Chapter 3
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Daniel was fuming , his hands trembling as he gripped his cane and stood . “ Sneaking around as the side chick ? You’re calling me trash her ? ”
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Hannah’s face went cold as ice . “ Mr. Cole , I didn’t have a clue your grandson was married when we started . If I’d known , a girl like me , with a clean slate ,
would’ve bolted . ”
She spun on Liam , her eyes blazing . “ You swore you and Aria were over , that divorce was just around the corner . That’s the only reason I gave you a chance . Now I’m stuck with this ‘ side chick ‘ crap , and everyone’s laughing . Clean up your damn mess , Liam . We’re done . ”
Hannah stormed toward the door , but Liam grabbed her arm , his voice low and desperate . “ Hannah , don’t walk out . Grandpa’s been played by Aria’s lies , that’s all . If you leave , she’ll never sign those divorce papers . She’ll bleed Cole Group dry , and my family’s screwed . ”
His plea was raw , tugging at her heart . Hannah stopped , turning slowly . “ You’ve got one day to fix this . ”
“ Got it , ” Liam said , relief flooding his face .
He faced his grandfather , his tone rock – solid . “ Grandpa , I only married Aria because you wouldn’t let me study abroad . It was a dumb move , and I never loved her . Hannah’s the one – she’s shown me what real love feels like . ”
Daniel’s face stayed hard , while Aria just smirked , eating up their drama .
Liam didn’t back down . “ Hannah’s killing it at Kerano Global Health , running the whole show . Top schools are begging her to speak . She’s got class , respect – the kind of woman born to lead the Cole family . ”
Kerano Global Health was the real deal , a world – class institute with standards so brutal even hotshot professors struggled to get in . And Hannah was the one calling the shots .
Daniel’s icy stare softened just a bit . “ If this is all a misunderstanding , I’ll say sorry to Miss Gibson . But Aria’s the only granddaughter – in – law I’ll ever accept . ”
Liam’s grip on Hannah’s hand tightened , his eyes fierce . “ Grandpa , I’m not changing my mind . Try to stop me , and I’m gone . I’ll follow Hannah to Erenoland and never come back . ”
Pushing him now would only make things worse . If Liam really ran off with Hannah to Erenoland , the whole family would be done for .
Daniel stayed quiet , his brow furrowed deep .
The Cole family was barely holding on . Daniel’s only son was long gone , leaving a grandson who’d rather dissect cadavers than deal with dollars and a granddaughter who lived for the next party .
With no decent heirs to speak of , Daniel had put all his chips on Aria , his grandson’s wife . But then Liam , that moron , went and screwed it all up by
cheating
Daniel sat , his mind a mess , guilt carved deep into his weathered face as he looked at Aria . He sighed , the sound heavy with regret . “ Aria , darling , the Coles have done you wrong . If you’re not okay with this divorce , I’ll fight it till I’m pushing daisies , I swear . ”
Liam clung to Hannah’s hand , sweating like a pig , scared Aria might not let him off the hook .
Aria stayed cool , her voice even . “ Liam’s got a new squeeze . No point in me hanging around where I’m not wanted . ”
Daniel’s shoulders slumped , his voice soft and sad . “ The Saxon family’s got their heiress . You’d just be extra weight there . Stick with us , Aria , I’m on my last legs , and when i’m gone , Cole Group’s yours . ”
If Liam wouldn’t step up and have kids , IVF could fix that . Aria’s kid would still carry the Cole name , and the company would stay in the family .
“ Grandpal ” Liam’s face twisted , his voice shrill . “ You can’t just hand Cole Group to some nobody ! ”
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Aria shot him a look sharp enough to draw blood . “ Grandpa , I was just fine without the Saxons before I hit twenty , and I’ll keep on being fine . This marriage ? If Liam won’t end it , I will . I’m not sticking around to play happy wife while he’s out fooling around . ”
Daniel pressed a hand to his temple , sighing like the world was on his shoulders . “ You two , beat it . I need to talk to Aria alone . ”
Liam started to protest , but Hannah yanked him out the door .
Daniel’s gaze locked on Aria , heavy with something unsaid . “ Aria , I’ll green – light the divorce . ”
Relief hit her , but his next words were a gut punch .
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“ That 150 million you threw in ? You can take it back , and that’s it . The shares stay with us . I’ll toss in this year’s dividends to soften the blow , ” he said .
Aria’s eyes flashed with disbelief . “ 150 mil ? That’s all you’re offering ? ”
Daniel’s tone turned steely . “ You’re not a Cole anymore . Holding four percent of Cole Group isn’t right . “ .
“ Grandpa , I never asked for a dime from you people . Why do you think I signed that prenup ? ” Aria’s voice was ice , her patience gone . “ When Cole Group was tanking , stocks in the toilet , I dumped 150 mil into it . That four percent was mine – earned , not handed to me . Not just as Liam’s wife , but as a shareholder . ”
Her eyes darkened as it all clicked . “ I bled for Cole Group . It’s soaring now because of me . If you’re cutting me out of my shares , fine . But by market value , I’m owed fifteen billion dollars . ”
Daniel’s face went pale , then red with outrage . “ 1.5 billion ? That’s nuts . I’ll give you 230 million , plus dividends and a little extra . Take it . ”
Aria let out a bitter laugh , her heart sinking . “ I see it now . All your ‘ kindness ‘ these past two years ? Just because I was your ticket to saving Cole Group . I had you all wrong . You forced that prenup on me , and now this ? You’re just like the rest . ”
Liam might’ve been too clueless to see her sacrifices , and she could live
h that .
But Daniel ? He’d watched her pour everything into his company , seen her fight tooth and nail , and now he was acting like she was some thief trying to steal what she’d built .
Aria’s eyes blazed with cold fire as she stared down Daniel . “ Liam played me , Cole family fortune . But what’s mine ? No one’s laying a finger on it . ”
and
I’m fine walking out with nothing . I don’t give a rat’s ass about your
Her tone flipped so fast it threw Daniel for a loop . He coughed , gulped some water , and said , his voice loud enough to fill the room , “ Aria , we’re grateful for that 150 million you pumped into Cole Group . It saved our bacon . But word is , your parents only coughed up 15 million for your wedding gift . ”
His words were sugar – coated , but Aria caught the shade . She let out a sharp laugh , her face twisting with mockery . “ Doesn’t matter where the cash came from . I put it in . That’s the deal . ”
Daniel leaned forward , his voice turning steely . “ You didn’t get a stake in Cole Group until after you tied the knot with Liam . You signed a prenup , Aria . You’re not touching a dime of this company . Offering you 230 million is already bending over backward , and I haven’t even put pen to paper on the transfer . ”
Aria’s gaze went qubzero . “ So you’ve been playing me from day one . ”
The prenup had been no skin off her nose – her own assets were a hot mess , and splitting with Liam would’ve left her in the red .
She didn’t care about the shares themselves , but handing them over to the Coles for nothing ? Not in this lifetime .
i’d be a hassle , but her lawyers could sort it out without her breaking a sweat .
Daniet , stroking his scruffy beard , shot her a sly look from his sunken eyes . “ Get smart , girl . Stir up trouble , and you’ll regret it . The Saxons won’t lift a finger for you , and crossing the Coles is like punching a brick wall . ”
When sweet talking didn’t work , he went full hardball .
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Aria’s lips curled into a taunting smirk . “ If you’re hell – bent on ripping me off , don’t cry when I drag you to court . ”
This was going nowhere fast , and she wasn’t about to waste another second .
Daniel sneered . “ Sue us ? I’d love to see what lawyer’s dumb enough to take your case and tangle with the Coles . ”
Aria didn’t miss a beat . “ You’re half in the ground already . Don’t worry about my battles . ” With that , she spun on her heel and strutted out .
His face twisted in fury , his breath hitching as he knocked a cup to the floor , shattering it .
The butler , hearing the crash , burst in and caught Aria’s icy stare . “ Mrs. Cole , ” he said on reflex .
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Aria’s voice was light but laced with poison . “ The Coles eat people alive and don’t even bother spitting out the bones . Don’t you dare call me Mrs. Cole . ”
The butler stood there , gobsmacked , as Aria vanished down the hall . He scrambled into the study to check on Daniel .
In the car , Liam’s brow creased , his voice tight with confusion . “ I don’t get why Grandpa’s so hung up on Aria . He really thought she could run Cole Group ? ”
Hannah , who’d done her digging on Aria , spoke softly but with a razor’s edge . “ I checked her out . Aria never made it to college – barely crawled through middle school . She was a total troublemaker : skipping class , throwing punches , messing with other kids . No way she’s got the brains to be VP . ”
Liam’s jaw hit the floor . Aria , a backwoods delinquent ? He’d never heard a whisper about her rough past .
Hannah kept going , her tone smooth but loaded . “ That Cole Group disaster two years ago ? I looked into it . Three board members saw your grandpa was down for the count , swiped company funds , and bolted overseas . Cops hauled them back . If anyone deserves a pat on the back , it’s the police . But somehow , Aria got all the shine . People even say she sealed big deals to keep the company afloat . And that 150 million ? ”
She let it hang for a second . “ The Saxons never gave two cents about their ‘ mistake ‘ daughter . They married her off the minute they got her back . No way they handed her 150 million . A few mil , maybe . I’m betting she pulled some shady crap to get that cash . If it blows up , it could sink Cole Group . ”
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