"H—He just bought my father’s b—biggest company…” I stammered, watching their faces light up with amusement as they erupted in laughter. It was as if they thought I had lost my mind.“Adrian! Why on earth would you come up with a joke like that? What’s your point?” Nora asked, her voice filled with disbelief.I sank back into the couch again, running my hand through my hair in frustration. How could I possibly convince them that the man Nora had thrown out of our home just a month ago—broken, penniless—had somehow acquired my father’s company? It felt so unreal.“Look, you have to believe me! This morning, I walked into my father’s office, when I saw my father--on his knees, pleading for Ethan’s forgiveness,” I said in a convincing tone, but they both burst into laughter again, this time louder and more mocking, echoing in my ears.My heart ached. I hated being in this position, feeling so vulnerable, so dismissed. It should have been that bastard’s fate to be ridiculed, to be the one

I stepped into Marcus's office, Josh following closely behind me. The air was filled with cigarette smoke as Marcus sat back in his chair, legs crossed. I watched him take a long drag before exhaling slowly, the smoke curling around him.“You said you wanted to see both of us?” Josh asked, his brow furrowed in concern.Marcus nodded, gesturing for us to take a seat. As we settled in, he quenched the cigarette in an ashtray and opened his laptop, turning the screen toward us.“Our Surveillance captured someone we suspect to be Mr. Barnes's daughter,” he said, his tone serious.I frowned. “Who is Mr. Barnes? And what are we supposed to do with his daughter?” I asked curiously.“Mr. Barnes is a partner of Mr. Hannel, the man who killed your father." Josh explained." Yes. And we need you both to spy on her.” Marcus continued.“Spy on her? We’re not even prepared,” I replied, glancing at Josh, who looked calmer than I expected.Marcus clicked a few buttons, and the screen displayed a m

I could feel Lila tense under my arm as the man closed the distance between us.His eyes were dark—no, light blue, but there was darkness in them. He had tattoos all over his body, including his bald head, Making him appear scary.He stood there for a moment, scanning me, as if trying to gauge whether I was a threat or just another random guy he could handle easily.“Who’s this guy?” he asked again, his tone laced with suspicion.“Just a friend,” Lila replied, her voice shaky. It was clear this man made her anxious.I could feel her pulse racing, and I knew I had to keep things cool. “Yeah, we just met, actually,” I said, forcing a relaxed smile. “She has great taste in jewelry.”The man's gaze flicked between us, skepticism etched on his face. “Is that so?” he replied, crossing his arms. “You think you know her well enough to be hanging your arm around her like that?” the man said.“But she isn't complaining," I said, shrugging casually. “No harm in that, right?”Lila shot me a grat

“Who is she?” Lila asked with a frown, her tone tinged with curiosity and concern.“Sh—she’s…” I hesitated, but then decided to play it cool. “Just someone irrelevant,” I said.I turned to Lila, forcing out a smile. “Let’s go.” I said, holding her hands as we followed the manager, leaving Nora behind. Although I could feel Nora’s gaze on me. I was certain she didn’t see this coming.NORA’S POV.I can’t believe this, No! This can’t be true! Adrian can’t be right.Ethan? How could it be him? Why does he look so different? Richer, wealthier. And who the hell is that girl!God! No! This can’t be happening. How is it even possible? I mean, I was sure he was broke! He had no single dime. What the hell is he doing here looking like that?No! I have to find out! I fucking need answers!MEANWHILE….ETHAN’S POV.Once we were seated, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Seeing Nora downstairs almost ruined everything. But thankfully, mastering my emotions and not letting it get the best of me

I frowned, taken aback. “Excuse me? You’re my ex-wife. You divorced me months ago. What do you mean you have rights to my properties?”Nora's expression hardened, and she stepped closer, her voice low. “You really don’t understand, do you? The divorce wasn’t real. It was just a way to get you out of the house.”I blinked, trying to process her words. “What are you saying?”She took a deep breath, her eyes locking on mine. “We’re still legally married, Ethan. I never filed the final papers. I just wanted you gone.”A rush of confusion and anger surged through me, but I tried to hold it in. “You truly are shameless to stand in front of me and rumble this rubbish. Well, married or not, you have no rights to a dime. And trust me, you can try all you want; it’s going to be entertaining watching you fail. Gold digger,” I said, and with that, I turned to leave.How foolish of her to think she could threaten me with my wealth. How naive of her to believe she could still control me like she us