Chapter 4

"Alistair," I said, my voice calm. "You should evaluate Elysian Living purely on its own merits, its current leadership, and its standalone business case. I' m stepping back from any involvement, personal or advisory."

There was a moment of silence on Finch' s end.

"Understood, Ethan. Appreciate the candor. We' ll proceed with our standard due diligence then."

"Good talking to you, Alistair."

We hung up.

It didn' t take long. Maybe an hour.

My personal phone, the one Izzy still had the number for, rang.

It was Izzy, and she was furious.

"What did you do, Ethan? What did you say to Finch? He just called, said they' re putting the deal on indefinite hold pending a 'full strategic review' ! You sabotaged me!"

"I told him the truth, Izzy. That he should look at your company objectively. Isn' t that what a self-made CEO would want?"

Kev' s voice suddenly cut in, snatching the phone from her.

"You washed-up old bastard! You' re just jealous of her success! You couldn' t stand that she made it without you!"

I laughed, a short, harsh sound.

"Perfect. She can divorce me, and you can officially become Mr. Elysian Living. See how far her 'self-made' empire goes then."

The line went silent for a beat, then Izzy' s shocked voice came back.

"Divorce? You... you want a divorce?"

The fight seemed to drain out of her, replaced by disbelief.

"I' m tired, Izzy," I said, the words coming out easily now. "Tired of the disrespect, the ingratitude, the blatant affair you think I' m too stupid to notice. I' m tired of being your silent, unacknowledged safety net."

"But... our life, our home..."

"This house is mine, Izzy. Bought and paid for long before Elysian Living was even a sketch on a napkin. As for our life? We haven' t had one for years."

I' d already spoken to my lawyer. The papers were drafted.

After a moment of stunned silence, her voice turned cold, calculating.

"Fine. Divorce. But I' ll fight you for every asset tied to my company. Elysian Living is mine. I built it."

The speed of her shift from shock to avarice chilled what little warmth remained.

"You can have it, Izzy," I said, meaning the company assets, the brand she was so proud of. Assets I could easily replace. "I just want to be free of this. We meet with the lawyers next week. My attorney will send yours the details."

I hung up before she could reply.