Unshackled Brilliance: Catching The CEO's Eye

"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."

Tyrant? Aaron White, sitting in the driver's seat, jerked in surprise. Could it really be Tyrant, the legendary figure who had dominated the underground racing scene as its champion for years?

Hadn't Tyrant vanished without a trace three years ago? What was Tyrant doing now, appearing out of nowhere on the roads of Cenwood?

Moreover, the driver of the sleek Koenigsegg appeared to be a woman.

Yet, with the certainty resonating in the voice of the man from the back seat, Aaron refrained from asking any questions. He focused intently on the vehicle pulling ahead, determined not to lose sight of it for even a moment.

As Leanna overtook the Bugatti, she stole a glance at her left-side mirror, her brow furrowing. She tapped her Bluetooth earpiece, her tone cool and decisive. "Sloane, tap into the satellite. There's a Bugatti on my tail at eight o'clock. Identify the owner."

Sloane, though taken aback, acted swiftly. She soon had the information, and a gasp escaped her as she spoke into the earpiece. "It belongs to the Ford family. It's... Matthew Ford!"

Leanna's pupils contracted sharply.

"No way. When did you get mixed up with that man?" Sloane's voice carried an unusual hint of panic. "I heard he came back from Woll Street, an overseas financial center, last month and has already turned Cenwood upside down, shifting the power dynamics among the old families."

Sloane hesitated and then asked with suspicion, "You haven't gotten involved with the Ford Group's affairs, have you?"

"Hey!" Leanna tapped her Bluetooth earpiece, her tone tinged with resignation. "I'm not that greedy. Plus, I've been in Cenwood for most of the last three years. Every time I travel abroad, I have to create new identities and cover my tracks. It's such a hassle. Do I look like I have time for messing with the Ford Group?"

Sloane quickly realized her mistake. "Right, it's all Joshua's fault. If not for him, you..."

"Enough. Can you hack into the Bugatti's system remotely? If we don't sort this out, Matthew's going to watch me catch Joshua red-handed." Leanna glanced at the rearview mirror again. The Bugatti was closing in as they spoke.

"I can't!" Sloane's voice took on a sudden urgency. "It operates both manually and automatically. Simply cutting the system won't do the trick!"

Leanna's expression grew even more intense. She was just about to respond when Sloane's voice escalated abruptly. "Leanna, ease up! You've got a blockade two kilometers up ahead!"

As the fog of dust and debris thinned, revealing the road ahead, Leanna clicked her tongue in mild annoyance. "Quite the spectacle."

The swift Koenigsegg was soon hemmed in, forced to halt by a barricade stretching from the front to the back.

Leanna found herself being cornered on the asphalt, flanked by six supercars in front and a looming Bugatti at her rear. Leaning back in her seat, she raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.

The driver of the leading Ferrari, clearly the ring leader, motioned for Leanna to exit her vehicle and come forward for a talk.

Yet, Leanna's gaze was locked on the Bugatti in her rearview mirror. Due to the distance, she could just discern the face of the driver. Matthew, sitting in the back, was partially obscured, but even the glimpse of his black suit did little to soften his daunting aura.

Noticing the Koenigsegg's prolonged stillness, Aaron peered over to the back seat. "Sir, should we have Jasper force her out of the car?"

Matthew, reclining with crossed legs, absentmindedly twirled a tourmaline ring around his middle finger. "Wait."

Behind the dense car windows, Matthew seemed to lock gazes with Leanna in the front vehicle. He let out a soft chuckle. "Compliance will be so uncharacteristic of Tyrant."

Leanna's patience snapped. She surveyed the traffic ahead. The opposing team seemed hesitant, merely signaling each other rather than advancing to extract her from the vehicle.

"Sloane, any alternative roads to Sanctity Theater? I need a detour now," Leanna asked.

Sloane's fingers flew over the device, her tone tinged with concern. "There's one, but you'll still need to get past this crossroad. With the traffic like this, it's nearly impossible!"

"Ding, a new route calculated, saves five minutes..." After using the navigation system, Leanna sat up straight, kept the handbrake engaged, and slammed the accelerator. The engine's thunderous bellow made the blockers alter their expressions.

The leader appeared to receive a signal from the trailing Bugatti, then ceased his attempts to communicate and directed his men toward Leanna. Dialogue was evidently futile, and they were prepared to escalate to physical confrontation.

A smirk played on Leanna's lips. Just as the men reached within arm's reach, nearly grazing her car door, she yanked the steering wheel and slammed the accelerator. She carved a path through the lineup of cars at a sharp angle, leaving a gap in her wake as she sped off under the astonished stares of onlookers. "There's no road I can't conquer!"

On the other end of the Bluetooth connection, Sloane screamed in exhilaration, but her excitement soon gave way to concern. "Are we going to make an enemy of Matthew by breaking through his barricade?"

Leanna scoffed. "He initiated this pursuit. Besides, what's another enemy to me?"

The sound of her sports car lingered in the air long after she was gone. Once back at the office, Jasper Todd was still shaken when he faced Matthew. "I apologize, sir. I failed to stop Tyrant. I accept any punishment you deem fit."

Matthew stood next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, surveying Cenwood from the tallest point, his eyes locked onto a specific building. "Was that Koenigsegg associated with the Griffiths Group?"

Aaron swiftly navigated his tablet and responded without hesitation, "The records confirm that the car was purchased three years ago, primarily used by Joshua and his father."

Aaron paused briefly before continuing, "The driver today seems to be Joshua's wife, Leanna. But there's no way she's Tyrant."

Before Aaron could elaborate, Jasper cut him off. "That's absurd! You were right there. You saw how that car smashed through our barricades. If she isn't Tyrant, then tell me, who else could pull off something like that? She must be Tyrant!"

Aaron's expression tightened as he scrolled through the data. "According to these records, Leanna is merely the daughter of a modest film production company owner. After her mother's early death and her father's remarriage, she had to leave high school and move to another city due to the new family dynamics, including a stepbrother and stepsister. How could she possibly enter the Nolis Hill races, let alone dominate them as a top competitor?"

Jasper found himself at a loss for words and instinctively turned his gaze toward Matthew.

Matthew, towering and authoritative, commanded the room with his mere presence.

Absently fidgeting with his Patek Philippe watch, Matthew let out a chuckle, the sound chilling them to the bone. With a sly smile, he suggested, "Extend an extra invitation to the Griffiths for next week's charity gala."

The Koenigsegg screeched to a halt outside the gates of the Sanctity Theater.

Immediately, a security guard dashed toward the car, waving his arms. "I'm sorry, but the theater is closed for a private event today. You'll have to leave."

Leanna smirked at the guard from the driver's seat as the car window slid down. "Don't you recognize this car?" she asked, a playful tone in her voice.

The guard scrutinized the license plate and then Leanna's face, his expression wary. He reached for his walkie-talkie, his voice cautious. "Ma'am, may I ask who you are? How are you connected to Mr. Griffiths? Do you have an invitation?"

Leanna tilted her head, a mischievous wink in her eye. "I'm Joshua's wife, and I'm here to catch him red-handed."

Before the guard could respond, Leanna hit the gas. The car surged forward, squeezing through the narrowing space of the partially opened gate with a loud crash.

"Bam!" The sound of the gate breaking shattered the quiet of the theater. Inside, panic ensued.

Joshua bolted onto the stage, his movements protective as he wrapped his arms around a visibly shaken Renee. He glared at the security guards, his voice raised in the chaos. "What are you doing, letting a car wreak havoc in the theater? If Renee gets hurt, you're all going to jail!"

Renee clung to Joshua's shirt, her tears soaking the fabric. "Joshua, I'm terrified! Could this be a terrorist attack? We need to call the police!"

Joshua soothed her with a gentle pat on the back. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you!"

He then turned and shouted at the guards, "What are you waiting for? Apprehend the intruders and bring them to the police!"

The guards shared a look of uncertainty before one hesitantly pointed at the car's license plate. "Mr. Griffiths, that seems to be your car..."

Joshua's heart skipped a beat as he saw the distinct and imposing Koenigsegg emerging from the dust.

His pupils shrank in shock. This was his high-performance Koenigsegg, bought from an underground dealer for a hefty sum.

At home, only he and his father were allowed to drive this advanced supercar due to its complex features.

Now, the car sat mangled in the ruined gate, its once immaculate form scarred and dented, front lights shattered, surrounded by a spread of debris.

Joshua felt the beginning of a headache. "How dare the intruders steal my car and create such chaos? They're going to regret this..."

The next instant, the mangled car door swung open, and a slender, elegant figure emerged.

"What penalty could possibly exceed the cost of your infidelity during our marriage?" Leanna's voice, though soft, cut through the noise of the crowded concert hall, bringing silence.

Joshua's expression twisted in disbelief. "Leanna? What are you doing here..."

Joshua's voice, initially panicked, grew harsh as he confronted her. "Have you lost your senses? Who gave you the right to disrupt Renee's concert? Do you really think I won't have you arrested?"

With the car keys swinging lightly from her fingertips, Leanna advanced toward Joshua, her smirk playful yet menacing. "It seems the great Mr. Griffiths can squeeze in time for his mistress' concert, but not our divorce. I guess I had to deliver the papers myself."

Her words set the hall abuzz with murmurs.

"Is she the wife Mr. Griffiths has been hiding and never acknowledged? I thought she was just a high school dropout from the countryside. She's stunning!"

"Wait, does this mean Mr. Griffiths has been unfaithful?"

"Look at this! It's a showdown between his wife and his mistress! Someone get this on video. It's going to go viral!"

Renee, noticing the cameras lifting around her, altered her expression. She extricated herself from Joshua's embrace and turned to Leanna, tears welling up in her eyes. "Leanna, had you not meddled with my relationship with Joshua, I would never have had to leave. Now that I'm back, he only sees me as a friend. Why must you be so hostile?"

Renee's voice broke as she spoke. "You've already occupied the position of Joshua's wife. What else do you want from me? Will you only be content if I am gone?"

Renee's tearful appeal, along with her innocent appearance, swiftly drew compassion from the onlookers.

The crowd began to defend Renee.

"Miss Hayes and Mr. Griffiths are childhood sweethearts, perfect for each other. However, Mr. Griffiths ended up marrying a high school dropout. Who knows what she did to snag him?"

"Exactly! When Miss Hayes left for overseas, Mr. Griffiths skipped the engagement party to bid her farewell. Clearly, he still has strong feelings for her!"

"Being married on paper doesn't mean much. The one who is unloved is the true outsider!"

As the tide shifted in her favor, Renee ducked behind Joshua, flashing a victorious grin at Leanna.

Joshua carefully dabbed at Renee's tears before turning to Leanna, his expression filled with contempt as if she were the epitome of unreasonableness. "Let's resolve your concerns privately. There's no need to involve Renee in your malicious plots."

Leanna observed their overt affection with a sneer. "How can you both be so shameless?"

Leanna's gaze hardened as she addressed Renee, "Miss Hayes, let's be clear. Back then, you opted for fifty million and a promising career abroad over Joshua. Now, having failed overseas, you return seeking a fallback to prop you up?"

"Shut up!" Joshua interrupted Leanna sharply, his eyes brimming with revulsion. "Renee had her reasons then, unlike you, you gold-digging bitch!"

Witnessing Joshua's unwavering defense of Renee, Leanna's heart twisted with bitterness. The man who had once braved danger to rescue her from a terrorist now seemed like a stranger. In that instant, her heart broke completely.

Leanna declared, "Joshua, if you're so committed to playing the doting partner for her, then sign the divorce papers and split our assets. But remember, a single penny less, and I won't agree to the divorce. You and your beloved can spend eternity together as the shameless pair you truly are."