Chapter 47
<Chapter>Chapter Forty-Seven: Spring in Full Bloom </Chapter>
Gianna was speechless.
After a brief silence, she grabbed her takeout and swiftly turned on her heel, walking into the villa, choosing to ignore Felix as if he didn't even exist.
Having finished her meal, Gianna was ready to head upstairs to rest when Felix, who had been sitting opposite her, lost his patience.
"When are you coming back with me?!"
Gianna looked at him with an indifferent expression, "I never said I would go back with you."
"Gianna!" Felix's anger was genuine, and his voice echoed with an intensity that filled the room.
Gianna raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "There's no need to shout, Felix. It won't work on me. Even if you tie me up and drag me back, I'll just leave again. So don't bother wasting your efforts."
Felix met her gaze, his teeth clenched. "Fine! Just don’t come crying with regrets later!"
"I'm already regretting," Gianna said with a playful smile as she caught a flash of surprise in his eyes. "Regretting I didn’t move out sooner so I could've avoided all the headaches that followed."
Seething, Felix stormed out, leaving Gianna with a sense of relief, glad for the chance to finally relax.
That afternoon, Gianna received a phone call from Natalie, asking her to visit Harmony Garden.
When she arrived, she found Natalie in the living room, sipping tea. Upon seeing her, Natalie's face lit up with a warm, grandmotherly smile. "Gianna, come have a seat!"
Gianna approached and respectfully asked, "Grandma, did you need to see me for something?"
Natalie sighed and reached for Gianna's hand once she had settled beside her. "Gianna, are you really set on divorcing Felix?"
After a brief silence, Gianna nodded firmly. "Yes."
"Is there truly no chance for reconciliation? I truly hate to lose you as my granddaughter-in-law…"
Gianna reciprocated the smile and squeezed Natalie’s hand. "Grandma, even if Felix and I get divorced, you'll always be my Grandma in my heart."
Natalie nodded, determined to make a resolution. "All right, then, I'll take the reins this time and support your decision to divorce Felix."
"Thank you, Grandma!" Gianna felt a rush of gratitude. She had taken Natalie’s earlier mention at the resort as an offhand remark, not expecting her to be serious.
Natalie's face brightened at the honest smile on Gianna's face, but inside, she felt a twinge of sadness. To think Felix could discard Gianna for Bella—his lack of judgment nullified all the guidance she had given him.
Before long, Natalie had her lawyer draft the divorce agreement.
"Gianna, take a look and let me know if there's anything you'd like to change."
Gianna quickly scanned the papers again, hardly able to believe what she saw — Natalie had left her a significant 10% share of Sirius Trading Syndicate in her will. She hurried to voice her objections. "Grandma, I can't accept the shares in Sirius Trading. It's too valuable—Mr. Clinton would never agree.”
Just 1% of Sirius Trading was worth billions; holding on to that kind of money would make her hands burn.
Grandma Clinton responded with fierce determination, “If he dares to disagree, I’ll break his legs!”
Gianna chuckled at her grandmother’s stern expression, but she remained resolute, “Grandma, really, I don't want it. Divorcing Mr. Clinton was about cutting all ties.”
“Gianna, this is the dowry I promised you. With these shares, nobody will dare to look down on you after you divorce Felix! And if you really want nothing to do with Sirius Trading, you can always sell your shares back to Felix!”
Observing the unflinching way, Natalie was ready to swindle Felix. Gianna inwardly remarked that blood certainly was thicker than water.
Yet, she had no intention of keeping the shares. Money wasn’t an issue; the fifty million she’d received for her last job hadn't even been touched.
Soon enough, Felix arrived.
His face turned a shade paler as he caught sight of the divorce agreement Natalie handed him.
"Grandma, I won't agree to this divorce!"
Without a word, Natalie stood. Her gaze icy, she commanded, “Come with me to the study."
After they’d left, time seemed to crawl for Gianna.
If Natalie couldn't persuade Felix, Gianna's chances of a clean break seemed slim indeed. She was done wasting her life with him.
When Felix finally reappeared trailing behind Natalie, his face was a mask of frost.
He strode to the desk and, without a word, signed his name, his eyes glacial as he met Gianna's gaze like a bitter arctic wind.
“Gianna, are you happy now?!” he spat.
Unfazed, Gianna smiled with a hint of relief, “Very satisfied.”
Signing her name, she reached to file the divorce agreement away, but Felix’s lean hand was quicker, snatching the document up first.
Gianna's heart skipped a beat, fearing another mishap. She looked at Felix and said, "Mr. Clinton, perhaps I should hold onto the divorce agreement."
"I don't trust you."
"What do you mean?"
Gianna frowned in confusion, her eyes filled with bewilderment.
Felix let out a cold laugh. "After all, you managed to get Grandma to give you 10% of Sirius Trading's shares. What's to stop you from tampering with the divorce agreement? That could leave me at a serious loss."
Gianna pursed her lips and finally spoke up. "About that 10% from Grandma—I don't intend to keep it."
The joy of him agreeing to sign had clouded her judgment earlier, and she had forgotten about the shares.
Felix's eyes sparkled with scorn. "You really think I'd believe you?"
"If Mr. Clinton doesn't believe me, we can print a new copy of the divorce agreement right now, excluding the shares of Sirius Trading. I don't want any compensation."
Before anyone could react, Natalie interjected.
"Gianna, once I've decided to give you those shares, my mind won't change. Accept the shares and divorce Felix, or leave the shares, and we'll pretend today never happened. The choice is yours."
"Grandma..."
Gianna felt torn. She wanted the divorce but genuinely didn't want the shares.
"The choice is yours," Natalie reiterated.
After a moment's hesitation, Gianna compromised.
"All right, I'll accept the shares."
She could always find a way to transfer them to Felix later on.
Felix sneered and quickly left the living room.
Gianna was about to follow when Natalie held her back.
"Gianna, don't worry. He agreed to sign of his own free will; he won't pull any tricks."
Although Gianna still harbored some doubts, all she could do was nod in agreement.
After having dinner with Natalie, Gianna finally left Harmony Garden.
As she walked away, Natalie looked on with undisguised longing and teary eyes.
"Gianna, if you ever miss me, come back anytime. Even if you and Felix are divorced, I'll always be your Grandma!"
Knowing that Natalie truly adored her, Gianna couldn't help feeling sorrowful. “Grandma, don't worry, I'll come visit you whenever I get the chance!”
Natalie let go of her hand, her heart heavy with sadness. They both knew that after Gianna's divorce from Felix, her visits to Harmony Garden would be far fewer.
“All right, go on now, and be safe on your way,” Natalie said.
Gianna turned to leave, her eyes brimming with tears.
Despite Natalie not being her biological grandma, she had given Gianna a sense of familial warmth that had been missing for a long time.
If only Felix hadn’t cheated, maybe even without love, she would have stayed in the marriage just to honor Natalie, living together in mutual respect.
But there were no what-ifs…
After leaving Harmony Garden, Gianna headed straight to Grand View to find Felix.
Upon seeing her, Felix's expression turned icy. “What do you want? Isn’t the ten percent stake in Sirius Trading Syndicate enough to satisfy you?!”
