Chapter 228 Mr. Abbott Got a Harsh Lesson
Aaron looked up, furrowing his brow. "What are you doing here?"
"Aaron, I called you last night. Why didn't you pick up? I told you I had something important to discuss. Why didn't you call me back?"
Maud stormed into the office, and Aaron replied calmly, "I was busy."
Maud perched on the sofa, her bag by her side, as she confronted Aaron. "Aaron, is it true you signed the divorce papers and handed over all your shares to Susanna?"
Hearing this, Aaron knew Maud had learned about it from Erica. The last thing he wanted was for this sensitive issue to become public knowledge, as it was not only embarrassing but also potentially damaging to his reputation.
He responded with a stern face, "That's right."
In hindsight, Aaron acknowledged that he had indeed rushed through the divorce property agreement without giving it the attention it deserved before signing off on it. It was a mistake he owned up to.
"Aaron, how could you be so careless? Don't you know what it means to give all your shares to Susanna? It means you have to step down from the position of president of the Abbott Group and hand over the Abbott Group to someone else!"
Maud had planned to talk to Aaron about it last night, but he didn't come back.
Unable to fathom how Susanna could have manipulated Aaron into such a careless oversight, Maud's frustration grew with each passing thought. "Aaron, did Susanna pull a fast one on you with that divorce agreement?"
Rubbing his temples wearily, Aaron responded, "Mom, please don't stress about this. I'll sort it out."
"How can I not worry about something so significant? Rest assured, no matter what schemes Susanna tries, she won't come out on top."
Intently, Maud retrieved a document from her bag and presented it to Aaron. "I had my suspicions about Susanna all along, given the disparity in our positions. Who knows what's going on in her mind? Today's events confirm that my instincts were spot on."
Aaron glanced down. "What's this?"
"A prenuptial agreement. Three years ago, when Susanna, as a servant, agreed to marry you, how could I not be cautious? It clearly states here that Susanna voluntarily gives up all the Abbott family assets. If divorced, she gets nothing, not a penny!" Maud explained.
Aaron's expression darkened as he perused the prenuptial agreement, confirming Susanna's signature at the bottom. His mood soured instantly. "Mom, who told you to do this?"
He had been oblivious to this fact all along. Aaron had always presumed that Susanna had married him solely for the wealth tied to the Abbott family name. However, discovering that Susanna had signed away any claims to it left him perplexed. The question loomed large in his mind: Why, then, did Susanna choose to marry him?
Clutching the document tightly, Aaron felt as though reality had delivered a powerful slap across his face. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks - he had misjudged Susanna all this time. Her act of signing away any financial claims shattered his assumption that she had married him solely for money. It dawned on him with clarity - Susanna married him for reasons far beyond wealth.
Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling extremely agitated.
Maud saw Aaron's expression and said with concern, "Aaron, don't worry. With this document , even if it comes to a legal battle, the court will see through Susanna's facade. Who in their right mind would willingly relinquish all their shares in a divorce settlement? It's just too fishy to be believable!"
Aaron felt a lump in his throat as he held the prenuptial agreement. "Mom, why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
"I did mention it before. I was prepared to guard against Susanna, but you said you knew and didn't ask further. So, I didn't push it. It didn't seem to matter whether I told you or not," Maud replied.
Aaron irritably tugged at his tie, staring at the document, feeling like he'd been slapped hard.
What made it worse was that every time Aaron accused Susanna of being money-minded, she never once denied it.
He recalled how he had braced himself for her defense in the past, only to be met with silence each time. Maybe, deep down, he had never truly believed her explanations.
Aaron always prided himself on being a good judge of character, but he had misjudged Susanna, which made him feel uncomfortable and guilty.
"Aaron, what are you thinking? I went to the hall yesterday to warn Susanna. She shouldn't dare to use that divorce property agreement to threaten you anymore," Maud added.
Aaron put down his hand, his eyes dark. "What did you say to her yesterday?"
"I showed her this divorce document. No, to be precise, it was a copy, in case Susanna tore up the original. To prevent Susanna from fantasizing every day."
Aaron remembered when he met Susanna yesterday, she smiled so gently at Brian but looked distant when she saw him.
He always thought Susanna had fallen for someone else, which was why she was so cold to him.
Now he knew it was also because of Maud's actions, but Susanna said nothing. She could have explained!
Aaron crumpled the agreement into a ball, and Maud watched in fear. "Aaron, what are you doing?"
With a cold demeanor, Aaron uttered firmly, "Mom, you should head back. I need to focus on work now."
"Aaron, let me keep this file for you."
As Maud attempted to reach for the document, Aaron deftly evaded her grasp, his gaze icy and unwavering. "This concerns me directly. It's best if I hold onto it."
"Make sure to keep it safe. By the way, Maria has been recovering well lately. Arrange to finalize the divorce with Susanna," Maud instructed.
Aaron said nothing, sitting alone in his chair, staring blankly at the prenuptial agreement in his hand.
On the other side, Susanna went straight to the hospital to visit Maria. She had been busy with the grand hall design these past few days and hadn't visited Maria in the hospital.
Now that the grand hall event was over, she quickly earned her credits and could start preparing to leave Lindwell.
Susanna went to the private hospital's high-end ward. The bodyguards outside didn't stop her when they saw her.
She brought some fruit and knocked on the door before entering. "Grandma, I'm here to see you."
"Susanna, when you come over, you don't need to bring anything. Your presence is the greatest gift of all," Maria expressed warmly.
Maria adjusted her glasses and beckoned Susanna closer. "Susanna, come take a look. I've been deliberating for days and still can't make up my mind."
"What are you choosing?" Susanna settled by the bedside, glancing at Maria's tablet displaying an array of baby cribs and strollers.
In that moment, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over Susanna, a mix of happiness for Maria's anticipation of the baby and a tinge of bitterness within herself.
After all, Maria was eagerly preparing for the arrival of her bundle of joy, while Susanna had been contemplating her own exit plan.
Susanna took a deep breath. "Grandma, I need to tell you..."
