So they weren't even bothering to pretend anymore.
The only question was how Marlene's parents—and the rest of the Henson clan—would act when I got there.
I arrived at the Henson family villa to find every elder already assembled.
The way they looked at me was different.
"Sit down."
Spencer Henson waved a dismissive hand.
He used to greet me warmly, calling me his "wonderful son-in-law." Now his voice dripped with cold indifference and barely concealed arrogance.
Every detail told me this dinner was anything but ordinary.
I didn't say much. I took my seat at the table and had just picked up my chopsticks when Marlene walked in—with Miles Sullivan at her side.
"Uncle Henson, and greetings to all the elders." Miles flashed a brilliant smile.
Beside him, Marlene kept her head slightly bowed, stealing glances at me when she thought I wasn't looking.
She wanted to see my reaction.
Unlike the reception they'd given me, Spencer and the others all rose from their seats, falling over themselves to welcome him.
"Miles! It's been too long. More handsome than ever, and such presence! So much better than some backwater nobody."
"How can you even compare some stray mutt to a top-tier talent like Miles?"
"With you on board, Henson Group is sure to become world-class!"
One by one, the Henson relatives heaped on the flattery—each compliment a thinly veiled jab aimed squarely at me.
To my ears, they were nothing but a flock of chirping sparrows.
I didn't even bother looking up.
Spencer deliberately seated Miles and Marlene directly across from me.
They sat shoulder to shoulder.
This time, I did raise my head. "Marlene, we're still married. Sitting that close to another man doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"
For a split second, panic flickered in Marlene's eyes. She started to stand—but Miles caught her wrist.
She stayed put.
Spencer dropped all pretense and laid out his real purpose. "The Henson name is on the rise now. We're going international, and we need someone like Miles to help us get there. You have no power, no influence. You're simply not a match for my daughter."
"I'd like us to part on good terms."
"So—name your price."
My gaze swept across every face in the room.
I remembered a time when they needed something from me. Back then, they'd tucked their tails between their legs, practically licking the soles of my shoes.
Now the Hensons had barely tasted success, and they'd already turned on me without a shred of gratitude.
Worse than wolves. At least wolves had the decency not to pretend.
When I didn't respond right away, Miles couldn't sit still. He looked down his nose at me, sneering. "Jacob, don't push your luck. Take a good look in the mirror and see what you really are."
"You're nothing but a backwater nobody. It was the Henson family that gave you a platform—that let you shine at all."
"Without the Hensons, you'd still be a nobody in this city."
"So show some gratitude."
The others nodded along eagerly, as if they expected me to drop to my knees and kowtow.
I turned to Marlene, who had been silent this whole time. My voice was ice. "Is this what you meant when you said you'd be grateful to me for the rest of your life?"
"That 'rest of your life' didn't last very long."
Marlene bit her lip. "Jacob, you know how it is. Water flows downhill, and people reach for higher ground."
"Who wouldn't want to be with someone more accomplished?"
"If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for not measuring up to Miles—or matching the status I have now."
I looked at her earnest face.
I shook my head and let out a quiet laugh. "You really have no idea what you're throwing away."
"Enough!"
Spencer's patience snapped. He slapped two documents onto the table.
One was a divorce agreement.
The other was a compensation offer: a small two-story house in the countryside and a thousand dollars a month in living expenses.
Three years of everything I had. I'd taken a crumbling, insignificant Henson Group and built it into a top-three company in the city.
And all I got in return were two sheets of paper.
What a joke.
