Chapter 1

I'm incredibly lazy.

My husband Franklin has been keeping a mistress, and I know about it. But I can't be bothered to deal with it.

For ten years, the two of them have been lovey-dovey while I've been lying flat at home doing absolutely nothing.

The amazing thing is, these two are incredibly capable. They actually took my failing little company and made it go public.

I was planning to keep being lazy, but today they came to talk to me.

Franklin slid a divorce agreement across the table. "I'll give you ten million. Let's get divorced."

I looked at the company now worth over a hundred million and laughed. "I may be lazy, but I'm not stupid."

The air conditioning in the café was blasting.

Sitting across from me were Franklin and his mistress of ten years, Lisa.

The two sat intimately close, wearing perfectly tailored designer clothes with matching couple's watches on their wrists.

Meanwhile, I wore a loose cotton dress and flat shoes, looking like a housewife who had wandered into a high-level business negotiation by mistake.

Franklin pushed a document toward me.

Next to it lay a check for ten million dollars.

"Ivanka, let's talk." Franklin's voice was calm, carrying that particular condescension of someone in power.

"These past ten years, you haven't managed anything. The company's success today is entirely due to the hard work Lisa and I put in."

He paused, as if giving me time to process this.

"There's been no love between us for a long time. Dragging this out benefits no one."

Lisa chimed in at the perfect moment with a gentle, slightly apologetic smile.

"Ivanka, Franklin is only thinking of your best interests. With this money, you can live comfortably for the rest of your life without worrying about anything."

Her tone was sincere, as if she truly had my welfare at heart.

Ten years.

Ever since I handed that half-dead company over to Franklin, I'd been living like I was retired.

I knew he was having an affair with his assistant Lisa, but I couldn't be bothered to call them out.

As long as they ran the company well and money kept appearing in my account, I didn't care how many mistresses he had on the side.

My best friend Elena said I was stupid.

I just smiled.

I didn't touch the divorce agreement or look at the check.

My fingers leisurely stirred the coffee in front of me. The porcelain spoon clinked against the cup, making a crisp sound.

Once. Then again.

In the quiet of the private room, it rang out especially clear.

Franklin's brow furrowed slightly. My calm reaction displeased him.

In his script, I should have been crying, shocked, or greedily haggling for more.

Not sitting here so composed, as if listening to a story that had nothing to do with me.

"Ten million, and I leave with nothing." I softly repeated the terms, as if savoring the words.

"Franklin, after ten years running a publicly traded company, is your vision really this small?"

Franklin's expression darkened. "Ivanka, people shouldn't be too greedy. Have you contributed even one ounce of effort to this company? You don't even know which office building it's in, do you?"

Lisa immediately jumped in, her tone laced with contempt. "Ivanka, this company is worth over a hundred million, but that's all from Franklin's and my blood, sweat, and tears. Giving you ten million is already extremely generous."

I finally stopped stirring my coffee.

I looked up at them.

Then I laughed.

Not a cold laugh or a mocking laugh, but genuine laughter from finding something truly amusing.

"Have you two gotten something confused?"

My voice wasn't loud, but it made both of them freeze simultaneously.

"This company—from its inception, I'm the legal representative. One hundred percent of the shares are in my name. You two are my authorized agent and a senior employee of the company."

I watched their expressions gradually change, my smile deepening.

"When did I ever say my company became your company?"

Franklin's face flushed red. "Ivanka, without us, it would just be an empty shell!"

"So I should thank you." I nodded. "As thanks, I've never shorted you on salary or bonuses. Lisa, your year-end bonus last year was over three hundred thousand. That's what bought you that watch on your wrist, isn't it?"

Lisa's face instantly went deathly pale.

I stood up and grabbed my bag.

"I won't sign the divorce agreement, and I won't give up a cent of my assets."

I looked down at them like they were a pair of clowns.

"The company's annual shareholders meeting is next month. When it happens, I'll attend in my capacity as Chairman of the Board."

"I'd like to see how you plan to spend a single dollar of the company's money without my authorization."

I turned and left, leaving behind two people with ashen faces.

Walking out of the café, the sunlight was blinding.

The smile vanished from my face instantly, replaced by icy coldness.

I got in my car and made a phone call.

"Attorney Jamal, it's me."

A steady male voice came through the line. "Ivanka, are you ready?"

"Yes." I looked in the rearview mirror at the two figures chasing out of the café, my eyes cold as ice.

"They've shown their hand. We can begin our plan."

The pigs I'd been fattening for ten years—it was time for slaughter.