Chapter 1
On the outskirts of Bellington, Nolan Greene carried his bags and gradually exited Saturnine Penitentiary. A Bentley awaited him at the entrance.
A woman with an intellectual allure in her 20s, dressed professionally and wearing black-rimmed glasses, saw Nolan and approached him. "Long time no see, Mr. Greene. Please hop into the car."
Nolan smiled at the beautiful woman, remarking, "It's been three years, and you look great, Jeanne. Where's Meg? Didn't she come with you?"
Jeanne Fisher adjusted her glasses and flashed him a faint smile. "Ms. Turner has an important meeting today, so I'm here in her stead. It's about time we head to the hotel. Please, hop on."
Faced with her aloof attitude, Nolan said no more and simply nodded. "Can I at least call her?"
It was as simple a request as a husband calling his wife, yet Jeanne shook her head and refused. "Sorry, Mr. Greene. Ms. Turner is in a meeting now and doesn't wish to be disturbed. Please, get into the car."
He glanced at her and walked to the front of the car, chuckling. "She even has a Bentley now. It looks like Meg has been doing great without me in the past three years."
Then, he opened the car door and entered.
The vehicle started, and the two remained silent on their journey.
At last, they arrived at Regal Crown Hotel in Bellington. Then, Leanne brought Nolan to a luxury suite. To his surprise, the room wasn't empty. Instead, inside were two men and a woman, all dressed in professional attire, awaiting his arrival.
"Mr. Greene, we've prepared new clothes for you. You may take a shower and change your clothes before we proceed with the meeting."
Nolan felt a sense of foreboding at the setup. Still, he simply smiled in response and went into the bedroom to wash up.
30 minutes later, he came out of the room, mesmerizing everyone in the suite. They had to acknowledge Nolan's good looks, especially with his roguish charm and six-foot-one-inch tall muscular figure. It was hard to take their eyes off him.
Nolan grabbed a bottle of water and sat on the couch. Looking at Jeanne and the others, he calmly uttered, "Go on. Say it."
Jeanne nodded and presented him with an agreement, explaining, "Mr. Greene, this is the divorce agreement between you and Ms. Turner. In the agreement, it is stipulated that you will receive full ownership of the house where you and Ms. Turner previously resided.
"Additionally, Ms. Turner will gift you two commercial shop lots in the city center and provide you with a one-time cash payment of five million dollars.
"With these assets, Mr. Greene, you will be guaranteed a smooth sailing life ahead. Please sign here. Of course, if you have any other concerns, feel free to voice them. These three individuals you see here are lawyers from our company, and they will relay any concerns you may have."
What a tempting offer!
Nolan picked up the divorce agreement from the table and smiled, asking, "So, my only option here is divorce?"
Jeanne adjusted her glasses and nodded, saying, "You can say that. You're an ex-convict, who will tarnish Ms. Turner's reputation. Besides, it's been three years, and the feelings have faded. So, I advise you to sign the agreement."
Tarnished her reputation?
Nolan cracked a sarcastic smile. "I served time because of Megan, and she knows that well. Is that how she repays me now? With a divorce agreement?"
An emotionless Jeanne pointed at the papers and continued, "Although you've served three years of jail time, you're also receiving two shop lots worth five million dollars and another five million in cash. That's a total of ten million dollars in assets. That should be more than enough for you.
"Anyone would jump at the chance to have millions in exchange for three years of freedom. There's no point in you dragging this out. It's better if you two part ways amicably. Ms. Turner might still assist you if you experience any struggles in the future.
"It doesn't benefit either of you if this becomes a conflict. Don't you agree?"
What eloquence and calculation! According to her, spending three years in prison for a fortune worth millions of dollars was a bargain!
Nolan tossed the agreement back to the table and flatly stated, "I'll sign, but not until Megan sees me. You're in no position to comment on our relationship. And what's the big deal about these lawyers? Are ten million dollars considered a lot?
"Tell her to see me, and I'll sign the papers without taking a buck. That's all. Now, call her."
With that, he returned to the bedroom.
About ten minutes later, Jeanne knocked on the door. "Mr. Greene, Ms. Turner is here."
As expected, Nolan saw Megan Turner when he stepped out the door. She donned a long, black dress with jewelry that complemented her beauty. Yet, her face only displayed aloofness and indifference. She was no longer the woman he once knew.
"I'm here. Will you sign it now?" She was brief and apathetic, without a single extra word or a greeting.
Nolan arrived before her and sat down. He let out a chuckle as he looked at her. "So, our marriage is coming to an end because of my criminal record and mediocrity, huh? I'm no longer deserving of you—is that it?"
Megan nodded at his words, saying, "You can take it that way. We're not who we used to be anymore. So, let's just part on good terms. I'm sorry I wronged you, Nolan."
Nolan grabbed the agreement and sighed, replying, "Indeed, you've wronged me. Do you honestly believe money can compensate for my three years in prison? Is that how much my love is worth to you?
"You're Megan Turner, CEO of your own company, Megan Corporation, and a billionaire! You're the untouchable woman now, aren't you? Is that why I no longer deserve you?"
Megan sighed and slowly rose to her feet. "Nolan, if you're only asking me here to taunt me, I suggest you forget it. You can choose not to sign the agreement, but regardless, the divorce will carry on. I'll have my lawyer handle it. Let's not meet again in the future."
She prepared to leave after saying that.
At that instance, Nolan grabbed the pen and quickly signed the papers before tossing them at Jeanne. "Here. I signed it. I don't need any of your assets. Like you said, we're strangers from now on!"
For some reason, Megan felt her body trembling slightly upon hearing his words. Despite that, she didn't turn around and simply left the suite.
Sitting alone on the couch, Nolan gazed at the drifting clouds outside the window. At that moment, only grief and bitterness were apparent on his face.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
He saw the unfamiliar number and frowned, knowing only a few knew this particular number. He wondered who the caller was and subsequently answered the call.
Before he could say anything, he heard a frantic voice over the phone. "Hello, is this Dr. Greene, the miracle doctor?"