Chapter 3 Ch Three

• "She must have clearly lost her mind."
• "Reject a hundred million? Can her family ever get a quarter of it till they all die?"
• "But are you sure, Mrs. Meyer has not gone mad from the aftereffects of too much suffering? She suddenly looked prideful when she asked to eliminate the compensation part from the papers."
• "Is that not a foolish way to deal with things? Choosing her pride over millions?"
• The maids around nudged themselves and whispered into each other's ears as low as they could, wondering what was going on in Zoe's head. It was clear to them that she would rather become a penniless, divorced outcast than take the Meyers money.
• Malcolm was still sitting in his comfortable position like a king's figure, inwardly shocked by Zoe's request not to receive a dime from him. Though his face was cold and etched with an expression as stoic as ever, he smirked maliciously and thought to himself that she was trying to pull silly tricks.
• Edward met the eyes of his boss with uncertainty about what to do next, and he understood Malcolm's message without the need to move his lips.
• "The compensation amount has been increased to 500 million," Edward announced again, and everyone's eyes almost dropped out of their sockets at the price.
• 'Let us see how far she can play hard to get,' Malcolm thought spitefully in his mind, without meeting the gaze of his family, as much as they wanted him to make eye contact with them. To tell them what was going on and what his plan was.
• "What is going on?! Why is she getting that outrageous amount?!" Ivy was forced to scream at what Edward said, not minding her manners as usual before everyone. She just could not wrap her head around the fact that her brother wanted to give Zoe hundreds of millions for divorce.
• Isla shifted uncontrollably from her position and straightened the wrinkles that formed on her gorgeous dress, while Mrs. Irene Meyer pinched her lips into her mouth with all her might to prevent her from spluttering in rage at Zoe's sudden arrogance. She wanted to smack her hard on the face, and dip her head into the water closet to teach her a lesson.
• The Meyer family held a high prestige, therefore they refused to be affected by such an amount given out to a random person, and portray an outburst of emotions. However, it wasn't just someone. It was the lady they hated with all their might.
• "I am very intentional about my words, Malcolm Meyer. I am not receiving a penny from you if I have to sign these papers that will annul our marriage," she repeated sternly this time around, amidst her mild cough which she got from flu the previous day.
• Shock fell into the room again, and everyone had their mouths agape. They were absolutely not expecting to hear such a consistent reply from her even after they increased the price of her alimony. They truly couldn't understand why she would reject the money when she was from a wretched family.
• Based on her background, not even her entire household could ever get a quarter of the amount if they put all of them for sale. She was dirt poor from a random countryside, and the worst of all, was that she was an orphan who was raised by her grandmother. It was still a wonder how she managed to get married to a man like Malcolm Meyer because of his grandfather's silly family promise.
• "So you do not wish to take half of a billion? And not even a company?" Malcolm proposed a tempting offer in a calm manner with an overbearing tone that sounded menacing, and emphasized how dangerous it was for her not to think about her decision before answering thoughtlessly.
• Everyone continued to watch what was going on between the couples about divorce. No one knew what he was thinking, and what he was planning to do. That was probably the longest conversation they had heard him have with her in their presence. It was hard to figure out why he was willing to give her that much.
• At least, a company of his was worth billions.
• Zoe smirked derisively at his question, and turned to look at every member of the family, as she gazed right through the cold murderous glazes, they all darted in her direction. The atmosphere crackled with an intensity that bore weight on the fear of what her answer would be.
• "I want……," she dragged, increasing the tension in them, "Nothing," she answered with clarity this time, and flashed a riveting smile at Malcolm, who appeared so pissed by her answer, "Now, if you will excuse me. I have some packing to do," she informed curtly, and turned to leave everyone's sight immediately.
• It felt like the tension in the air held everyone's breath the moment Malcolm mentioned giving her company, and they could only release it after she strutted nonchalantly away from their sight. A long moment of silence followed, as everyone was short of what to say or do next. However, Ivy did not have it.
• "What did I just witness?" She lamented under her breath and struggled to catch her breath, as she slumped to one of the surrounding chairs in relief that her brother's wife did not demand one of their company.
• 'But wait. What is wrong with that woman? Has she gone mad?' Ivy wondered in her mind, 'What kind of woman wouldn't want an insane amount of compensation like that after being treated like trash?'
• "Maybe Aunty is finally ready to show her true colors? Like a revenge comeback in those action-packed movies?" Aaron thoughtlessly speculated, as he continued to viciously play a game on his phone.
• "Go to your room this instant! You have examinations next week," Audrey frowned at her son. She didn't like the thought of him mentioning revenge. However, he remained sitting anyway.
• 'What is going on?' Ivy wondered.
• "Oh…. It is crazy. I feel like my heart is about to jump out of my chest," she whispered into Ivy's ears, "Why is Malcolm offering to give her that much?" Audrey asked Ivy thoughtlessly.
• "I don't know either!" She gritted her teeth in frustration at Audrey as she scratched her hair, trying not to cause a scene with the stifling air permeating everywhere.
• Her eyes looked across to where her sister was standing and where her mother was sitting to see a reaction from them, but they seemed to hold their lips even if they had a lot to say. The burning anger in them was slightly palpable.
• "Edit the papers as wished," Malcolm instructed Edward curtly from where he was sitting, and stood up with uprightness in an instant, as his left hand grazed slowly across his waxed hair for a retouch.
• Still caught in the hubbub and confusion of what was going on and how Malcolm would react to the situation, the stride of heels gliding on the polished floor captured everyone's attention collectively as they all turned their heads to the direction of where the sound was coming from.
• Zoe appeared in front of them, donned in a gorgeous red gown, as she took elegant steps down the stairs while dragging alongside her two boxes. The room fell into a hushed silence as everyone tried to capture the sight of whom they were staring at, and they thought they had wrongly seen the woman that was standing before them.
• Her stunning short armless red dress accentuated her curves in all the right places, and the neckline of the dress adorned with intricate lace and pearls that cut down open to the fullness of her cleavage, drew attention to her graceful neck and collarbone. Her long, dark hair which was initially tied down had been let down and styled to simplicity, and her face glowed beautifully at the subtle touch of makeup that accentuated her striking features.
• Her hazel eyes shone brightly with striking blue flecks that cut through more prominently in her left heterochromia eye, and they held a glimmer of confidence and determination that was undeterred by the watchful eyes of her husband's family.
• "Oh my goodness! Who knew Zoe could be this hot? I didn't even know she had curves and long legs," Audrey drooled compulsively, with her eyes filled with a mix of astonishment and admiration as she set her eyes on Zoe.
• "Where did she even get that dress from?" Ivy asked in surprise, as she tried to remember where she had seen the luxurious piece from.
• "Should you not come and pick this up?!" Zoe suddenly snapped at the maids who were assigned to help her pack her things, and they rushed up at her immediately to help her with the bags. They were all shocked by her manner of speaking.
• "Have you finally lost it?" Irene stepped in and demanded in anger, when she realized that her son was just letting his wife do whatever she wanted. She couldn't even believe the seductive dress Zoe was wearing.
• 'The fact that she was to be given a huge amount of alimony does not mean that she could run her mouth. She was still in their house, and they would still treat her as the filthy human that she was as long as she had not signed the papers.'
• "I do not think you have the right to talk to me in that way, Irene. I am no longer your son's wife," Zoe retorted immediately with a contemptuous look, and everyone thought they had lost their minds the moment they heard her say that.
• For the first time in her life, Zoe talked back to Mrs. Irene Meyer. And she did not only talk back. She replied to her sarcastically with a slap of disgrace.
• "What….." Irene stuttered incredulously with her jaws dropped in disbelief, to hear Zoe give a flippant reply to her question.
• "Has it been corrected?" Zoe turned to ask Edward as soon as she walked closer, and he nodded instantly, as he handed her the new copies that had been edited. Her eyes skimmed through the paper when he handed it over to her, and shoved it back to him after she signed it.
• "I am glad I can finally be free from this lunatic family," she mouthed loud enough for everyone to hear, as she directed the maids to take her boxes to the car that was waiting outside for her already.
• "Do not overstep the line," Malcolm warned icily, his voice commanding intense intimidation and his eyes dark with a layer of impenetrable frost.
• "I am no longer your wife, so, you have no right to order me around, Mr. Meyer," she sneered at him, and he gritted his teeth angrily as he grabbed her arm tightly. He hated that she was still talking while he was talking. It was something she never did.
• Everyone watched with nervousness and curiosity from where they stood, what would happen to Zoe after messing with Malcolm Meyer.
• "I would advise you to watch the way you talk on these premises. You are still on the Meyers family property," he reminded her with a heavy gaze that burned with an intensity that could scorch her, and she stared directly into his eyes, waiting for him to burn her down.
• "Let me go!" she hissed and snatched her arm away from his grip when she realized that she was taking too long to leave already, "You can have your family and property to yourself," she hissed again.
• "Adios, everyone," she flashed a smile, and sauntered away from everyone's sight to their shock.