The Boss Ex-Wife Novel – “Dina, did you hire a private detective to follow me?” Mark Arnold tossed the surveillance photos onto the table, his gaze sharp and piercing as he stared at Dina Carroll before him. Dina curled up on the sofa, lifting her eyes to meet his. “If I hadn’t had you followed, how would I know what you’ve really been up to?” But it turned out to be unnecessary effort. Yesterday’s hot search had exploded across the feeds: [Actress Lucy Returns to the country, Mr. Arnold Personally Greets Her at the Airport, Old Flames Rekindle], paired with intimate shots of Mark and Lucy Davies. They were childhood sweethearts, so lingering feelings were understandable, but cheating while married? That was a serious character flaw. Dina was done with a scumbag like him.
Mark stood there in his perfectly tailored suit, his chiseled features exuding an air of refined nobility, though his brows furrowed with a touch of anger. “Watch your tone and drop the sarcasm.” “The rumors about you and Lucy are everywhere now.” Dina’s fingers tightened into a fist, her voice laced with a flicker of hope she hadn’t even realized was there. “Aren’t you going to explain yourself?” “Explain? Hah. Dina, I only married you to keep Grandma happy. Don’t flatter yourself.” Mark’s face was a mask of cold mockery as he headed for the door without breaking stride. Just as he was about to step out of the living room, Dina called out suddenly, “Mark, let’s divorce.” What started as a sham marriage for appearances had somehow drawn her in, heart and all, without her even noticing. Now, it was time to cut her losses and move on. Mark paused mid-step, his deep eyes swirling with impatience. “Dina, I don’t have time for your little tantrum.” Dina grabbed the divorce papers she’d prepared ahead of time from the table and tossed them to him, pen included. “I’m dead serious.
Here’s the agreement. Sign it.” Mark hadn’t anticipated her whipping out the divorce papers so decisively. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before taking them. In his impression, Dina was like a meek, delicate little bunny. He’d never imagined she’d be the one to bring up divorce first. For some reason he couldn’t pinpoint, the words “divorce agreement” rubbed him the wrong way. He skimmed through the document in a few swift flips, his brows knitting together, his expression unreadable. “Property split: 230 million dollars, plus the villa in Phester?” Mark let out a derisive snort, his features etched with icy disdain. “You’ve got some guts.” Dina stayed calm and collected. “The Arnold Group is enormous.
The profits alone over the last three years dwarf that amount.” In three years, Arnold Group had raked in 660 million dollars. She thought, ‘As his wife, is 230 million dollars really asking too much? Not to mention, he cheated first. By rights, he should be walking away with nothing.’ Mark fixed his intense gaze on her face, while Dina stared right back, unflinching, her eyes cool and steady. He said, “You’re right. If you walked away empty-handed, it’d be tough to explain to Grandma.” With a blank expression, Mark flipped to the last page and signed his name in quick, decisive strokes. From beginning to end, he hadn’t uttered a single word about the rumors with Lucy. As if it was all beneath his notice. And Dina? Even more so. She forced a smile onto her face, even as a faint ache twisted in her chest. “Mr. Arnold, I’ll see you at the city hall entrance tomorrow at 10 a.m.” Banging your head against a wall hurt like hell, but it’d pass eventually. Three years for 230 million dollars and a prime city-center villa? No matter how you sliced it, she wasn’t coming out the loser.
Mark grunted indifferently, pushing down the twinge of discomfort in his chest, and walked out of the villa. Their three-year deal had run its course. Divorce was inevitable, sooner or later. Dina snatched up the signed agreement, grabbed her luggage, and slipped into the luxury car idling just outside the Arnold family estate. As soon as she settled in, Leon Allen’s thrilled voice rang out from the driver’s seat. “Ms. Carroll, you’ve finally come to your senses! Pinch me, this can’t be real!” Leon, the notorious playboy heir to the Allen family, was more than happy to defer to Dina as his boss. “Yep.” Dina gave a lukewarm reply, reaching for the files Leon had ready for her and skimming through them. While navigating traffic, Leon launched into a rant he couldn’t contain. “You should’ve never tied the knot with that jerk.
What makes a sleaze like him think he’s worthy? “Ice-cold tyrant, blind and heartless, total cheater,doesn’t know a good thing when he sees it! “Divorcing him is the best move. Just you wait, he’ll be groveling at your feet, chasing you like a man possessed. I could write the whole redemption arc myself.” Dina was speechless. She rubbed her temples and closed the folder with a snap. “The company’s performing strong. Profits beat my projections.” Leon said, “Natur