He envisioned the most glorious time of his life, only to find it become the most humiliating. Worse still, Scarlett, owner of the Transgenerational Group, demanded thirty billion dollars in compensation.

Thirty billion dollars? The Callahans couldn't afford it.

"What exactly happened?" Lex raged, smashing furniture and antiques. Dozens of people watched from the vast villa, silent. They knew speaking while Lex was furious would only invite trouble.

After his outburst, Lex calmed down, settling onto the sofa. He pleaded with Gladys's family, "Gladys, you're our only hope. Your niece works for the Transgenerational Group, doesn't she? She came with Ms. Brooks. You're the only one who can help us."

Gladys hesitated. Thea, with a clearly unhappy expression, muttered, "Grandpa, she's the one who cheated with James."

Bang! Lex slammed his fist on the table, shaking it despite his eighty years. "So what if they cheated? It's inconsequential if we survive this! Thea, call James back! Isn't he cheating with Xara? Get him to help us!"

Thea's eyes welled, overwhelmed. She was being pressured to call James to avoid the thirty-billion-dollar debt. "Grandpa, you expelled him. You should call him. I'm not shameless enough to do it."

"Thea, don't be stubborn! This is the chairman of the Transgenerational Group! The Blithe King's involved with her—she's incredibly influential. We can't afford to offend her. We can't even raise a billion, let alone thirty!"

Lex's glamorous facade had vanished, replaced by pallor and exhaustion.

"Grandpa's begging you," he whispered.

Thea hesitated. Gladys urged, "Thea, maybe you should ask James to come back."

Howard added, "Thea, you're the executive chairman, holding fifty percent of the shares. Don't prioritize your feelings when our family is in this desperate situation."

Others chimed in: "Yeah, Thea, you're our only hope." "Cheating isn't serious." "Xara works for Ms. Brooks—she's incredibly wealthy! We'll hit the jackpot if we get on her good side!" David, anxious about his luxury car and house, pleaded, "Hurry up, Thea! Call James! Everything depends on him!"

They were on the brink of an extraordinary life, and David didn't want bankruptcy for offending Scarlett.

"I-I'll try," Thea said, rising, retrieving her phone, and calling James. She hadn't truly wanted a divorce and planned to give him another chance. She remembered his past kindness; without him, she'd still be the despised Cansington outcast.

At the Common Clinic, James stared at his phone, expecting Thea's call. It came swiftly. He smirked proudly at Henry. "See? I told you. They'd come crawling back." Henry was speechless. A simple marital dispute had spiraled this far.

James answered casually. "Thea? I told you, the Department of Civil Affairs is closed. They can't process our divorce."

"I—James, come back to the villa. To discuss…no, it's not about the divorce."

"What happened?" James feigned ignorance.

"It's hard to explain. Just…come back."

"Okay, I'll be there."

James hung up, triumphant. "I'm leaving, Henry!"