Archie was utterly stunned.

"Besides," I said, flicking the card back onto the coffee table. "That doesn't even cover the dry-cleaning bill, Mr. Carter."

Teardrops rolled out of his eyes, but he bit his lip hard and refused to let a single sob escape his lips. That whole "strong yet wronged" act was a textbook masterclass in manipulation.

I was so amused that I almost laughed, but just as I opened my mouth to speak, footsteps came from the stairs.

Valerie rushed down, and her brows twisted into a tight frown the moment she noticed that Archie was crying.

"Kieran! Did you target him again?"

"Me? Targeting him?"

I glanced at the scarf and added, "Ms. Henderson, your assistant just used a 4,000-gaul-dollar cashmere scarf to polish shoes. How am I picking on him, just because I'm demanding he pay for the damages?"

Valerie looked at the misshapen scarf in his hands and was momentarily at a loss for words. "Archie was just trying to help…"

When her gaze swept past the pale pink crescent birthmark exposed on the side of his neck, her tone immediately softened.

That birthmark was an obsession she had kept a secret for 20 years.

When she was a child, her stepmom had abandoned her in an old district. A young boy bearing an identical birthmark had shared his food with her and saved her from starving to death. She had recently tracked him down.

"He doesn't understand anything about these luxury goods. You could have just taught him instead of—"

"Why should I teach him?" I interrupted. "He's your assistant, not my little brother, Valerie. I pay him to help you with work, not to come into my house and destroy my belongings."

"You—"

Livid, Valerie snapped, "Could you not be so mean, Kieran? Archie already has it tough enough…"

I couldn't help but laugh. "He has it tough? He earns 6,000 dollars a month and spends every day ruining my belongings under the excuse of work. Is that what you call having it tough?"

I walked up to Archie and looked at his pale face.

"Mr. Carter, it's highly commendable that you wish to strive and improve, but if you destroy my belongings, you should pay for them. Don't make promises you can't keep if you can't afford to pay."

He stared hard at me with tears still streaming down his face, but a different emotion had flared up in his eyes—pure resentment.

"Mr. Pearce," he said in a shaking voice. "I know you look down on me. You were born with everything, so naturally, you don't understand the struggles of people like us. But let me tell you something—even if I, Archie Carter, starve to death, I'll never beg for your charity!"

"Wise words."

I clapped my hands and added, "Then I must ask you to leave my house right this second, Mr. Carter. As for the compensation… We'll settle it in court."

"Kieran!"

Valerie pulled Archie behind her back and snapped, "Do you have to take it this far?"

I looked at them and smiled. That was such a classic scene of a wealthy businesswoman shielding her innocent young prince.

"I'm giving you your final chance, Valerie. Otherwise, we'll handle it according to the law. Intentional destruction of property involving an especially large sum carries a sentence of three to seven years in prison.

"Would you like to try that, Mr. Carter?"

Archie completely panicked. He grabbed Valerie's arm and begged, "Valerie, I-I don't want to go to prison…"

Valerie glared at me with eyes that seemed laced with poison. "You're ruthless, Kieran."

"Nowhere as much as you," I said, tucking my phone away. "I'm giving you five minutes. Get the hell out of my house, both of you."

With that, I turned around and headed upstairs to retrieve my files, instructing the butler to make sure that every piece of Archie's personal belongings was cleared out under strict supervision.

…

Three days later, the joint venture project between Pearce Group and Henderson Group, "Pearce-Henderson One" commercial complex, hosted its opening gala.

The project represented a half-billion-dollar investment that took two full years to complete, serving as the symbol of a deep corporate alliance between the two families.

The gala was hosted in the Skyreach Ballroom on the top floor of the complex.

Every prominent figure in Oakhaven's elite circle had arrived. The media crew lined the venue with microphones and flashing cameras that never stopped for a second.

Dressed in a custom black tuxedo, I stood in the center of the ballroom, handling an interview.

A reporter asked, "Mr. Pearce, there have been plenty of rumors circulating about your marriage lately. What are your thoughts?"

I smiled. "Today's the grand opening of the complex. Let's talk about business rather than my marriage life."

"But rumors suggest you and Ms. Henderson are facing a marital crisis—"

"A marriage alliance…" I calmly interrupted. "...prioritizes mutual profitability. Ms. Henderson and I have always cooperated seamlessly on a corporate level."

The moment the words left my mouth, a sudden commotion broke out near the doors of the ballroom.

Valerie was here, with Archie beside her. He was dressed in a white suit—an out-of-season designer piece I had tossed into the clothing recycling bin last month, now clearly tailored down to fit his frame.

What stood out most aggressively was the limited-edition Patek Philippe watch on his wrist. It was a custom Silverbrook piece Dad had given to me as a wedding present, valued at seven figures.

As I stared at the shameless pair, the rage in my gaze nearly erupted.

The reporters immediately redirected their lenses.

"Ms. Henderson! Who is this gentleman?"

"Ms. Henderson, could you introduce the man accompanying you tonight?"

"Does Mr. Pearce know you brought your male personal assistant to the gala today?"

Valerie's expression was stiff as she attempted to block the cameras. "This is my personal assistant. He's here tonight just to help—"

"Valerie," Archie suddenly spoke up in a soft yet clear voice. "Don't put yourself in a difficult place. I'll explain."

He took a step forward and flashed the cameras a perfect smile.

"Hello, everyone, I'm Archie Carter. I know I shouldn't be here tonight, but Valerie mentioned she needed someone to look after her, so I…"

He paused, and his eyes reddened, right on cue. "I just wanted to fulfill my duties. Mr. Pearce is always so buried in work that he doesn't have the time to look after Valerie. It's only right that I step in to help take care of her."

A dead silence fell over the ballroom.

Every single pair of eyes flicked back and forth between me, Valerie, and Archie, while I remained standing in place, wearing the same smile from earlier.

Brilliant. The stage was officially set.

I marched up the main stage and picked up the microphone. Smiling, I spoke into it, and my voice projected through the ballroom via the loudspeakers.

"It seems everyone here has tuned into the trending topics. That's perfect. I'd like to take today's chance to address a few matters."

The giant screen lit up to show a line of bold, simple text.

"It's time to bring the curtains down on some performances."

The ballroom fell silent as I calmly continued, "Three years ago, a strategic business partnership between the Pearce and Henderson Groups brought about the marriage alliance between Ms. Henderson and me.

"For the past three years, our partnership has been smooth, and our projects have progressed seamlessly. It was supposed to be the textbook definition of a successful marriage alliance."

I paused for a beat and glanced at Valerie, whose face had turned pale below the stage.

"Unfortunately, some people got too caught up in the act and forgot that this was strictly a partnership."

"Kieran!"

Valerie attempted to charge toward the stage, but the security team immediately stepped forward to block her path.

Raising my voice, I continued, "So today, I'm making three official announcements.

"First, my marriage to Ms. Henderson is terminated, effective immediately. The divorce papers were drafted, and I wish you and Mr. Carter a happily ever after, Ms. Henderson."

The ballroom erupted in an uproar.

"Second, every partnership project between Pearce Group and Henderson Group is suspended. Contractual termination penalties will be settled according to the contracts, and our legal team will follow up with the transition."

The crowd completely melted down.

"Third…"

I looked toward the entrance of the ballroom, just as the heavy doors swung open.