrs. Riley, look at this. Every year they take a family photo on their anniversary. After work, if Zack isn’t busy, he brings her sothing. Sotis a small cake, sotis tea. He treats her like a princess."
I almost laughed.
Monica didn’t know any of this. She truly believed he would divorce Bridget and marry her one day. She thought she was building a future.
How foolish.
If a man truly wants to marry you, he proposes while you are still shining, not when you’ve given him your best years in secret. He doesn’t hide you in the shadows.
n like Nicholas n who quietly wait for a woman without demanding anything are rare. Very rare.
Zack had a perfect family on the surface, but he was ambitious. He knew there were limits he couldn’t cross openly, so he searched for shortcuts. Monica was his shortcut. He kept manipulating her, pushing her to take everything she could from the Ashbourne s. If things ever fell apart, he could easily shift the bla onto her.
But ambition always cos with a price.
"Mrs. Riley, what do you want to do?" the bodyguard asked.
I gave a faint smile. "This show wouldn’t be complete without Mrs. Harrison watching, would it?"
...
I took the test report and went to my mother’s house.
She looked better than before. The morning sickness had eased, and her skin had a soft, healthy glow. Most pregnant won look tired and drained, but my mother looked younger, almost like a girl again.
She noticed staring. "What’s that look for? Is there sothing on my face?"
I smiled gently. "No. I just think you’re beautiful. No wonder Nicholas and Dad have been so taken with you all these years."
She blushed instantly. "You’re teasing now, aren’t you?"
She tapped my arm lightly. That small, delicate gesture of hers always softened .
"If you lived in ancient tis," I continued, grinning, "you’d be the kind of beauty that made an emperor fall head over heels."
"Riley," she warned, trying not to smile, "if you tease again, I’ll get angry."
"Alright, I’ll stop."
At that mont, Grant walked in and saw us laughing together. His eyes fixed on Mom as she smiled and blushed. But she didn’t give him any warmth. She simply turned and went upstairs.
Grant was about to follow her when I stepped in front of him. "Wait. I have sothing to say."
"Later," he replied impatiently.
I saw the desire in his eyes and felt disgusted. I threw the test report onto the table. "You should look at this. Otherwise, you might die without knowing why."
He frowned at for interrupting him and picked up the report. "What is this?"
Then he saw the photos. The pictures of the food Lincy had brought that afternoon.
His face changed instantly.
"These... are test results from the food Lincy delivered?"
I calmly picked up my tea and took a slow sip. "Lincy. It’s easy for you to say her na."
His eyes darkened. "What do you an?"
I took out the divorce papers I had prepared earlier and placed them on the table. "Dad, I have sothing you can’t ignore. My only condition is that you and Mom divorce."
"That’s impossible," he snapped imdiately. "No matter what happens, I won’t divorce."
"If you refuse to sign," I said steadily, "Mom will file for divorce herself. There’s solid evidence of your affair. The court will rule in her favor. If this goes public, it will damage Ashbourne Group badly, especially the stock price. I’m also a Ashbourne . I don’t want you to pay that price."
His eyes turned red with anger. "Why are you forcing to divorce?"
"I’ve told you before. Mom doesn’t love you. This marriage is a cage for her. You’ve kept her locked up for half her life. Do you really want her to stay in that beautiful prison forever?"
"You want to let her go so she can be with Nicholas?" he shouted. "As long as I’m alive, that will never happen!"
He stood over , trying to intimidate . "Even if you’re my daughter, you have no right to interfere in my marriage."
I looked at him calmly. "Don’t you want to know why Lincy drugged you?"
"It doesn’t matter," he said firmly. "Nothing is more important than your mother."
Then he went upstairs.
I sank onto the sofa, staring at the divorce papers in my hands.
Was I really going to have to take this to court?
I had hoped we could talk it out, but he refused to negotiate. Maybe he already knew that what I held could destroy his marriage. Maybe that was why he didn’t ask. He didn’t want things to reach that point.
I didn’t understand what he was holding onto. If it was for the baby Mom was carrying, the child would still have inheritance rights even after divorce. The marriage wouldn’t change that.
Was he really clinging to a woman who didn’t love him?
Would he hurt her?
The thought made my heart race. I stood up imdiately and rushed upstairs.
Mom was sitting on the couch, calmly knitting a small sweater with a tiny bee pattern on the chest. Grant burst into the room. His eyes were bloodshot, almost wild.
"Is this really what you want?" he demanded. "To divorce ?"
"Yes," Mom answered without hesitation. Her voice was firr than I had ever heard.
"Why?"
She kept knitting. "I want to see the world outside."
"What if I don’t let you?"
For a second, I thought he might hurt her.
But instead, Grant dropped to his knees.
I froze.
He knelt in front of her, his face filled with desperation. "I was wrong," he said hoarsely. "Please... don’t divorce ."
He looked up at her, almost begging. "Darling, I know I’m not good at loving you. I’m possessive, old-fashioned, full of flaws. But I truly love you. Please... just look at . Even if it’s only for a second."
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