Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 61

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**

**Chapter 61: Death Compensation**

Bryce, who had remained silent throughout the entire ordeal, now turned to Riley, his eyes wide with disbelief. The revelation hit him like a freight train.

That startup money… it was actually death compensation? No way…

But if it wasn’t compensation, how on earth did Riley manage to produce such a staggering amount of cash in such a short time?

His mind raced back to the time of her parents’ death, a moment etched in his memory like a dark stain. He could vividly recall how utterly shattered she had been, drowning in a sea of grief, her spirit seemingly crushed beneath the weight of her loss.

Back then, he had been a bundle of nerves himself, grappling with the relentless pressure to secure startup funds. Just when he felt the walls closing in, Riley had dropped that cash into his hands, the weight of it heavy with unspoken promises. “Here, go make your dreams happen,” she had said, her voice a mix of hope and desperation.

“Where did you get all this money from?” he had blurted out, shock evident in his tone.

“My parents left it to me,” she had replied quietly, her gaze fixed on the cash, her eyes reflecting a profound sadness that he had been too blinded by his own excitement to notice.

But now, as he stood before her, the realization crashed over him like a tidal wave.

“Why… didn’t you tell me?” he managed to rasp, his voice thick with emotion.

A suffocating weight pressed down on his chest, making each breath feel like a struggle.

“Because I didn’t want you to feel burdened. I didn’t want it to weigh you down,” Riley said, her tone flat, devoid of the warmth that once characterized their conversations.

When she had placed that money in his hands, it wasn’t merely cash; it was a trust, a promise of a shared future, a belief that they would grow old together, side by side.

But here they were now, standing at the precipice of their dreams, and this was how it had all unraveled.

“Bryce, who knows if she’s telling the truth? Don’t believe her!” Claire’s voice sliced through the tension like a knife. “She just wants the money and will say anything to get it!”

“Enough!” Bryce interjected sharply, frustration boiling over. His eyes were a tumult of pain and regret, swirling with emotions he could barely comprehend.

If he had known that the startup cash was tied to her parents’ tragic death, he would have treated her with the respect and care she deserved. He should have been there for her when she went to retrieve her parents’ ashes, should have offered his support when it mattered most. And as for the divorce talks? He should have repaid every single dollar without hesitation.

The ache in his chest morphed into a deeper, more profound pain that radiated through his entire being, leaving him feeling lost and utterly overwhelmed.

“I’ll get you the money by tomorrow,” he said, bitterness lacing his words, a bitter reminder of their impending divorce.

Tomorrow was the day they would finalize everything, and in that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to propose replacing the cash with company shares anymore. This money had always belonged to her. He owed it to her!

“Fine. I’ll wait until tomorrow,” Riley replied, her gaze icy and unwavering.

If Bryce dared to backtrack on his promise, Riley was ready to take him to court, prepared to fight tooth and nail, no matter the chaos it might unleash.

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