Chapter 83: See You at the Court

“Listen carefully, Owen Vates. The world is at your fingertips as long as you remain my husband. I won’t bat an eye, even if you want to buy a yacht or a private jet.”

“Money is nothing to me. Twenty million dollars? How about I offer you one hundred million dollars in exchange for you dropping the topic of divorce?”

Inaly collapsed from sheer anger. “Do you think you can do anything just because you’re rich? I don’t care for one hundred million dollars—”

I suddenly raced when I said the number aloud: one hundred million dollars. I hesitated. I started resenting myself for being poor. Why couldn’t I be a filthy rich as Yvette Jenning?

“So, how do you plan to hamster the money? Is it going to be lump-sum or annually?”

A victorious smile appeared on her lips when she noticed my sudden change in attitude.

“I’m paying you two million dollars per year. It’s up to you how you want it—gold?”

Never had I thought I could make this much money in my life. Even if I worked my head off for a year, all I could earn was a million dollars.

Suddenly, I became much more agreeable. Still, I shot her a doubtful look. “Now that you are back in the country, I’m—me you noticed you were in love with Randall. What’s wrong with you? Why did you refuse to divorce me and instead entice me with one hundred million dollars? Are there any hidden conditions?”

Was Randall so badly injured that I had to take care of him? But that had nothing to do with the divorce.

“Yes. There’s one condition.” Yvette calmly straightened her clothes before she entered a negotiation with me. “Firstly, you need to move in with me. You need to go back to do what you’ve—”

She wanted me to be her nanny and cook, it seemed, but I didn’t mind being her servant for one hundred million dollars.

I asked, “What’s the second condition?”

“Second, we need to get along like a married couple. You can’t say no to me.”

What did that mean? Stunned, I took a second look at her, wondering if she was joking with me. Then, I questioned, “Are you hoping for a child?”

This all felt improbable. In our past lives, Yvette never wanted anything romantic or intimate with me. Yet, she openly asked me for it now. What had gotten into her?

She smirked. “Wanting sex doesn’t mean I want children. Who are you, a saint I can’t even touch?”

“But you’ve income. We’re discussing divorce; even if you try to salvage the marriage with money, you shouldn’t be thinking of sleeping with me. I won’t stop you from satisfying your sexual needs elsewhere, as long as you don’t touch me.”

A scowl marred her face. “What are you talking about?”

I could be a nanny or do anything she wanted, including taking care of all, if she paid me one hundred million dollars. Even natens joked that they would take care of their husbands’ mistresses if they were paid a million dollars a month. The difference between me and them was our gender. Of course, I’d do anything if someone paid me one hundred million dollars a month.

That was how pathetic I was. There were many ways to cut off ties with the Le— I could do anything she asked me to, as long as we were not romantically involved. In fact, I would see her as an employer. I could tolerate any shit she pulled if I could make bank. However, I drew the line at sleeping with her.

I had a hunch why Yvette suggested it; maybe she was lonely, or maybe she was frustrated with Randall. In our past lives, she had slept with me many times after she got into a huge row with Randall. I had no reason to believe otherwise. She must have needed to release her frustrations on a man before Randall fell in love with her.

The realization jolted me awake from the money trap. My anger sharpened as I faced her. “I’ll agree to your first condition, but not the second. You’re rich, Yvette. For a million dollars, you could hire gigolos or even a celebrity. They’d line up to please you—not me.”

She watched me in silence. I stood up with my head held high, towering over her. “Yvette, since we can’t sort this out in private, I’ll see you at the court.”

“Listen carefully. I will divorce you in this life, no matter what it takes!”

Her head snapped up, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh, the court? Are you going to sue me?” she sneered. “I thought you respected and liked my grandpa. Yet here you are, ready to drag his beloved granddaughter into court. Does it really have to end this way?”

Before this, I had carefully thought of a way to divorce Yvette amicably out of respect for Alex. A court case would humiliate the Jenning family, which was a prestigious name untarnished by scandals. None of the Jenning family members had ever gotten into trouble with the law, and they enjoyed a great reputation as a result. Even Twitte’s father was famously loyal to her.

Keeping my calm, I continued, “You forced me into this. If you had kept your promise and talked to me civilly about the divorce, we wouldn’t be here.”

She closed her eyes as her breathing became heavier. “Fine. Sue me. I would like to see the excuse you use to divorce me.”

Her eyes snapped open, cold and sharp. “And I’d love to see which lawyer dares to take your case!”

“We’ll see,” I said coolly, turning to leave.

“Wait,” she snapped. “Give me back the bank card.”

I froze. Her voice turned mocking. “I gave you that card for your expenses, not to spend on another woman or to fund a divorce case against me.”

She had probably received the transaction notifications for her card. When I’d arrived back in the country, I’d used her card to buy something for myself as well as a gift for Lila.

No wonder she hadn’t called me once. She had to have been furious. Maybe that was why she had suddenly changed her mind about the divorce.

How typical. Women always wanted what they couldn’t have.

Laughing bitterly, I pulled my wallet out from my pocket and hurled the card at her. “Here! Take it back, you stingy, infuriating woman! You pretend to be generous, but you’re just a hypocrite.”