Chapter 414 + 25 BONUS

“Joe, escort my grandmother out,” Juan commanded, his voice as hard as steel. Joe hesitated before stepping forward. “Mrs. Nichols Sr., please, let’s go.”

“Get lost!” Melody snapped, swatting Joe’s hand away. She planted herself squarely in front of Debra. Her eyes were cold, her smile colder. “Listen here, Debra. I know your family’s broke and you’re desperate for cash, but Juan and you have filed for divorce. So, you’re not weaseling your way back into our family. Not on my watch. And you won’t see a dime of the marital assets.”

Juan’s anger boiled over. “Grandma, that’s enough.”

Joe advised her, “Mrs. Nichols Sr., you should really leave now. Mr. Nichols is already upset.”

Just then, Debra spoke up. “Fine. Let’s clear this up. Please have Juan sign the divorce agreement as soon as possible. I’ve sent over dozens of copies, all torn to shreds by him. I don’t know if he has a masochistic streak. I’ve been very clear, yet he still refuses to divorce me.”

Melody, who always cared about the Nichols family’s reputation, felt deeply embarrassed, but she wasn’t one to give in. She snorted, “You’re telling me Juan doesn’t want to divorce you? Please. Your family is in ruins, and you’re working as a trainee at Potter Entertainment to pay off debts. A fair lady reduced to groveling for scraps. How pathetic!”

That was the final straw. Juan exploded, “Joe, what are you waiting for? Get them out of here.”

In a bid to defuse the tension, Hester chimed in, “Juan, your grandma is doing this for you. Don’t…”

“Who are you to speak here?” Juan snapped. He whipped out his phone and barked his orders, “Get your men here to remove my grandmother and anyone else who doesn’t belong here.”

Within moments, security guards swarmed in, surrounding the two women. The mall manager stepped forward, wringing his hands. “Mrs. Nichols Sr., please, don’t make a scene. Just leave quietly.”

Melody huffed, “And if I refuse?”

The manager grimaced. “Then we’ll have to assist you out. It won’t be pleasant for anyone.”

Hester tugged at Melody’s sleeve, urging her to comply. With a final glare at Debra, Melody turned on her heel and stormed out.

Debra watched the spectacle unfold, feeling like the star of a badly scripted soap opera.

“Debra, I…” Juan tried to explain.

“Don’t say anything. I know this isn’t what you wanted,” Debra said, her voice flat. “But in a way, you’ve made one of my dreams come true.”

“Dream?” Juan echoed, confused.

Debra kept her gaze downcast as she elaborated, “I dreamt of you being cold to me and unwilling to spend my birthday with me. But today, I should thank you for everything.”