Chapter 3

"Selene, did you really divorce that useless guy?"

It was two in the afternoon. In the grand office of the Wilson Group headquarters at Denblue Tower, the true matriarch of the Wilson family, Olivia Carhart, sat in a heavy rosewood chair. Her arched brow revealed a sharp curiosity.

"Yes, Grandma." Selene's face carried a distinct sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted.

"Excellent. Well done," Olivia said, nodding slowly. "A man like that staying in our family would only bring us shame. I'm proud of you, Selene."

In the past, no matter how well Selene managed the branch she was in charge of, Olivia never offered a word of praise. Her marriage to Scott was always a thorn in the old woman's side. But today, she seemed genuinely satisfied.

Seeing this, both Selene and Carrie felt a surge of excitement. They both thought the same thing—divorcing that worthless Scott was the best decision they had ever made.

Without missing a beat, Selene leaned forward slightly and said, "Grandma, our branch would like to take over the high-end tile project."

Olivia tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest, her gaze fixed on her granddaughter. "Since you've divorced that man, I see no reason not to let you have it. But you should know, that project targets a highly exclusive market. If you fail, the one million dollars in upfront costs will be completely lost. The risk is enormous. Are you sure you want to take it on?"

"Yes, Grandma. We are fully confident we can deliver. Please trust me with this deal."

Selene's smile was radiant, filled with unshakable confidence.

She knew the risks involved. But just last week, at a banquet at Peter Manor, Spencer, the CEO of Redrts Group, had approached her personally to express his desire to collaborate.

Redrts Group was the rising star of Hazeld City. In just a year, Spencer had gone from being a nameless thug to a major player with vast assets. Few in the city could boast of him seeking them out for business, but he had sought her. It was a clear acknowledgment of her capabilities and potential.

As long as she wanted, she could finalize this risky but immensely profitable deal. The returns would easily exceed 1.5 million dollars.

How could she not feel confident? And with that kind of future in her grasp, why would she ever remain shackled to someone like Scott?

"You truly are my granddaughter," Olivia said, her voice carrying a rare warmth. "Courageous, capable, and decisive. The Wilson family needs people like you. Very well, the project is yours."

Olivia had been waiting for this moment. With Scott finally gone and Selene displaying such self-assurance, her heart swelled with satisfaction. For the first time, she began to seriously consider Selene as a potential heir. After all, her eldest grandson, Henry Wilson, fell far short of her expectations.

Selene and Carrie exchanged a triumphant glance.

Upon returning to the branch office, they immediately instructed the finance department to transfer the one million dollars upfront payment.

Watching the funds land in their account, Carrie could barely contain her glee. "See? I told you divorcing that worthless Scott was the right call. Now do you believe your mother's judgment?"

"Thank you, Mom," Selene said sincerely. If not for her mother's constant urging, she might never have made the decision to leave Scott.

Preparations for the project had already begun. With the funds secured, Selene wasted no time notifying the procurement team to purchase materials and instructed the factory to begin production based on the approved samples.

Everything was falling into place. All that remained was to finalize the contract with Spencer.

Once the deal was signed, she would not only solidify her position within the Wilson family but also walk away with a substantial profit.

She had already decided that her first reward would be a luxury sports car—one that would make heads turn. Unlike Scott's hired "wealthy woman" actress who came to pick him up, she would earn her car through her own skills and ambition.

The thought filled her with renewed hope. Divorcing Scott wasn't just the right decision, it was the best one she had ever made.

With a satisfied smile, Selene picked up her phone to call Spencer and discuss the next steps.

She adjusted her tone, aiming for a composed and professional air. "Hello, Mr. Reed—"

A robotic voice cut her off. "The number you have dialed is currently busy…"

Selene frowned slightly but dismissed the concern. Someone like Spencer was undoubtedly busy. She decided to try again later.

But as the minutes ticked by, her smile began to fade.

She called again. And again. More than a dozen times.

Each time, the same message echoed back at her.

A chill crept down her spine. One missed call could mean a busy schedule—but over ten? That only happened if someone had deliberately blocked her number.

Impossible. Her mind raced.

Nearby, Carrie, sipping her hand-brewed coffee while daydreaming about their future wealth, nearly choked. "Sweetheart, what's going on?"

"I—I don't know," Selene stammered, shaking her head in disbelief. She vividly recalled Spencer's eagerness at the banquet. He had practically begged for this collaboration. Why would he block her now?

Grabbing her phone, she opened Telegram and sent him a message.

The response was swift but devastating.

Spencer had blocked her there, too.

"Oh my God. He really blocked me."

Selene nearly fainted. The only reason she had dared to take on that project was because she assumed she had Spencer's backing.

Over the past year, her career had been nothing short of meteoric. Everything she touched seemed to turn to gold. There were no obstacles, no setbacks—just smooth sailing all the way through. Yet now, faced with this sudden and inexplicable situation, her mind went blank.

Still, she couldn't believe Spencer would block her. She was far too confident in her own abilities. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere. After discussing the matter with Carrie, she decided to seek out Spencer herself and clear things up.

After meticulously dressing herself, Selene drove straight to the Redrts Tower, the headquarters of Redrts Group.

As she pulled into the parking lot, she spotted Spencer's signature Bentley Mulsanne. Her heart lifted with a flicker of hope. Without hesitation, she hurried into the lobby.

By a strange twist of fate, just as she stepped inside, the elevator doors slid open, revealing Spencer with his mistress, Iris Potter, clinging to his arm.

"Mr. Reed, I think there must be some misunderstanding between us." Selene rushed toward him, panting slightly as she tried to maintain a respectful demeanor.

Spencer's gaze swept over her, cold and unfamiliar. "Misunderstanding? Who are you?"

Selene's heart sank. "What? Mr. Reed, you don't recognize me?"

Iris let out a sharp laugh. "Is this some kind of joke? Why would Spencer know you? He has a dinner with the mayor tonight—get lost!" Without waiting for a response, she shoved Selene aside.

Spencer, showing no interest in the conversation, tightened his arm around Iris's waist and strolled toward the exit.

Panic surged through Selene. She darted forward and cut them off. "Mr. Reed, don't you remember me? I'm Selene! At Peter Manor, you approached me for a collaboration!"

"Get lost!" Iris sneered, her eyes filled with contempt. "Look at yourself—do you really think Spencer would be interested in working with an ugly bitch like you?"

"You—" Selene, accustomed to being placed on a pedestal by Scott, seethed with anger after being called an "ugly bitch" by Iris. Yet, despite the fury burning inside her, she didn’t dare lash out. Instead, she swallowed her pride and pleaded desperately, "Mr. Reed, please, just hear me out. I'm sure there's been some misunderstanding."

Spencer's expression hardened. With a flick of his hand, he summoned the security guards. "Throw her out."

Without a moment's hesitation, the guards grabbed Selene and dragged her toward the entrance. Spencer never looked back—not even once.

Inside the Bentley, Iris pouted and asked, "Spencer, I remember seeing you talk to her at the banquet. Now you're pretending not to know her? Don't tell me she's one of your little flings."

Spencer's hand trailed lazily across her body as he chuckled. "You've got a sharp memory. But that woman? I wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole—she's Scott's ex-wife."

Iris's jaw dropped. "What? Scott married a woman like that? No way! She's so...ordinary. What did she do to deserve someone like him?"

"Hard to believe, right?" Spencer laughed quietly. "And would you believe she was the one who forced him into the divorce? The papers were signed just this afternoon."

Iris's mouth hung open in disbelief. "She forced the heir of the Radley family to divorce her? Is she insane? With a man like Scott by her side, she could've had everything handed to her on a silver platter. And she threw it all away?"

"Even though Scott has always told me to help her, I can't stand the fact that she had the nerve to pressure him into a divorce. I want nothing to do with her!" Spencer's voice was cold and firm as he spoke, his expression hardening as he watched Iris's stunned reaction.

Truthfully, he could have refused Amelia's request, but Spencer knew better than anyone that his rise from a nobody to a man of influence was entirely because of Scott—a favor granted solely to lift up Selene.

This debt of gratitude was as deep as what one might owe their own parents. As long as Scott's orders stood, Spencer had no choice but to support Selene, no matter what. His loyalty was to Scott, and Scott alone.

But the thought of Scott—a proud heir of the Radley family—lowering himself to doing laundry, cooking meals, and serving tea for Selene's mediocre family, enduring daily humiliation just to make her life comfortable, made Spencer's blood boil. Instead of being grateful, they had the gall to shame him and push him into a divorce.

Now, even if it meant going against Scott's orders, even if it meant losing everything and ending up on the streets, Spencer was done. He was cutting all ties with Selene.

Spencer's Bentley slid out of the parking lot, leaving Selene alone outside. The commotion had drawn a crowd of Redrts Group employees, and whispers quickly spread among them.

"She's probably one of Mr. Reed's flings, trying to blackmail him," one of them snickered.

"She's disgusting," another chimed in. "Worse than a streetwalker."

"Serves her right," a third added. "She probably thought she could cash in on her looks. Pathetic."

A few of the security guards, emboldened by the spectacle, sauntered up to her with lewd grins. "Hey, sweetheart, how much for a night?" one of them jeered.

"Yeah, bet you'd be fun," another laughed, his eyes raking over her body. "With an ass like that, you'd be worth every penny."

Their crude words cut through her like knives. The humiliation burned her cheeks, and she wished desperately for the ground to swallow her whole.