Chapter 3
"Who was the one pulling strings for you, getting you those crucial deals before your company went public?" I asked.
"Without me, without the Pollard family, what would you even be now?" I added.
With every word I said, Jonathan's face grew even paler.
These were the parts of his past he never wanted to admit to, the things he wished he could erase.
"Let me make this clear. You won't get a single penny from the company, and I'm going to sue you for cheating during our marriage, fraud, and bigamy!" I said.
"Oh, and Miss Huber, don't think you're getting away with anything," I added.
I turned to Courtney and continued, "As the homewrecker, you tore apart a family and tried to use your pregnancy to grab a fortune.
"Trust me, the lawyers will be more than happy to tell you just how much trouble you're in," I said.
Courtney's sobs cut off abruptly.
She stared at me in terror, like I was a wild beast unleashed.
Jonathan was in full panic mode.
He knew I wasn't bluffing.
If I really blew this up, he'd lose it all, maybe even wind up in jail.
He collapsed to his knees in front of me.
"Ashlynn, I messed up! Please, just give me one last chance!" Jonathan pleaded.
"I was completely fooled by this woman! She was the one who came after me!" he cried desperately.
He turned and jabbed a finger at Courtney, trying to shove all the blame onto her.
"It was her! She said she was pregnant with my child, and I just lost my head and did something stupid!" he wailed.
"Ashlynn, we've been together for three years. Please, can't you give me another chance?" Jonathan pleaded.
Watching Jonathan kneel on the floor, sobbing and groveling like a beaten dog, I felt nothing but pure disgust.
This was the guy I threw everything away for in my last life?
I must've been blind.
Courtney never saw it coming when Jonathan turned on her. She was so furious, she was shaking.
"Jonathan, you bastard!" Courtney shouted. "You were the one chasing after me! You told me you didn't care about Ashlynn, that you'd divorce her soon!"
"And now that everything's blown up, you're dumping all the blame on me?" she snapped.
The two of them got into a screaming match, the whole scene devolving into chaos.
I just watched, stone-faced, until my phone rang.
I answered. It was my lawyer, Colton Pittman, and his team had arrived.
"Mr. Pittman, come on up," I said.
"Kick these two homewreckers out, both of them," I ordered.
Colton and his team were lightning fast.
In less than ten minutes, three sharp-suited lawyers showed up at my door.
Colton, leading the pack, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and took in the chaos in the living room, not even blinking.
"Ms. Pollard, what do you need us to do?" Colton asked.
I pointed at Jonathan and Courtney, who were still locked in a messy brawl on the floor.
"Get these two out of here," I said. "And draft the divorce suit. I want Jonathan to leave with nothing, and he needs to pay me 30 million dollars for emotional and reputational damages."
"And as for Miss Huber, file a fraud lawsuit against her," I added.
That was 30 million dollars.
The number made Jonathan stop fighting instantly. He snapped his head up, his eyes wild and red.
"Ashlynn, are you crazy? Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?" Jonathan yelled.
I looked down on him, completely in control.
"You might not have it, but the Black family does," I shot back.
"Add up your company's value and all the Black family's real estate. You'll scrape it together," I added.
"Of course, you could always refuse to pay," I said.
I paused, flashing a cold smile.
I said, "Then I'll blast it all over the city that you got a vasectomy but still managed to knock up your mistress. Let everyone see how the great Mr. Black ended up as the biggest joke in town."
"So, tell me, how many millions do you think the Black family's stock will lose when that hits the news?" I sneered.
Jonathan was shaking like a leaf.
He knew I wasn't bluffing.
If this got out, he and his whole family would be the laughingstock of the city.
He'd be totally screwed.
Colton's team was already moving. Two bodyguards grabbed Jonathan from either side and hauled him up off the floor.
Jonathan was still making one last desperate plea, struggling as the bodyguards hauled him away.
"Ashlynn, please! We've been married for three years. You can't just throw me out like this!" he begged.
"Married?" I snorted.
I almost laughed out loud at his audacity.
"The moment you dragged your mistress and her illegitimate kid into my home, all that was left between us was nothing but hatred," I spat.
Jonathan was forcibly dragged out, still struggling to break free.
Courtney slumped to the ground, looking utterly defeated and ashen-faced.
She knew she was done for.
Just then, the sharp click of high heels came from outside.
Jonathan's mother, Phoebe Garrett, my mother-in-law, stormed in, all fired up.
"Stop! What are you doing? Who the hell dares touch my son?" Phoebe shouted.