Chapter 3

I looked through the peephole.

Standing outside was Simon's sister, Mia West.

She was dressed head to toe in designer labels, her makeup flawless, her face twisted with anger and contempt.

I opened the door.

"Joanna, so you've been hiding out here enjoying yourself."

Mia glanced past me at the luxury suite, her tone sharp and cutting.

"Staying in a place like this with money you took from the West family. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

She tried to push her way in.

I raised a hand and blocked the doorway.

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, the exit's that way."

My tone and the way I stood there caught her off guard.

To her, I had always been compliant and easy to push around.

"You're stopping me?"

Her voice shot up, full of disbelief.

"Joanna, don't push your luck.

"Just because you got divorced doesn't mean you're not connected to the West family. Every dollar you spend comes from my brother, Simon."

I looked at her as if she were a child throwing a tantrum.

"First, I'm divorced from Simon. My name is Quinn now, not West.

"Second, the money I'm spending is legally mine. It has nothing to do with Simon, with you, or with the West family."

Mia's face flushed red with anger.

"That's bullshit. What legal money? It's all Simon's.

"You ungrateful woman. He must have been blind to marry you."

She started hurling insults without restraint.

I listened quietly.

When she finally ran out of steam and stood there catching her breath, I spoke.

"Are you done?"

She froze.

"If you are, I'm closing the door."

I moved to shut it.

"Wait."

Mia quickly shoved her hand against the door.

"I didn't come here to argue."

Her tone shifted, suddenly self-righteous.

"My mom asked me to tell you that you have to attend Simon's birthday party next month."

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You need to explain to everyone that the divorce was your idea, that you were the one making a scene, and that it has nothing to do with Simon.

"The West family can't afford this kind of embarrassment."

I smiled.

"Why should I?"

"Because you're still spending the West family's money."

Mia pulled out a card from her bag and waved it in front of me.

"You're still using this supplementary card, right?

"With a monthly limit in the hundreds of thousands. Haven't you been enjoying it?"

It was a black card, a secondary card.

Simon had given it to me in our second year of marriage.

I'd barely used it.

But I knew Mia had one too, and she maxed it out every month.

"Mia," I said, looking at her. "I think you've got something wrong."

She frowned. "What?"

"I canceled that card this morning."

Her expression froze.

"And there's more."

I pulled out my phone, opened a screenshot, and held it up for her to see.

"Last month, that card racked up one hundred twenty-six thousand dollars in charges.

"Of that, one hundred twenty thousand was spent at luxury stores overseas. Meanwhile, I was in the country the entire time."

Mia's face went pale. "What are you trying to say?"

"It's simple."

I lowered my phone, my voice turning cold.

"You're the one who spent that money.

"It counts as a loss of marital assets.

"By rights, I could demand half of it back from you or from Simon."

"That's nonsense. Simon gave me that money to spend. Why would I owe you anything?"

"But," I cut her off, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'm not going to pursue it."

I looked straight at her, speaking slowly.

"Right now, you're going to leave. Immediately.

"If you don't, I can't promise my lawyer won't send that statement to your company first thing tomorrow morning."

Mia went completely still.

Her lips trembled, but she couldn't get a word out.

She knew what would happen if this reached her workplace. The director position she only held because of the West family wouldn't last.

I didn't look at her again.

I reached out and closed the door.

This time, she didn't try to stop me.

The door shut with a heavy thud.

Silence followed.

I leaned back against the door and let out a long breath.

You can't reason with people like the West family.

You have to be tougher than they are and willing to go further.

My phone rang.

I assumed it was someone from the West family again, but when I glanced at the screen, it was an unfamiliar number.

I hesitated, then answered. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Ms. Quinn?" The voice on the other end was calm and steady.

"Yes, speaking."

"Ms. Quinn, this is Nathaniel Brown, an attorney at law. My employer asked me to contact you. He said the matter you entrusted to us has been completed."

My heart gave a sudden jolt.

So it's done.