CHAPTER 182: CHAPTER 182: VINCENT HAWTHORNE SIGNS THE DIVORCE AGREEMENT!

Joy was stunned.

If she chose Mrs. Lennox, would she lose her current mom?

But last night, Mrs. Lennox had been apologizing, saying she was too harsh on her the last time.

She just loved her too much, afraid that Tanya Sinclair would take her away.

Mrs. Lennox cried at that moment, cried so sadly.

’Joy dear, I’ve always treated you like my own daughter. Mrs. Lennox doesn’t want to lose you...’

She had promised Mrs. Lennox that she would never lose her.

Tanya saw her daughter’s hesitation.

She didn’t want to force Joy, nor did she want to torture herself any longer.

Tanya put down the towel and turned to leave.

"Mom..." Joy instinctively reached out to her, using a playful tone.

But this time, Tanya didn’t immediately come to hold her like before.

She just turned her head to look at her, "The small stool isn’t high, come down yourself."

Joy had to jump off the little stool by herself. She was small, her legs short, and by the time she ran to the dining room, Tanya was already seated.

There was an empty space beside her.

Joy hesitated for a moment, looking longingly at Tanya, hoping she would call her to sit.

But Tanya acted as if she couldn’t feel her gaze, quietly serving a bowl of soup to Old Lady Hawthorne.

"..."

Joy pouted, feeling a bit aggrieved, and ran over to Vincent Hawthorne. "Dad, I’ll sit here with you."

Throughout the meal, Tanya only chatted with Mrs. Hawthorne, not even giving Vincent and Joy a glance during the whole process.

Vincent noticed Tanya’s deliberate disregard.

It was fine for her to be cold to him, but Joy was her biological daughter!

Was it just because Joy leaned towards Cindy Lynn?

But Joy was only five years old, having grown up with Cindy Lynn. It was understandable that she was closer to her. Is she now mad at her own daughter?

Vincent frowned.

As the meal came to a close, he had the servants take Joy away to play outside.

The dining room wasn’t the place for conversation.

So, they moved to Old Lady Hawthorne’s study and tea room.

"Tanya, thank you for still being willing to dine with this old lady," Old Lady Hawthorne knew Tanya came today to talk about divorce.

She gave Vincent a resentful glare.

"Such a good wife, you don’t cherish her! There will come a time when you’ll be crying, you brat!"

Vincent raised his eyes to glance at the seated Tanya. Since he entered, Tanya hadn’t given him a straight look until now!

No, it should be said, during this period, she hadn’t shown him a good face!

Vincent remembered those years when Tanya chased after him, when did she not greet him with a blooming smile?

To whom will this smiling face be directed next?

Julian Poole? Janne Hayes? Or... Declan Pierce?

Vincent suddenly sneered, with a mocking tone, "Grandma, you don’t need to worry. Your former granddaughter-in-law is so smart; she’s probably found someone who treasures her outside. Likely more than one."

"What nonsense are you speaking?" Old Lady Hawthorne slapped the table angrily.

Tanya wouldn’t let herself be affected by Vincent anymore.

Because he was entirely unworthy of her emotional energy.

Tanya took out the divorce agreement she brought, already signed by her.

She handed it to Vincent with a rare serious look, saying, "You should have seen this divorce agreement before. It’s the second version sent by Zane Shaw. If there’s no problem, please sign it."

This agreement didn’t include the part about custody of the two children.

Because Tanya clearly knew that The Hawthorne Family would never agree to give her custody of the two children.

Actually, compared to Joy, it was even harder for her to get custody of Caden.

A talent like Caden is rare, and he is being groomed as per the highest standard of heir.

This is agreed upon by The Hawthorne Family’s elders who have a say.

Currently, Vincent hasn’t officially become the inheritor of the group, but Caden, he’s already pre-designated.

They would never let go!

Though Tanya wanted custody, she knew she couldn’t let herself be held back by the children.

So, she chose to divorce first and then fight for custody.

Moreover...

Thinking of Joy, Tanya’s hand on the teacup tightened, her throat slightly bitter.

Now she’s unsure if her and Joy’s mother-daughter bond is truly unbreakable?

Is blood relation really unseverable?

Vincent did remember the second version of the agreement sent by Zane Shaw.

When he saw it, he almost spat blood in anger.

In the agreement, Tanya directly took half of his assets!

From cash, real estate, to stock options... she wanted it all!

Vincent looked at Tanya coldly, his gaze icy, mocking, "Marrying me for seven years, and you take away a billion-dollar fortune. Tanya Sinclair, you’re not only a genius, but also a born actress."

He degraded her years of affection to a mere play for money.

He belittled her, along with her love and dedication.

Tanya listened with an indifferent calmness.

Instead, Old Lady Hawthorne picked up the teacup at hand in anger and splashed it on Vincent’s face.

"You brat, what nonsense are you speaking? Even if Tanya takes half of your assets, it’s what she deserves! Without her contributions, how would you have your achievements today?"

Tanya handed Vincent a pen, even thoughtfully removing the cap for him, waiting for him to sign.

Old Lady Hawthorne hesitated, "Tanya, about Yvonne’s video and photos..."

No matter how much she despised Yvonne’s foolishness and malice, she was still her biological granddaughter.

Old Lady Hawthorne couldn’t just ignore her.

Tanya calmly said, "Madam, the camera with the recordings is in a locker in a supermarket. After I leave the Hawthorne Family safely with the signed divorce agreement, I will send you the address of the supermarket and the locker code."

She had no trust left for The Hawthorne Family anymore.

Even with Old Lady Hawthorne, no matter how much affection she showed, she was ultimately one of them.

And Tanya, wasn’t willing to gamble on human nature again.

She dared to return to the Hawthornes’ den because she had prepared a contingency.

Tanya glanced at the time, speaking plainly, "If I’m still at The Hawthorne Family’s at ten o’clock, my lawyer Zane Shaw will personally bring the police to confirm my safety. As for that camera, it will promptly be found at ten by a reporter from Vanguard Entertainment and accidentally posted online."

Old Lady Hawthorne was shocked, she didn’t expect Tanya to have prepared so many contingencies.

But then again, Tanya was an orphan now, and with what The Hawthorne Family had done to her, she was merely being cautious in protecting herself, which wasn’t wrong.

Those years, she just loved Vincent too much, that’s why she saw everything clearly but never minded it...

Thinking of this, Old Lady Hawthorne felt even more heartache for her.

She turned to prompt Vincent, "What are you hesitating about? The group’s stock is plunging, The Hawthorne Family’s reputation has hit rock bottom, if this drags on, you’ll even lose the collaboration with The Veridia Project!"

Professor Carter’s project at Veridia is a national-level initiative, it can’t overlook the cooperating enterprise’s reputation...

If even this is lost, forget the group inheritor, he might not even retain his position as general manager!

Vincent gritted his teeth, snatched the pen Tanya handed him.

Before signing, he suddenly thought of something, raising his eyes, with a sharp gaze piercing at Tanya.

"Did you sell your shares to Silas?" Vincent questioned, suspicious, "Or is this rumor you deliberately released?"

This woman, when scheming, could trap him flawlessly!

Tanya smiled slightly, "Naturally, I spread that rumor to scare you. You know, Silas is so resourceful, you might have already found someone who cherishes him outside. Probably more than one person."

Vincent was convinced by her words.

Right, selling shares to Silas was indeed an unwise choice.

Tanya is so smart, she wouldn’t do such a foolish business.

But...

Vincent looked at Tanya thoughtfully.

To investigate now, there wasn’t much time left before ten o’clock.

Anyway, the options were not good, it was better to trust her for now.

He gritted his teeth, grabbed the divorce agreement, and signed it...