Chapter 3: The Counterattack
Chapter 3: The Counterattack
The next morning, the headlines were brutal. “Ten-Dollar Wife: High Society Auction Ends in Million-Dollar Scandal.” Videos of Julian’s cruel joke and Arthur’s dramatic intervention were viral on every social media platform. The public backlash against Julian’s company was instantaneous; stock prices were plunging.
By noon, Julian’s lawyers had delivered a package to Arthur’s estate.
I sat at the massive marble kitchen island, a cup of coffee untouched in front of me, as Arthur flipped through the documents.
"He’s suing for alienation of affection, breaching prenuptial agreements, and he’s freezing all your joint accounts," Arthur said, his expression darkening. "He wants to starve you out, Clara. He thinks if you have no money, you’ll come crawling back to beg for forgiveness."
"Our prenup is airtight," I whispered, gripping my knees. "Julian made sure of it before we married. If I leave him, I leave with absolutely nothing. No savings, no house, no alimony. I spent twenty-two years building his life, and I am completely penniless."
"You are not penniless," Arthur said, closing the folder with a sharp snap. "You have the one million dollars I donated last night. Technically, since it was a charity auction for an organization under your management, the funds are legally tied to a trust under your name. He can't touch it."
"But that's for the hospital!" I protested.
"And it will go to the hospital," Arthur smiled, a dangerous, brilliant glint in his eye. "But as the sole trustee, you wield the power. Furthermore, Julian forgot one crucial thing. The blueprints and intellectual property for his upcoming multi-billion-dollar waterfront project—who drew them?"
I blinked. "I did. On my personal tablet, before we even registered the project under his corporation."
Arthur’s smile widened. "Which means Julian is currently selling property he doesn't legally own the rights to. He wanted a war, Clara. Let’s give him one."
Over the next two weeks, Arthur protected me like a fortress. He hired the best divorce attorneys in the country. He gave me a team of PR experts. More than that, he gave me his time. We spent long evenings talking by the fire. I learned about his past—how he had lost his family early on, how he had built his tech empire in isolation, and how he had seen me at a charity event years ago, recognizing a kindred, lonely soul.
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For the first time, someone listened to me. Someone valued my mind, my talent, and my thoughts. I was falling in love with Arthur, but the shadow of Julian still loomed large.
The climax arrived when Julian, desperate to save his tanking company, called a emergency press conference to claim I was unstable and had been "kidnapped" by Arthur.
