Chapter 2

I stared into his eyes, searching for a hint of guilt or even a flicker of hesitation.

But there was only stubbornness and anger.

I suddenly felt tired, utterly exhausted.

Too weary for more of his pathetic excuses, I simply turned and walked away.

"Avery!" Liam called after me, a trace of panic in his voice. "Where are you going?"

I didn't look back.

That evening, I sat on the terrace, sipping wine. Liam returned.

"Avery." His voice was softer than before, dripping with forced tenderness. "It's a bit chilly out here. Come inside."

I didn't move, just stared at the dark ocean outside the window.

He sighed, walked to my side, and reached out to take the wine glass from my hand.

I subtly shifted, avoiding his touch. His fingers hovered awkwardly in the air for a few seconds.

"Come on, Avery." He spoke softly. "We need to talk calmly, really talk."

Only then did I look up at him.

I put down my glass, stood up, and walked past him towards the room.

"Fine. Let's discuss the divorce settlement."

"Avery!" He rushed after me, grabbing my wrist. "What do you want from me? You know how much I love you. I don't want a divorce!"

I stopped, turning to face him directly.

"It's simple if you don't want a divorce."

"Fire Chloe Davies immediately, and promise you'll never have any contact with her again."

"Can you do that?"

The expression on his face instantly froze. He released my hand and took a half-step back.

His brows were tightly furrowed.

"Just because she's my assistant, you want me to fire someone so indispensable to the company?"

"Indispensable?" I scoffed. "She hasn't closed a single deal on her own since she started six months ago. She only keeps her job because she orbits around you."

"Liam, you're not a fool, and you're not a child. Stop acting naive."

His cheeks flushed crimson with anger. "You're being overly sensitive! Chloe is diligent and responsible. This merger would be impossible without her..."

"Without her, it wouldn't stop you from doing your job just fine."

I cut him off without ceremony.

"But you chose to let her insinuate herself into every corner of our lives."

"Our anniversary? You brought her along."

"Our dinner dates? She's at the next table."

"Now, even when we're talking by our bed, you still defend her."

Liam's chest rose and fell rapidly, a faint tremor running through him with each breath.

"You don't understand." He still tried to explain. "That's just how company work is. I need her assistance."

My voice grew louder. "Liam, I'm not asking for your opinion right now."

"Either she goes, or we're done."

"There's no third option."

His eyes widened, seemingly surprised by my unwavering stance.

Suddenly, the shrill ring of his phone shattered the tense silence.

Liam quickly walked to the bedside table. He glanced at the caller ID, and a visible tension seized him.

I didn't need to guess. It was Chloe.

After answering, his expression quickly morphed from worry into outright panic. "What? You fell? How serious is it?"

"...Okay, I'll be right there."

He hung up, snatched a jacket, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas, and headed for the door.

"Liam." My voice was terrifyingly calm. "If you walk out that door today, we're getting a divorce immediately."

His hand was already on the doorknob. He froze.

Time seemed to stand still. I could hear the pounding of my own heart.

Three seconds, five seconds.

He turned, his eyes holding a look I'd never seen before, utterly alien.

"Avery, don't be like this." His voice was pleading. "Chloe really got hurt. This isn't back home; she's alone with no one to care for her. She's helpless..."

"So?"

I straightened up.

"The hotel has doctors, staff, even ambulances.

"She's not a three-year-old, and you're not her dad."

"Are you saying only you can take care of her?"

Liam: "But she fell because she was working overtime..."

"Choose, Liam." I cut him off. "Now. Immediately."

His lips trembled, and a flicker of emotion I couldn't quite decipher crossed his eyes.

Finally, he took a deep breath, as if making a grim decision.

"I'm sorry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

The night wind swept away my last trace of hesitation.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"Mr. Miller, regarding the divorce settlement, let's discuss it in detail when I return to New York tomorrow."