Chapter 1The Six-Year Setup

After Elliot betrayed me, our marriage dragged on for another six years.

During that time, we even had a son.

Just when everyone thought we were heading toward a happy, stable life, I filed for divorce.

He looked at me in utter disbelief. "We’ve been doing so well! What are you throwing a tantrum for?!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Doing well? Where did you get that illusion?"

Then, I pulled out our asset portfolio. "In these six years, I’ve doubled our net worth to 6 billion dollars. After the divorce, whether we keep it as a partnership in shares or cash out is entirely up to you."

* * *

Over these six years, I’m not saying I never tried to genuinely move on.

Especially after Liam was born.

It's a pity that the battle six years ago was just too unforgettable.

Elliot slept with a business partner’s secretary after a drunken night. The girl showed up pregnant, demanding my place. The company’s stock plunged, evaporating 200 million dollars overnight.

In just three days, I accompanied Elliot to public events as if nothing had happened, throwing my full support behind him and weathering the storm hand-in-hand.

The public praised my magnanimity, rationality, and foresight, though some mocked the bitter reality of being a billionaire’s wife.

I just smiled and never responded.

But no matter how perfectly Elliot played the devoted family man afterward, I could easily see through his warmth and lies. I could never drown in them again.

A year ago, his college goddess, Audrey, went through a messy divorce and quietly returned to New York with her six-year-old daughter.

He then started living a double life.

Liam was lucky to see his dad once a week.

The truth is, Elliot had plenty of time. He was a man with an extreme gift for investment, once dubbed the "Man Who Could Predict the Market."

Before he hit thirty, he had amassed enough wealth to retire.

At his peak, he gracefully stepped down from his last board position, becoming a highly independent angel investor.

I could only tell Liam that Daddy was very busy, and Liam would nod innocently.

Elliot was indeed very busy.

Busy touring penthouses with Audrey, buying her a house, backing her up, and finding a prep school for her six-year-old. Worried the little girl might feel slighted, he donated millions to build a new library for the school.

His private legal team was deployed the second Audrey’s plane landed, helping her fight her ex-husband for her assets.

Audrey, who should have been keeping a low profile after a downfall, was thrust into the spotlight as Manhattan's most talked-about woman, all because Elliot stood up for her.

Times had changed. Elliot, now semi-retired, no longer had to worry that his scandals would tank the stock market.

He was enjoying the most reckless, self-indulgent phase of his life.

Honestly, for a couple worth billions like us, the word "divorce" isn't thrown around lightly.

So, Elliot froze for a second. "Are you jealous of Audrey?"

That tone of disbelief, as if I were being completely unreasonable.

"She’s in trouble, and I have the power to help. You know how rare college bonds are; we aren't hurting for this little bit of money. You’ve been with me for so many years, don't you have a bigger picture than this?"

"That love letter in the safe," I interrupted.

Over the years, we were spouses, but also mentor and mentee. Elliot always liked to critique me from a pedestal.

If I didn't puncture his ego right away, he would undoubtedly use the excuse of "helping an old classmate" to take the moral high ground and tear me down.

"You opened the safe?"

I reminded him calmly, "On the day of Liam's one-month milestone, you were feeling appreciative of my hard work and told me to open the safe to get the company seal for you."

That was also the time Elliot took 5 million from his pre-marital assets and merged it into our joint accounts, which became my first bucket of gold to enter the venture capital circle.

He seemed to just remember, looking a bit flustered. "That was just something from when we were young! If there was really something going on with her, why would I make such a public spectacle of it!"

Toward the end, his confidence returned.

"We weren't even together back then, and now that we both have kids, it’s even more impossible. Stop looking for trouble where there is none."

I was sick to death of his condescension and disregard.

"Elliot, you don't need to explain anything to me. Think about how you’re going to explain this to Liam."

"What did you tell him?" he asked warily.

I laughed. "Do I need to say anything? In the past year, Liam was hospitalized once for pneumonia, had the flu three times, got hurt at school once, and was bullied for six months. As his father, have you shown up even once?"

A flash of guilt crossed Elliot's eyes.

It took a long time before he said, "You’ve always handled Liam’s affairs. If something was difficult, you should have proactively told me."

"Yes, that is how it’s been all these years."

I looked at him. "Liam and I have never complained. But did you know Liam transferred to St. Jude’s half a year ago?"

Elliot didn't speak for a long time.

I let out a scoff:

"Liam always believed you were just very busy. But you let him see with his own eyes how you ran around for a little girl named Mia.

"He heard Mia telling the teachers and classmates that her dad is Elliot Vance, a billionaire who could buy half of Manhattan, and that her family donated the library.

"Liam refused to accept that and argued with Mia, but no one believed he was Elliot Vance's son because Elliot Vance never picked him up or dropped him off at school. In the end, Liam was psychologically bullied and isolated.

"In a child's world, a father is enough to make or break them."

Elliot was furious. "Don't you have a mouth? Why didn't you tell them!"

"You built your wealth from scratch; I believed Liam was just as strong. In the school registry, you explicitly instructed not to use your name to keep Liam from becoming spoiled."

He was speechless, frustratedly running his hands through his hair and pacing around with his hands on his hips.

"Then you should have told me directly! Why didn't you tell me Liam transferred schools!"

"Did I not? I told you Liam was about to move up to St. Jude’s Lower School, and I wanted to transfer him to the advanced class half a year early to adapt to the environment. You just replied 'okay' and hung up."

I paused. "Later, I only found out from the news that when Mia was picked up by a stranger that day, you backed Audrey up and aggressively went to the Carter family to demand answers."

Elliot glared at me indignantly, then slumped down in defeat.

After a long time, he said exhaustedly, "Sloane, you clearly had a way to handle this, but you let me lose face in front of Liam."

I closed my eyes, turned around. "Yes, I should have taken our marriage certificate and Liam's birth certificate to the principal right then, and demanded a school-wide assembly to prove that Liam is your son."