Chapter 3 Not A Penny Less!

The Koenigsegg screeched to a halt outside the gates of the Sanctity Theater.

Immediately, a security guard dashed toward the car, waving his arms. "I'm sorry, but the theater is closed for a private event today. You'll have to leave."

Leanna smirked at the guard from the driver's seat as the car window slid down. "Don't you recognize this car?" she asked, a playful tone in her voice.

The guard scrutinized the license plate and then Leanna's face, his expression wary. He reached for his walkie-talkie, his voice cautious. "Ma'am, may I ask who you are? How are you connected to Mr. Griffiths? Do you have an invitation?"

Leanna tilted her head, a mischievous wink in her eye. "I'm Joshua's wife, and I'm here to catch him red-handed."

Before the guard could respond, Leanna hit the gas. The car surged forward, squeezing through the narrowing space of the partially opened gate with a loud crash.

"Bam!" The sound of the gate breaking shattered the quiet of the theater. Inside, panic ensued.

Joshua bolted onto the stage, his movements protective as he wrapped his arms around a visibly shaken Renee. He glared at the security guards, his voice raised in the chaos. "What are you doing, letting a car wreak havoc in the theater? If Renee gets hurt, you're all going to jail!"

Renee clung to Joshua's shirt, her tears soaking the fabric. "Joshua, I'm terrified! Could this be a terrorist attack? We need to call the police!"

Joshua soothed her with a gentle pat on the back. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you!"

He then turned and shouted at the guards, "What are you waiting for? Apprehend the intruders and bring them to the police!"

The guards shared a look of uncertainty before one hesitantly pointed at the car's license plate. "Mr. Griffiths, that seems to be your car..."

Joshua's heart skipped a beat as he saw the distinct and imposing Koenigsegg emerging from the dust.

His pupils shrank in shock. This was his high-performance Koenigsegg, bought from an underground dealer for a hefty sum.

At home, only he and his father were allowed to drive this advanced supercar due to its complex features.

Now, the car sat mangled in the ruined gate, its once immaculate form scarred and dented, front lights shattered, surrounded by a spread of debris.

Joshua felt the beginning of a headache. "How dare the intruders steal my car and create such chaos? They're going to regret this..."

The next instant, the mangled car door swung open, and a slender, elegant figure emerged.

"What penalty could possibly exceed the cost of your infidelity during our marriage?" Leanna's voice, though soft, cut through the noise of the crowded concert hall, bringing silence.

Joshua's expression twisted in disbelief. "Leanna? What are you doing here..."

Joshua's voice, initially panicked, grew harsh as he confronted her. "Have you lost your senses? Who gave you the right to disrupt Renee's concert? Do you really think I won't have you arrested?"

With the car keys swinging lightly from her fingertips, Leanna advanced toward Joshua, her smirk playful yet menacing. "It seems the great Mr. Griffiths can squeeze in time for his mistress' concert, but not our divorce. I guess I had to deliver the papers myself."

Her words set the hall abuzz with murmurs.

"Is she the wife Mr. Griffiths has been hiding and never acknowledged? I thought she was just a high school dropout from the countryside. She's stunning!"

"Wait, does this mean Mr. Griffiths has been unfaithful?"

"Look at this! It's a showdown between his wife and his mistress! Someone get this on video. It's going to go viral!"

Renee, noticing the cameras lifting around her, altered her expression. She extricated herself from Joshua's embrace and turned to Leanna, tears welling up in her eyes. "Leanna, had you not meddled with my relationship with Joshua, I would never have had to leave. Now that I'm back, he only sees me as a friend. Why must you be so hostile?"

Renee's voice broke as she spoke. "You've already occupied the position of Joshua's wife. What else do you want from me? Will you only be content if I am gone?"

Renee's tearful appeal, along with her innocent appearance, swiftly drew compassion from the onlookers.

The crowd began to defend Renee.

"Miss Hayes and Mr. Griffiths are childhood sweethearts, perfect for each other. However, Mr. Griffiths ended up marrying a high school dropout. Who knows what she did to snag him?"

"Exactly! When Miss Hayes left for overseas, Mr. Griffiths skipped the engagement party to bid her farewell. Clearly, he still has strong feelings for her!"

"Being married on paper doesn't mean much. The one who is unloved is the true outsider!"

As the tide shifted in her favor, Renee ducked behind Joshua, flashing a victorious grin at Leanna.

Joshua carefully dabbed at Renee's tears before turning to Leanna, his expression filled with contempt as if she were the epitome of unreasonableness. "Let's resolve your concerns privately. There's no need to involve Renee in your malicious plots."

Leanna observed their overt affection with a sneer. "How can you both be so shameless?"

Leanna's gaze hardened as she addressed Renee, "Miss Hayes, let's be clear. Back then, you opted for fifty million and a promising career abroad over Joshua. Now, having failed overseas, you return seeking a fallback to prop you up?"

"Shut up!" Joshua interrupted Leanna sharply, his eyes brimming with revulsion. "Renee had her reasons then, unlike you, you gold-digging bitch!"

Witnessing Joshua's unwavering defense of Renee, Leanna's heart twisted with bitterness. The man who had once braved danger to rescue her from a terrorist now seemed like a stranger. In that instant, her heart broke completely.

Leanna declared, "Joshua, if you're so committed to playing the doting partner for her, then sign the divorce papers and split our assets. But remember, a single penny less, and I won't agree to the divorce. You and your beloved can spend eternity together as the shameless pair you truly are."