"It's official! I've got the divorce papers!"
In a lavishly decorated restaurant, Hellen Vaughn dramatically slammed her divorce papers on the table, declaring, "I'm finally free."
Her two companions grinned in response, "Congratulations! You're officially a free woman."
Winton Shortle, a friend as close to Hellen as a sibling, promptly filled a glass of red wine and pushed it across the table to her.
"Your ex-husband, to put it bluntly, was the worst. He didn't meet you in person once during the entirety of your two-year marriage."
Indeed, Webster Norris had left everything, from their marriage license to the divorce proceedings, to be handled by his secretary, having never shown his face at all.
As far as society was concerned, Hellen may have borne the title of Mrs. Norris for the past two years, but she might as well have been a widow for all the sighting there had been of her elusive husband.
But now, all of that was in the past.
Raising her wineglass in a toast, Hellen waved her divorce papers in the air.
"Let's drink to my freedom!"
Their glasses clinked together, signifying the start of a new chapter in Hellen's life.
The reflection of the serene Christopher Elledge appeared on the glass of his goblet. "Did the Norris family make compensation?"
This question was more about the conscience of the Norris family than the amount of the compensation.
"They offered me a cheque for ten million dollars, but I didn't take it."
Hearing this, Winton slapped the table in excitement. "Well done!"
"I don't understand why the old man made such an arrangement. If he was anxious to get you married, shouldn't he think of us two first?"
Winton then nudged the person next to him with his elbow. "Bro, don't you think so? In terms of appearance and family background, we're not inferior to Webster!"
Hellen changed her expression abruptly and glared at the two men across the table. "Behave yourself! I'm your sister, alright?"
"So what? We aren't related by blood, anyway." Winton rolled his eyes. "Wait! Do you think that we aren't good enough for you?"
"No..."
Hellen and Winton bickered as they had in childhood, though both of them were in their twenties.
This might be the unique tacit understanding among the family members.
Amidst the argument, neither Hellen nor Winton noticed the subtle change on Christopher's face.
A few wrinkles crept onto the face of Christopher when Hellen protested against Wintion's idea.
Christopher quietly took a sip of his wine.
After quite a while, he asked in a deep and husky voice, which contained a touch of sexy tenderness, "What's your plan?"
Hellen halted her playful banter and sat up straight, answering with blissful disregard, "Business, of course! I'm planning to make a comeback as the prodigy of neurosurgery! As for men, they can take a hike!"
"Good on you!" Winton enthusiastically clapped his hands in approval.
Christopher shot him a cool sidelong glance, then met the flickering gaze diagonally across from him. Nodding in agreement, he said, "A long absence, indeed."
...
At this very moment in the Norris Group.
Inside the CEO's office.
The assistant, Clifford Reyes, updated Webster about the divorce of the latter. "Mr. Norris, done."
"Okay." Webster asked without moving his hand away from his document. "How much did she take as compensation?"
"Not a dime," Clifford confessed.
His words prompted Webster to look up, brow furrowed in confusion.
"Not a dime for her, or she didn't take a dime?"
Seeing that Webster had stopped writing, Clifford inhaled deeply before explaining, "Your grandfather tried to offer her a cheque for ten million dollars, but she refused to accept it."
In recalling his ex-wife's rumored humble beginnings, Webster managed a faint smile. "Is it that she wants more?"
"Go, find her, and transfer a villa, a Maserati, and one of my stores to her."
Whether she was seen greedy was irrelevant; he felt she deserved it.
"Understood, Mr. Norris."
Just as Clifford was about to leave, he paused and turned back, as though recalling something important. "By the way, Mr. Norris, there was a post on our followed healthcare forum about a prodigy in neurosurgery named Hellen..."
"They say she might have a breakthrough for Miss Parkinson's condition…"
With a flicker of anticipation lighting his eyes, Webster swiftly closed his file and said, "Find her! Immediately!"