Because what he didn’t know—what the entire world soon would—was that Madison Pierce was not just some executive.
She was the newly appointed majority owner of Pierce Innovations, a multimillion-dollar corporation my grandfather had quietly invested in decades earlier. And with my inheritance, I now owned the remaining shares he left behind.
Meaning I wasn’t just her CEO.
I was her partner.
And Ethan had just thrown out the woman who now controlled his entire financial future.
Madison handed me a folder. “Ava, we need to talk. Our interests align more than you realize.”
Ethan stared between us, panic rising in his eyes.
That was the exact moment he understood—
He hadn’t abandoned “dead weight.”
He had abandoned the woman who now held the power to change everything.
And I intended to use it.
The real fight was only beginning.
When Madison closed the hospital room door, leaving Ethan frozen in the hallway, she pulled up a chair beside my bed. Despite everything, she looked sincere—almost sympathetic.
“I didn’t know he would leave you like that,” she said quietly. “If I had known the truth about how he treated you, I wouldn’t have married him.”
Pain rippled through me. “You married him yesterday,” I said, my voice hoarse. “So forgive me if I don’t exactly believe you.”
“I understand,” she nodded. “But Ethan lied to me. He told me you left him. He said you ran off with another man. I didn’t know you were in labor. I didn’t know he put you out.”
She paused, her expression hardening.
“And trust me—this marriage won’t last another week.”
I didn’t trust her yet, but I could see one thing clearly: she wasn’t defending Ethan.
Then she opened the folder.
Inside were documents, bank statements, business records, and ownership letters.
“Ava,” she said, “your grandfather was one of the earliest investors in Pierce Innovations. His shares passed to you. That means you now own 46% of the company.”
My breath caught.
Forty-six percent.
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