: 2
2
In an instant, all the cameras at the scene turned to me.
I looked up and saw the malice in the eyes of Mrs. Gresham, my sister-in-law, and Jade Lynn.
Everyone else present looked like they were waiting for the drama to unfold.
Wyatt Gresham's interview was being broadcast live.
Now, everyone knew: Wyatt Gresham's old flame was back and pregnant with his child, while I, Ashlyn Asher, was being publicly jilted at the Gresham Group's victory celebration.
I said nothing, simply turning to look calmly at the man beside me.
I still remembered his promise to me—he'd said he would love Ashlyn Asher for the rest of his life and never let her down.
But now...
The man I had loved for eight years pulled me before the cameras without a shred of hesitation and calmly said, "Actually, Ashlyn and I have already signed the Divorce Agreement, so I'll take this opportunity to make it official."
He finished, then looked at me, giving me no chance to object as he continued, "Ashlyn, why don't you say something, too? After all, we signed the Divorce Agreement six months ago, didn't we?"
"???"
'What Divorce Agreement?'
'I knew nothing about it, let alone would I have signed it.'
Wyatt Gresham gave a faint smile and motioned for his assistant to hand me the file folder.
I snatched it and flipped it open. The signature was indeed my name, in my own handwriting.
'I understood. I'd been set up.'
'They had this planned all along, just waiting for this day to kick me out.'
'Heh, to think that I, Ashlyn Asher, could be so blind. It seems men really aren't as valuable a collection as jewelry.'
'But I've always been one to repay every slight. When have I ever suffered such a huge loss and done nothing about it?'
I felt my palm clench.
I lowered my gaze, reining in my emotions. I closed the Divorce Agreement, faced the media with a faint smile, and said, "Yes, that's right. Wyatt and I signed the Divorce Agreement six months ago. He gave me 10% of the company's shares and appointed me as its Vice President. Although we're divorced, we remain good business partners. From now on, Wyatt and I will manage the Gresham Group together."
When I finished, I turned to Wyatt Gresham with a smile.
Wyatt Gresham's expression darkened instantly.
"What's the matter?" I blinked. "Do you have any objections, President Gresham?"
Wyatt Gresham's lips twisted into a smile. "Of course not."
"Wyatt!"
My mother-in-law—
Ah, no, I mean Mrs. Gresham. She started to shout, "She's..."
"Mom." Wyatt Gresham turned to glance at Mrs. Gresham. She immediately fell silent, though she continued to glare at me with hatred.
...
After the banquet, back in the hotel suite...
I sat on the sofa, looking at the four people before me.
Wyatt Gresham's face was grim. "Ashlyn, when did I agree to give you shares, let alone make you the vice president?"
A corner of my mouth lifted. "And when did I sign this agreement? Wyatt, you know exactly how you got my signature, don't you?"
I had been working at the Gresham Group, signing no small number of documents each day. I personally reviewed every single file—except for the ones Wyatt Gresham gave me himself.
He used my trust in him to scheme against me, so I could use his own despicable methods to control him.
"You want our family's company? In your dreams!" Mrs. Gresham's voice was shrill, like a mother hen protecting her food.
"Fine by me. I don't have to take the shares. You can just have your son go tell the media that."
"Fine. I'll give them to you," Wyatt Gresham said in a low voice.
"Now there's a man who gets things done." I stood up and walked over to Mrs. Gresham, all my previous restraint gone. I smiled. "You should learn a thing or two from your son, ma'am."
"And another thing..." I glanced at the necklace around Mrs. Gresham's neck. "The Emerald Suite you're wearing now is a fake. If you can't afford the real thing, you shouldn't wear it. It's just embarrassing."
'The real set is with my mother. I inherited my love for collecting jewelry from her—she's the true expert in this field.'
With that, I walked past them and out the door.
Just then, my phone started to ring. It was a call from Shen Asher.
'Had he already seen the news?'
'Of course he had. The media thrives on speed; everyone wants to be the first to break the story and capture the biggest audience.'
I answered the call, and Shen Asher's voice came through. "Ashlyn, it's time to end this poverty-alleviation game."
