Chapter 592
Chapter 592:
“In exchange for swallowing this pride, Ferd will unconditionally transfer all of his core voting shares to Dallas and me. And you, Jeannine, will receive absolute, ironclad legal control over every piece of real estate and fine art held in Ferd’s name p>
She took a slow, unhurried sip.
“Do we have a deal p>
After dinner, the Koch Estate was swallowed by the darkness of the night.
Jeannine walked alone down the long, winding cobblestone path toward the back of the property, a thick dark gray cashmere shawl pulled tightly around her shoulders against the biting wind.
𝖨ո𝗌𝘁аnt 𝗮c𝖼𝖾s𝘀 on
Up on the second-floor balcony of the main house, Eliza and Gigi stood side by side in the freezing air, watching Jeannine’s solitary figure disappear into the shadows of the old trees.
The private chapel was a small stone building hidden at the edge of the estate. Inside, the heavy iron chandeliers were unlit. The only light came from three rows of flickering white candles near the altar. The air smelled of melting wax and old dust.
Ferd Koch was kneeling on the cold stone floor in front of the altar.
His expensive suit was wrinkled and stained, his hair a greasy, tangled mess. The once-powerful Wall Street titan looked like a hollowed-out corpse. He had lost his money, his mistress, and his pride.
The heavy wooden chapel doors creaked open.
The sharp, rhythmic click of high heels echoed against the stone walls.
Ferd’s entire body went rigid. He did not turn around. He kept his head bowed.
“If you are the divorce lawyer, leave the papers on the pew and get the hell out,” he rasped. His voice was completely broken.
“And if it is your wife p>
Jeannine’s voice carried through the empty chapel — freezing cold, but with a tiny, almost imperceptible tremor hidden beneath the ice.
Ferd whipped his head around.
The moment his bloodshot eyes locked onto Jeannine standing in the candlelight, he covered his face with both hands. A loud, wretched sob tore from his throat. He had been scammed by Wendy, he was facing federal money laundering charges, and he had believed he had nothing left.
Jeannine walked slowly down the center aisle and stopped two feet away from him. She looked down at him from her full height. She did not scream. She did not cry. The calmness radiating from her was suffocating.
“You are a pathetic sight, Ferd,” she said coldly.
Ferd crawled forward on his knees. He reached out with trembling hands and grasped for the hem of her black skirt.
“Jeannine, I was so wrong,” he wept, tears streaming through his fingers. “I ruined the family. I let that woman destroy everything I built p>
Jeannine took one sharp step backward, denying his touch entirely.
“The only thing you destroyed was your own dignity,” she said flatly. “The Koch family is still standing. And I am still standing p>
She reached into her designer handbag and drew out the thick stack of legal documents Eliza had prepared. She let them fall. The heavy papers slapped against the stone floor and landed directly in front of his knees.
“Sign them,” Jeannine ordered. “Surrender all your voting rights to Eliza. Transfer every deed of property into my name p>