His Last Command Came Back to Kill Him novel Chapter 91

Whitley felt a bitter wave of irony wash over her.

Yelena was basking in the spotlight. Her gift had been expensive and impeccably tasteful. Anyone who presented their gift after her was bound to be overshadowed.

Vivienne had always favored Yelena anyway.

She had only accepted Whitley joining the Sherwood family because she had no other choice.

In front of outsiders, Vivienne pretended to support Whitley. But at private family dinners like this, they all made it clear they believed Whitley had used underhanded tricks to steal Yelena's place.

Whitley looked up, her gaze calmly meeting Vivienne's. "Since when is it customary to aggressively demand a gift at an anniversary dinner?"

Vivienne scoffed. "As Mrs. Sherwood, shouldn't you have prepared one?"

Whitley let out a soft chuckle. "Now you remember I'm Mrs. Sherwood? Given the way things are going, anyone would think the woman standing over there holds the title."

Vivienne narrowed her eyes, clearly caught off guard by Whitley's sharp tongue. She forced a tight smile. "If you didn't prepare anything, just say so. There's no need for excuses. The Sherwood family certainly doesn't lack whatever little trinkets you could afford."

Leroy sneered from the sidelines. "She can't even produce a decent gift, yet she thinks she's fit to stand beside Clive."

Whitley ignored the mother and son's hostility. Instead, she looked at Clive to see his reaction.

The man's expression was utterly indifferent. He looked down and took a sip of his drink, acting as if he couldn't care less that his wife was being ganged up on.

She could probably collapse right here, and he wouldn't even spare her a second glance.

Whitley spoke in an even tone. "Clive and I are a married couple. Naturally, our gift is a joint one. Whatever he gives is what we prepared together."

She had long since stopped bothering to prepare anything herself. Whatever she gave would only be met with disdain anyway. It was easier to just tie herself to Clive. He wouldn't go so far as to publicly deny their marriage.

Not unless he wanted an ugly scene at an anniversary celebration.

Clive clearly didn't want any more drama. He gave a curt nod, signaling his assistant to bring the gift forward. "An antique jade statuette, specially acquired at auction."

The moment he claimed it as a joint gift, no one else could say a word.

Vivienne's face turned livid, a knot of frustration tightening in her chest. She hadn't expected Whitley to slip out of the trap so easily.

Right at that moment, Whitley felt her phone buzz. It was a message from her lawyer.

[All documents for the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage have been finalized and are ready for submission at any time.]

A slow smile touched Whitley's lips as she lifted her gaze.

Since everyone thought she was freeloading on her husband's gift and wearing a title she didn't deserve, she would stop freeloading altogether.

She set her phone face down. "Since everyone seems to think it's inappropriate for a married couple to share a gift, I'll provide one of my own."

As the crowd watched, Whitley pulled a document from her clutch, placed it gently on the table, and slid it across to Clive.

The bold letters on the cover were impossible to miss.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

She met Clive's eyes. "Consider this my gift. Just sign it."