THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 29

Iliana was nothing if not pragmatic.

When Caitlin was Mrs. Chandler, she made sure to keep on her good side, never letting so much as a whisper of complaint slip. But now that Caitlin was divorced from Julian, there was no longer any reason to play nice.

After all, Iliana was a proper city woman herself! Why should she bother currying favor with some country bumpkin like Caitlin?

That's why Caitlin, who used to be "Catie" to her, had become just "her." Iliana didn't care in the slightest if Caitlin was offended. She was just a castoff—a divorced woman. As if she could ever snag herself another wealthy husband. Not a chance! For someone like Caitlin, even stumbling into fortune once was more luck than she deserved.

Fortune had never imagined his daughter-in-law would show her true colors like this. He was stunned for a moment before saying, "Who says Catie isn't smart enough for school? Every time she took an exam, she ranked in the top ten! Even her teachers said she could easily get into a top university."

If Caitlin hadn't made the foolish mistake of dropping out to get married, she'd be enrolled at a prestigious college by now. As her grandfather, Fortune had nothing but faith in his granddaughter.

"Who knows if she wasn't just cheating?" Iliana folded her arms, her face twisted with disdain, her tone sharp and cutting. "Central Academy? In her dreams."

Central Academy. Even Bonnie hadn't managed to get in; they'd had to pull every string and call in every favor just to get her a spot. And Caitlin thought she could waltz in on her own? Ridiculous.

Fortune's brow furrowed as he finally picked up on the real meaning behind Iliana's words. "Iliana, what are you trying to say? You don't want Catie staying here, is that it?"

Iliana rolled her eyes. The old fool had been listening all this time and only now caught on.

"Dad, I think I've made myself clear enough. Do you really want me to spell it out? We're a family of five, living perfectly well together. How would you feel if a stranger suddenly moved in with you?"

But Fortune hadn't come here to argue. He just wanted Caitlin to have a good environment to study in, a chance at a better future. So even when he understood exactly what Iliana meant, he tried to swallow his pride and pleaded, "Iliana, Catie's not a stranger..."

"Not a stranger?" Iliana cut him off, her words sharp as knives. "Is she related to Ernest by blood? Is she related to Bonnie by blood?"

Fortune hesitated, at a loss for words. Blood relations? No, technically, she wasn't.

Fortune's wife had passed away early, leaving him to raise their son alone. He'd scrimped and saved, always putting Ernest's education before his own comfort. And this was how Ernest repaid him.

Ernest looked at his father's greying hair, then at his wife. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words died on his tongue.

Iliana snorted. "What do you mean we owe this house to Caitlin? You raised her for all those years—she owes us, not the other way around! If it weren't for Ernest, she wouldn't even be alive!"

Fortune's eyes widened in shock, anger simmering beneath the surface. "Catie is my granddaughter. I never said she owed me anything! What right do you have to say she owes you?"

Iliana smiled coldly. "You're Ernest's father. Most parents help their sons buy a house when they get married. When we married, did you buy us a house? You couldn't even give us $10,000 for a wedding. And you call yourself a father? You raised Caitlin, and without you, she wouldn't be here. So whatever you owe us, she owes us, too! Tell me I'm wrong."

She twisted the truth so thoroughly, her words almost sounded reasonable.