Chapter 3 - From Begging to Banishment(Target: 2,000 words - Focus: The family collapses into desperation, begging Aria to reverse the decision, but she strips them of their dignity and walks out.)
Beatrice’s jaw dropped so low it looked dislocated. Chloe let out a small, pathetic squeak, dropping her phone onto the floor.
"You..." Beatrice stammered, her face turning an ugly shade of purple. "You are the anonymous chairperson? You are the owner of Apex?"
"The very same 'poor, pregnant burden' you just dumped a bucket of filthy water on," I replied, looking down at my soaked maternity dress.
Ethan scrambled out of his chair, completely abandoning any shred of dignity he had left. He threw himself across the wet Persian rug, slipping slightly before catching himself at my feet. The same man who had ignored my suffering for three years was now looking up at me with tears streaming down his face.
"Aria... sweetheart, please," Ethan begged, reaching out to touch the hem of my dress, but I stepped back, avoiding his filthy hands. "It was a mistake! A horrible, terrible joke! You know my mother has a bad temper, she didn't mean it! Please, you can't do this to us. If you take away my position, we lose everything. The house, the cars, our reputation... think about our baby!"
"Do not dare mention my child," I hissed, a fierce, maternal rage burning in my chest. "When your mother poured freezing ice water over a heavily pregnant woman, endangering your own flesh and blood, you didn't think about our baby. You thought about your silk tie."
"Aria, please!" Chloe cried out, running over and dropping to her knees beside her brother. "I’m sorry! I’m so sorry I called you lazy! I’ll be your assistant! I’ll wash your clothes, I’ll do anything! Please don't let them take my apartment!"
Richard Vance stood by the table, looking like an old man who had suddenly aged twenty years. "Aria... as a businessman, surely you understand... a family dispute shouldn't interfere with corporate operations. Let’s talk about this rationally."
"Rationally?" I looked at Richard, then at Beatrice, who was trembling, paralyzed by the sudden and absolute destruction of her empire. "For three years, I cooked your meals, cleaned your house, and endured your insults because I wanted to believe my husband loved me for who I was. I stayed quiet to see if there was a single ounce of humanity in any of you. Today, you gave me your answer."
I looked down at Ethan. "We are divorced, Ethan. You will receive the paperwork by midnight. And don't worry about hiring a lawyer—you won't be able to afford one."
"Aria, no! You can't leave me! I love you!" Ethan screamed, grabbing at my shoes as I turned around.
"Security," I spoke clearly into my phone.
Within three seconds, the heavy oak front doors of the mansion were kicked open. Six towering, armed private security guards from the Apex elite division marched into the dining room, led by my COO, Marcus.
Marcus took one look at my soaked state, the ice cubes on the floor, and the bucket. His eyes flared with a lethal corporate coldness. "Chairperson Aria, your vehicle is waiting. Shall we have these people removed from the property?"
"This house is leased under an Apex subsidiary, correct, Marcus?" I asked, walking toward the door.
"Yes, Madam. The lease terminates in exactly sixty seconds," Marcus replied.
May you like
"Good. Throw them out. Tonight," I commanded. "They love filth so much, let them sleep in the street."
As I walked out into the warm summer night, the sounds of Beatrice screaming, Chloe wailing, and Ethan begging echoed behind me, completely drowned out by the roaring engine of my custom bulletproof Maybach.
Related Stories
