Sheryl snorted with a bitter chuckle. "You want me to give you my blessings, and what about me? I gave up my thriving career to play the dutiful wife and mother. And now that I'm not the belle of the ball anymore, you lose interest and want me to give you my blessing to be with some young, pretty thing. What about all the years and love I've poured into this? Who's going to compensate me for that?"
Fredric replied, "You don't have to worry. I'll give you a generous settlement. You won't be at the short end."
Sheryl let out a scornful laugh. "Oh, really? When Leopold and Aurelia split up, he dished out two billion to her. How about you match that?"
Fredric's lips twitched slightly. "She was the queen bee, and her settlement must be heftier. Can you compare to her? And their divorce was a sham. The money wasn't truly for Aurelia."
He believed that Leopold would never part with such a fortune if it were a real divorce.
Aurelia flicked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, indifferent to whether it was a fake divorce. The money was in her private coffers.
Fredric added, "I can give you ten million, and that's quite fair." That was the best he could offer.
Sheryl knew his offer was a bluff. She was acutely aware of the extent of his wealth.
"If I had stayed in showbiz, making a million would have been a walk in the park. I want a billion, not a penny less, or you can forget about the divorce."
Fredric's expression darkened, clearly being difficult for the sake of it.
"Can't you be reasonable? This kind of tantrum helps no one. Let’s get a clean break, parting on good terms. I would be grateful."
Sheryl stood her ground. "I don't need your gratitude, and I'm not about to pave the way for you and your floozy. If Jessica could have endured the neglect all these years, so can I."
Aurelia sighed inwardly.
Once the men of the Stirling family turned cold, they were utterly dispassionate about marital ties.
Chad had been the same, and Fredric was following suit.
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