Chapter 5 Sugar Daddy

Liam shot Cathryn a glare, his voice flat. "Head inside. Let's proceed with the divorce."

Just yesterday, right after Bettina passed away, Richard hadn't wasted a second. He'd grabbed the death certificate, handed it to the lawyers, and cleaned out every account before Cathryn could react.

With not a dime under Cathryn's name, Liam dreaded the idea of her clinging to him out of desperation.

Once inside the courthouse, Liam and Cathryn wasted no time proceeding with the divorce procedure. Behind the counter, the clerk sifted through the paperwork. "You'll need to wait thirty days for the divorce to process. Either side can back out during that window."

Liam didn't hesitate. "That won't be happening," he said, voice cold and resolute.

"In that case, your divorce will be official in thirty days," the clerk said, not raising an eyebrow.

Jordyn leaned in and muttered to herself, "Why does it take a whole month? What's the point of waiting?"

Off to the side, Cathryn tuned everyone out. She fished her phone out, eyes glued to the code of her program. She understood its worth better than anyone. With the right hands behind it, her work could turn the entire tech world upside down.

The Brooks Group was at the top of the food chain in Olekgan. Year after year, Andrew kept shattering financial records, pushing the Brooks Group to new heights. Lately, the Brooks Group had set its sights on tech.

Cathryn bet that giving Andrew the program she'd crafted and perfected for three long years would be a wise call. Of course, she wouldn't do it without conditions. She'd only lay out her demands when she finally stood face to face with Andrew.

Rumor had it that Andrew had been living overseas, disfigured by the accident and unwilling to be seen, with no photos of him anywhere online.

Cathryn didn't care. She already had a contact deep inside the Brooks family. Meeting Andrew was only a question of when, not if.

"Hey, look! Kestrel just popped online!" Jordyn nearly bounced out of her seat, brandishing her phone.

Liam fumbled for his device, heart racing. Sure enough, Kestrel's avatar did light up.

Years ago, every hacker and coder in the industry had developed an app just to track Kestrel. Whenever Kestrel logged in, Kestrel's avatar would glow. For three years, it had stayed dark-until now.

"Jordyn, was that you? Did you actually reach Kestrel?" Liam's eyes shone with shock, hopeful joy flickering across his face.

Jordyn nodded, though her heart thumped uneasily. "I... I think so."

Sweeping Jordyn into a tight hug, Liam tried to reassure her, "Once the thirty-day waiting period is up, I'll marry you right away."

"I'm looking forward to that day, Liam," Jordyn whispered, pressing herself closer to him.

Cathryn eyed them coldly, a razor-sharp smirk on her lips.

Twisting around, Jordyn blurted out, "Face it, Cathryn. You couldn't keep a man like Liam. You never had what it takes."

Cathryn's reply cut like glass. "Keep telling yourself that. Does it feel just as glamorous slipping under your brother-in-law's sheets?"

Jordyn's cheeks burned, her bravado slipping away.

People strolling by caught bits of their fight, murmuring as the story snapped together-the younger sister making off with her elder sister's husband. Everywhere, people pointed and stared, letting shame cling to Jordyn like oil.

With a look of pure contempt, Liam faced Cathryn. "You're bitter, that's all. You clearly don't want to leave me, and this divorce procedure is killing you. But you've got nothing left to offer me. You no longer deserve me."

A dry, almost mocking laugh escaped Cathryn. Bitter? The Watsons were incompetent fools, every last one of them. The Watson Tech's ascent in recent years came from the fortune she'd brought into the marriage and a lucky gamble on the tech industry. Right now, the Watson Tech was running out of steam fast. Without something big, they'd be wiped out by real competitors.

Liam's obsession with finding Kestrel made perfect sense.

"Once I have Kestrel's program, Watson Tech will hit the stock market," Liam declared, his eyes fever-bright. "By then, we'll bury the Brooks family, and Andrew Brooks won't even be worth a footnote."

Jordyn clung to Liam's arm, practically radiating smug delight. In Olekgan, Andrew was old money royalty-wealthy, powerful, but word on the street said he'd vanished overseas after being crippled and disfigured by a brutal car accident. Meanwhile, Liam was about to become the city's rising star. She had no plans to let go of a catch like that.

Cathryn refused to give them another glance. Instead, she stood and strode outside, determined not to let their ridiculous parade ruin her day. She'd barely made it down the front steps when a midnight-black Maybach rolled to a stop right in front of her.

Under the afternoon sun, the limited-edition car sparkled, turning every head on the block.

The passenger door swung open. Out stepped Karl, sunglasses glinting, every move polished and precise. He circled to the back door and gave a low, respectful bow. "Ms. Moore, your ride is waiting. Please step in."

Jordyn, trailing Cathryn, skidded to a halt. Ms. Moore? "Liam!" she squealed, eyes going wide. "Is this... Did you buy this for me?"

Before Cathryn could react, Jordyn elbowed her aside and hurried to the Maybach. Both palms pressed flat against the glossy paint, she couldn't hide her triumph. "You're the best, Liam."

Her voice carried loud enough for everyone around to hear. After all, there were only five of these cars in the entire world-each one a statement of wealth and status.

Jordyn was so sure Liam had gifted her such a luxury car even before marrying her.

With a sly smile, Jordyn tossed a glance at Cathryn. "See this? Liam just proceeded with the divorce procedure with you, and the first thing he did was buy me a new car. Must sting, right?"

Karl's reply cut through, sharp as glass. "Miss, if you're that desperate for one, go buy one yourself. Please don't block Ms. Moore's way."

Karl brushed Jordyn away with a swift, practiced motion and then opened the car door for Cathryn, every gesture dripping with deference.

Something flickered in Cathryn's chest-a small, unfamiliar spark of gratitude. She hadn't expected her soon-to-be husband to dispatch his assistant to fetch her, let alone with this luxury car.

Before Cathryn could slide into the seat, Karl stopped her with a raised hand. "Just a moment."

Donning spotless white gloves, Karl pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and scrubbed where Jordyn had left her fingerprints. "That spot needed cleansing," he said, calm and unruffled. "Wouldn't want your hands to be tainted by someone else's filth."

The words landed with a thud. Jordyn's cheeks went scarlet, but she said nothing-knowing the owner of a Maybach played in a league far above her own.

A moment later, the Maybach purred away, leaving Liam behind, tense and silent. He stared after the car, confusion creasing his brow. "Why's Cathryn getting that kind of treatment?"

He couldn't get it. Did Cathryn already have a new man? Someone loaded enough to send a driver and a luxury car?

Trying to hide her nerves, Jordyn forced a scoff. "She's damaged goods. No man with any sense would ever want her."

Still, the memory of peering through the tinted window stuck in her mind. She'd glimpsed a man inside-older, silver-haired, unmistakably powerful. Her lips curled. So that was it. Cathryn had latched onto some sugar daddy.