On the right was a file compiled by my subordinates on Jason Miller. In the photo, the pale-faced man smirked arrogantly, but the word “illegitimate child” stood out sharply in the dossier.
He was the hidden son of Miller Corporation’s chairman, someone who couldn’t even get close to core business. His only bargaining chip was to marry upward into power.
My fingertip tapped on the words “Emily Parker’s IPO plan,” and I sneered.
Before I went abroad for treatment, I had authorized my team’s pharmaceutical patent to Emily’s company, which helped her small firm secure a foothold in the industry. Now the company was about to go public.
Jason wasn’t in it for love. He was only after influence in his family, hoping to ride on the IPO wave to gain a voice in Miller Corporation.
By noon the next day, I finally heard the sound of keys turning in the lock.
Emily pushed open the door, her face still flushed. But the moment she saw me, whatever warmth she carried instantly vanished.
She dropped onto the sofa, her tone sharp and unyielding:
“I already told Jason, I’m not getting divorced.”
“Divorce is between you and me,” I leaned back in the chair, staring at her misplaced confidence. “Since when do outsiders get a vote?”
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her purse, but she stayed defiant:
“Don’t be childish! The IPO is around the corner. If we divorce now, the stock price and partnerships will collapse. Can you handle that responsibility?”
“Responsibility?” I suddenly stood, pressing my temple with my thumb.
My body still ached from the surgery, but the absurdity of this conversation hurt even more.
“Who begged me to authorize the patent? Who cheated with another man while I was overseas recovering? And now you lecture me about responsibility?”
My words caught her off guard. She faltered, but quickly glared back at me, raising her voice:
“Even if we divorce, don’t you dare think of taking the patent! That’s the blood and sweat of the entire company!”
“My team developed that patent. Your company is only in partnership,” I tossed the authorization papers on the table in front of her.
“Don’t use ‘blood and sweat’ as moral blackmail. You know perfectly well whose work it is.”
Emily’s expression shifted at last, panic flickering in her eyes. She inched closer, her tone suddenly softer:
“Just wait until after the IPO, okay? By then I’ll compensate you—any amount you want.”