When Derek Miller showed up with his secretary, Serena Cross, he pointed a finger right at my face. “You’re nowhere near as sweet or stunning as Serena, and you can’t even handle our kid. Let’s get a divorce.” Serena scoffed, too. “I warned you, Chloe. Women need to know how to keep their men happy, or they’ll just get replaced.” I let out a dry chuckle, looking at Serena’s smug face. “Alright, ex-husband. Enjoy your ‘happiness’.” Less than three minutes later, I’d cleared out the bedroom for them. I swiftly packed my bags, ready to walk out. As I left, I thoughtfully pulled Leo out of his room and pushed him into Serena’s arms. “Leo, this is the new mommy your dad found for you. Now you’ll have someone new to spoil you.” The words had barely left my lips when Leo punched Serena’s stomach. A piercing shriek echoed through the living room. “Honey, it hurts so much! My baby, our baby!” Only then did I notice Serena’s stomach was subtly rounded. At least three months along, I’d guess. Derek rushed forward, pulling Leo away, his face etched with worry as he cradled Serena. Leo, meanwhile, sat on the floor, kicking and screaming. Mrs. Miller, Derek’s mom, came out, drawn by the cries. Seeing her precious grandson wailing on the floor, she immediately snapped at me. “What kind of mother are you, Chloe? You can’t even manage one child?” “All you do is lecture! Do you even know how to be a woman anymore?” I glanced at Serena, about to explain that today had nothing to do with me. Serena immediately took a few deep breaths, straightened up, and forced a smile. “Mrs. Miller, it’s all my fault. Leo accidentally bumped into me, and when Derek pulled him away, it upset Leo.” Mrs. Miller’s expression softened instantly when she saw Serena. She smiled warmly. “Kids are rambunctious; a few cries are nothing.” Her gaze then turned to Serena’s belly, gleaming with anticipation. “Serena, are you alright?” “I’m fine, I’m fine,” Serena said, flashing an ingratiating smile. She pulled out a gaming device and knelt in front of Leo. “Leo, Auntie’s sorry. Auntie forgot to bring a present for our little darling.” “Let’s not be angry anymore. Auntie will play games with you, okay?” Before I could stop him, Leo’s chubby body launched into Serena’s embrace. He snatched the gaming device and began excitedly fiddling with it. Serena shot me a triumphant glance, then started smiling as she showed Leo how to play. Seeing Leo happily nestled in Serena’s arms, Derek immediately shot me a look of pure disdain. “Chloe, what ‘sickness’ could Leo possibly have? It’s just your overly strict parenting that makes him defiant and difficult. Look how calm he is with Serena.” “Since you can’t manage a husband or a child, just stay at the office from now on. Don’t be an eyesore at home.” Serena also looked up, her voice cloyingly sweet and slightly nasally. “Ms. Hayes, Derek has so much on his plate every day; he’s exhausted physically and mentally. How can you burden him with petty family matters?” “Don’t worry about staying at the office. I’ll take good care of Derek and Leo from now on.” Every word from Serena dripped with blatant provocation and indifference, as if I, the actual wife, was nothing but a pushover. But they seemed to forget that not only did I hold twenty percent of AlphaCorp’s shares, but all the company’s core technology patents were developed and filed by me. They were the very foundation of the company. If lust had completely clouded Derek’s judgment, then I guess I didn’t mind running AlphaCorp myself. I swallowed my fury, smiled, and pulled out the divorce papers I’d had ready for ages. “Derek, Ms. Cross is so beautiful, sweet, and understanding. You wouldn’t want her to be called a mistress, would you? Sign these, and she can become Mrs. Miller legitimately.” Derek scoffed. “Chloe, you’ve threatened divorce so many times; aren’t you just trying to get me to ditch my other women?” “If you insist on divorce, fine. Take ten million and leave. The company is absolutely off-limits for you.” From his first affair with an intern to the club managers and bar hostesses, I’d threatened divorce countless times. But he’d always calmly lecture me about ‘human nature’: Chloe, we were college sweethearts, and you were with me from the ground up when we founded AlphaCorp. Ten years of marriage, I truly loved you, and I still do. But I’m a successful man; I have needs, and I crave passion and excitement. You can’t expect me to be like those boring, conventional guys who stick with one woman forever, can you? He sugar-coated his depravity with such pompous justifications. I was tired of his shameless excuses. This time, I didn’t want to drag it out. Since he was handing me the blade, I might as well slice out the poison. I couldn’t be bothered with more talk. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the mansion. The moment I stepped outside, I made a call. “Mark, I need you to audit the company accounts immediately, tally the total assets, and have a lawyer draft a divorce settlement.” “Yes, I want Derek to leave with absolutely nothing.”
The first time Derek cheated, I caught him in the underground parking garage. He was terrified, weeping and kneeling before me, begging for my forgiveness. He even slapped himself a hundred times, pleading with me not to divorce him. The company was just stabilizing, and I’d just found out I was two and a half weeks pregnant. For the sake of our child and our business, I forgave him. The stress festered in my heart, and when Leo was born, he was diagnosed with a genetic condition. The second time was with a club manager. He actually bought her the most upscale club in the city. By then, Derek had started to sound self-righteous. “She’s just some tart, right? She offers her services, I pay the bill, and she even helps with clients. Don’t be so petty.” Until the third time, the fourth time… He finally became so nonchalant that he’d tell me about these things as casually as he’d discuss eating or drinking. After a year of heartache, I came to a realization: Leo was still young, the company wasn’t fully stable, so I just started seeing him as a glorified cash cow. After all, I held twenty percent of the company shares, plus my patents, and another thirty percent I’d anonymously acquired. Getting rid of him would be a piece of cake. Love faded like smoke, but the money remained. For an orphan like me, who started from nothing, that wasn’t too hard to swallow. I drove straight to the luxury apartment I’d privately bought. Pushing open the door and flicking on the warm orange light, I finally felt a sense of peace, a moment to truly breathe. Ever since Leo was born, every day was filled with Mrs. Miller’s criticisms, Leo’s volatile temper, and Derek’s endless string of women. Mrs. Miller would say I spent too much time in the business world during my pregnancy, which is why I “gave” her Miller family a “defective grandson.” Leo would throw tantrums for his games, hitting the nannies, screaming and crying if he didn’t get his way, biting and kicking me. Derek’s women would brazenly bring him home, drunk, and they’d kiss goodbye in the entryway as if I didn’t exist. Only here did I feel like I was truly home, a place where I could shed my exhaustion, recharge, and muster the courage to return to the battlefield the next day. After a solid night’s sleep, I put on a bold, striking makeup look and a vibrant red dress, feeling refreshed as I headed for the office. Passing by Leo’s school, I couldn’t resist stopping to glance. Sure enough, there was Derek. Serena was kneeling in front of Leo, one hand holding a cotton candy, the other a fried chicken, as she tried to pacify him. Leo greedily devoured the fried chicken, occasionally licking the cotton candy. I sighed. The doctor had warned that children with Leo’s condition shouldn’t be overly indulged; if they don’t get what they want, they can explode with even greater aggression. And definitely no junk food. Serena proudly patted Leo’s head. “Derek, see how well-behaved Leo is? He’s not nearly as difficult as Ms. Hayes said.” She then turned Leo’s face towards her and asked, “Leo, would you like me to be your new mommy? What if I have a little brother for you to play with later?” A bad feeling twisted in my gut. Before I could even cover my eyes, Leo’s tiny fist flew, connecting squarely with Serena’s eye. “I don’t want a brother! I’m going to kill him!” Then he kicked Serena’s stomach again. By the time Derek reacted, Leo had already grabbed Serena’s hair and furiously scratched her face. Serena shrieked in agony, falling to the ground. Derek rushed to pull them apart, but Leo was stout and strong, and Derek couldn’t restrain him right away. I massaged my temples, letting out a small, wry chuckle, then slammed my foot on the accelerator, heading for the office. Leo has his condition, but he’s not intellectually disabled. His possessiveness is extreme. Once, when I mentioned having another baby, he picked up a vase and threw it at me. It had taken a lot of explanations and promises that he wouldn’t have a sibling for his rage to calm down. I just hoped Serena had enough luck to keep her baby. When I arrived at the company, a few of the executives I’d discreetly cultivated offered respectful greetings. “Ms. Hayes, good morning.” I gave a slight nod and strode purposefully toward my office. Before I could even sit down, Derek called. “Chloe, get to the hospital now. Look at the wonderful son you’ve raised; he kicked Serena so hard she’s having contractions!”
I didn’t want to go, but then I heard Leo’s shouts in the background, and my heart tightened. I immediately got up and rushed to the hospital. No matter his issues, Leo is still the son I carried for nine months. And his outbursts have been slowly decreasing; he’s capable of understanding reason now. If it weren’t for Mrs. Miller’s constant interference, Leo’s condition would probably have improved significantly by now. When I arrived at the hospital room, I found Leo on the floor, crying his heart out, screaming “no little brother!” and “I hate little brothers!” Derek was holding him by the collar, yelling at him. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms. “Derek, what are you doing? The doctor said not to agitate Leo, have you forgotten?” “Didn’t you say Serena was so gentle and caring? Is this how she looks after Leo?” I shot a chilling glare at Serena. Derek let go, his face dark. “This is all because you spoil him! He just needs a good beating to learn his lesson.” “Serena was kindly buying him food, and he viciously kicked her in the stomach! What kind of monster will that child become when he’s older?” Before I could speak, Serena, feigning fragility, quickly interjected. “Honey, I really was taking good care of Leo. But he’s… developmentally challenged. I was just thinking, if he had a younger sibling, they could look after him later and also inherit AlphaCorp, bringing honor to your name.” “AlphaCorp is such a big company; we can’t possibly leave it to Leo, can we?” Only then did I notice the long scratches on Serena’s face, her eyes bruised black like a panda’s, as she glared at me with hatred. Serena’s provocations were always blatant. After all, she wasn’t just Derek’s best bedmate, but also his most capable assistant. She was a Harvard MBA grad, outwardly pure but with a seductive charm that made men drool. She’d even sent me videos of them tied up with whips in bed, openly taunting me to learn how to “satisfy a man.” My arms instinctively tightened around Leo, covering his ears. “Serena, you pathetic mistress, and your unborn bastard who doesn’t know his place—how dare you call Leo ‘developmentally challenged’ and dream of inheriting my company? Not a chance.” Serena’s face flushed red, and tears welled in her eyes. “Ms. Hayes, I only said Leo was ‘challenged’ because I feel for Derek, working so hard, hoping for a helper later. How can you be so vicious, cursing my baby?” I frowned, about to tell her she was delusional, when Derek’s enraged voice cut in. “Chloe, I think you’ve completely ruined Leo. He’s inherited your malice deep in his bones.” “Tomorrow, I’m sending Leo to a special education school, and you can go with him to take care of him. Serena will take your VP position. She’s all the help I need at the company now.” I stared at Derek in shock, biting my lip hard. If I wasn’t afraid of scaring Leo, I would have kicked him, slapped him senseless, and taught him what it meant to be a decent human being. Before I could even speak, Leo suddenly shot forward like a little rocket, slamming his chubby head directly into Serena’s stomach. “I don’t want to go to special school! That place is full of bad kids! I’m not a bad kid!” Serena immediately cried out, collapsing to her knees, clutching her stomach and wailing. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms, trying to comfort him. Mrs. Miller had once threatened to send him to a special school after he bit her, claiming it was full of “tigers and snakes that eat naughty children.” From that moment, terror had taken root in Leo’s young heart. Derek instantly exploded in fury. He grabbed Leo by the back of his shirt collar and slapped him across the head. “You little monster! How dare you lay a hand on Serena? I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t forget!” As his hand came down again, I spun, shielding Leo. The slap landed squarely on my head, my ears ringing violently. Leo seized the opportunity and bit Derek’s hand. Derek cried out in pain and flung Leo against the wall. Leo’s forehead hit the wall, and blood immediately gushed out. My pupils dilated. I raised my hand and slapped Derek across the face. “Derek, you’re doing this to Leo for some cheap woman? Are you even human?” I rushed over and scooped up the unconscious Leo. Seeing his son unconscious, Derek also calmed down, his face dark. “This child is completely beyond hope. All thanks to your wonderful parenting.” I cradled Leo’s head, straightened up, and stared at Derek coldly. “Derek, let’s divorce. I’ll take my twenty percent of the shares, plus another ten percent for Leo. That way, you won’t be delayed in having your ‘excellent son’ with your little mistress.”
Before Derek could speak, Serena interjected, her voice vulnerable. “Derek, the doctor said it’s a boy. It’s not that I don’t care for Leo, but if this keeps happening, I’m afraid I might also give birth to a child with… similar issues.” Serena didn’t finish her sentence, her gaze falling pointedly on Leo. Derek’s brows furrowed. I spoke calmly. “Derek, if you don’t agree, I’ll sue you for adultery and emotional distress, and I’ll make sure the court sees all your blatant infidelities. Do you think the court will rule in your favor then?” “Leo is your biological son. If you’re so reluctant to give up shares, fine, I’ll even give you Leo’s shares. But I’ll have people watching you, and if you dare mistreat Leo in any way, I will prosecute you for child abuse.” My gaze lingered on Leo’s forehead as I stared coldly at Derek. Derek hesitated, deep in thought. Serena immediately clutched her stomach, stood, and leaned into him. “Derek, it’s only ten percent of the shares, right? Don’t worry, I’ll help you earn it all back. After a couple more years, we’ll buy up all the loose shares.” “With you and me working together, AlphaCorp will have a brilliant future.” She then lowered her voice. “Worst case, we can slowly undermine the company from within, buy back those shares at rock-bottom prices.” “Giving shares to Leo isn’t giving them to a stranger, right? It just shows what a loyal, good man you are.” Right there, in front of me, they shamelessly began plotting to seize the shares I had anonymously acquired. I couldn’t help but scoff. This decisive divorce was absolutely the right move. Otherwise, those two dogs would have hollowed out the company sooner or later. Fine, if that’s how it is, I won’t hold back either. I’ll just let them go bankrupt and drown in debt. I’d love to see how brilliant their future will be with their combined genius. Derek nodded approvingly, embracing Serena with a cheerful laugh. “You truly understand me best. Meeting you is the biggest blessing of my life.” Then he turned, looking at me with disgust. “You’re always so obsessed with money. If you were even half as sweet and understanding as Serena, I wouldn’t be like this.” “I’ve agreed to the shares. But from now on, you’re not allowed to interfere with the company. Just live a quiet life with Leo. And if I ever find out you’re cheating on me, I won’t let you get away with it.” Derek moved fast. Within twenty minutes, his lawyer had the divorce papers and the share transfer agreement drafted, signed, and ready. I signed swiftly, picked up Leo, and walked out. The moment we stepped outside, Leo’s tiny hand brushed my cheek. “Mommy, I know I have a problem. I’ll be good from now on and won’t make you angry.” I hadn’t cried when Serena insulted me, or when Derek slapped me. But now, I cried. I knew my Leo would be alright. He understood everything; he just couldn’t control himself. Within an hour, I decisively sold my shares and the patents I had developed. Well, it was a bargain. AlphaCorp’s sworn rival, Victor Thorne, almost split his face smiling as I signed the papers. Of course. Acquiring those patents meant seizing AlphaCorp’s lifeblood. All of Derek’s products in sales and those currently in production were now unlicensed. Victor Thorne could bankrupt him in minutes if he wanted to. I wasn’t heartless. The moment he threatened to send Leo to a special school and kick me out of the company, all ties between us were irrevocably severed. There was no need for me to consider the future of someone who had so viciously plotted against me. Looking at the substantial balance in my bank account, I took Leo and flew directly overseas. The moment we landed, Serena “thoughtfully” video-called me. “Ms. Hayes, it’s the company’s anniversary gala tonight. Such a shame you won’t be accompanying Derek for his speech.” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Derek and the company from now on. After all, this will be my son’s legacy someday.” On the video, Serena, stunning in a silver evening gown, was arm-in-arm with Derek, who wore a dark patterned suit. They looked like a bride and groom, intimately standing on the grand stage, basking in everyone’s fawning praise. Anyone who didn’t know would think it was their wedding day. Just as Derek excitedly announced Serena’s official appointment as Vice President and their imminent marriage, Victor Thorne burst in with a team of black-suited bodyguards. Derek was about to loudly protest when Victor Thorne raised his hand, projecting the share certificate and patent ownership onto the large screen. “Mr. Miller, since when does a minor shareholder like you have the authority to appoint a glorified courtesan as Vice President?” “As of now, I am AlphaCorp’s majority shareholder. From this moment on, I am your boss.” Through the video, I watched Derek’s pupils slowly dilate, his face morphing inch by agonizing inch into pure terror. Serena reacted, her face drained of color, rushing to the camera and screaming, “Chloe! How could you be so cruel? Do you really have to destroy us?” I let out a soft laugh, my voice calm. “Yes, Serena. I’m going to send you straight to hell.”
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