Chapter 2

2.

“What about JJ?” Sebastian’s cool, businessman demeanor returned.

Just as I was about to speak, we heard footsteps.

My seven-year-old son stood in the hallway, staring at me with the same gray-blue eyes as his father.

“Mom, you’re too boring. I don’t want to live with you.”

He paused, then added, “And you’re always telling me what to do. Serena wouldn’t do that.”

That’s when I finally understood.

I wasn’t giving up on my son.

My son had never seen me as the person he needed in the first place.

And with the way things were, the Sterling family would never let me get custody anyway.

Sebastian frowned, about to say something, but I held up a hand to stop him.

I looked at JJ. “Fine,” I said slowly. “Then you can live with your father. The beach house in the Hamptons was always meant for you, and I don’t want this penthouse on Central Park West, either.”

Sebastian stared at me, shocked. “Emily―”

“But,” I cut him off, pulling another list from the folder, “according to our prenuptial agreement, I gave up my career for this marriage. Nine years of opportunity cost, calculated at the industry standard, requires a compensatory payment of twenty million dollars.”

“Furthermore,” I pushed another document across the table, “the 20% stake my father’s company invested in the Sterling Group, which was transferred to you as part of our marital assets, has a sunset clause. Upon divorce, that stake must be bought back or re-evaluated. At current market value, that’s about one hundred and thirty million dollars.”

Nine years ago, that 120-page prenup had foreshadowed this very day.

The career I had sacrificed was now worth a hundred and thirty million dollars in “opportunity cost.”

I looked at him. “It’s all spelled out in the prenup. This isn’t a negotiation. It’s a contract execution.”

Sebastian stared silently at the numbers. After a long moment, he picked up his pen. “I need my lawyers to look at this.”

“Of course,” I said, standing up. “My lawyer will contact your team tomorrow. I’ll be staying at a hotel tonight.”