Chapter 4 Calling It Quits?
The next day, in the Fighters Group CEO’s office, Blair tossed the files onto the desk in frustration, his nails tapping restlessly on the pricey rosewood top. “Dina still hasn’t shown up for work?”
The assistant kept his eyes down. “No, sir. Ms. Gardner… hasn’t been in for three days now.”
Blair’s frown deepened. He thought, ‘With no money to her name, how has she scraped by these last couple of days? Skipping meals? Roughing it on the streets? Or huddling like a stray cat in some dingy corner?’ Just picturing it made his chest ache.
He’d spoiled her way too much, that was what it was, turned her into this bullheaded type who’d rather tough it out than back down.
Blair rubbed his temples wearily, his voice carrying a hint of grudging surrender. “Track her down. I’ll pick her up myself.”
“Blair.” The door flew open, and Belinda bustled in, her seven-month bump front and center, her face tight with worry as she gripped a dazzling diamond ring.
She said, “I was out shopping with the girls earlier and spotted this on some woman’s hand. I recognized it instantly. It’s Dina’s wedding ring. The one you had that master jeweler custom-make just for her. One of a kind.
“I hurried over to ask where she got it, and she told me…”
Belinda hesitated, looking pained. “She said… she picked it up at a secondhand luxury boutique.”
Crack! The expensive fountain pen in Blair’s grip snapped right in two.
His face turned thunderous, veins throbbing at his temples as he spat the words through gritted teeth. “Dina, you’ve got some nerve!”
There he was, losing sleep over her out there suffering, and she’d gone and hawked their wedding ring for cash without a second thought.
“Blair, this is my fault… If it weren’t for me, you two wouldn’t be fighting like this…” Belinda wiped at her tears, her face a picture of sorrow. “…That ring symbolizes your love. Selling it, does that mean she’s… calling it quits?”
“Calling it quits?” Blair barked out a harsh laugh, like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard, fury storming in his eyes.
He said, “She loves me to death. Dumping me would gut her. She couldn’t do it! This is just her pitching a fit, offloading the ring to piss me off on purpose.
“I can handle her moods most days, spoiling her a bit never hurt. But heirs and family legacy? That’s non-negotiable. She can’t be that deluded, thinking a little stunt like this will change my mind.
“Time to set her straight with a real wake-up call.”
*****
Over at Summit Bay, Joseph inquired politely, “Mrs. Woodward, you available today? We’ve got everything set up at Cloud Hotel. We can swing by anytime to check out wedding venues.”
“Afternoon’s good.” Dina massaged her forehead. “I’ve got a contract signing with Mr. Costa at noon.”
She’d been on this deal for three months straight; everything was locked in, just needed that final sign-off.
It was her swan song at Fighters Group, and she wanted to see it through clean. Even more important, the commission? A cool 700 thousand dollars.
She’d busted her ass for it. No way was she leaving that on the table.
Once it was signed, sealed, and delivered, she’d push ahead with the labor claim, grab her owed wages, and bail on Fighters Group for good.
“Got it, Mrs. Woodward. Where’s the meeting? I’ll send a car to scoop you up after.”
“No bother. It’s right there at Cloud Hotel.”
Come noon, Dina showed up bang on time at the booked private room in Cloud Hotel.
She pushed the door open and froze at the sight of two faces she hadn’t bargained for: Blair, and next to him, a smug, glowing Belinda.
Belinda had a pen in hand, scribbling her signature at the contract’s footer. She looked up at Dina, flashing a victor’s grin, her eyes brimming with unfiltered taunt.
She said, “Oh, Dina, you’re here? Sorry, I forgot to let you know. Blair figured the department could use someone more talented at the helm, so I’ve just come on board as director. That makes me your direct boss from here on out. As for this contract…”
She waved the document in her hand. “I took the liberty of signing it for you.”
Belinda, a seven-months-pregnant woman on the verge of maternity leave, had been dropped in as director out of nowhere. It was blatantly obvious: she was there to poach the deal.
This wasn’t just an attack; it was straight-up humiliation.
Fury exploded in her chest. Dina clenched her jaw and shot a glare at the culprit.
She said, “Blair! I’ve poured over three months into this project, endless late nights, all my blood, sweat, and tears. And you just hand it off like it’s nothing? What right does she have to sign my deal?”
Blair’s eyes fixed on her face, brooding, his rage burning even hotter than hers.
He closed the distance in a few strides, his voice low and thunderous, like he was the one putting her on trial. “How could you sell our wedding ring? Dina, do I mean anything to you at all?”
Dina was so incensed she nearly burst out laughing. She’d braced for his underhanded tactics, but not for him to blur the lines between personal and professional this badly.
Blair added, “This is just a little warning. From now on, that wedding ring doesn’t leave your finger, or else…”
Blair seized her hand, gripping it with bone-crushing force as he slid the icy diamond ring back onto her ring finger. His voice dropped to a soft, menacing whisper. “Don’t blame me if I fire you.
“Dina, let’s be real. Everything in your life, the perks of being Mrs. Woodward, your career, it’s all because of me. Without me, you’d be left with nothing… I hate to put it this bluntly, but you need to know your limits. Quit the drama, head home like a good girl, accept the child, and I’ll drop the whole thing. We’ll go back to how things were. I’ll treat you just as well as before.”
His gaze was as soft as ever, but his words twisted her stomach into knots of disgust.
This was what Blair called love. When she toed the line, he’d lavish her with gifts. But the moment she stepped out, he’d snatch them back, grinding her down with threats and belittlement.
He’d conveniently forgotten where he came from.
Three years ago, right out of college, she’d snagged offers from top global firms, brimming with potential. Even the world’s premier conglomerate, the Wonder Group, had courted her for the chief role in their AI R&D department.
But at Blair’s plea, “I need you”, she’d ditched them all without a second thought, throwing herself into building Fighters Group from the ground up.
For three grueling years, she’d given it everything, practically carrying the AI R&D department on her back and forging a foothold in the brutal AI landscape.
The AI emotional interaction project on the horizon? That was her baby. A successful launch would catapult Fighters Group to the top of the industry.
Without her, though, Fighters Group’s vaunted AI division would crumble into an empty husk.
“Fire me?” Dina let out a bitter laugh, sarcasm lacing every word. “Mr. Woodward, you’d better mean it. And don’t forget to transfer that severance package, plus any labor arbitration settlement, straight to my account.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Dina turned to Solomon Costa at the table with a faint smile. “Mr. Costa, you heard it. Mr. Woodward’s letting me go. So that core program optimization tech I offered as a bonus to your company… sorry, but I won’t be able to follow through.”
With that, Dina spun on her heel and strode out, no hesitation.
“Bang!” From the private room behind her came the sound of Solomon slamming the table in rage. “This contract? Forget it. I’m not signing!”
Blair gaped at the shredded agreement, then at Dina’s unyielding back as she walked away. A surge of unfamiliar panic clutched at his heart.
In all their past fights, no matter how heated, Dina had always put the big picture first in the end. For him, for the company, she’d grit her teeth, bury her hurt, and push through.
That was what she should’ve done today. She’d never gone this far, leaving no room for compromise. He thought, ‘Is this it? Has she finally reached her breaking point?’
