Beyond the Divorce

Matthew's expression grew somber, revealing a mix of bitterness and deep-seated resentment. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"We're dealing with Liora here. Attempting to outmaneuver her, especially after she proposed withdrawing funds, will definitely be an uphill battle. Do you really believe there's any chance of success?" I bombarded Matthew with questions, strategically hitting his vulnerabilities to make him feel the weight of the situation.

I also delved into his past ruthless tactics to secure Avalon Hills and the substantial financial investments he had made. "Have you ever thought about why Liora suggested withdrawing funds?" I questioned, adding another layer to his dilemma.

My analysis of Liora's motives was rooted in Atticus's speculations. He had lived with Liora for over a decade, and now he wanted to kick her out of his sphere of interests. That alone spoke volumes about Liora's strategic prowess.

I looked at Matthew and continued, "She clearly intends to leverage Avalon Hills to negotiate with you, set conditions, and ultimately shift ownership of Ardora. If she's already confident in her success, intervening now would demand an immense expenditure of your energy and resources, and could possibly lead to bankruptcy even if you did secure the project." Matthew was visibly affected by my words and appeared remorseful. "If you're willing to help me, that would saveconsiderable effort." I wasn't sure what he meant, so I pressed him. "How can I help?" His gaze narrowed as he hesitated before taking a determined stance. "Don't pretend you don't know anything, Chloe. I know about your current situation. I've been keeping tabs on you. I'm not indifferent." I scoffed at his reasoning. "Not indifferent? That's quite a statement." It baffledthat he would dare make such a claim.

He persisted, somewhat uneasily, "I know about your current foundation. It'll be easy for you to go directly to Archie. Everyone wants to get on his good side." My anger flared when I heard Matthew's words. "You think I'll go to the Beringer family just to help you? That's outrageous!" I stood up abruptly, facing Matthew with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"I can't believe you'd suggest such a thing, Matthew!" That seemed to be the real reason why he had asked to meet today. "You can forget about that, Matthew!" Matthew becuneasy when he heard my firm response. "Don't be so stubborn, Chloe. We were married once. Let's not be so petty okay? Ava's our daughter. Wouldn't it be better for her if I recovered and made our business stronger I'm her father, after all. Do you want her father to be a failed businessman who can't hold his head high in public? How will that benefit her?" He grew more impassioned as he continued, and I found it increasingly awkward to listen. Those who didn't know Matthew might asshe was a responsible and caring father.

"When Ava wants to get married in the future, they'll care about her family background. Don't be so narrow-minded. I won't forget your kindness if you helpand pullthrough during this crucial time. I'm not an ungrateful person!" His words were ironic, and I snorted. "Hah! You're not an ungrateful person? What kind of person are you then, Matthew?" He had hit a sore spot with his comments, and I couldn't help but react. Perhaps I would have felt better if he hadn't said all that. Ungrateful? Everyone in Foswood knew his true nature.

"Oh! Wait, this isn't even about that. Letmake it clear, Matthew. Don't even think about it. I might be close with the Beringer family now, butt doesn't mean I can shamelessly use their reputation to build a foundation for us!" I immediately stated my principles. He was shameless! Matthew becagitated as he heard what I said. His nostrils flared, and he stared at me. "There's no need to act all high and mighty. You claim you haven't used the Beringer family's influence, but how did you manage to secure such a big project in Bourdamun? Are you trying to deceive me?" Now I understood why he had audaciously suggested I approach the Beringer family. It looked like he had been waiting for this confrontation all along.