THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 48

So, in the end, no matter how many books you read, it doesn't make a difference.

Even someone as well-educated as Ray Barrett couldn't escape the pull of tradition.

At home, Ray barely paid any attention to his daughter's studies. Instead, he doted on his son—whose grades were average at best—signing him up for every after-school program his wife could find.

"Mr. Barrett, I don't think that's fair," Fortune protested, his tone taking on a rare edge. "Times have changed; women have the same opportunities as men now. Girls need a good education too—education is the way forward! Besides, my granddaughter is a gem! She promised me that once she makes her fortune, she'll buy me a big house." Fortune's face glowed with pride as he spoke, as if he wanted the whole world to know just how devoted his granddaughter was.

Never mind that the house existed only in her promises for now.

It was the thought that counted, and to Fortune, his granddaughter was simply the best girl in the world.

A big house? Who hasn't spun a few grand dreams before?

Ray snorted. "My son said he'd buy me a private estate someday! Let's be honest, girls just don't have the same earning power as boys. My son probably won't be able to afford a villa, let alone your granddaughter!"

What did he mean, "even my son can't afford a house, so your Caitlin has no chance"? Why was his granddaughter suddenly less than Ray's son?

Fortune's smile faded a bit, but since Ray was the boss, he kept his thoughts to himself. "Mr. Barrett, I'd better get back to work," he said politely.

As Fortune walked away, Ray let out a derisive chuckle. "Stubborn old fool. If he's so proud, why's he working as a janitor?" he muttered under his breath.

What kind of granddaughter could a farmhand possibly raise? In Ray's mind, Caitlin would never get into Central Academy, much less a top university.

—

Five days slipped by in a blink.

After breakfast, Caitlin spent some time doing data programming at home. Then she checked her phone, looking at her account balance.

Her savings had jumped from six figures to eight.

For most people, that would be a fortune—life-changing money. But for Caitlin, it was just a small milestone.

Just enough to give Apex a much-needed lifeline.

—

Meanwhile, Gareth was having lunch with Victor.

"Winslow, have you given any more thought to what I mentioned the other day? There are plenty of game companies interested in taking on Apex right now," Gareth urged, hoping Victor would offload the company while it was still worth something. If Victor sold now, he might just be able to stage a comeback with his reputation intact.

Victor took a sip of whiskey and shook his head. "Gareth, I told you already. I trust Miss Kensington."

"It's been eight days now, and your Miss Kensington still hasn't come through with the funding. Maybe you should give her a call and find out what's going on?" Gareth suggested.

Linda's voice came through the line. As Victor processed her words, he shot to his feet, unable to contain his excitement. "What did you say? Linda, say that again!"

Once he was sure he hadn't misheard, Victor grinned from ear to ear. "Alright, great, thank you. That's all for now."

He hung up, still feeling as if he were dreaming.

Ten million dollars.

Caitlin had wired over ten million dollars.

Victor downed the rest of his drink, the burn of the whiskey grounding him in reality.

He set his glass down and threw his head back in a triumphant laugh.

Ha! Sometimes, you just have to celebrate when life goes your way.

He'd known it all along—Caitlin wasn't a fraud.

Watching Victor's strange reaction after the call, Gareth was sure the accountant had just told him that Caitlin had made off with all the company's data. Victor must have snapped under the pressure.

Gareth put down his fork and tried to comfort him. "Winslow, don't be too hard on yourself. Let this be a lesson, alright? You may have been burned, but you still have me. Even if Kensington's run off, I won't let you and your wife end up on the street. Why don't you both move in with me for a while? I've got plenty of space."