Chapter <b>9 </b>


    The divorce went more smoothly than expected.[]


    The Hawthornes had internal and external troubles and couldn’t afford more negative publicity.[]


    That affair video was irond evidence. My mother–inw even contacted me privately, hinting that if I’dpromise, terms were negotiable.]


    I didn’tpromise, but I didn’t deliberately cause trouble either.[]


    I took back what belonged to the Sterling family and severed ties with the Hawthornes.[]


    Clean and decisive.[]


    Kade was right–I’d invested emotions in this marriage, so it hurt.]


    But when extracting myself, I had to maintain absolute rationality and ruthlessness.[]


    As a businesswoman, I ultimately had to solve problems using business rules.]


    The day I got my divorce papers was beautifully sunny.[]


    Kade organized a party at our usual private club.]


    Everyone there was from our circle–people who knew the score. Nobody mentioned the Hawthornes or that farcical marriage.[]


    The atmosphere was rxed.]]


    Kade poured me champagne and raised his ss with a smirk: “Congrats, Ms. Sterling. Back to freedom, returning to the golden single.”


    Iughed and clinked sses with him: “Congrats, Mr. Lawson. One lesspetitor for real estate deals.“[]


    The crisp sound of clinking ss rang out as friends around us joined in withughter and cheers.]


    Later, someone who’d had too much to drink joked: “You two are so in sync, and you’re both single. Why not just get together right here on this auspicious day?“]


    The noise died down a bit.]


    Everyone’s eyes moved between us.


    Kade held his ss, smiling silently.


    The light fell into his deep eyes, making his emotions unreadable.[]


    I looked at the joker, “Don’t be silly. Such a good business partner is impossible to find.“[]


    “How could I ruin such pure interests with dirty emotions?“]


    <b>98.6</b><b>% </b>


    The whole room erupted inughter.[]


    The reason was simple.[]


    The Sterling family’s extraction had gone smoothly.[]


    We’d even kept the technology from our Hawthorne partnership, and our market value rose by hundreds of millions.[]


    At this moment, even if the Sterling family farted, everyone would find it melodious.[]


    Kade’s smile deepened as he raised his ss: “Exactly. To pure interests.“[]


    “To pure interests!“]


    Everyone clinked sses with a crisp, lingering sound.[]


    We smiled at each other with mutual understanding.[]


    Some rtionships, grounded in unspoken agreement and loyal to profit, were far more solid and refreshing than love.[]


    My gaze fell on my ring finger holding the wine ss.


    There had once been a ring mark there, now covered by new skin.[]


    Like a lifetime ago.


    But… crystal clear.


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    L