Chapter 3 How Dare You Hit Me

Rosanna immediately caught on to what Ashley was thinking. She lightly squeezed her hand and murmured mysteriously, "Get some proper rest first. Once you're up, I'll take you somewhere."

When Ashley woke again, the sun was already high. She wasted no time and contacted her lawyer, had a divorce agreement drafted, signed it, and sent it straight to the CEO's office at Ford Group.

Kevan received the envelope from his assistant. The moment he saw the document inside, the corner of his mouth curled into a cold sneer.

That strong, confident handwriting felt like a direct challenge.

He pinched the edge of the document between his slender fingers and slapped it onto the desk, the sound ringing sharply across the office. "Ashley, you're not getting what you want."

He doubted she intended to quietly walk away. To him, this was just another tactic-Ashley's way of taking a step back only to push forward harder.

The next time their paths crossed was at an industry summit. Ashley looked nothing like the woman he was used to. Her once long hair was now styled into soft, short curls that framed her face perfectly.

She wore a silver, body-hugging gown adorned with elegant tassels that shifted with each movement, the deep V-neck highlighting her delicate collarbones. The spotlight seemed to cling to her, making her appear radiant and almost unreal, like she belonged on the grandest stage.

Kevan had always known she was beautiful, but this version of her-confident, poised, breathtaking-left him momentarily stunned.

His stare burned so intensely that Ashley sensed it. When she turned, she found his deep gaze locked on hers. In his black suit, he looked distant, refined, and every bit the elite leader.

Next to him stood Lisette, hanging onto his arm like she belonged there, her expression practically glowing with self-satisfaction.

Ashley found her ridiculous and shifted her eyes away. While she was chatting with a senior industry figure, a young girl bumped into her and spilled juice all over the delicate tassels on her gown.

Ashley barely had time to react before the damage was done. She simply apologized politely, excused herself, and hurried to the restroom to clean up.

Just as she stepped inside, a sarcastic voice echoed behind her. "Ashley, what are you doing here? Do you honestly think an elite summit is suitable for a little housewife like you?"

The words pierced her sharply. She had once built a thriving career, and she had been respected and admired until she abandoned it all for love.

Well, that chapter was over. It wasn't too late to reclaim what was hers.

Ashley turned toward Lisette, arching a brow with a faint, mocking expression.

Lisette, emboldened by Ashley's silence, raised her voice. "Unbelievable. Have you no shame? You've seen the video, right? Or are you waiting for more evidence before you crawl out of the Ford family? You snatched something that never belonged to you in the first place. It's disgusting."

Ashley's eyes chilled instantly. "Shameless? Miss Harvey, you pursued a married man with full awareness, then strutted around showing it off to his wife. If shamelessness were a competition, you'd win without trying."

Lisette froze, stunned that Ashley had actually talked back. For years, Ashley had tolerated her taunts. This sudden resistance threw her off balance.

Lisette's face twisted in rage. She lifted her hand to slap her. "You forced your way between us! If you hadn't drugged Kevan that night, I would've been his wife already. He can't stand the sight of you!"

But Ashley reacted first, and her palm cracked sharply across Lisette's cheek. "If you spent half the time you waste trying to insult me on actually educating yourself, you wouldn't sound so foolish. And even if he hates me, I'm still his legal wife. That's a fact."

Lisette, wild with anger, lunged at her. "How dare you hit me? I'll ruin you! Kevan won't let this slide!"

Ashley sidestepped her and used the moment to trip her. "He won't let me go? Please. I'd love to see whether you two manage to drag me down first or I expose your little affair to the world. Even the mighty Ford Group can't silence a scandal that big. Keep pushing me, and I'll dedicate every waking moment to dragging this divorce out and splitting every cent of marital property."

"So that's what you've been plotting." Kevan's tone was frigid, and he strode toward them, every step colder than the last.