Chapter 2

Julian was bleeding cash lately. Lumina Tech's Series C funding round had hit a snag, and the deadline on his earn-out agreement was breathing down his neck.

If he couldn't raise the capital, he would lose majority control and face devastating contractual penalties.

The next morning in the dining room, he did something unprecedented—he poured me a glass of milk himself.

"Evelyn," he asked with feigned nonchalance, "isn't your uncle's overseas buyout fund scouting for domestic tech investments right now?"

I took a sip of milk, my mind crystal clear. He was trying to leech off my family again.

"Uncle Robert has strict criteria. Lumina's current balance sheet doesn't meet their risk management threshold," I said, setting the glass down evenly.

The fake tenderness on Julian's face vanished instantly. He threw his fork onto the plate with a sharp clatter.

"What kind of attitude is that?" He glared at me, his face darkening. "I'm your husband. My company is your company."

"If you won't help, the least you can do is not rain on my parade."

"If I didn't provide this lavish lifestyle for you, do you really think you'd be sitting pretty as a high-society wife?"

"Do you actually believe you're irreplaceable?"

Watching his furious grimace, not a single ripple stirred in my chest.

"I'll speak to Uncle Robert," I said softly, lowering my head to play the submissive wife.

Only then did Julian scoff with satisfaction. "That's more like it."

"Make sure you dress appropriately when you see him. Don't embarrass me."

The moment he walked out, I fired up my laptop.

I didn't call Uncle Robert. Instead, I logged directly into Lumina Tech's core internal systems.

As a co-founder, even though I had been sidelined from daily operations, Julian had never dared revoke my super-admin privileges. He still needed my personal brand and media accounts to keep up public appearances.

I pulled two years' worth of financial ledgers, dual contracts, and every single fake overseas outsourcing invoice he had used to funnel money to Natalie and their son. I zipped the files, encrypted them, and sent them straight to Sean.

That afternoon, I met Sean at his law firm.

He slid a thick folder across the desk and tapped the faxed international document on top.

"Registration records from the Cayman Islands just came through," Sean said. "Julian transferred Lumina's core proprietary algorithms to a shell company in the Caymans via cross-licensing agreements."

He paused, looking at me. "The sole director and legal representative of that shell company is Natalie Ross."

Julian was gutting Lumina Tech from the inside out. He had planned this long ago: even if the company went under, he could flee overseas with the core technology and live like royalty with Natalie.

"He's dreaming," I murmured, a cold smirk pulling at my lips as I flipped through the pages.

"Sean, register a new media management agency for me."

"Strip the ownership of all my personal social media handles and intellectual property away from Lumina Tech."

"Use the pretext of Lumina cutting operational costs by letting personal creator brands operate independently."

Sean gave me a long look. "You're going solo?"

"No," I replied, closing the laptop. "Is Frank in accounting reliable?"

Sean replied without hesitation. "Frank has been with the company for five years. Your grandfather personally brought him in. He owes your family."

I stared at the screen and tapped out a message: "Tell him it's time to settle the debt."

"I'm turning Lumina Tech into a hollow shell. And I will be the one holding their leash."

For the next two weeks, I played the dutiful, obedient wife at home.

Julian believed I had already secured Uncle Robert's backing. He came home every night walking on air.

He even began taking frequent international calls behind my back, his voice dripping with nauseating tenderness.

I knew Natalie was on her way back.

Julian thought he was about to seize absolute wealth and wouldn't need me as a stepping stone anymore.

He was finally ready to bring his true love and his golden boy home.