Chapter 13: After the Divorce, Disaster Struck-Adeline Scurr Regretted It!

Adeline Scurr sharpened her tone. She was done with Uriah Greaves, down to the bone. She had never wanted to cut off the bond between Uriah and Cici. But after everything that had happened, it seemed cleaner this way. Better for Cici, too. "Fine," Uriah said. "Then it's settled," Adeline replied. She immediately pulled out pen and paper from her bag and drafted an agreement on the spot. Two copies. She signed her name without hesitation. Uriah signed as well. That day, they went their separate ways for good. "Adeline, don't waste your breath on a shameless bum like him," Alvin Yale said, practically glowing. "Life's short. When things go your way, you celebrate. Let's find somewhere and toast to it!" His mood soared. He had not had to hand over that ten million, and he had even gotten close to Amara Lyson. He really was the main character of this world. Adeline took one long look at Uriah, then turned and walked away. But in the next moment, her secretary, Laila Zorn, hurried over, a sheen of sweat breaking out across her face. "Laila? Why are you here?" "Ms. Scurr, I called you and you didn't answer, so I came straight here." Laila's voice came out tight. "Something happened at the company." Adeline's heart sank. "What happened?" "The head of Security, Lucas Casson, brought a group of people with him. They all submitted resignation letters at the same time." Laila stood in her fitted office skirt, breathing a little too fast. Adeline's expression changed instantly. Security was one of Splendor Group's most critical departments. They were responsible for the safety of the company's clubs, hotels, and even its artists. Over the years, with Lucas Casson in place, the company had expanded smoothly, rarely running into problems that could not be contained. If Lucas left, it would be a brutal blow to Splendor Group's future. And then it hit her. Lucas Casson had been someone Uriah recommended. The men under him were also close to Uriah. So… was this Uriah's doing? "Why are they resigning?" Adeline asked, forcing her voice steady. Laila swallowed. "Director Casson didn't give a real reason. He just said he was tired and didn't want to do it anymore." A muscle in Adeline's cheek twitched. Alvin scoffed. "Adeline, it's just a few people quitting. What's there to worry about? A four-legged toad is hard to find, but two-legged people are everywhere. Especially security guards. You can hire them for a few hundred bucks a month. Getting into Splendor Group is their blessing, and they're resigning as a group? They're getting way too full of themselves." Adeline's brows drew together. She kept her temper on a leash. "It's not that simple. Lucas Casson is a B-rank Master, and he has connections everywhere. A lot of problems we couldn't solve before, he handled through his network. If he takes his people and leaves, Splendor Group could fall into chaos." Alvin blinked. "It's that serious?" Adeline fell silent for a beat, thinking. "Laila, go back first and calm Director Casson down. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him personally." She could only stabilize him for the moment. Offer a salary he could not refuse, then slowly search for a suitable replacement. Laila's face paled even more. "Ms. Scurr… I don't think we can wait until tomorrow. Director Casson and his people are here. It looks like they're determined to leave today." Adeline's chest tightened. She forced a smile onto her face and walked forward to meet them. What infuriated and shocked her was this: Lucas Casson did not even acknowledge her, the CEO. He led his men straight past her and stopped in front of Uriah instead. Lucas dipped into a respectful bow, lowering himself half a head. "Uriah. Wherever you go, we go with you." One sentence. Blunt. Absolute. After Uriah withdrew from the Underworld, he had given the brothers a hefty severance and set them up with a decent way forward. But some men, people like Lucas Casson who owed Uriah too much to count, still wanted to stay by his side. No matter what anyone said, they refused to leave. So Uriah had placed Lucas inside Splendor Group, instructing them to protect the company and support its growth. By then, the news of Uriah and Splendor Group's CEO, Adeline Scurr, getting divorced had spread like wildfire. It was common knowledge inside the company. People even knew that today was the day they officially registered the divorce. And once Lucas and the others confirmed that Uriah and Adeline had truly severed ties, they submitted their resignations without a second thought. No matter how generous Splendor Group's benefits were, they felt no attachment at all. "Director Casson, don't act on impulse," Adeline said quickly, stepping in. "If there's an issue, we can sit down and talk. How about this? I'll double your pay, and I'll give you a portion of Splendor Group's stock options. What do you think?" No matter what, she had to keep him. Without Lucas Casson, Splendor Group would lose a cornerstone. Inside, regret churned like acid. She knew Lucas and his men had once been Uriah's people, but she had believed that after all these years, she had earned their recognition. That they would follow her. Yet the moment she divorced, they pulled this? Was Uriah using them to pressure her, to make her regret leaving him? Ridiculous. She refused to believe money could not buy loyalty. Everyone had a price. "Lucky bastards," Alvin muttered, his face sour the instant he learned Lucas and the others were Uriah's men. "Ms. Scurr, there's nothing to talk about," Lucas said, decisive. "My brothers and I are leaving Splendor Group today." Adeline's expression hardened. "Director Casson, I've treated you well these years. You're just going to walk away like this? Isn't that a little heartless? If you have conditions, name them. As long as I can meet them, I'll do everything I can." "Ms. Scurr," Lucas said evenly, "we joined Splendor Group for Uriah. Today, Uriah and Ms. Scurr have cut clean. Naturally, we should leave." "Not even a little room?" Adeline asked. Lucas nodded once. Adeline drew a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. "Director Casson, according to the labor contract, if you resign, you're supposed to give at least a month's notice. Leaving today violates the agreement." "We know," Lucas said. "But since Uriah has nothing to do with Splendor Group anymore, my brothers and I won't stay here another minute." "I've already filed the handover documentation. And as for the penalty fee, we'll pay it in full. Please don't worry about that." Adeline's heart dropped straight to the bottom. She understood then. She could not keep them. What she could not understand was why, after ten years, these men still clung to Uriah with that kind of devotion. Was she not worth following? What was so great about Uriah, anyway? A sudden fury surged up her throat. She spun toward him and shouted, "Uriah Greaves! Is this your revenge?"