Chapter 3

"I even went and got a nutritionist certificate so I could look after him better. All his health stats are in the healthy range," I said.

"Plus, if you can't even feel the bones in his hands, then it's probably obesity you should be worried about, not malnutrition."

Viola glared at me when I talked back. "Still got the nerve to talk back? Who even knows if that so-called certificate of yours is legit? Even as his own mother, you're not as good to Hadley as some outsider."

I picked up on that keyword right away and narrowed my eyes.

"You know the homewrecker?" I asked.

She froze for a moment, then her face shifted to a whatever expression.

"So you already know? Well, no point hiding it. She's my new daughter-in-law, a chief designer. She's a big deal.

"Someone like her can actually help my son, unlike you, just dead weight taking up space.

"Why don't you just divorce my son and save us all the embarrassment?" Viola sneered.

Just as she finished, Derick walked back in.

He took in the scene, instantly figuring out what was going on. With a cold look, he pulled the divorce papers from his bag and handed them to me.

"Since everything's out in the open, let's not waste any more time. Just sign the papers. Don't make this harder than it needs to be," he said.

Damn, he really came prepared. So, he must've been scheming this all along.

I took the divorce papers, gave them just one look, and burst out laughing.

That asshole actually wanted me to walk away with nothing. Unbelievable.

"Derick, we've been married for twenty years. Everything you have now, we built together, side by side.

"And now that you've found someone new, you just want to toss me aside like yesterday's trash?" I waved the papers in his face, glaring at him.

Derick turned his face away, guilt written all over him.

"You're unemployed right now. I'm not even making you pay child support for Hadley. Consider that me being generous," he said coldly.

His words hit me like a slap in the face. How could I have been so blind to end up with such a cold-blooded bastard?

I slammed the divorce papers down on the table.

"Derick, marital assets are split fifty-fifty. Don't tell me you're seriously that clueless about the law," I snapped.

Before Derick could say a word, Viola jumped in, her voice shrill.

"I knew it. You're just a greedy woman, always trying to get something for free. Dream on!" she snapped.

"Listen up, my son's already put everything under my name. Go ahead and take it to court. It won't get you anywhere!"

Hadley jumped in, shooting me a look of pure disgust.

"Mom, hasn't Dad supported you all these years? You never made any money yourself, and now you've got the nerve to try to take his assets?" he sneered.

Looked like they'd been plotting for ages just to make sure I got kicked out with nothing.

They really went to a lot of trouble for this.

I clenched my fists, barely holding myself back from losing it right then and there.

Derick, who'd been trying to stay invisible this whole time, finally spoke up.

"Zoe, don't blame me. She's Irene Swanson, the designer behind that hit Ode to the Emerald line. You know how insanely popular that is," he said, sounding smug.

"With her talent, she's a much better fit than you, both as my wife and as Hadley's mom."

Back when Hadley was born, he didn't want to deal with the hassle of taking care of the family, so he tricked me into becoming a full-time housewife.

But he was always acting like the good guy, swooping in to coddle Hadley and undermine me every time I tried to lay down the law.

Now that the company was stable and Hadley'd grown up, he just wanted to trade me in for someone better.

He wanted it all, never even thinking if he could actually handle it.

Seeing me hesitate, Hadley, the little traitor, was the first to get annoyed.

"Why are you still stalling? Just sign the damn papers and get out already. My dad's new mom is way better than you ever were!" he snapped.

Furious, but unable to hold back a mocking laugh, I snatched up the divorce papers and pointed them right at Hadley.

"Fine, I'll sign, but I want to sever all ties with him first," I said coldly, my eyes locked on my son.

Derick hesitated for a moment, but Hadley shot up from his seat before he could even react.

"Go ahead, cut me off. You think I care about being your son?" Hadley spat, his tone full of contempt.

Without missing a beat, he spun around to Derick, his voice rising.