Chapter 4

The next morning, Harlow sat in the manor's study. She was reviewing the joint asset accounts. Her stomach dropped. Beck had already secretly transferred a massive chunk of their shared funds into offshore accounts.

Her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a text from Beck.

Meet me at the cafe near Central Park. Final negotiation. Don't be late.

Harlow changed into a sharp, tailored black business suit. She slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses and drove her car into Manhattan.

The bell above the glass door chimed as Harlow stepped into the high-end cafe. The smell of roasted coffee beans filled the air.

Her sharp eyes scanned the room. She immediately spotted Beck sitting at a corner table by the window.

A wave of intense nausea hit her. Fallon was sitting right next to him.

Fallon was wearing a beige trench coat from Harlow's favorite designer brand. Around her neck rested a heavy diamond pendant. It was the exact necklace Beck claimed he bought for a "corporate client" last month.

Harlow kept her face blank. She walked over, pulled out the chair opposite them, and sat down. She didn't take off her sunglasses.

Beck didn't waste time. He slid a thick stack of legal documents across the polished wooden table.

He cleared his throat. "Here is the deal. We stay married on paper. It maintains the perfect family image," Beck explained, leaning forward. "It will stabilize Holman Industries' stock price. Everyone wins. As for Kade, we will simply adopt him legally under your name so he has legitimate status."

Harlow sat perfectly still.

Fallon leaned her head against Beck's shoulder. She smiled sweetly at Harlow.

"I'm willing to compromise for the greater good," Fallon cooed. "I don't mind if Kade has to call you his adoptive mother."

Harlow stared at them through the dark lenses of her sunglasses. Her stomach churned so violently she thought she might actually vomit.

Beck crossed his arms. "Let's be real, Harlow. You only know how to spend money. You don't understand complex business operations. If you leave me, the company dies."

Harlow leaned back in her chair. A mocking smile touched her lips.

"Your business talent?" Harlow asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mean stealing your wife's corporate secrets to impress your mistress?"

Fallon's face went chalk-white. The sweet smile vanished. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, playing the victim perfectly.

Beck wrapped his arm around Fallon, pulling her close. He glared at Harlow. "Watch your mouth! You are vicious and uneducated!"

Harlow's patience snapped. The sheer audacity of these two parasites was suffocating.

She leaned forward and grabbed the thick stack of contract papers.

Beck watched in shock as Harlow gripped the edges of the document. With a violent jerk of her wrists, she ripped the thick stack in half.

She put the pieces together and ripped them again. And again.

When the contract was nothing but shredded confetti, she threw the pieces directly into Beck's face.

The sharp edges of the paper hit his cheeks. The shreds rained down over his expensive suit and tangled into Fallon's perfectly styled hair.

Harlow stood up abruptly. She towered over them, her aura radiating pure hostility.

She pulled off her sunglasses. Her eyes were like daggers.

"The depths of your shamelessness truly exceed my imagination," Harlow said, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper.

Fallon swatted the paper shreds out of her hair, letting out a shrill scream. "You are a crazy bitch!"

Beck slammed his hands on the table and jumped to his feet. He pointed a shaking finger at Harlow's face. "Don't push me, Harlow! You don't want to do this the hard way!"

Harlow slapped his hand away. Her skin was ice-cold.

"Negotiations are over," Harlow stated flatly. "I'll see you in court."

She grabbed her designer handbag from the chair and turned to leave.

"I know the best legal team in New York!" Beck roared at her back, ignoring the stares of the other customers. "I will make sure you lose everything! You won't even have the clothes on your back!"

Harlow paused mid-step. She turned her head slightly, giving him a profile of absolute disdain.

"Is that so?" Harlow said softly. "Let's see whose lawyer wants blood more."

She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and walked out of the cafe, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floor, leaving Beck and Fallon in a mess of torn paper.