Chapter 5 Legally Dividing Community Property

"The weather is nice," Connor said out of the blue.

Domenic stood frozen, while Marc Bailey and Terry Bailey, the two captains of the bodyguard team, looked terrified.

Connor was known for being unpredictable. A dark expression on his face didn't always signify anger, whereas a smile might be the calm before the storm.

Without a second thought, Domenic, Marc, and Terry all knelt with a heavy thud.

At that moment, lightning flashed across the window, followed by a booming thunderclap that rattled the entire building.

The rain began to fall in torrents.

Suddenly, Connor turned around and said softly, "Send someone upstairs to check the situation."

Upon hearing this, the two bodyguard captains remained motionless, and Domenic, the well-educated special assistant, seemed completely lost.

Cade Garza, the seasoned old butler who had a deep understanding of human nature, took charge. He promptly summoned a maid and instructed, "Quickly go upstairs and see if our esteemed guest was startled by the thunder. If she's awake, let us know immediately. Also, prepare a lavish meal in the kitchen and be ready to serve her at any moment!"

After a brief pause, Cade personally retrieved some swelling-reducing ointment and passed it to the maid.

Once these orders were given, Cade looked to Connor and asked, "Mr. Daniels, do you find these arrangements enough?"

Connor nodded.

After the thunderstorm, Marissa woke up.

Though she hadn't slept long, she felt her energy had returned.

During previous missions, she often had to make do with minimal sleep. Her body had adapted, trained to recover energy swiftly from brief rests.

Noticing a cooling sensation around her neck, carrying a faint medicinal scent, she sniffed gently and recognized it as some ointment.

As she opened her eyes, she saw several maids standing by her bed with respect.

The head maid approached with a warm smile and said, "Mrs. Daniels, you are awake."

"Please, call me Miss Nash." Marissa corrected her politely as she sat up.

The maids exchanged puzzled glances. Miss Nash had previously preferred the title Mrs. Daniels. What had changed her mind today?

Then the head maid said, "Mr. Connor Daniels is waiting for you downstairs. Dinner is ready. Would you like to come down for a meal?"

Marissa, feeling quite hungry, freshened up and headed downstairs.

There, Connor was seated at the dining table, absorbed in a newspaper.

He seemed more controlled and composed now, presenting himself as nothing more than a charming gentleman, easy on the eyes.

Yet, Marissa shot him a disdainful glance and silently started to eat.

She only raised her head after satisfying her hunger.

"Mr. Daniels, I believe you understand now that you've made a big mistake. Even though I come from a humble background, you've wronged me, and it's only right that you make amends, correct?"

Connor looked at the woman before him and gave a slight nod. "Yes, I apologize."

"So, Mr. Daniels, would you prefer to resolve this legally, or can we settle it privately?"

"Let's handle it privately," Connor responded.

He then offered a slight smile. "Miss Nash, please, specify your terms."

Perfect!

Marissa quickly requested paper and a pen, and set about drafting an agreement...

Silence enveloped the dining room, broken only by the scratching of Marissa's pen against the paper.

Connor was intrigued to see what terms she would propose and learn more about the kind of person she truly was.

She was dressed casually in a blue checkered shirt, overalls, and Martin boots, her hair tied in a loose braid, without a trace of makeup.

Her outfit was typical for someone who ran a flower shop, yet it rendered her quite striking.

She looked exceptionally pure and vibrant, standing out like a beacon among the crowd.

His eyes lingered on her, starting from her jet-black hair and moving slowly downward.

He studied her expressive eyes, the shape of her nose, her rosy lips, and her flawless skin.

When his gaze landed on the red marks around her neck, a pang of guilt hit him hard.

As he remembered how he had treated her harshly, remorse washed over him.

Just then, Marissa set down her pen and looked up, meeting his probing gaze.

Startled and feeling guilty, Connor quickly looked away.

Marissa passed the paper to him, her demeanor composed.

There were two agreements in total.

Connor took them and began to review them carefully.

The first agreement was primarily about the compensation.

The initial clause demanded five thousand for physical injuries.

"Mr. Daniels, you physically assaulted me three times, resulting in neck injuries. I'm requesting five thousand in compensation. That seems fair, doesn't it?" Marissa interjected just in time.

"Very fair," Connor said, continuing to read.

The next clause asked for one hundred thousand for emotional distress.

"Mr. Daniels, your actions have caused me significant emotional suffering. One hundred thousand in compensation isn't unreasonable, right?" Marissa added.

"Very reasonable." Connor agreed once more, his tone still gentle.

He moved on to the following clause.

The third clause concerned medical fees, totaling ten million.

Connor was momentarily at a loss for words.

He lifted his head and looked at Marissa from head to toe, his eyes nearly widening in bewilderment, yet he still couldn't quite understand her.

Marissa offered a slight smile. "Mr. Daniels, although my medical intervention was somewhat fortuitous, the fact remains that I revived your grandmother. The value of Mrs. Daniels's life is immeasurable. Surely, ten million for medical expenses isn't too much?"

Slightly amused, Connor smiled faintly. "Very reasonable."

He immediately signed the agreement after speaking.

He then wrote a check for 10, 150, 000 dollars and handed it over to Marissa.

She accepted it without hesitation and tucked it into her pocket.

Connor then proceeded to the second document.

It was a divorce agreement.

The content was straightforward-legally dividing their community property.

Upon seeing the phrase "community property," Connor couldn't help but chuckle.