He Left Me For His Pregnant Ex, So I Took Everything Chapter 15

He Left Me For His Pregnant Ex, So I Took Everything Chapter 15

Three days later, the remaining necklace arrived.

Not from Mrs. Vance—from Garrett.

He placed the box on my desk. “My mother’s sick.”

I didn’t respond.

He added, “Ruby moved out.”

“Mm.”

“The paternity test came back.”

My hand paused over the papers.

He gave a bitter laugh. “He’s not mine.”

I said, “You can leave now.”

He looked at me. “You won’t even offer me one word of comfort?”

I looked up. “Garrett, did you ever offer me any?”

He had no answer.

I continued, “You were lied to—that’s on you. The child is innocent, but your pain isn’t mine to carry.”

He nodded. “I know.”

Shouting came from outside.

Ruby was here.

She looked haggard. “Garrett Vance, why did you cut off my cards?”

Garrett stood. “That was company money.”

“You said you’d always support me!”

“I also thought the child was mine.”

All the remaining fight drained from Ruby’s face.

She saw me and immediately turned. “Scarlett Stirling, are you happy now? He’s dumped me. Are you satisfied?”

I said, “I don’t have time to be satisfied.”

She lunged toward my desk. “Give me some money. I’ll take the child and leave. You’ll never see me again.”

Garrett stared in disbelief. “You’re still asking for money?”

Ruby yelled, “What else can I do? I burned everyone for you!”

Garrett said, “You lied to me.”

“You lied to her too!”

That shut him up.

I tapped the desk. “If you’re going to fight, do it outside.”

Ruby suddenly dropped to her knees. “Scarlett Stirling, I’m begging you.”

Everyone in the office turned.

I didn’t help her up. “Ruby, don’t use kneeling as leverage.”

She sobbed, “I really have nowhere left to go.”

“You do. Repay the money. Apologize. Leave the circles that don’t belong to you.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Then keep falling.”

Garrett pulled her up. “Let’s go.”

Ruby shoved him off. “You don’t get to judge me either. You’re dirtier than I am!”

Garrett went pale.

I pressed the intercom. “Security, please.”

As Ruby was escorted out, she was still cursing the Vances.

Garrett stood there for a long time.

Finally he said, “Scarlett, I’m sorry.”

I said, “Those words came too late.”

After he left, Summer whispered, “Ms. Stirling, does it feel good?”

I closed the box. “Every debt cleared makes the load lighter.”

The day of Garrison Group’s renaming ceremony, everyone came.

The new name was Stirling Garrison.

Not to commemorate me—but to mark the year the company truly survived.

Garrett came too. He sat in the back, not at the head table.

Mrs. Vance didn’t show.

Ruby did, but security stopped her at the entrance.

She shouted loudly, “Scarlett Stirling, I need to see you!”

Summer asked, “Let her in?”

“Yes.”

When Ruby walked in, many people recognized her.

She wore no makeup and carried a stack of papers.

“Scarlett Stirling, I’ve signed the repayment plan, and I’ve made a public apology. What more do you want?”

I said, “Stick to the repayment schedule.”

She gritted her teeth. “I can’t afford it.”

“Then get a job.”

Someone in the audience laughed.

Ruby’s face flushed. “In my situation, who would hire me?”

I looked at her. “You used to say no one would want a divorced woman like me.”

She choked.

Garrett stood. “Ruby, stop this.”

She turned on him. “You’re telling me to stop? Your mother threw me out. You cut off my cards. Your whole family blamed everything on me!”

Garrett said, “I’ll take responsibility too.”

I cut in. “Garrett’s responsibility is to resign his directorship and sell his personal shares to cover all outstanding company-related debts.”

The room went still.

Garrett looked at me and nodded. “I’ll sign.”

Mrs. Vance’s representative stood up. “Mrs. Vance does not agree!”

Garrett said, “She has no shares left.”

The representative’s face turned green.

Ruby suddenly laughed. “Karma. It’s all karma.”

I said, “No. It’s the final tally.”

The renaming ceremony continued.

On the big screen: Stirling Garrison’s new orders.

Two point eight billion in existing orders.

One point two billion in new credit lines.

Target revenue of five billion within one year.

Applause rolled wave after wave.

Miles Montgomery stood. “Chairwoman Stirling, I apologize for underestimating you.”

I looked at him. “Show me with performance.”

He nodded immediately.

Chloe raised her glass from the audience.

Summer’s eyes were wet.

At the end of the ceremony, I stood on stage.

“Stirling Garrison is no one’s family heirloom, and no one’s emotional debt.”

“From today on, it belongs only to those who are willing to do the work.”

The applause grew louder.

Ruby stood by the door, finally lowering her head.

Garrett looked at me with belated regret.

But that had nothing to do with me.

I had already taken my place at the new head of the table.

One year later, Stirling Garrison’s revenue hit five point two billion.

My jewelry studio had opened three new locations.

The Grandview penthouses were long gone, and Anson Boulevard’s commercial properties had become Crestview Ventures’ first victory.

Summer was promoted to director.

Chloe always said I looked like a different person.

I said, “Not different. I just came back.”

After Garrett left Stirling Garrison, he took a consulting job at a small company out of state.

He wrote me a few letters.

I didn’t reply.

Mrs. Vance moved out of the Vance estate and into a modest apartment.

None of her afternoon-tea circle invited her out anymore.

Ruby made her monthly repayments.

She no longer appeared at any social events.

Some said she had it rough.

Some said she deserved it.

I didn’t weigh in.

At Stirling Garrison’s anniversary gala, Lawyer Davis handed me the last file.

“Chairwoman Stirling, all the Vance family accounts are settled.”

I signed my name. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “When you sold those properties back then, I never thought we’d get here.”

Neither did I.

Back then, I just wanted what was mine.

And in getting it back, I reclaimed my name, my backbone, and the direction of my own life.

The gala ended, and I drove home to my new place.

A new car sat in the garage—a gift to myself. Not to prove anything to anyone.

My phone lit up.

A message from an unknown number.

[Scarlett, can I see you one more time? – Garrett.]

I deleted it.

Outside, the city lights burned bright.

I placed my mother’s brooch back into its box and locked it.

Those people, those things—I’d let them go a long time ago.