Chapter 4
Two days later, Felix called.
"Rebecca, the news checks out. Looks like we really can work together. Welcome aboard as vice president at Abrams Group. Looking forward to a great partnership," he said.
The offer was even more generous than I'd expected.
I smiled to myself. Alright, the first step was in the bag.
After hanging up, I called Winston Cole, the best divorce lawyer in town.
"Winston, I need you to draft a divorce agreement. I want fifty percent of Carter's shares in Sullivan Group, plus every piece of real estate and all the cash we own together," I said.
Carter and I started from scratch, scraping by on sandwiches in a dingy basement. Every single cent was earned with my sweat and tears.
In my previous life, I was weak, died without a clue, without justice. This time, I was taking back everything that's mine, and the life he owed me, I would make him pay for it, one piece at a time.
Just as I was getting settled and reaching out to my old contacts, Carter was already blowing up my phone.
His voice was frantic and pissed.
He snapped, "Rebecca, where the hell have you disappeared to? Only you can get through to Mr. Murphy. Get your ass back here and apologize to him. Sign that contract at the original price, or else—"
I cut him off, cool as ice, "Carter, I already resigned. You signed my resignation letter. Whether the company lives or dies, it's got nothing to do with me anymore."
There was a stunned silence on the other end for a few seconds.
He sneered, "Resigned? Are you kidding me, Rebecca? Have you lost your mind?
"You're throwing a fit over something so petty? You want a divorce? Fine, then you'll leave with nothing but the clothes on your back. Don't even dream of getting a single penny.
"A woman like you is nothing without me. Let's see how long you last on your own."
His voice dripped with contempt, like I was just some old clothes he could toss out whenever he felt like it.
I listened in silence, my heart numb. I really had put him on a pedestal for too long.
Not long after, an even bigger opportunity came knocking.
The whole industry had its eyes on the upcoming auction for revolutionary battery technology.
In my previous life, Felix and Carter both got caught up in the hype.
I managed to talk Carter out of it, but Felix went all in and won the bid. In the end, the core data was a sham, and the Abrams Group nearly went bankrupt from the fallout.
Before the auction, I looked Felix seriously in the eye and said, "Mr. Abrams, we need to walk away from this project."
Felix frowned.
"Why? It's got huge potential," he said.
"Data can be faked," I replied, looking him straight in the eye. "Its stability data is seriously flawed, and the launch will be delayed indefinitely.
"Carter will probably bid up to 30 million. When that happens, just make your move and acquire Linshine Components, the soft spot in his finances."
Felix was still doubtful, but in the end, he agreed.
At the auction, Carter and Serena were hell-bent on winning. They wanted to use this to revive Sullivan Group's reputation and show off Carter's own strength.
After several rounds of bidding, Carter finally clinched the deal for a jaw-dropping 30 million dollars, way above market value.
The room erupted in applause, and plenty of people shot him envious or congratulatory looks.
Carter stood up, looking like he owned the place. He even made a point of linking arms with Serena as he strutted over to me and Felix, his face practically glowing with pride.
"Rebecca, see that? That's what real ambition and guts look like. From now on, the gap between us is only going to get wider," he said.
Serena flashed a sweet smile and tossed in, "Well, what can you say? If you can't see the big picture, you're just dead weight."
With a cool smile, I raised my glass.
"Congrats, Mr. Sullivan. Hope that 30 million turns out to be money well spent," I said.
Just then, a breaking news alert blared from the big screen TV.
[Breaking News: The 'Next-Gen Battery' project, originally set to be approved today, has been found to have suspected falsified core experimental data.
[Authorities have launched an investigation, and the commercialization process has been indefinitely suspended effective immediately.]
The news hit the room like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the entire hall.
The once-bustling hall fell into dead silence in an instant.
Carter's smug grin froze on his face, his expression turning very pale.
Carter suddenly grabbed Serena's arm, his whole body shaking.
"No way. This has to be corporate sabotage. Get someone to look into this, now," he shouted.
But official news didn't just make things up.
Just like that, 30 million down the drain.
Carter shot me a look, his eyes wild and bloodshot.