Because all that was left was disappointment...


    Timothy stood up and said, "I''ll go draft the divorce papers. Please wait here."


    Then he told Mabel to bring in some tea and snacks.


    He walked into his study, turned on hisptop, and began typing up the agreement, his movements slow and deliberate.


    He decided to give Jessica half of all his assets.


    Since his holdings were extensive, listing everything out took considerable time.


    Halfway through, the representatives from the disability and women''s advocacy groups received an urgent call—they had to leave. Before going, one of them turned to Vince and Jessica. "Mr. Lawson is being very cooperative tonight and is already preparing the divorce agreement. We have an emergency to attend to, but if anything elsees up, please contact us right away."


    Jessica didn''t want them to leave. She knew Timothy wasn''t to be trusted.


    But they really did have official duties to get to, so there was no choice but to let them go.


    Not long after the advocacy staff departed, Vince''s phone rang.


    It was the butler.


    "Sir, you need toe home right away-Grandfather just copsed, and he''s in the ambnce now!"


    Vince''s voice tightened with worry. "How did that happen? Was he feeling ill?"


    "I''m not sure. It happened so suddenly."


    Vince was the only one at home with his grandfather. There was no one else he could call on. With his grandfather being rushed to the hospital for emergency care, he knew he had to go.


    But Jessica...


    He was deeply uneasy about leaving her alone at The Gilded Whisper Estates.


    Just then, Timothy emerged from the study, holding the freshly printed divorce agreement in his hand.


    Seeing that everything was ready, Vince pressed, "Timothy, just sign it already."


    It wouldn''t take long-once Timothy signed, Vince could take Jessica with him.


    But before he could say more, Vince''s phone rang again.


    This time, it was someone from hispany.


    The Zimmerman Group''s emerce tform had suffered a major system failure and was


    identally giving away mass


    promocredits. It was already trending online, and thousands of users were flooding in to take advantage. In just thirty minutes, losses had already reached nearly twenty million dors.


    If this wasn''t resolved immediately, the consequences by morning would be disastrous.


    Vince shot Timothy a cold, piercing look.


    Timothy met his gaze with cool


    indifference, casually waving the et


    divorce papers. "Don''t worry. I''l discuss the details with Jessy, just the


    two of us."


    His calm tone carried a subtle, unmistakable threat.


    Vince''s mind raced, torn between urgent responsibilities.


    Jessica, having seen Timothy''s maniptions before, quickly pieced together what was happening. She typed a message on her phone and showed it to Vince: "Go take care of


    your emergencies. I can handle myself."


    If Timothy tried anything, she''d fight him tooth and nail.


    "Jessy..." Vince''s voice was thick with concern.


    Jessica offered him a reassuring smile and turned her phone so he could read the message again.


    "I''ll be fine. Go do what you need to do."


    It was only then that Timothy seemed to realize-Jessica hadn''t smiled at him in a very long time.


    His heart sank deeper still.


    Vince shot Timothy onest withering re before finally hurrying off to deal with his crises.


    In an instant, everyone was gone.


    The living room of the mansion was left cold and silent.


    "Mabel," Timothy called out.


    She hurried in.


    "Everyone can go rest for the night," he told her.


    The staff quietly slipped out to the back of the house, leaving the grand estate emptier and quieter than ever.


    Timothy sank onto the sofa, every inch the poised, elegant man ustomed to power. His deep, shadowed eyes locked onto Jessica''s face.


    For several long minutes, the silence between them was absolute.