Chapter 5 Need No Compensation

Lacey refrained from speaking further.

As Erik skimmed through the divorce papers, his demeanor soured.

"Erik?" Lacey cautiously asked. "Is she asking for money?"

Erik remained silent. The terms of the agreement were clear, leaving Stephanie with practically nothing.

Observing Erik's stern expression, Lacey surmised his foul mood. She held firm to her own beliefs. "I've told you, women like her marry for money. Realizing you care for Vivian, she sees no future and wants to grab whatever she can. Don't give her even a penny!"

Stephanie presumed Erik had no grounds to refuse the divorce as she didn't seek anything from him.

However, upon returning home, she was surprised to receive a call from his lawyer.

"Miss Gilbert, regarding the divorce terms, I'll discuss them on Mr. Palmer's behalf."

"But what's there to discuss?"

The lawyer glanced nervously at the man beside him. "Mr. Palmer is offering thirty million dollars and a house as divorce settlement."

Stephanie scoffed. "Is he out of his mind? I've made it clear; I won't take anything from the Palmers!"

The lawyer found this divorce case utterly perplexing, a rarity in his experience. Typically, the party initiated the divorce would likely seek financial compensation from their spouse; yet here was Erik, adamantly offering money to his wife, only for her to outright reject it.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, the lawyer pressed on, "This was outlined in the prenuptial agreement. I implore you, Miss Gilbert, to consider accepting it."

"I won't!" Stephanie hung up decisively.

Throughout these years, she bore the title of Mrs. Palmer formally, yet in practice, she fulfilled all the duties of a servant.

She possessed abundant wealth of her own already. Naturally, she harbored no desire for Erik's money. Rejecting it, she aimed to evade the sense of servitude associated with financial dependence. By refusing the money, she hoped to ensure that Erik and the rest of the Palmer family did not perceive her as indebted to them.

After the call, she grabbed her car keys, heading to the company to immerse herself in work.

As she entered the garage, Stephanie took a deep breath, embracing her true life.

The underground garage covered an expansive six hundred square meters and served as the repository for Edward's collections accumulated over the years. She had recently been given the car keys.

Yesterday, she had mentioned to her brother the appealing new Aston Martin showcased at the international car exhibition. To her surprise, today it had been delivered to the garage.

In the Acme Building.

Exiting the vehicle, Stephanie casually tossed the keys to the attendant for parking before confidently striding into the building.

"Excuse me, who are you? Do you have an appointment?"

Upon entering the lobby, she was immediately intercepted by someone.

Stephanie adjusted her sunglasses and said, "I'm here to see Korbin Howard."

The receptionist carefully observed Stephanie's appearance from top to bottom. With no discernible brand labels on her clothing, it was challenging to determine their origin. The receptionist's demeanor grew chilly as she concluded that Stephanie lacked significance. "Come here!" she instructed, dismissively.

As Stephanie approached the front desk, she observed two receptionists with heavily applied makeup. The one obstructing her path casually tossed a notebook in her direction. "Sign in," she said bluntly.

Stephanie thought it was strange. Was the Acme Group really using such primitive methods for registration? It appeared as though they were unable to guarantee the security of client information.

After Stephanie had written down her details, the receptionist abruptly reclaimed the pen and paper and gestured towards a corner sofa. "Go wait over there."

Glancing around, Stephanie observed a line of women in short skirts occupying the sofa, with some appearing innocent and others more flirtatious. They all seemed to be eagerly eyeing the CEO's private elevator.

Stephanie was perplexed. While Korbin had gained a reputation for being a libertine in recent years, this situation was a bit excessive.

Did the receptionist mistakenly assume she was one of those women?

"Well... I'm here to see Korbin for business. I'm not one of his admirers," Stephanie clarified.

The receptionist grew impatient. "Fine, fine, just go and wait in line," she said tersely.

Despite Stephanie's typically calm demeanor, she was now furious. She swiftly dialed a number. "Get yourself down to the lobby now!" she demanded.