Violet had always insisted: whenever Dad and Mom were together, she must sit between them-only then would people think she was a happy, well-loved child.


    Gwh thought Violet had a point. Buttely, she couldn''t help noticing that Dad seemed to have lost interest in her. He was always glued to Mom''s side.


    She wanted so badly to squeeze herself in between them, but Dad wouldn''t allow


    it.


    "What do you want to eat? I''ll get it for you," McNeil said, ignoring his daughter as he sat close beside Victoria, focused solely on looking after her.


    Victoria quietly tasted a bite of her food, never meeting McNeil''s eyes.


    He acted as if nothing had happened today—as if she hadn''t sued him in court just hours before.


    What truly baffled Victoria was that, even though he''d skipped the hearing, he coulde home and cook dinner for her and Gwh as if nothing was amiss.


    With their daughter at the table, Victoria knew she couldn''t bring up the divorce. No need to risk unsettling a child''s heart and mind.


    After all, at just five years old, Gwh probably had no real grasp of what divorce even meant.


    McNeil never touched his own food, spending the whole meal serving Victoria and their daughter-pouring drinks, peeling shrimp, seeing to their every need. At one point, when he noticed a bit of soup at the corner of Victoria''s lips, he instinctively reached for a napkin, halfway to dabbing her mouth before seeming to remember something. He paused, then simply handed her the napkin.


    "Here. Wipe your mouth," he said, gesturing toward her lips.


    Victoria took the napkin without thinking. After she finished, she murmured, "Thank you."


    McNeil faltered, the faintest flicker passing through his dark eyes before all emotion receded. He picked up his wine ss, took a sip, and set it down.


    "Is there really nothing else left for us to talk about?" he asked quietly.


    Victoria stilled, her fork midway to her mouth. At that moment, Gwh set down her own fork, announcing, "Mom, Dad, I''m going upstairs to y. Don''t forget to call me when it''s time for birthday candles!"


    Dad had said she had to wait until midnight to blow out her candles, but since tomorrow was Saturday, she could stay upte. She''d heard about a new game and couldn''t wait to try it.


    As for her parents'' strange mood, Gwh didn''t notice a thing. Grown-up problems were still a world away.


    Only after her little footsteps faded upstairs did the tension between Victoria and McNeil finallye to the surface.


    "Why didn''t you show up at court today?" Victoria pressed, unable to understand.


    If McNeil truly wanted out of their marriage, this should all be straightforward. Violet was back, healthy again, and with her talent, she could easily take over half of the Langford Group someday.


    Victoria had done her part-she''d brought thepany to the top of Starfall City. By all rights, McNeil should be happy to see her leave.


    He''d even been the one who pressured Maynard to push the divorce papers on her. But now, at the crucial moment, McNeil was the one dragging his feet.


    She had never understood what McNeil really wanted. And frankly, she didn''t care anymore. She just wanted this marriage to be over.


    "Why would I go?" he replied tly. "My wife wants a divorce and sues me for it. I don''t want a divorce, so I didn''t show up. What you do is your business; I can''t control that. But what I do is mine, and you can''t force my hand."


    He kept serving her food, but Victoria had lost her appetite long ago.


    "Let''s end this, McNeil," she said quietly. "This marriage has been a farce from the very beginning. I was just a pawn for you. I''ve already made the Langford Group one of the city''s top firms. It''s time for me to bow out gracefully."


    McNeil managed a faint, almost mocking smile. "Bow out gracefully? You make it sound so easy, Mrs. Langford. Does that include the fifty percent of the Langford Group you''re trying to take with you? And thewsuit-just a way to get half, right?"


    So he knew everything.


    No wonder. After the trial that morning, Maynard must have gone straight to him, detailing every piece of evidence Victoria had presented and every benefit she''d demanded-spelling it all out, ck and white.


    Maynard had always been McNeil''s right hand. If McNeil gave the order, Maynard would do anything, and passing along a message was hardly a challenge.


    Victoria mirrored McNeil, picking up her own wine ss and taking a slow sip. A smile yed at her lips, but inside, she felt nothing.


    If love was gone, then all that was left was money.


    "Isn''t half of the Langford Group exactly what I deserve?" she said coolly. "The V&S Group was mine, and you didn''t hesitate to buy it up just to give it away to someone else. So tell me, Mr. Langford, was that your n all along? Using Violet to move assets out of our marriage? Too bad for you-I got there first. Everything in her name belongs to you and me. She won''t be walking away with any of it."


    Victoria didn''t bother saying anything more. There was no point. They''d settle the rest in court.