Chapter <b>9 </b>


    <b>Chapter </b><b>9 </b>


    Harper brought over the divorce papers.


    She let out a heavy sigh: “You two grew up together–how did ite to this?”


    I didn’t respond.


    “Jesus, Camden spent so much time and effort trying to win you over back then–the whole world could see how crazy he was about you. Why doesn’t he treasure what he has?”


    I let out a bitterugh and said nothing, just tossed the papers straight into the trash.


    Same as always.


    Harper looked stunned, then asked carefully: “Do you still love him?”


    “Love him? Hell no.” I sneered.


    “Then why won’t you sign?”


    Iughed coldly, looking at her: “Guess how much money he’s nning to buy me off with.”


    Harper rubbed her chin: “With Camden’s current worth, he wouldn’t shortchange you, right?”


    I was quiet for a moment. “One million.”


    “What?!<b>” </b>Harper shot up from the couch. “Is he paying off a panhandler?<b>” </b>


    She caught herself, realizing how that sounded: “I mean–he basically built his whole empire on you, on Sterling Industries connections. <b>If </b>I remember right, just the resources andworks your family gave him<b>, </b>openly and behind the scenes, had to be worth billions. And he’s offering one million? Has he lost his damn mind or have I gone deaf?”


    Tears blurred my vision.


    Yeah. This was his way <b>of </b>stomping on whatever dignity I had left.


    How could I possibly sign? How could I just roll over and take it?


    Actually, the first time he brought up divorce, the terms weren’t nearly this harsh.


    Maybe he felt guilty, or maybe he still had a shred of conscience left–he’d volunteered to split the stock holdings, properties, and cars.


    But that very night, Vera provoked me again.


    I’ve never been one to take shit lying down.


    13:26


    Hell Yeah, Forget <b>the </b>Other Woman. My Smart House Was <b>Cheating </b>On Mel


    <b>22.20</b><b>% </b>


    I hit back even harder.


    That’s when he lost his temper for the first time: “Sage, are you trying to back me into a corner?”


    “Since you look down on Vera so much, think she’s so beneath you, then you don’t deserve anything better either. You can be ‘trash‘ right along with her!”


    I pped him hard across the face.


    The look he gave me was pure poison.


    Every year after that, he’d have someone deliver divorce papers to me.


    The property settlement section always said the same thing: one million.


    Every single time, I’d tear them to shreds right in front of him.


    Until this time.


    His eyes held nothing but ice: “I don’t have time to waste on your games anymore.”


    “Sage, I’ve put up with your tantrums all these years purely out of old feelings. Otherwise I’ve got plenty of ways to deal with you. You think… you’re still the high–and–mighty Sterling princess?”


    “Don’t sign? I’ve got ways to make you sign.”


    “You know I never bluff.”