THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 144

The news was everywhere: Jasper had left Apex Game Studios, and rumor had it he'd taken half the team with him to The Chandler Group. At this point, people joked that Apex would need a miracle just to produce a decent B-level game, let alone anything AAA.

"No one in their right mind expects Apex to pull off a AAA title after this."

"Yeah, I can already see Mr. Chandler wiping the floor with them."

The online forums were full of snide remarks. Nobody believed Apex had a shot. Everyone was just waiting to see them fall flat on their faces.

—

Across town, at The Capital airport, Amanda and her daughter Ann stood near the arrival gate, waiting for Hannah's flight to land.

Ann smoothed her skirt nervously. "Mom, does this outfit look alright?"

Amanda glanced at her daughter, eyes lighting up with approval. Ann was dressed in an elegant Chanel-inspired suit, her hair styled in soft waves, pearl earrings sparkling in her ears. She looked every bit the poised young lady.

"You look perfect," Amanda said warmly. "Trust me, Ann, Hannah always said her biggest regret was not having a granddaughter. Once she sees you, she'll treat you like her own."

Amanda's pride was obvious. Her daughter was not only beautiful but also well-mannered and clever—a far cry from Freya, in her opinion. Surely, once Hannah met Ann, she'd be smitten.

Ann let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Amanda continued, lowering her voice conspiratorially, "And I heard Hannah's daughter-in-law, Stephanie, is accompanying her this time. Stephanie's husband, Lyle Richards—the youngest son of the family—has one son, Henry Richards. He's twenty-nine, runs his own skincare brand overseas, and he's still single. Ann, this is your chance."

Ann nodded, determined. "I'll do my best."

Just then, a commotion near the arrivals gate caught Amanda's attention. "Look, Ann, there they are—Hannah and Lady Stephanie."

Ann looked up and immediately spotted the two women weaving through the crowd. Both stood out with an air of effortless elegance. Hannah, with her silver hair and forest-green dress, stood tall and graceful despite her years, living proof that beauty could defy time. Beside her, Stephanie looked to be in her early forties, impeccably put together in a designer suit, an eight-figure handbag hanging from her arm.

Even Ann was taken aback by the bag. The Gonzales family was wealthy, sure, but her own mother had never bought her anything that extravagant. No wonder people called the Richards family the royalty of Neon Spire—one handbag could make the average person's eyes water.

Strictly speaking, Ann and Freya were cousins, so the titles were a stretch. But Ann used them deliberately; she was just as old as Freya, and in her mind, she was far more accomplished. Clearly, she was better suited to be the Richards family's granddaughter.

From this day forward, she vowed, she'd step by step take Freya's place in both families—until she belonged among the Neon Spire elite.

Stephanie smiled graciously. "Ann, is it? My, you're a lovely young lady."

Ann practically glowed with excitement at Stephanie's praise. See? She knew she could win the Richards family over.

She watched, thrilled, as Stephanie seemed to accept her, letting her use the affectionate titles reserved for Freya. After all, both "Grandma" and "Aunt Stephanie" had always been Freya's alone.

Ann had heard all the stories about Lady Stephanie—the legendary businesswoman of Neon Spire, known for her sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude. She wasn't someone you could win over easily.

But just as Ann's smile was about to break into a grin, Stephanie added, "Ann, you must be nervous meeting us for the first time. Look at you—getting the titles all mixed up! Just call me Stephanie, dear."

She then gently linked arms with Hannah. "And this is Lady Hannah."