Chapter 3

I drove around the streets aimlessly until dawn began to break, then checked into a hotel.

I hadn't slept all night, and my mind was a tangled mess.

At nine in the morning, I arrived at the city hall entrance on time.

Carl didn't show up.

Instead, I received a text message from him. "Leyla, I know you're still angry. I'll give you time to calm down. The company can't function without you, and our home can't fall apart. Come back anytime when you've thought it through."

I looked at the message and sneered.

He was still so confident, assuming I couldn't leave him or that so-called "home."

Since he chose to avoid it, I would force him to face reality.

I called my assistant and had her convene all shareholders in my name for an emergency board meeting at two in the afternoon.

At one fifty in the afternoon, I walked into the conference room at Cloudius Capital.

It was already full of people. The company's veteran shareholders were all there, most of them old subordinates of my father who had watched me grow up.

Carl sat in the main seat, his face gloomy.

When he saw me enter, he only lifted his eyelids slightly, his expression complex.

I sat down in the seat next to him and distributed a prepared document to everyone.

"I called everyone here today to announce something." I paused, my gaze sweeping across the room before finally landing on Carl. "I've decided to divorce Carl. And immediately remove him from all positions in the company."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the entire conference room erupted.

"What? Divorce?"

"Leyla, you're not joking, are you? At this critical moment, divorcing-what about the company?"

"Yeah, Mr. Wade has put in hard work these years if nothing else. How can you just remove him like that?"

Carl's face grew even darker, but he said nothing, only putting on a resentful expression as he looked at me.

James Henderson, who had the closest relationship with my father, slammed the table and stood up.

"This is nonsense! Do you know what period it is right now? The funding from Harson is about to come through. Kicking Carl out now-do you want the company to die?"

I looked at him calmly. "James, we don't need Harson's funding anymore."

"What?" Even Carl couldn't stay seated. "Leyla, you've lost your mind! We prepared for a whole year to get Harson's investment! And now you say we don't need it?"

I met his gaze without flinching. "Because I've found a better investor."

At that moment, the conference room door opened.

An unexpected person walked in with her legal team.

It was Cara.

She had changed into a sharp business suit, her face adorned with exquisite makeup.

She walked straight to Carl's side and said softly, "Carl, don't worry. I'm here."

Then she turned to the room and smiled slightly.

"Hello everyone. Let me introduce myself. I'm Cara Payne, and also the only daughter of the president of Harson Group."

Everyone froze.

Cara's lawyer stepped forward and placed a document on the projector.

"Everyone, this is the investment intention agreement signed between Ms. Payne and Mr. Wade. As an additional condition of the investment, Harson requires thirty percent of Cloudius Capital's shares, and Ms. Payne will join the board as the second-largest shareholder."

The conference room fell dead silent.

I looked at Carl. The resentment on his face slowly turned into mad joy.

He stood up, walked to Cara's side, put his arm around her shoulders, and looked at me with the posture of a victor. "Leyla, you thought the company couldn't survive without you? Now it seems you're the one holding the company back!"

I watched them play off each other, and the last bit of warmth in my heart vanished completely.

So this was their real goal.

Not just a simple affair, but a long-planned business takeover.

I smiled. "Carl, do you think you've won for sure?"