Marissa passed the paper to him, her demeanor composed. There were two agreements in total. Connor took them and began to review them carefully
The first agreement was primarily about compensation. The initial clause demanded five thousand dollars for physical injuries
“Mr. Daniels, you physically assaulted me three times, resulting in neck injuries. I’m requesting five thousand in compensation. That seems fair, doesn’t it?” Marissa interjected just in time
“Very fair,” Connor said, continuing to read
The next clause asked for one hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress
“Mr. Daniels, your actions have caused me significant emotional suffering. One hundred thousand in compensation isn’t unreasonable, right?” Marissa added
“Very reasonable,” Connor agreed once more, his tone still gentle
He moved on to the following clause. The third clause concerned medical fees, totaling ten million dollars. Connor was momentarily at a loss for words. He lifted his head and looked at Marissa from head to toe, his eyes nearly widening in bewilderment, yet he still couldn’t quite understand her. Marissa offered a slight smile. “Mr. Daniels, although my medical intervention was somewhat fortuitous, the fact remains that I revived your grandmother. The value of Mrs. Daniels’s life is immeasurable. Surely, ten million for medical expenses isn’t too much?”
Slightly amused, Connor smiled faintly. “Very reasonable.”
He immediately signed the agreement after speaking. He then wrote a check for $10,150,000 and handed it over to Marissa. She accepted it without hesitation and tucked it into her pocket
Connor then proceeded to the second document. It was a divorce agreement. The content was straightforward-legally dividing their community property. Upon seeing the phrase “community property,” Connor couldn’t help but chuckle
Connor found Marissa quite fascinating; she was as mysterious as the ocean’s depths. Despite closely observing her behavior and listening to her words, he remained puzzled by her. He couldn’t help but look her over once more. Marissa, in turn, closely watched his reactions
With a calm demeanor, she said casually, “Although our marriage was not by mutual agreement, it is nonetheless legally binding, registered at the City Hall. That’s correct, isn’t it, Mr. Daniels?”
Connor gave a slight nod. “Indeed.”
“Since our marriage went through legal procedures, our divorce must be handled legally as well, correct?”
“Correct.”
“And from the time we got married to the moment we sign the divorce papers, any income earned by either party is considered community property, correct?”
“That’s right.”
Watching this exchange between husband and wife, Domenic, Marc, and Terry felt uneasy. They were disturbed by how effortlessly their boss seemed to be led step by step into the trap of the seemingly simple country girl. They couldn’t believe something like this would actually happen to their usually smart boss. Even though the negotiation felt odd, it proceeded without conflict
Marissa smiled. “Mr. Daniels, since you took me from my flower shop, I’ve had no earnings. During our marriage, my income was zero. Regarding your income during our marriage, would you prefer to disclose the financial details yourself, or should I hire a lawyer to review them?”
Hearing her words, Domenic, Marc, and Terry clenched their teeth in frustration. They were furious! They found her audacity unbearable! Who did she think she was? Mr. Daniels had just made a billion dollars today. If it was considered community property, was she really expecting to walk away with half? This was simply unbelievable!
They had already thought her request for ten million in medical expenses was outrageous. Now, that seemed like just a small beginning! She was clearly pushing her luck! Even if Connor felt indebted to her for saving Arabella, surely there was a limit to his patience!
However, they had underestimated their boss’s generosity. Expecting him to dismiss Marissa’s claims, they were shocked to see him smile, pick up his phone, pull up the financial statements, and hand his phone to her
Domenic, Marc, and Terry were dumbfounded. Marissa took the phone without hesitation
Even when she was faced with the astronomical numbers on the financial statements, her expression remained unchanged. She then calmly asked, “During our marriage, your financial income was one billion. According to the law, I’m entitled to half, which is 500 million. Mr. Daniels, do you have any objections to this?”
“No, your request is reasonable and within legal bounds,” Connor responded nonchalantly. As he spoke, the expressions of the three onlookers contorted, as if it was their money being discussed. The woman had the audacity to ask, and their boss seemed all too willing to comply! Just who exactly was this country girl?
Marissa herself was quite taken aback. She hadn’t anticipated Connor being so cooperative. She had prepared herself with a lot of persuasive arguments, ready for a lengthy debate. It turned out, it was all unnecessary
After a brief pause, she courteously handed back the phone and said with a smile, “Please, Mr. Daniels, go ahead and sign the divorce agreement.”
But Connor didn’t immediately sign. Instead, he looked at her intently for a few moments before softly inquiring, “Miss Nash, are you interested in getting more money out of this?”
Marissa looked confused, her fine eyebrows lifting as she gave Connor a questioning glance
Connor began to explain, “My fiancee has run away, and it’s caused my grandmother a great deal of stress. She’s fallen seriously ill because of the worry. If my grandmother doesn’t see her when she wakes, it might worsen her condition, possibly putting her life at risk. Miss Nash, could you consider delaying our divorce and acting as the devoted granddaughter-in-law for a bit, just until I have a better solution? In exchange, while we’re still married, all my income will be community property, shared by both of us.”
Before Marissa could answer, Domenic, Marc, and Terry looked as though they’d been struck by lightning. The wealthiest man in Blebert, who earned a fortune every day, was proposing to share half his daily income-effectively handing out a fortune each day. This country girl had hit the jackpot, suddenly thrown into a marriage, and was poised to be wealthy beyond measure!
However, they always seemed to misjudge the village girl. She didn’t react as they had anticipated, neither flushed with excitement nor stumbling over her words. Confronted with such an enormous temptation, the girl simply shrugged and said, “Sorry, Mr. Daniels, I can’t help with that.”
Domenic, Marc, and Terry were completely taken aback. Looking directly at Connor, Marissa said plainly, “My fiance and I have planned to return to our hometown tomorrow to get married. I can’t change this plan. I need to have the divorce finalized by noon tomorrow so I can catch the train back to my hometown.”
The mood turned extremely awkward
Connor’s smile vanished instantly. Whether due to disappointment or remorse, he felt a discomfort in his heart. Even Domenic, Marc, and Terry felt as if they had done something terribly wrong. This country girl, presented with enormous riches, still chose not to postpone her wedding, demonstrating her deep love for her fiance. She was set to marry her fiance, but their error had turned her first marriage into her second. It was clear they had made a significant mistake
The silence in the room stretched on. Without any embarrassment, Connor asked, “Could you possibly discuss it with your fiance?”
“No, my in-laws have prepared everything for the wedding. That can’t be changed,” Marissa responded decisively
At this point, any decent man would have known to back off. Yet, Connor unexpectedly threw another question her way. “Do you love your fiance?”
“We’ve known each other since childhood back in Adagend,” Marissa answered, her tone indicating she was done with the topic. Seeing that she wasn’t interested in talking about her fiance further, Connor stopped. He then offered a bitter smile. “I truly apologize for complicating things on the day before your wedding. If explaining this to your fiance proves difficult, I’m willing to help you clarify things with him.”
“There’s no need, I can manage my own matters.”
Being so quickly rejected made Connor feel as if he had been slapped, a strange sense of pain. It was as if a fire was lit inside him, leaving him uneasy. “Miss Nash, I’ll accompany you to the court tomorrow for the divorce. However, could you consider staying tonight? It would comfort my grandmother if she saw you as her granddaughter-in-law upon waking up. Don’t worry, I’ll come up with a way to explain your departure without disrupting your wedding plans.”
Marissa instinctively wanted to say no; she preferred to stay away from the Daniels family’s complicated affairs. A powerful family like theirs came with tangled relationships that could easily lead to complications. However, considering Arabella’s fragile, ailing condition, she found herself unable to decline
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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