He shrugged his shoulders carelessly. “I am starting over now, Penelope. Naomi and I have a baby on the way, so my life is getting complicated.”
From her spot by the door, Samantha gave me a sharp, mocking smile. “Maybe this is really for the best, Penelope, because Victor finally has a real chance to build the family dynamic he always wanted.”
I turned my head toward her. “He already had a loving family right here.”
The entire room fell dead silent for a few seconds before Victor rolled his eyes in frustration. “There you go again with the dramatic statements,” he muttered under his breath.
Without answering, I stood up from the table, took out the keys to the penthouse and the vehicle, and set them gently on the desk next to the paperwork. “Keep them both,” I said simply.
Victor’s face softened into a look of total triumph as he believed he had won everything he wanted.
Before turning to leave, I looked him in the eyes and said softly, “Just remember one important thing, Victor. Possession and actual ownership are not always the same thing.”
His smirk vanished instantly. “What on earth is that supposed to mean?” he demanded.
I offered no explanation, turning on my heel and walking straight out of the glass doors into the bright morning sunlight.
PART 2
A sleek black town car was waiting for me right at the curb, and a uniformed driver stepped out to open the back door. “Good morning, Ms. Vance. Your daughters are already waiting comfortably at the airport with Mrs. Gable, and all your luggage has been checked through to London,” the driver informed me politely.
Before I could step inside, the sudden sound of rushed footsteps echoed behind me on the pavement. Victor had followed me outside, stopping a few feet away with a deeply confused look on his face.
“London?” Victor asked, frowning as he tried to process the words. “Are you telling me you are leaving the city today with my daughters?”
“Yes, Victor, we are flying out this afternoon,” I replied calmly.
His expression hardened immediately. “You cannot just take my children out of the country without my permission.”
“You signed the international travel consent documents three weeks ago during our preliminary paperwork,” I reminded him quietly.
Victor stared at me in disbelief before a look of realization washed over his face. He had indeed signed those papers, but he had been so distracted by his new life that he had never bothered to read the fine print carefully.
His eyes then shifted toward the high-end vehicle waiting for me. “Whose luxury car is this anyway, Penelope? How are you even paying for all of this expensive travel?”
I almost laughed at his sudden panic. During our twelve years together, Victor had convinced himself that because I stepped away from my career after Abigail was born, I had no personal wealth or financial resources of my own.
He knew I had worked as a corporate strategist before our wedding, and he knew my grandfather had founded a logistics empire based in Ohio. However, Victor had never cared enough to ask what became of that massive enterprise, and I had long stopped sharing details with a husband who dismissed my background.
“Goodbye, Victor,” I said softly, stepping into the back seat as the door closed smoothly between us, cutting off his bewildered face.
My grandfather, Thomas Vance, had started a small transport company decades ago, which eventually grew into Vance Global Logistics, operating major distribution centers across several continents. When he passed away, the massive wealth was placed into a private family trust managed quietly by professional trustees, providing my family with incredible independence that Victor had completely overlooked.
When Victor and I moved into our luxury penthouse years ago, he assumed we were getting a special discounted lease through his business network. In reality, a holding firm owned by the Vance family trust possessed the entire building, allowing us to live there under a private agreement.
The high-end SUV he drove belonged to the same trust enterprise. Victor had never owned those assets, but his arrogance had allowed him to assume he was the sole provider of our lives.
For years, I had planned to explain the depth of my family’s business to him, but over time, I noticed how condescending Victor became whenever he thought I was financially dependent on him. He would remind me that he paid all the bills whenever we disagreed, so I simply stopped correcting his foolish assumptions and quietly prepared for my future independence.
While my car made its way toward the airport, Victor was pulling up to the St. Helena Women’s Health Center across town. Naomi was already sitting in the waiting area, flanked by Walter, Miriam, Samantha, and several other members of the Reynolds family who had gathered to celebrate the routine checkup.
Victor walked into the waiting room holding a bouquet of flowers, shouting happily, “How is my future boy doing today?”
Naomi gave a nervous chuckle, smoothing down her dress. “We have not started the ultrasound scan yet, Victor.”
Miriam squeezed Naomi’s hand affectionately. “Everything is going to be absolute perfection today, my dear.”
A few minutes later, Dr. Harrison entered the examination room, greeted the packed room politely, and began the ultrasound process. Victor pointed eagerly at the glowing screen, shouting, “Is that his head right there?”
