My expression turned glacial. "On what basis are you making these claims?"
Damien immediately adopted the look of a wounded animal, turning wide, innocent eyes toward Amelia.
"I'm a doctor, Mr. Gilbert. No conflict of interest here. My diagnosis is based purely on your physical condition. Why would I frame you?"
My gaze dropped to the ID badge clipped to his chest. Damien Blackwood.
The name struck like a physical blow.
Memories of the people who destroyed me ten years ago came flooding back. The ringleader had been Serena Blackwood.
Back then, her younger brother would have been just a teenager—too young to be implicated. But Amelia had told me she'd exiled the families of the main culprits. She swore they were sent abroad, never to return.
So why was a Blackwood standing in a Harbor City hospital?
I looked at Amelia, silently demanding an explanation.
She simply offered a breezy smile and pulled me into a hug.
"No matter what illness you have, you're the only husband for me."
Ignoring the shock in my eyes, she steered me toward the exit.
"He's just a boy, Samuel. Young and inexperienced. If he made a mistake, it's nothing serious."
Something inside me shattered.
The love I held for Amelia cooled instantly. The possessiveness that once burned so fiercely simply evaporated.
"Fine," I said, my voice devoid of emotion.
From that day on, Amelia paraded Damien at every major social event. She handed him control over the company's medical device projects—our most critical sector.
He hemorrhaged money. Losses climbed into the hundreds of millions.
Amelia remained unbothered.
"A handsome smile is a luxury I can afford," she said when the financial reports came in. "He's young. It's normal to make mistakes while learning."
But I dug deeper. The "lost" funds hadn't vanished—they'd been funneled into an offshore account belonging to Blackwood Industries.
Damien was no innocent boy.
Originally, I hadn't planned to engage with him. But now he'd crossed a line. He was touching my assets.
Our targets aligned. He wanted to destroy the Gilberts; I wanted to control them.
I couldn't let him stay.
For the first time, I took the initiative to clean up Amelia's mess.
She didn't find this suspicious. She found my submission useful.
"It looks like I really spoiled you before," she purred, leaning over to kiss the tip of my nose. "I like this version. Obedient. Sensible."
She pulled back, eyes gleaming with cruel pity.
"I hope you stay this way. You lost your dignity as a man ten years ago. But I still let you marry in. I've endured a decade. I think I've been generous."
She pulled out a watch box. Inside sat a sea-blue aquamarine wristwatch.
"Take it. I bought it for Damien, but the color's too old-fashioned for him. Suits your age better."
I knew exactly what she was saying. I was old. Past my prime. Only fit for scraps.
But I just smiled and fastened the watch to my wrist.
"As long as you're happy."
The old me would have tossed and turned for nights, wondering if I was too old for her.
Now? I only cared about one thing: Does this watch sell for ten million, or twenty?
Only a fool holds onto a wife whose heart has already wandered.
I could do without Amelia Gilbert.
But I could not do without Gilbert Corp.
This empire was built by stepping on the corpse of the Cheng family. Time to take it back.
Clutching the ten-billion-dollar contract Peter had given me, I walked to the chairman's office and knocked.
I entered, expression solemn.
"Grandpa. Since I married into the Gilbert family, I'm a Gilbert. This contract was meant as compensation for the Cheng family, but I don't need it."
