He looked at the shattered jade on the floor, something complicated crossing his face.
Clearly he was remembering how it used to be.
Yet his body moved on instinct, stepping between me and Audrey.
As if terrified I might hurt her.
"Stop making a scene. Worst case, I'll buy you a new one."
There was a warning in his tone. "Don't take it out on Audrey. If you've got a problem, come to me."
I kicked the shards aside in disgust.
Smiling faintly, I said, "It's nothing important anyway."
"Just garbage. I can afford to throw it out."
Joe's face went pale for an instant, as if he'd been personally offended.
"Naomi, don't push this too far!"
"Or you really will lose me!"
When I still didn't react at all.
He pulled Audrey into his arms. "I've never given you jewelry before. I'll get you ten sets, at the same price as that bracelet."
He said it, but his eyes stayed locked on me.
As if he were waiting for something.
I only watched calmly as he placed the order.
The next second.
"I'm sorry, sir. Your payment has failed."
Hearing the jeweler's reply, Joe froze.
I said, smiling,
"Why stop, Mr. Delgado? Don't you like the style?"
Audrey looked frantic. "What's wrong, Joe? You promised me…"
Joe frowned and dialed his assistant.
"Marital assets liquidated?"
"Accounts frozen?"
His head snapped up toward me, stunned. "You're serious?"
I held out the divorce papers.
"Better late than never."
"Sign them, Mr. Delgado."
"This is ridiculous!"
Joe tore the papers to shreds, his eyes cold.
"How long are you going to keep up this childish act?"
"I know full well you want to use divorce to threaten me, to win me back, but pull a joke like this too many times and I'll start taking it seriously."
He stared hard at my face, hunting for any flicker of change.
But I only took out a fresh set of divorce papers and held them out.
"Mr. Delgado, I'm in a hurry."
"Enough!"
He roared. "You keep pulling this same trick again and again. You think I'll indulge you forever?"
"All this nonsense of yours only pushes me further away."
"Why can you never see your own faults?"
Just then Audrey looped her arm through his, gently soothing him.
"Joe, I don't want any jewelry."
"I just feel wronged on your behalf. In front of everyone, she not only didn't protect your dignity, she threatened you with divorce."
"She doesn't respect you at all. Let this slide, and she'll be walking all over you."
Joe's face darkened, and he waved a hand.
He mortgaged his shares to the bank on the spot and paid for the ten sets of jewelry.
Then he looked at me, cold.
"My fault for spoiling you all these years, letting you forget who runs this family."
He immediately told his assistant to move on buying out our school.
"I'll arrange for Bobby to come back to the school, and the Ashford placement has to be his."
"From now on, Audrey is the board trustee."
"You can be her assistant. Serve her well and learn what rank and respect mean."
I met his eyes, standing off against him in silence, neither of us giving an inch.
He wanted to force me to bow this way.
To make me submit to him completely, a silent, obedient dependent.
But the smugness on his face lasted only three seconds.
"What?"
"I don't have the authority to arrange the buyout?"
And then.
Joe began to shake violently, his whole body.
"I… I've been… fired?"
