The Last Birthday

PART 3 — THE NAME BEHIND THE EMPIRE

At 8:15 Monday morning, Julian walked into his office.

He looked exhausted.

Megan had spent the entire weekend complaining about the house, the furniture, and the fact that I hadn’t left behind my expensive jewelry.

But Julian wasn’t worried.

He believed everything would eventually return to normal.

Until his assistant rushed into his office.

“Mr. Miller, there’s an emergency.”

“What?”

“The building management has sent a notice. Our office lease is being reviewed, and the new ownership has requested an immediate executive meeting.”

Julian frowned.

“Who owns the building now?”

“Northstar International Holdings.”

He barely reacted.

“Then arrange a meeting with their representatives.”

His assistant hesitated.

“There’s something else. The new executive director overseeing the acquisition has arrived.”

“Who?”

Before she could answer, the conference room door opened.

A senior executive entered, followed by two lawyers.

Julian stood up.

Then he froze.

The woman walking toward the head of the table was wearing a tailored navy suit, her hair neatly tied back.

It was me.

“Eevee?”

I placed my folder on the table.

“Good morning, Mr. Miller.”

He stared at me in disbelief.

“What are you doing here?”

I took my seat.

“I’m here in my professional capacity. I’m the senior executive responsible for this acquisition.”

He looked at the documents in front of him.

Then at my name.

Evelyn Miller.

His face slowly lost its color.

“You never told me you were this important.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You never asked about my work. You were too busy telling me how much Megan needed you.”

One of the lawyers cleared his throat and began explaining the company’s new commercial leasing policy.

Julian barely listened.

Finally, he interrupted.

“Can we discuss this privately?”

I closed my folder.

“There’s nothing private about a business meeting.”

“Eevee, please.”

I looked at him calmly.

“You called me your wife when you needed someone to take care of your home. You called me unreasonable when I asked questions. Now you want to call me privately because you finally understand my position?”

He said nothing.

After the meeting, Julian followed me into the corridor.

“Wait!”

I stopped.

“What’s happening to our marriage?”

I looked at him.

“You signed the agreement. You wanted a divorce.”

“That was supposed to be temporary!”

“Not for me.”

His expression changed.

Then his phone rang.

It was Megan.

He answered impatiently.

“What is it?”

Her panicked voice came through the speaker.

“Julian! Why isn’t the house key working? Someone from the property management company says I can’t move in!”

I looked at him and almost smiled.

“Because the house is mine, Julian. And I never gave permission for anyone else to move in.”

He lowered his phone.

“Eevee, don’t do this.”

I picked up my folder.

“Happy belated birthday to me, Julian.”

Then I walked away.

But just as I reached the elevator, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from my relocation lawyer.

We found something important regarding the divorce agreement. You need to see this immediately.

I opened the attached document.

My smile disappeared.

Julian hadn’t simply prepared a fake divorce to help Megan.

There was a clause hidden in the agreement that would have transferred my overseas investment accounts into his control once the divorce was finalized.

And beneath that clause was a signature authorization bearing my name.

A signature I had never written.

I slowly looked back toward the conference room.

Julian was still standing there, watching me.

Suddenly, I understood.

He hadn’t forgotten my birthday.

He hadn’t simply stopped loving me.

He had been planning to take everything I owned.

And this time, I wasn’t going to let him walk away so easily.