Sheng Tianling reached out his hand toward Ning Luo. She hesitated for a few agonizing seconds before opening her designer handbag, pulling out a document, and placing it directly into his palm.

The instant Zhou Heng caught sight of that document, his ghostly expression shifted drastically. From shock… to sheer panic… and finally settling into an all-consuming despair—a despair so intense it bordering on madness.

He lunged forward, screaming until his spectral voice cracked. “Ning Luo! Why?! Why would you do this? Was I not good enough to you? You told me you felt insecure, so I gave it to you! That was supposed to be your dowry!”

I took the document from Sheng Tianling. By the time I scanned through the text inside, I finally understood why Zhou Heng had reacted so violently.

It was a deed of stock gift.

In black and white, the contract explicitly stated: Zhou Heng voluntarily transfers his entire 51% stake in Dongfang Technology to Ning Luo.

Not only was it signed by a legal team, but it was also legally notarized. I flipped to the date of execution. It was dated right before Zhou Heng and I were supposed to register our marriage. In other words… it was his personal pre-marital property. Even as his legal wife on paper, I had no right to contest it.

I closed the folder, taking a slow, deep breath.

With Ning Luo holding 51% of the shares, all it took was her nod, and the Sheng Corporation could swallow Dongfang Technology whole. Flames of rage began to kindle in my chest, rising inch by inch.

Dongfang Technology was a company built by both of us. But ever since Ning Luo got married, I was practically the only one running the ship. He spent his days in a fog—half the time remembering his job, the other half longing for his ex. If I hadn’t assumed he was the male lead with a higher cosmic destiny that would help the company grow, I would have fought for controlling shares long ago.

I flipped through the contract over and over, desperately hunting for a loophole. A clerical error. Even a misplaced period.

Unfortunately, there was nothing. Not a single flaw.

Sheng Tianling watched me, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Ms. Gui, save yourself the trouble. If I brought it here, I’ve naturally had it thoroughly vetted.”

I let out a cold laugh. “You certainly are generous, Mr. Sheng. I used to think you were oblivious to what went on between Ning Luo and Zhou Heng. I never expected you to not only know, but to actually profit off this cheap love triangle.”

Ning Luo’s eyes instantly flared with indignation. “Gui Vi! Stop slandering me! I’ve always viewed Zhou Heng as a brother! He gifted me those shares purely out of gratitude because my father helped him when he was starting out. The only person I’ve ever loved is Tianling! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have handed these shares over to him.”

The hall fell dead silent.

If a ghost could spit blood, Zhou Heng would have sprayed three liters on the spot.

All those years following her around like a puppy. All those years acting as her backup plan. All those years pouring his money, his youth, and his heart into her…

Only to be wrapped up in a single sentence: “I’ve always viewed him as a brother.”

And to top it off, she casually handed his entire life’s work over to her husband.

I genuinely wanted to laugh out loud. If Dongfang Technology wasn’t my own blood, sweat, and tears, I would have stood right there and clapped three times. Bravo! Absolutely brilliant! Talk about karmic retribution.

I locked eyes with Ning Luo. “Zhou Heng just passed away. Standing in his memorial hall saying such things… do you really feel no shame or guilt whatsoever?”

Hearing my words, Zhou Heng looked at Ning Luo with a sudden flash of hope, like a student desperately waiting for a test score to be revised.

A brief moment of panic flickered in Ning Luo’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

“Gui Vi, I know you’ve always been jealous of me. You’ve loved Zhou Heng for years, but the person he always wanted to protect was me. Even so, I have to make things clear. I love Tianling, and only Tianling.”

I literally heard the sound of teeth grinding. I turned my head. Zhou Heng was clenching his spectral fists, his features contorted in sheer rage.

“Ning Luo! You lying cheat!”

“You explicitly told me you only married him to save your family’s business!”

“You explicitly told me I was the only one you ever loved!”

“You explicitly told me Sheng Tianling was gay!”

“You explicitly told me he hasn’t touched you once in five years!”

“So what the hell is this?!”

He swung wild, desperate punches at Ning Luo, one after another. Unfortunately, every blow passed harmlessly through thin air. Watching him throw that pathetic, furious tantrum only made me stomach-sick.

I pulled out my phone and loaded the video my lawyer had recorded the day before—the exact footage of Ning Luo crashing the wedding. I held it out to Sheng Tianling.

“Mr. Sheng, take a look.”

He watched the video in its entirety, his expression barely shifting. The only change was the slight fading of the smirk on his face.

“When Ning Luo previously brought up divorce, I agreed,” he said calmly. “But yesterday, she had a change of heart.” He glanced at the contract in his hand. “To show her sincerity, she offered these shares as her dowry.”

“Since that’s the case… I can overlook her past antics.”

I burst into a mocking laugh.

“The rumors truly don’t do you justice. Everyone in the business circle says the second young master of the Sheng family puts profit above all else. Now I see it’s 100% accurate.”

“I always thought a man being cheated on would be furious. I never expected you, Mr. Sheng, to actually convert a green hat into pure profit.”

I tilted my head slightly, flashing a delightfully friendly smile. “Mr. Sheng, don’t bow your head too low. Careful, or that shiny green crown might slip off.”

The remaining trace of a smile on Sheng Tianling’s face vanished completely. “Ms. Gui, instead of wasting your breath trading barbs with me… you’d better figure out an exit strategy for the disabled employees at your company.”

His voice dropped several degrees colder. “The Sheng Corporation doesn’t keep dead weight around.”

“Once I take control of Dongfang Technology… my very first act will be firing every single one of them.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Ning Luo immediately scurried after him.

I stood rooted to the spot, watching their retreating backs.

Mess with me? I can stomach it. Mess with my money? I can push through it.

But mess with my people—the team that pulled all-nighters with me, the ones who helped me build this company from the ground up from nothing?

I pulled out my phone and dialed my lawyer. Overhearing snippets of my conversation, Zhou Heng’s hopeless expression gradually morphed into a look of smug satisfaction—like a golden retriever finally getting its head patted by its owner.

“Vivi… thank you,” he whispered softly. “Even now, you’re still trying to help me protect my company. I was truly blind in the past. I’m so sorry.”

I rolled my eyes hard. That company was my life’s work. Me protecting my own assets had absolutely nothing to do with him. The man was dead and still somehow managed to write his own delusional inner monologue.

I quietly asked the System in my head: System, does he seriously still think he has a chance at coming back to life?

The System replied nonchalantly: [Don’t overestimate the male lead’s ability to process reality. He still thinks this is just the angst phase before the grand romantic reunion.]

I fell silent. Fine. The dead get a pass. I’d hold my tongue.