An uncomfortable silence settled over the table, thick enough to make everyone uneasy. Even the staff could see that Corinne was deliberately targeting Jessica.
Despite that, Corinne kept her smile in place, her tone soft and pleasant, leaving no room for anyone to openly criticize her.
Lucy quietly sipped her soup, a faint hint of approval flickering in her eyes, though it went unnoticed.
Patricia, on the other hand, had clearly had enough. With a sharp sound, she slammed her fork against the table. She was about to lash out at Corinne when Ryland suddenly leaned forward and took the plate Corinne had pushed to Jessica.
"Sweetheart, I'm the one doing the heavy lifting here. I think I should have that," said Ryland. Without a change in expression, he ate everything on that plate.
Every person at the table turned to look at him. Even the staff nearby stood frozen in shock. Everyone knew Ryland was particular about hygiene. His utensils were always handled separately, and each dish came with its own serving tools. If that rule wasn't followed, he wouldn't touch the food.
No one understood that better than Corinne, which made it sting even more. For Jessica, he was willing to throw all of that aside.
The rest of breakfast felt drawn out and unbearable. Once it finally ended, Corinne escorted Lucy back to Lucy's room, stayed with her for a while, and made sure she took her medicine. As soon as Corinne stepped out, Patricia, who had clearly been waiting, called her into the study.
Sitting on the black leather sofa, Patricia looked Corinne over with undisguised disdain before tossing a bank card onto the table.
Patricia began, "There's five million on that card. Consider it your compensation for the past three years. The agreement is nearly over, so be sensible and divorce Ryland. Don't fool yourself into thinking that keeping Lucy happy will secure you a permanent place in the Becker family."
Letting her words land, she added, "I allowed this marriage because it benefited both sides, and because Lucy wasn't in good health at the time. I wasn't going to let her worry herself into another episode. Now that everything's stabilized, there's no reason to continue. Your family has recovered, Lucy is well, and you should understand what happens next."
Without hesitation, Corinne picked up the card, her gaze cold as she responded, "You say that like the Beckers made no gains. Didn't you partner with my family because you wanted our machine-tool patents? You've already benefited, so don't act like this is generosity."
She already intended to end the marriage, and after everything Ryland had put her through, she had no patience left to endure any more. She had no intention of extending kindness anymore just because of him.
That defiance clearly caught Patricia off guard. Corinne had always been obedient before, so hearing her talk back made Patricia's anger explode. Her hand struck the table with a loud bang. "Corinne, do you want me to spell it out? Ryland loves Jessica. Not you. Not someone as calculating and ruthless as you! You think standing up for you in public means you mattered to him? I don't care about status or family background. I care about his happiness. If you won't agree, then I..."
"I agree," Corinne cut in sharply, shutting Patricia down before she could continue. "Calm down. I took the money, didn't I? The divorce is happening. You'll get what you want soon enough."
With that, she gave a careless wave, pushed the door open, and walked out.
Now that everything had been laid bare, she saw no reason to delay. She headed downstairs to look for Ryland and settle the divorce immediately, only to learn he had already left—with Jessica.
Standing alone in the living room, Corinne let out a short, bitter laugh. To him, she was nothing more than something temporary—kept when useful and thrown aside when she wasn't.
No matter how foul her mood had become, Corinne didn't let it interfere with her work. She went out and carried out the public opinion survey as scheduled.
After running around most of the day and spending another two hours at the station editing, she finally made it home, completely drained. She took a shower, replayed everything from that morning in her head, pulled out a suitcase, and began packing when Ellie Morrison, her coworker, called.
"Corinne, didn't you check the group chat? You're the only one who hasn't replied."
Corinne switched the call to speaker, opened the work group chat, and finally saw the notice their boss, Calvin Warren, had sent, still waiting for her response.
"Eight tonight. Eden Hotel. Formal dress required. There will be an important announcement."
After confirming her attendance, Corinne spoke up. "What's going on? Why make it such a big deal?"
Ellie responded right away, "Could it be about the host for the station's new current affairs program, Current Focus? Calvin has always appreciated your work. Don't let those shameless people from Team Three snatch it away."
That immediately caught Corinne's attention. The new program centered on social issues. If she secured the position, her entire team would finally have the chance to push forward with the stories they had been following.
It would also give their chemical plant investigation much greater exposure.
Once the call ended, she headed straight to the dressing room on the first floor.
Inside, rows of gowns and jewelry were displayed. More than half had been custom-made for her at Ryland's request.
The moment she stepped in, the housekeeper approached quickly and stopped in front of her, holding a ledger with a formal expression.
The housekeeper said, "Mrs. Becker, will you be attending an event tonight? Has Mr. Becker been informed? Which gown and jewelry would you like prepared? How long do you plan to be out? And when should everything be returned?"