Chapter 2

Zachary suddenly halted, and Lynette collided with him. Pain shot through her nose, but she forced herself to endure, glaring up at him. The cold wind tousled the loose strands of hair over his forehead, partially covering his eyes. Even so, she could tell he was angry. In their three years of marriage, this was only the second time he had shown her his temper. His gaze was glacial, his tone edged with impatience. "You want a divorce that badly?" Lynette had asked for a divorce countless times before, only to be dismissed with his smile. But this time, he was finally listening, and he was asking seriously. She nodded. "Yes. Since the day you stood against me in court, this marriage stopped working." Zachary let out a cold laugh, mocking. "Fine. I'll grant you your wish." He seized her roughly, shoving her into the car. Barely an hour later, the legalities were complete, and the documents were signed at the county clerk's office. Before the staff could even speak, Zachary scoffed. "There's a 30-day waiting period before the divorce is finalized. That should be enough time for you to cool off. Drain the nonsense out of your head and think clearly. Lynette, when you push things too far, even I get tired of it." Lynette laughed bitterly. She truly wanted a divorce, but Zachary thought she was just acting out. He continued, his voice sharp. "I've been too gracious with you. You don't even know what's good for you anymore. Since that's the case, I'm done coddling you. Watching you behave like this is exhausting." With arrogance still clinging to his stride, Zachary picked up his suit jacket and walked out. Without looking back, he added, "Tomorrow night is the company's IPO gala. Don't show up with that dead look on your face." The moment he left, the staff looked at Lynette with sympathy. Lynette stared at his retreating figure and muttered under her breath, "Zachary, this divorce is real." … The waiting period was 30 days. Lynette booked a flight for exactly 30 days later and quietly sold every property under her name. Back then, Zachary had insisted she hold assets of her own, gifting her several estates. Now that she was leaving, she saw no reason to keep any of it. After packing her things, Lynette dragged her suitcase toward the door, preparing to move out. Just as she reached the villa's entrance, Zachary came back. She was surprised. He rarely came home anymore. He frequently stayed with Charmaine to look after her while she was sick. Their eyes met. His gaze dropped to the suitcase in her hand, and his expression darkened. He kicked it aside. "Lynette, you just love making a scene, don't you?" She wanted to say she wasn't acting, that she truly meant to leave. But his stubbornness told her he would never believe it. She was exhausted. She simply wanted to leave as soon as possible. But as she reached for her suitcase, Zachary's hand clamped around her wrist like a vice. "Walk out that door, and you're abandoning William's appeal," he hissed, his voice like ice. "I'm the one who managed that case, Lynette. Do you honestly believe any firm in Whistletown would touch it without my blessing?" Lynette froze. The man before her felt like a stranger. "Are you threatening me?" "Yes," he answered without hesitation. Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. For three whole years, she had begged anyone she could to clear William's name, even kneeling before her attorneys. The moment they learned who she was, they avoided her like the plague. Only later did she discover the truth—Zachary had blacklisted her, ensuring every major law firm in the industry closed its doors to her. She had mistaken the industry's silence for a fear of offending him. Now the truth finally dawned on her. Zachary had been the one cutting off her every escape route. Her fists clenched, her eyes burning red with fury. "Zachary, when the Wright family faced bankruptcy, my dad helped you despite everyone's opposition. And this is how you repay him? You condemned him without question, and now you won't even leave him a way out." Her voice broke into a cry. "Will you only be satisfied once you drive my entire family to death?" For a moment, Zachary's chest tightened. He stepped forward to steady her, but she shoved him away violently. "Don't touch me! You disgust me." His face darkened instantly. "You're right. I did all of it. Nettie, you're 28 now, not 18. Stop being so naive. Without my approval, no attorney in Whistletown will take your case. As long as you promise to stop causing trouble, I'll handle William's appeal." Lynette sobbed. He had spoken those same words three years ago—right before betraying her in court. Now, he had sealed off every path of escape. They knew each other too well. Each knew the other's fatal weakness. Seeing her in such pain, Zachary couldn't help but wipe away her tears. "Nettie, I promise. As long as you stay obediently by my side, I'll take care of William's appeal."