Marry Ex's Billionaire Uncle After Divorce (Aurora and Jasper) novel Chapter 149

Chapter 114: The Waiting Game

(Aurora’s POV)

I was home when it came through.

I read it standing in my kitchen, still in my work clothes, a glass of water in my other hand I stared

screen for a moment.

Then I typed back: *Sure.*

I set the phone face-down on the counter and went to change.

The next afternoon, at the time we’d agreed on, I sent him a different message.

*Something came up. Can we reschedule?*

I imagined him reading it in whatever coffee shop or restaurant he’d chosen, already seated, already

waiting. I felt nothing in particular about that.

He’d made me wait three years in that marriage. He could wait a few days now.

I was not in a hurry. I had never been the one in a hurry.

The next day, I cancelled again. A lab deadline. Very sorry.

The day after that, I had a prior commitment I couldn’t move.

On the third day, message came through at noon, and for the first time, the careful neutral tone

he’d maintained cracked just slightly at the edges.

*Aurora. I need you to pick a time and stick to it.*

I read it at my desk, between two data sets, and almost smiled.

I let him wait another two hours before I replied.

*Thursday works. I’ll confirm the time tomorrow.*

I put the phone back in my drawer and returned to my work.

I was not in a rush. I had the ruling. I had the time. And Jasper – whatever he and Sienna were planning to offer me would have to wait until I was ready to hear it.

That was how it worked now.

The private members’ club Jasper chose was the kind of place that didn’t have a sign out front. You either knew where it was or you didn’t get in. He’d booked a private room, which told me he was at least smart enough to know this conversation shouldn’t have witnesses beyond the ones already in it

Gavin walked in beside me, his jacket pressed, his expression pleasantly neutral. He looked like a man

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who’d done this a hundred times and found it mildly entertaining every single one.

Jasper was already seated when we entered. His lawyer sat to his right. Sienna was to his left, wearing a

cream blouse and the particular expression she reserved for people she considered beneath her.

She looked up when I came through the door.

“Well,” she said, her voice carrying that light, poisonous lilt. “You actually showed up this time.

I pulled out my chair and sat down without hurrying.

“I seem to remember,” I said, “that both of you have kept me waiting before. I was just returning the courtesy.” I smiled at her. “You know how it is.”

Sienna’s mouth tightened. She looked away. She knew better than to make this about her – that wasn’t why

they were here.

Gavin set his briefcase on the table and clicked it open. “Shall we?”

Jasper’s lawyer cleared his throat and spread a document across the table. He was a careful man, the kind who chose every word like he was defusing something.

“The ruling does establish a six y division in Ms. Higgins’s favor,” he began. “However, a significant

portion of the marital assets are tied to Aether Life Sciences. Transferring equity directly would disrupt ongoing operations and shareholder agreements. In light of that, our client proposes a cash settlement equivalent to sixty percent of the company’s current market valuation.” He paused. “That figure comes to approximately two hundred million dollars.”

I let the number sit there for

a moment.

Two hundred million. It was a real number. It would change most people’s lives completely.

“No,” I said.

The lawyer blinked. “Ms. Higgins -”

“The ruling specifies asset division by percentage,” I said. “Not a market-value cash conversion. Those are two different things, and you know it.”

Gavin leaned forward slightly, his voice easy, almost cheerful. “If your client continues attempting to reinterpret the terms of the judgment, I’ll file for court-ordered enforcement by the end of the week. The judge who issued the ruling is not going to be pleased to hear his decision is being creatively reread.” He smiled. “Just so we’re all on the same page.”

Jasper hadn’t said a word yet. He was watching me with that flat, controlled expression he used when he was furious and didn’t want to show it.

I looked back at him.

“There’s another option,” I said. “If you don’t want to deal in cash, I’ll take the equity directly. Sixty percent of Aether Life Sciences, transferred to me as a majority stakeholder.” I paused. “And the first thing I’d do

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as majority stakeholder would be to remove Sienna from any role, formal or informal, that she currently holds within the company”

The silence in the room changed quality entirely.

Sienna’s head turned toward me slowly.

Jasper’s jaw went tight. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and clipped. “You’re taking a mile when you were given an inch.”

“I was given sixty percent,” I said. “I’m asking for sixty percent. You’re the one trying to shortchange me.”

I picked up my bag and made to stand. “If we’re not going to reach an agreement today, that’s fine. I’ll let Gavin file the enforcement motion this afternoon.”

“Sit down.”

I didn’t move.

“Aurora.” His voice cracked slightly at the edge. Not much. But enough. “Sit down.”

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