Chapter 7
"I know you have suspicion that I'm up to something, but as I've mentioned previously, I'm
willing to write a covenant. You can even hire a lawyer and cameraman to witness and
record the entire process when we sign the divorce paper. That will be enough to prove
that I'm the one who's asking for it without demanding a single penny from you."
Leanna's determined stance quelled Aidan as he pursed his lips into a thin line.
"Or… are you afraid that I'll bring up the divorce to ruin your family's name? You can put
your worries to a rest because I, Leanna McKinney, promise that I will never take
advantage of you on this matter. I'll be damned if I break my promise."
A couple of minutes later, he finally responded, "How am I supposed to believe in you?"
A vexed Leanna huffed, "What do you want me to do then? Is it your wish to see your wife
and mistress on good terms? Aidan Pearson, I'm telling you, I'd rather die than raise
someone else's child."
Aidan merely snorted at that. Without words, she knew well that he communicated
contempt as he was certain that she was no less different from Mia, deeming her to be in
no position to comment about others.
When she was about to give her last-ditch effort, he piped up, "I'm going on a business
trip tomorrow. Let's talk after I'm back."
Leanna smiled instantly. "That's not a problem. I'll wait no matter how long it takes. Just
inform me once you're back."
As her attitude did a one-eighty, his face dimmed before heading upstairs. What a
shameless woman!
Time flew as Leanna sent the designs to Harvey just as when the one-week deadline was
approaching. On the night of that very same day, he sent her a text that his boss had
approved of it and she was required to come over tomorrow to sign the contract.
While reading his message, she heaved a sigh of relief as she was afraid that her work
would not meet their standard.
This project of Lux Jewelry had been going on for a while now. Ever since they had decided
to release their first collection, a designer was all that they needed.
Now that Leanna would be coming onboard, they wished to see some advances in its
progress because the company's anniversary was just one month ahead. In conjunction
with the celebratory occasion, the magazine intended to hold a press conference to
announce their brand to the press.
Aside from Leanna's necklace, the other mainstay products included the bracelet and ring.
Once the drafts were approved by the magazine, they could proceed with the refinement
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prior to the production.
Therefore, it would be hectic to finish everything within a month; they were left with not
much time.
In order to not ruin the press conference, Leanna was always on her toes as she had been
sketching at home besides choosing the materials for the jewelry.
She needed to make the final product herself before sending it to the factory for mass
production after the press conference. Thus, she was so busy that she had forgotten about
the divorce, let alone knowing of Aidan's return. Regardless of the circumstances, he did
not contact her this whole time.
Deciding to take some rest, Leanna set down the pencil when her phone atop the table
vibrated. Her brows knitted tightly the moment she realized that it was Jethro. She picked
up the phone when he called for the second time.
"Leanna, Louis is going to sit for the SAT next year. We need some money for his tuition
fees."
"How much is it?"
"Let me recall the amount… The tuition fees are very expensive. Why don't you give me
thirty thousand? I'll save the balance for his next semester."
Leanna remained calm. "First of all, Louis will be taking the exam this year; secondly, he's
the top scholar in town, so he doesn't need tuition; lastly, I've never heard of any tuition
center that charges that much."
As his schemes were seen through like a glass, Jethro was livid. "Enough of the excuses.
Can't you just give me the money?"
"I'm broke."
"But you got your rich husband. Thirty thousand means nothing to him."
"There's no free lunch in this world. No matter how rich he is, it has nothing to do with me.
Besides, we've signed the divorce papers, so I have no reason to ask him for money."
"What?!" He flipped out. "Who said that you're allowed to divorce? Have you even
discussed it with me? Even if you have divorced, he will give you half of his assets. There's
no way that you have nothing! Leanna McKinney, are you going to let your father rot to
death?! Transfer me the money right this instant! Otherwise, you'll never get away with
it!"
"I have nothing. Not even a cent." Having said that, she ended the call right away.
Soon, Louis rang her. "Did Jethro ask you for money? Don't give it to him matter what he
says. He went to gamble again lately and ended up owing a few thousands. He's hiding
somewhere at the moment."
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"I know. I'm not planning to give him anything."
On the day Leanna paid off Jethro's hundreds of thousands worth of debt, she had
mentioned that she would not give a fig about his matters anymore even if he was dead.
Still, not everyone turned over a new leaf that easily; he had been trying to deceive her all
these years by lying that he needed surgery for his broken leg or to settle a fight involving
Louis.
Jethro knew her character well; even though she would ignore him, she would never ignore
the issue when it came to Louis. Consequently, the siblings had fallen for his ruse twice.
Now that they had learned their lessons the hard way, they would not feel a thing in the
face of his whining and tantrums.
"Have you thought of which university you want to go to?" inquired Leanna.
"Yeah."
She paused a moment before adding, "Louis, do you wanna study abroad? I still have
enough money to pay for the tuition fees. You can also apply for scholarships—"
She wished she could send Louis away from their toxic father, so that Louis would not be
stuck in the gutter like she was.
"No, I'm going to stay in the country. I'm not going anywhere," interrupted Louis.
Knowing his temper, she let out a silent sigh. "You can pick wherever you want. Tell me
when you need money."
"Save the money for yourself. I can earn it on my own." Louis suddenly asked, "Has he
been nice to you?"
The conversation went silent for a while when Aidan was brought into the topic. "Hmm.
Yeah. Louis, I'm going to file a divorce." Leanna smiled.
Louis held his tongue for a moment as though the announcement was not a surprise to
him. "Okay. I'll take care of you in the future."
She grinned. "Why do I need that when I have hands and legs to fend for myself? Just
focus on your studies."
After hanging up the call, Leanna went out of her room to see a pale Zoe slumping on the
couch wearily. "Zoe, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Zoe shook her head while wheezing, "I'm on my menstruation. I'll be fine after taking
some rest."
Leanna poured Zoe a glass of warm water. "That won't do. I'll buy a hot water bottle and
some painkillers downstairs. Would you like to have something to eat?"
At the mention of food, Zoe regained her energy and ordered something for herself.
"Leanna, you're the best. That b*stard must be blind for not loving you."
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"I know. I'm not plonning to give him onything."
On the doy Leonno poid off Jethro's hundreds of thousonds worth of debt, she hod
mentioned thot she would not give o fig obout his motters onymore even if he wos deod.
Still, not everyone turned over o new leof thot eosily; he hod been trying to deceive her oll
these yeors by lying thot he needed surgery for his broken leg or to settle o fight involving
Louis.
Jethro knew her chorocter well; even though she would ignore him, she would never ignore
the issue when it come to Louis. Consequently, the siblings hod follen for his ruse twice.
Now thot they hod leorned their lessons the hord woy, they would not feel o thing in the
foce of his whining ond tontrums.
"Hove you thought of which university you wont to go to?" inquired Leonno.
"Yeoh."
She poused o moment before odding, "Louis, do you wonno study obrood? I still hove
enough money to poy for the tuition fees. You con olso opply for scholorships—"
She wished she could send Louis owoy from their toxic fother, so thot Louis would not be
stuck in the gutter like she wos.
"No, I'm going to stoy in the country. I'm not going onywhere," interrupted Louis.
Knowing his temper, she let out o silent sigh. "You con pick wherever you wont. Tell me
when you need money."
"Sove the money for yourself. I con eorn it on my own." Louis suddenly osked, "Hos he
been nice to you?"
The conversotion went silent for o while when Aidon wos brought into the topic. "Hmm.
Yeoh. Louis, I'm going to file o divorce." Leonno smiled.
Louis held his tongue for o moment os though the onnouncement wos not o surprise to
him. "Okoy. I'll toke core of you in the future."
She grinned. "Why do I need thot when I hove honds ond legs to fend for myself? Just
focus on your studies."
After honging up the coll, Leonno went out of her room to see o pole Zoe slumping on the
couch weorily. "Zoe, whot's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Zoe shook her heod while wheezing, "I'm on my menstruotion. I'll be fine ofter toking
some rest."
Leonno poured Zoe o gloss of worm woter. "Thot won't do. I'll buy o hot woter bottle ond
some poinkillers downstoirs. Would you like to hove something to eot?"
At the mention of food, Zoe regoined her energy ond ordered something for herself.
"Leonno, you're the best. Thot b*stord must be blind for not loving you."