Chapter 2
But I knew.
If it weren't for our relationship, I probably wouldn't be the deputy director.
She wanted to say that.
Three years ago, NovaTech was still squeezed into a small office in the tech park. I spent eleven months writing over a million lines of RTL code, designing the architecture of the first chip from scratch, and getting it ready for production.
I accompanied her to every foundry in the city, entertaining clients until midnight, to secure the first mass production contract. I invested all my savings from the last six years to fill the last hole in the company's accounts.
Now the company was listed. It was worth 110 billion dollars.
I became the one who received special treatment.
Natalie changed the subject. "Tonight, Mom wants us to have dinner at home. Make sure you're on time. Don't go empty-handed. She has been into collagen peptides lately, so pick up two boxes."
I didn't respond.
She added, "Also, Dad's birthday party is next month, and it's set at the Park Hyatt. I've put together a gift list, so follow that when the time comes."
She pulled an envelope from her desk drawer and slid it over to me. "Here's 3,000 dollars. Use it to buy that collagen peptides Mom likes, and use the rest to get yourself a decent outfit.
"Those cheap clothes you buy online don't look good in front of the family."
The envelope was white.
The NovaTech logo was stamped on the front.
"No need," I said. "I've got my own."
Natalie paused, then gave a faint smile, as if she'd heard a joke that wasn't funny. "Charles, don't act tough. I know exactly what you earn, and you know how little is left after your loans are paid every month."
She paused.
"One more thing. Our prenuptial agreement expires next month. The lawyer already drafted the renewal. Look it over and sign it tonight," she added.
The prenuptial agreement was drawn up by her lawyer before we got married. It was forty-two pages.
Our assets were kept totally apart. NovaTech's shares were off-limits to me. Whatever we made during the marriage was ours alone. If we split up, I'd walk away with nothing.
When I signed it three years ago, it didn't bother me.
Because I loved her, back then.
I looked up. "Ms. Grant, what if I don't sign the renewal?"
The only sound in the office was the low hum of the air conditioning.
The faint smile on Natalie's face vanished.
She looked at me. "What did you say?"
"I'm not going to sign the renewal," I said.
She stared at me for about ten seconds, then suddenly let out a short, disbelieving laugh, not that faint smile from before, but a laugh that said she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
She leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk. "Do you know what it means if you don't sign the renewal?
"If you don't sign, that's divorce. According to the agreement, you won't get a single cent. And I'll have to rethink your position at NovaTech. Where do you think you'll end up without NovaTech, without me?
"The house you live in? I bought it before we got married. The car you drive? It belongs to the company. Your bank account? I checked it now, only 28 dollars."
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear.
She added, "You're thirty-one, Charles. Stop acting like a kid."
I looked at her.
The face I'd been staring at for three years.
And suddenly, she felt like a complete stranger to me.
She said, "Just go to dinner tonight like usual. Mom is not in good health, so don't make a scene. I'll have Samuel bring the agreement over. Just sign it and keep things as usual.
"You can go now. I've got a call at three." She went back to the report.
I got up and headed for the door. "Ms. Grant."
"Yes?" she replied.
"Did you sign off on Samuel's 900,000 dollar year-end bonus?"
Natalie's hand paused. "That's none of your business."
I asked, "An assistant with a 200,000 dollar salary, and his year-end bonus is almost five times that? Seriously?"
"Did the board actually sign off on that, or was it a special CEO override?" I turned around and looked at her.
Natalie didn't say a word.
But she set the report down a bit quicker than before.
She said, "Charles, you're talking a lot today."
"Maybe I am. I've been bottling this up for three years." I pulled the door open.
Samuel was coming down the hallway toward me.
He had a coffee in hand, his smile right, walking at an easy pace. When he spotted me, he made a point to stop.
"Deputy director Reed, finished already?"
He put extra emphasis on the words "deputy director."
"Yeah," I replied.
"Ms. Grant wanted me to set up a ride for Vivian's family dinner. What time should I have the driver pick you up?"
He was already in the loop about the family dinner.
He called her Vivian.
"No thanks, I'll go on my own," I said.