Chapter 4 - THE PRICE OF A MARRIAGEJonathan stood, his chair skidding back. “You knew? You knew she was out there, living in squalor, while your father’s company was being built on the bones of the woman who saved my life?”
Victoria Ashford walked into the room, her high heels clicking on the hardwood like a countdown. “I didn't just know, Jonathan. I ensured it. She had leverage over our family trust. A billionaire doesn't marry a woman who creates a liability. We protected our assets. It’s what you signed up for when we took those vows.”
“Those vows were a contract!” Jonathan shouted, his voice echoing through the glass walls of his office. “This is a human life!”
“This is a kingdom!” she shot back, her face twisting with rage. “And Tommy Chen is a loose end. If you want to play hero, go ahead. But if you touch that boy, I’ll release the files I have on your own business dealings—the ones that would put you in federal prison for the rest of your life.”
Jonathan stared at his wife. He had spent years in a marriage that was a business transaction, never realizing the woman he lived with was a predator.
“Is that a threat?” Jonathan asked.
“It’s a forecast,” she replied, turning to leave.
May you like
But as she reached the door, Jonathan spoke, his voice low and dangerous.
“You think you own me because you know my secrets? You forget, Victoria. I’m the one who runs the board. And I just found out my wife is an accomplice to corporate fraud.”
