Lady Warrior's Warth on Divorce Day novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

At that moment, Nicolas had no choice but to force himself onto the stage and begin presenting the contents of the proposal one by one.

He had once been eloquent when discussing this same proposal with the government officials, and he knew every line by heart. But now, even with the printed copy in his hands, even reading it word for word, he stumbled over his sentences.

A wave of shame crashed over him, especially with Zoya’s eyes locked onto him

After he finally finished his presentation, Davon, who had previously been optimistic about Nicolas’s company, said, “I think this proposal is excellent. Drones can play a major role in island development.”

He continued, “More importantly, Mayer Technology’s patented technology can greatly improve drone efficiency, reduce labor costs, and speed up progress. I’m very optimistic about Mayer Technology.”

With Davon taking the lead and voicing his support, the room broke out into a round of applause.

But suddenly, Zoya’s voice rose from the audience. “Nicolas, I didn’t expect that not only would you claim my patent as yours, but you wouldn’t even let go of the proposal I wrote.”

Nicolas’s lips tightened. “This is Mayer Technology’s proposal. Zoya, even if you’ve resigned, the work you did during your employment still belongs to the company.”

“Looks like you really have no shame left,” Zoya shot back, her voice thick with sarcasm.

Nicolas’s face flushed red. “Zoya, if you keep slandering me like this, don’t blame me for forgetting the past between us!”

Zoya could only find him ridiculous.

If he’d ever cared about her, she wouldn’t have spent three years of marriage living like that.

“Nicolas, when have you ever cared about me?” Zoya sneered. “The only one you ever really cared about was Jasmine, wasn’t it?”

“You!” Nicolas choked, and Jasmine could only smile stiffly as everyone’s attention turned to her again.

Zoya continued, “And have you forgotten? I resigned before finishing that proposal. So it’s not finished.”

“What?” Nicolas blinked, caught off guard. “Not finished?”

From Nicolas’s perspective, the proposal looked completely solid. He hadn’t realized at all that anything was missing.

“In that proposal, I mentioned my patent, which indeed improves drone efficiency and performance,” Zoya said calmly. “But that patent is from three years ago. In three years, technology has advanced, and so has interference technology.”

She continued, “If someone releases the latest high-level jamming signal, those drones will become nothing but scrap metal. That’s why my patent still needs an anti-interference program.”

If they had still been married, she would naturally have upgraded the patent’s research herself.

But since Nicolas insisted on stealing it, she would make sure the patent was useless in his hands.

Nicolas’s face went pale as realization hit him. Zoya’s words meant everything he’d painstakingly prepared was worthless.

Without solving the issue Zoya just exposed, the entire proposal had no value at all.

The people around them quickly caught on. So this so-called “brilliant tech entrepreneur’ whose proposal Davon had praised had actually submitted his ex-wife’s work and patent.

Then what talent did he really have? Just reading her words out loud? Anyone could’ve done that.

“Seriously, does Nicolas even have any real skills?”

“He’s divorced, but he’s still using his ex-wife’s work just to chase projects? That’s kinda pathetic.

“Why can’t the guy bring out something that’s actually his own for once?”

“Don’t tell me all that startup glory he got in three years was actually because of his ex-wife!”

The murmurs spreading through the audience were like knives to Nicolas’s pride. Yet he couldn’t lash out.

“So, Davon, you really want to keep discussing Mayer Technology’s proposal?” Wren shot him a look, obviously mocking.

Davon let out an awkward laugh. “Of course not. Let’s move on to the next presenter.”

Nicolas stood there frozen, like a deer in the headlights, unable to move until the emcee finally told him to step down. Only then did he manage to drag his stiff legs, each step heavy and awkward as he made his way off the stage.

“Nicolas, it’s okay,” Jasmine hurried forward to comfort him. “You can come up with a better plan next time. I believe in your ability.”

But her words only made him feel as though a massive stone was pressing down on his chest, suffocating him. If he could really come up with a better plan, he never would’ve used Zoya’s in the first place.

Every alternative he and his subordinates had drafted had been rejected. That was why he had resorted to hers.

And the worst part was that he had planned to use Zoya’s patent as leverage to help the company seize a dominant position in the commercial drone market.

But after Zoya threw out that bombshell, Nicolas felt like ice water was running through his veins.

If that patent was really dead in the water, then what was he supposed to do? Not only was dominating the commercial drone market out of reach, but he’d probably be shut out from the island development project altogether. And if the cash flow dried up, Mayer Technology might not survive the fallout.

That was an outcome he could never accept.

Nicolas suddenly looked up, his eyes fixed on Zoya with a dark, calculating intensity.

Later that evening, after the investment conference ended, there was a charity gala, the final event before everyone left the island.

The donations were for an orphanage, and the children had been brought to the party hall, including the one who had fallen into the sea earlier.

Zoya smiled warmly and waved to the child.

The little one looked much better now than when she’d seen him in the infirmary, and that put her at ease.

When the donation segment began, the wealthy guests all contributed generously. It was charity, after all, and a chance to earn a good reputation.

Daphne, representing the Lucero family, donated 10 million dollars. As she stepped down from the stage, she sneered at Zoya.

She said, “Zoya, Great-Grandfather praises you every day, saying the fifth branch of the family is full of heroes. The fifth branch’s inheritance is all yours now, yet you’re being so stingy. You can’t even part with a little money?”

“Wasn’t that 10 million dollars you just donated supposed to be for the Lucero family? Or are you saying Abbott’s family isn’t part of the Lucero clan anymore?” Zoya shot back.

Daphne froze for a second. If she dared to claim Abbott’s family wasn’t a branch of the family, her great-grandpa wouldn’t be the only one to call her out. Even her uncle would tear into her on the spot.

After everything these days, Daphne could really feel just how much influence Abbott still had in the Lucero clan. She’d learned that the hard way.

Even if Zoya was the only one left of that branch, their loyalty and sacrifice made it impossible for anyone to exclude her from the family.

“Of course… not,” Daphne forced a smile, all the while gritting her teeth and cursing Zoya in her head.

Just then, the big screen displaying footage from the orphanage suddenly flickered, and the video changed.

The guests gasped in surprise.

And when Jasmine, standing beside Nicolas, saw what was now playing on the screen, her face instantly turned pale.