Chapter 5
Whitney was seething. With an angry scoff, she growled, "You've got some nerve, Simon. One might get the wrong impression and think you're the CEO of Stuart Group instead!
"Since you're apparently so capable and so eager to play the hero saving the damsel in distress, then fine—I'll grant your wish! Here at Stuart Group, we have no interest in keeping useless trash around you. You can join her. Pack your things and get lost!"
I narrowed my eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
With a malicious smirk, Zach threw a document at my face.
"You kissed another woman right in front of Ms. Stuart and humiliated her in public. What makes you think you can keep living off her? Didn't your parents ever teach you basic human decency?"
So this was what they were after.
Chuckling, I looked at Whitney and Zach. "Basic human decency?"
I paused, my gaze turning sharp.
"A CEO who kisses her subordinate passionately in public and a scheming assistant who relies on ass-kissing to get ahead, all the while seducing a married woman, are trying to lecture me about being decent? What gives you two the right, huh?"
"You!"
Whitney and Zach's expressions changed instantly.
"Don't even try to slander us with these ridiculous accusations, Simon!" Zach immediately fired back at me. "Ms. Stuart and I have a perfectly innocent relationship! You're the one with a filthy mind. Do you think we're all as depraved as you are?"
"Innocent, you say?"
I was even more amused now.
"Mr. Green, do you need me to remind you how long you stayed in Whitney's private lounge at the office last Friday night, after heading in there at 11:00 pm?
"Or the time you snuck into Whitney's room in the middle of the night during the company retreat last month? Should I tell everyone who the father of the baby Whitney accidentally miscarried last year was?"
"That's all bullshit!" Zach's face turned ghostly pale as he cut me off sharply. "Stop coming up with these wild lies, Simon! I can sue you for defamation, you know!"
Whitney panicked as well, screaming hysterically, "Shut the hell up, Simon! Say one more word, and I'll rip your tongue out!"
"You two know perfectly well if I'm just spouting so-called lies." I eyed them frostily.
"Whitney, I've tolerated you for a very long time. Did you really think you did such a good job hiding all your dirty little secrets? Did you seriously believe that I'm one of those blind, idiotic husbands you see in soap operas, the ones who have no clue their wives are cheating on them?"
My gaze swept across the room, taking in the people who'd loudly called for me to be reported to the police.
"I haven't forgotten about the rest of you. You're all pretending to be such righteous and decent people when you're just sucking up to those in power and trampling anyone beneath you. Do you think Stuart Group got where it is today because of parasites like you?"
"Simon Lockwood! You've gone too far!"
One of the senior executives who had always disliked me slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
"You're just a useless piece of trash leeching off a woman! How dare you run your mouth here? Stuart Group belongs to Ms. Stuart. It has nothing to do with you, so get the hell out now!"
"Scram!"
"Get lost!"
"Security! Where's security? Have them throw him out!"
The crowd was in an uproar again, directing all of their hostility at me.
Whitney's expression flashed with malice and satisfaction as she watched while I was subjected to everyone's anger.
"See this, Simon? This is what happens when you offend me! If you get on your knees and apologize right now, maybe I'll consider letting you continue being one of my family's dogs. Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't survive anywhere in this entire city of Jessadorf!"
As I stared at Whitney's face, which was now contorted in arrogance and triumph, it felt completely unfamiliar to me. Out of nowhere, I was hit with a sense of overwhelming exhaustion.
Throughout our three years of marriage, I'd repeatedly compromised and put up with her nonsense, only for her to cross the line even further with the way she humiliated me and betrayed me.
I pulled my phone out and made a call. "Hey, it's me. Have him come over with the document. Bring it to me now. Yes, right this minute."
After ending the call, I ignored the scathing and humiliating remarks that were still being thrown at me. With a calm expression, I looked at Whitney and said, "You want a divorce, right, Whitney? Well, you're getting one today."
Whitney froze, clearly not expecting me to bring up divorce first. But within the very next moment, she looked positively thrilled, though her elation was soon replaced by suspicion.
"Divorce? Hah! So you've finally decided to stop pretending, huh, Simon? You want a divorce? Fine, but don't even dream about taking a single cent from the Stuart family! Don't think you get rich by cashing in on the divorce settlement!
"In fact, since you've been spending our money all these years, you need to pay us back!"
My lips curled. The Stuart family's money, huh?
Everything they had was mine to begin with.
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