THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 563

Ann wasn't joking. She was dead serious. In her experience, if a man got what he wanted too easily, he wouldn't value it. She would make Daniel work for it. He would have to confess his feelings at least three times before she would even consider saying yes.

Leonore gasped, even more stunned. "Ann, that's Daniel Richards we're talking about! Are you sure you want to turn him down?"

Ann nodded. "Yes. I'm not ready to let someone into my life and start a relationship just yet."

Leonore was speechless, her eyes filled with envy. Anyone else would have jumped at the chance to be pursued by Daniel. But Ann was planning to reject him. It really was true that people were born with different fates. She wished Daniel would confess to her.

Remembering that she had just asked Ann for an introduction, Leonore felt like a complete fool. "Ann, I'm so sorry," she said, blushing. "I didn't know Mr. Richards was in love with you. Please forgive me for what I said and don't take it to heart." She let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Someone like me could never be worthy of a man from the Richards family anyway."

She deeply regretted asking Ann to introduce her to Daniel. The situation was now incredibly awkward.

"It's alright, it's alright," Ann said, seeing the envy in Leonore's eyes. She put on a magnanimous air. "While Daniel might just be an ordinary boy to me, I can't deny that he's exceptional in most people's eyes. It's normal for you to like him. Girls are naturally drawn to powerful men."

Ann delivered the lines with a placid, graceful expression, but inside, a storm of excitement was brewing. When Daniel confessed to her, half the women in the Capital would be heartbroken.

Relieved that Ann wasn't upset, Leonore said, "Ann, thank you. You're honestly the kindest person I've ever met." Anyone else in her position would not have been so generous.

"Don't mention it, Leonore."

After chatting a little longer, Leonore left the Templeton residence.

Once she was gone, Amanda asked eagerly, "Ann, are you sure Daniel is going to confess to you at the tea party?"

"Buddy, looks like you got into it at home again," a heavyset, bald man said, clapping a sympathetic hand on Gavin's shoulder. It was Jett, Gavin's childhood friend.

Gavin didn't speak, just kept drinking.

Jett opened a beer for himself. "I'm telling you, you should have divorced her years ago. When you married Amanda, I told you that woman was poison."

Gavin wasn't a live-in son-in-law, but his situation wasn't much different. For years, he'd been coming to this bar every few days to drink away his misery. He had once been a man full of promise. Though from a poor family, he was brilliant, earning a full scholarship to an Ivy League university for his bachelor's and master's degrees. He had even been considered one of the most handsome men on campus. If he hadn't been, Amanda would never have noticed him. But since marrying her, his life had gone downhill. He appeared successful on the surface, but in reality, he was nothing more than a punching bag.

"Divorce? It's not as easy as you think," Gavin slurred, turning to Jett. "We have a daughter. If I divorce her, what happens to Ann?"

Jett laughed mirthlessly. "Don't kid yourself. If it weren't for your mother-in-law, your daughter would have already married her way into the Gonzales family. Buddy, don't get mad at me for being blunt, but your daughter is just like your wife—sharp-tongued and cruel. You're better off without her. You say you can't leave because you'd miss her, but have you ever stopped to think if she respects you as a father?"