‘A woman's heart is harder to read than the bottom of the ocean! They're already legally married, and she still won't let go of a single asset. She probably never planned to settle down with him at all!’
‘Of course not. These rich people are all crafty. Let me tell you, someone who treats her elders like that? Who knows how she even built that company. Probably depended on some man to get there, if you know what I mean.’
Snickering rippled through the crowd.
Passing clients turned to stare.
I ignored the ugly speculation and fixed my eyes on Louis.
‘Louis, adding your name to the deed is just step one, isn't it? What you really want is to swallow everything I own.’
His expression shifted instantly, but he forced himself to stay composed.
‘Carmen, how can you think that? I love you! We promised each other we'd grow old together!’
‘Love me?’
I quietly drew my hand free from his grip, my voice dropping several degrees.
‘Loving me means secretly digging into every asset under my name? Pressuring me day after day to get legally married, just so your mother could show up today and grab my property?’
Panic flickered visibly in Louis's eyes before he softened his tone.
‘Carmen, don't be so sensitive. We've been together eight years. How can you think of me that way?’
‘Enough, stop making a scene. Your clients are right there watching. You heard what people were saying just now—if this gets any bigger, it's your company and your reputation on the line. Just do as I say. Transfer the house, and you're still the flawless CEO Winfield everyone sees.’
It sounded like a suggestion. Every word was a threat.
This was the man I had loved with everything I had for eight years, asking nothing in return……
I looked at him, and the last trace of feeling went cold.
And I was more grateful than ever that I'd prepared a safeguard in advance……
While we were still locked in this standoff, my assistant caught my eye.
He'd seen me tied up in the argument and had already called the police.
The officers arrived quickly.
The moment Anita spotted the uniforms, she showed no fear whatsoever. She threw herself straight at them.
‘Officers! You have to help me!’
She dropped to her knees and seized the middle-aged officer's hand, her voice breaking into sobs.
‘It's that woman, Carmen Winfield! She married my son—they have the marriage certificate—and now that she's rich she won't even acknowledge us! She wants to keep every last thing for herself!’
‘I'm nearly seventy years old and I'm still scrubbing dishes in a restaurant just to survive. All I'm asking is for this big-shot CEO to put one apartment in my name so I have somewhere to live, and she won't even do that! Where's the justice in this world?’
Louis was right behind her.
With trembling hands he pulled the bright red marriage certificate from his bag, flashed it in front of the officer, and spoke with every ounce of sincerity he could muster.
‘Officer, we really are legally married. Everything my mother said is the truth. I'm guessing you're a married man yourself—so you understand, right? Two apartments are nothing to my wife. It's just about keeping an old woman happy. But she won't budge……’
‘And at the end of the day, we're legally married now. Half of those assets are mine by right……’
The officer glanced through the marriage certificate.
When he looked back at me, there was noticeably more scrutiny in his eyes.
Chatter erupted all around.
‘So they really are legally married! I thought the old lady was just causing trouble, but if they've got the certificate, that does make it marital property……’
‘Then yeah, the girl's kind of out of line here……’
Mother and son exchanged a glance, triumph barely concealed in their eyes.
They were betting that I cared too much about my reputation, and betting even harder that this one certificate could chain me down for good.
The officer turned to me, his tone deliberate, loaded.
