Chapter 1 Get Out Of The Griffiths Family

"Sign the divorce papers and leave the Griffiths family for good!"

A document landed abruptly before Leanna Jackson. At first glance, the signature at the bottom was unmistakable. Joshua Griffiths.

The script was decisive, suggesting Joshua had been anticipating this moment eagerly.

Leanna's fingers shuffled through the papers as she lifted her gaze to meet the smug expression of Sandra Griffiths standing opposite her.

"Where's Joshua? Why isn't he here to discuss this with me directly?" Leanna asked.

Sandra let out a dismissive scoff, as if Leanna's question was absurd. "Do you honestly think my brother has time to spare for someone like you?"

Sandra's eyes swept over Leanna, taking her in from head to toe. Despite everything, Leanna's beauty was undeniable. Even Sandra had been dazzled by Leanna when they first met.

However, Leanna's beauty was always understated. Her thick bangs and oversized black-rimmed glasses obscured much of her petite face, and she consistently dressed down in baggy loungewear, concealing her shapely figure.

Sandra thought Leanna was merely a shallow woman whose world revolved around domestic chores.

"Joshua is swamped with work at the company. He doesn't have time to waste on you!" Sandra snapped.

Leanna pursed her lips and then chuckled. "Is he caught up in work, or is he just spending time with Renee?"

Saying this, Leanna felt a weight lift from her chest, yet a bitter taste lingered on her tongue.

Renee Hayes, the woman Joshua had adored for a decade, cast a long shadow over Leanna's fragile three-year marriage.

It was Renee who had abandoned Joshua at the altar, nearly turning the Griffiths family into a joke in Cenwood.

To fulfill a promise made to Joshua's grandfather, Richard Griffiths, and to repay a childhood debt to Joshua, Leanna had stepped in to marry Joshua without a second thought.

After the wedding, Leanna swapped her elegant dresses for an apron, striving to be the perfect wife, even as Joshua kept his distance and never once shared a bed with her upon their marriage.

"Knowing that, you should have backed off earlier instead of clinging to something that wasn't yours!" Sandra snorted. "Renee graduated from a prestigious music academy abroad and was immediately recruited by a renowned symphony orchestra. She's well-mannered and comes from a good family. How could you, a high school dropout, ever compare to her?"

Leanna had endured harsh words like these for the past three years.

Since marrying into the Griffiths family, Leanna had diligently fulfilled her duties to her in-laws and consistently supported Sandra.

Sandra, who had a habit of spending excessively, often turned to Leanna for financial aid when money ran low.

Whenever Sandra suffered abuse from her husband, the Griffiths family turned a blind eye, wary of any negative impact on their social standing. Without Leanna's intervention, Sandra's situation might have been dire.

Yet, here was Sandra, parading her independence and treating Leanna with disdain.

Leanna was examining the conditions in the contract when, abruptly, she closed it with a snap and slid it across the table to Sandra. "Divorce is acceptable, but I'm claiming half of Joshua's assets."

Sandra's eyes bulged in astonishment as she slammed her hand down on the table, springing to her feet abruptly. "Dream on! Don't presume your modest family can climb up the ladder with you marrying into the Griffiths family. You'll leave with nothing, absolutely nothing!"

In response, Leanna calmly removed her apron and unzipped her baggy loungewear, revealing a sleek ribbed top and jeans that accentuated her figure.

Leanna took off her glasses, her gaze sweeping over Sandra with a slight smile. "The decision isn't yours to make. I'll discuss it with Joshua directly."

Sandra, caught off guard by Leanna's sudden transformation from the seemingly nobody she thought she knew to someone decidedly more calculating and distant, was momentarily speechless.

When Sandra came to her senses, Leanna was already making her way to the exit.

"Where do you think you're going? Come back here and sign these papers!" Sandra yelled.

In a fit of rage, Sandra grabbed the document and flung it at Leanna's retreating figure.

The papers fluttered in the air, narrowly missing Leanna, who caught them with a swift twist of her hand. "I'm not fond of getting physical, especially not with women."

Before Sandra could fully process Leanna's words, Leanna turned and strode back toward her.

Despite Leanna's calm exterior, there was a veiled menace in her approach that caused Sandra to step back, her voice rising in alarm.

"What are you trying to do? This is the Griffiths' residence! Make one wrong move, and you'll regret it..."

Sandra couldn't finish her threat before Leanna closed the gap between them. Leanna grasped Sandra's hair, forcing her down onto the desk. Sandra struggled, but a precise strike to her neck left her immobilized.

Leanna's grip tightened as she pushed Sandra's head down.

With one hand, Leanna forced Sandra's mouth open and, with the other, crumpled the document into a ball. Under Sandra's horrified stare, Leanna shoved the paper ball into her mouth.

"Since you're so attached to these papers, you might as well savor them!"

Having dealt with the document, Leanna withdrew her hands, leaving Sandra slumped over the desk. Leanna then walked out, her steps brisk and determined.

Stepping into the open air, Leanna quickly made a phone call. "Help me locate Joshua."

By four o'clock, a Koenigsegg was blazing down the highway, cutting through traffic with incredible ease thanks to the driver's superb handling.

"I've located him. He's at Sanctity Theater. The GPS is set." The voice through the Bluetooth connection sounded slightly anxious. "Leanna, please don't do anything rash. Joshua isn't worth it..."

Leanna's brow furrowed in a mix of annoyance and amusement. "Rash? That's not how I do things."

"I'm not so sure about that," Sloane Buckley retorted from the other end of the line. "You're usually solid, but you have lost yourself upon learning Joshua is the one who rescued you when you were just ten. I mean, why demean yourself for someone who doesn't see your worth? You even hide your true identity and abilities for his sake. Why?"

"Enough!" Leanna cut off her friend's tirade abruptly. "This isn't about him. You're aware of the complexities with my family."

Knowing Sloane was simply looking out for her, Leanna softened her tone a bit. "Don't worry. I'm merely going to request a divorce."

"What? Oh my God..." Sloane gasped.

Before Sloane's shriek could pierce her ear further, Leanna disconnected the call. A smile played on her lips as she pressed the accelerator down hard.

Leanna skillfully maneuvered around a Bugatti that had been in her way, speeding ahead with authority.

Meanwhile, in the rear seat of the black Bugatti, a man spoke in a cold, clear tone. "Follow that Koenigsegg. Alert Jasper to cut it off at the next intersection."

The assistant accelerated, his voice shaky. "Sir, is there an issue with that vehicle?"

The man reclined, his lips parting slightly as he murmured to himself, "It's been a long time, Tyrant."