As Deanna finished speaking, Raphael's face turned grim beyond description. He couldn't refute her, especially since Emily had made the first move against Deanna.
Deanna, seeing Raphael's silence, took it as acquiescence. She shifted her gaze to Emily, who was getting up from the floor, and sneered, "Just because I was blind before doesn't mean I am now. Remember this well: the person you treasure is nothing to me!"
Her words were full of disdain.
Raphael and Emily's faces darkened with anger. Emily gritted her teeth and shouted, "Deanna!"
But Deanna ignored her, looking coldly at Raphael. "I expect to see the termination letter and compensation from Mr. Howard by the end of the day. Let's go," she said to Xavier.
With that, Deanna walked out of the office first. Xavier glanced coldly at Raphael, a hint of mockery in his eyes, before following Deanna.
Soon, only Raphael and Emily were left in the office.
Raphael exuded a terrifying aura, his handsome face devoid of any warmth.
"Emily!" he snapped.
"Raphael... I know I was wrong. I just care about you too much," Emily shivered at the harshness in Raphael's voice, finally realizing the trouble she had caused.
No wonder Deanna, who despised them, had come to see them; it was because the termination of their partnership required a hefty compensation.
Raphael looked at Emily with disgust. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from the company? Do you know how much losses you've caused?"
Emily saw the annoyance in his eyes and felt a sharp pain in her chest. Anger surged within her. "Damage, damage! Is that all you care about? Didn't you see me get hit? Do I mean nothing to you as your wife?" she demanded furiously.
Raphael, irritated by her outburst, replied coldly, "You deserved it. I warned you not to provoke Deanna. She's not someone we can afford to mess with now! If you keep this up, we should divorce before you drag the Howard family down."
"Divorce?" Emily looked at him in disbelief. Before Raphael could respond, she shouted angrily, "I won't agree to it! I will never divorce you!" With that, she stormed out of the office, crying all the way back to the Jones family.
Mia was shocked to see her daughter crying uncontrollably with a clear slap mark on her face. She rushed over and asked concernedly, "What happened? Who hurt you?"
"Mom, Raphael wants a divorce!" Emily sobbed in Mia's arms.
Mia was stunned. She pulled Emily away and asked repeatedly, "Why? What happened?"
"It's all because of that bitch Deanna! She set me up!" Emily recounted the events at Howard Group with added exaggeration.
Mia was furious after hearing the story. "How dare Deanna hit you? And Raphael, how could he let this happen?"
"Deanna has Lance backing her now. There's nothing she wouldn't dare do!" Emily said bitterly. "It's all her fault! If it weren't for her, Raphael and I wouldn't be fighting, and he wouldn't want a divorce. I won't let her get away with this!"
Mia agreed wholeheartedly. "You're right. We can't let that bitch get too powerful. If she does, she'll come after us."
Unaware of this, Deanna returned to Vortex Technology after leaving Howard Group. She smiled all the way back.
Xavier noticed and couldn't help but ask, "Missus, did you plan all along to make Howard Group breach the contract?"
"Not exactly, but I did have that thought," Deanna replied with a sly smile.
She wouldn't avoid her past but didn't want any further entanglements with those people or make unprofitable deals.
So she wouldn't initiate the termination of the partnership with Howard Group; she would wait for them to do it.
Knowing Emily well, Deanna was sure she wouldn't allow any further contact between her and Raphael and would sabotage the partnership.
She hadn't expected Emily to act so quickly and show up that very day. But it was just as well; now she could sever ties with Howard Group completely.
That evening, Lance came to pick up Deanna from work and noticed her good mood. He teased, "I heard you were quite impressive at Howard Group today."