Her Empire, His Ruin

esented the divorce agreement to her a few weeks ago, my hands shaking

he top page, her brow furrowe

is melodrama right now," she' d s

h the "senior team," which I knew meant her

e' d snapped, already pulling ou

a single clause. She didn' t even ask what she was agreeing to. Her mind was already at the retreat, w

or whatever. Just handle i

n conference room. Olivia was at the head of the table, glowing. Leo

," Olivia announced to the team. "His approach to community displacement is

term for kicking families out of their home

e smooth as silk. "You can't let sentimentality get in the way of

It was a text fro

eaf Park thing on the news. This is ev

ny, rang. It was Olivia, calling me from across the table. I look

?" I

" she hissed, be

of the entire team on my back. As soon as the door

ess?" she demanded. "Are you trying to undermine me

via. It's public information

ou, unable to see the bigger picture? Thi

trolled in, a concerned l

g with fake sincerity. He put a comforting hand

principles. But Olivia is running a billion-dollar enterprise. She needs

he. He was speaking to me like I was a child, a pet

y low, "is the one she hired me for. To be the architectural c

ting us money, Ethan. Your constant objections,

ing to breathe. Olivia' s first reaction had been annoyance. She was embarrassed by the scene I was causing. She complained about having to leave the dinner

ice flat and final. "Given your... emotional resista

re taking me off the f

his face. "It's too much stress for you. I'll take the lead. You c

job that a junior architect could do in

est this instead of a formal disciplinary action. You should be grate

eeping with my wife and destroying my career, was "protecting" me b