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.
