Chapter 4

Keegan’s thirtieth birthday banquet was hosted at the city’s most luxurious hotel.

There were exactly twenty-seven days left until the marital agreement expired.

Dressed in a bespoke suit, Keegan looked far from pleased, clearly still troubled by what had transpired the previous night.

Beside him, Reyna wore custom jewelry that should have belonged to Mrs. Armstrong, asking softly, "Karla, what birthday gift did you prepare for Keegan?"

The surrounding guests turned curious glances toward us.

In the past two years, to celebrate Keegan’s birthday, I would spend half a month preparing gifts and a banquet in advance. Yet he wouldn't even spare them a glance, turning around instead to take Reyna overseas to watch a laser show.

"Of course I brought a gift."

I offered a faint smile and, before everyone, pulled an exquisitely wrapped box from my bag and presented it.

Keegan snorted softly, a trace of smugness and relief flickering in his eyes.

However, as he tore open the packaging in public, the expression on his face shattered completely.

Lying inside the box was a heavily worn, old men’s watch.

It was a piece of junk he had casually tossed by the entryway a while ago, claiming it was "outdated."

I had merely spent a few dollars having the doorman polish it up before repackaging it.

"Karla, what is the meaning of this?"

Keegan’s face turned pale with rage. He slammed the box heavily onto the ground, shattering the watch face to pieces.

"Tricking me with trash I threw away? Are you trying to humiliate me!"

"What is Mr. Armstrong getting so worked up about?" I looked at the shattered pieces by my feet, my expression indifferent.

"To you, this watch might be outdated trash, but at least it accompanied you through several years."

"Just like our marriage—once it’s outdated, it should be thrown into the trash bin."

"You..." Keegan’s breath caught heavily, his eyes turning bloodshot.

I didn't give him a chance to vent. Pulling out pre-prepared documents, I walked straight to the center of the main stage in the banquet hall.

"Everyone, today is Mr. Armstrong’s birthday. There are still twenty-seven days left until our divorce takes effect, but I can't wait that long."

I displayed the documents on the big screen, showing clearly a draft of the Divorce Agreement along with bank statements showing Keegan’s unauthorized transfers of marital assets to companies under Reyna’s name over the past two years.

"My goodness, how could Mr. Armstrong be this kind of person!"

"No wonder Mrs. Armstrong wants a divorce. Anyone would be completely chilled by this!"

"Twenty-seven days left? She’s completely tearing off the mask!"

Reyna’s face turned deathly pale from fright, her wine glass slipping and smashing on the floor. "Keegan, explain quickly!"

"Karla, shut your mouth!"

Keegan rushed onto the stage, snatched the microphone, and slammed it to the floor. He gripped my shoulders tightly with force enough to swallow me alive.

"You’re insane! You actually calculated against me at my own birthday party?"

Keegan’s voice trembled violently as he tried to find a single trace of jealousy in my eyes. "You planned this long ago, didn't you? What on earth did you take me for?"

I looked at him quietly, my eyes void of hatred or resentment, containing only endless coldness and disgust.

I extended my fingers, peeling his hands off my shoulders word by word.

"Mr. Armstrong, you ask what I took you for?"

"In my eyes, you are nothing more than a bad debt... that I must fully settle after finishing my three-year shift here."

"With twenty-seven days remaining, we will settle it slowly."

With that, I brushed his hands away.