The three additional clauses were all crafted with Xie Jinghu’s interests at heart.
For a moment he felt dazed.
Judging solely from those three clauses, Zou Weijun was not using the divorce to destroy him completely. Had Xie Qian not been injured, she might never have wanted to divorce at all.
If she truly had no intention of seizing power, splitting the shares equally was acceptable.
After the divorce he would still hold 26.5 % and remain Jinhu’s actual controller.
The shares taken by Zou Weijun and Xie Qian could not be sold or transferred, but he could quietly buy more from minor shareholders.
While Xie Jinghu struggled to bring himself to sign, Xie Yuping sighed heavily. “Third brother, everyone makes mistakes in life, you, me, no one is a saint. I don’t expect you to be one, but I hope that just this once you can make the choice of a real man. Weijun has been your wife for twenty years. Xie Qian is your own son. They have never wronged you. You can be generous to irrelevant outsiders; why can’t you be generous to them? You know perfectly well that if Weijun chose litigation, the final division would be more or less the same, only it would drag on for years in court. Since the outcome is identical, why not sign now? At least you and Weijun, after twenty years together, can avoid the ugliness of court and preserve a shred of final dignity.”
Irrelevant outsiders, three of them were sitting right there in the room.
Thinking of his mistress’s betrayal, Xie Jinghu itched with hatred.
When Xie Yuping mentioned “final dignity”, something stirred in Xie Jinghu’s heart.
Not going to court meant not burning every last bridge.
There might still be a chance to reconcile with Weijun later.
Xie Jinghu finally nodded slowly.
“…Fine. I accept these conditions.”
Xie Jinghu agreed to the divorce!
Not only the divorce, but to splitting Jinhu shares equally with Zou Weijun!
Since his affair had been exposed, this was the first time Xie Yuping found his younger brother tolerable. To ensure this rare moment did not vanish, the agreement had to be set in stone with signatures and fingerprints at once.
There was too much property to divide; drafting would take time. Fortunately the lawyer had brought his whole team.
With money on the table, even a hospital corridor could become an office. If necessary, the rooftop would do, quiet, good view, only the mosquitoes were a nuisance.
Hearing Xie Jinghu accept Zou Weijun’s terms, the smugness vanished from Sara Zhuo’s face.
Why had Xie Yuping allowed Sara Zhuo to come to the hospital and remain present?
Partly to force the final break between her and Xie Jinghu, but more importantly to keep her under his eye, giving her no chance to scheme.
In the sudden silence, Zhong Yong’s phone rang abruptly.
He glanced at the screen and his expression changed.
“Leader, it’s the ICU…”
It might be that Xie Qian’s condition had worsened.
Xie Yuping swayed as if struck.
He saw Xie Jinghu’s eyes redden as he bolted upstairs.
He also saw the flash of ecstasy Sara Zhuo could not hide.
Delighted, aren’t you?
You didn’t even bother to mask it.
The crash investigation had not yet concluded, but that no longer mattered. Xie Yuping had already decided Sara Zhuo was one of the masterminds.
What was there to gloat about? They hadn’t even heard the fourth clause yet.
Worried for Xie Qian, Xie Yuping blocked Xie Jinghu. “Listen to the lawyer first.”
“Big brother, I’ve already agreed to sign!”
Xie Jinghu pleaded, voice trembling.
Xie Yuping’s heart was stone. “You will hear it all. Only if you still agree after the last clause do you deserve to stand before Weijun.”
With that Xie Yuping strode out. The lawyer’s voice rang clearly behind him.
“Before Mr Xie signs, I wish to discuss Ms Zou’s final condition, which may be regarded as the fourth additional clause to the equal share division:
Until 1 January 2020, should Ms Zou Weijun suffer an untimely death, her Jinhu shares shall pass to her only son Xie Qian via inheritance and shall not be bound by the first three clauses; Xie Qian may dispose of them freely.
Until 1 January 2020, should the couple’s only son Xie Qian suffer an untimely death, his shares shall not pass to Ms Zou Weijun but shall be donated gratis to official national charities.
Should both Ms Zou Weijun and Xie Qian suffer untimely death before that date, all their shares shall be donated gratis to official national charities… This clause will be formalised and notarised after the divorce.”
Xie Jinghu’s mind reeled.
Why was the fourth clause saved for last?
He did not feel tricked by his brother. On the contrary, this clause only proved how critical Xie Qian’s condition truly was.
Money is money, life is life.
Zou Weijun would rather risk her own life than Xie Qian’s.
That was why the clause stated: if she died, the shares went to Xie Qian; if Xie Qian died, she wanted nothing to do with his shares and would donate them immediately.
Why add such a clause?
Could she believe Xie Qian’s “accident” had not been an accident at all?
Xie Jinghu looked at Sara Zhuo with loathing, itching to throttle her again and force the truth out, but the call from the ICU made him afraid of lifelong regret.
This time he did not hesitate long. “No need to explain further. I agree to everything!”
With that Xie Jinghu also ran upstairs.
Only the lawyer and the Zhuo family of three remained in the rest room.
The lawyer looked at Sara Zhuo’s trio with particular satisfaction.
If all went smoothly, he could take two cases at once: first represent Zou Weijun in the divorce, then, the moment the papers were signed, represent Xie Jinghu in recovering the gifts given to his mistress.
The first case was simple, a consensual divorce, not much work, so fees could not be too high.
The second case was where the real money lay; he could quote according to recovery difficulty.
Before leaving, the lawyer could not resist thanking Sara Zhuo. “Ms Zhuo truly is a good person.”
Sara Zhuo replied coldly, “Get lost.”
The lawyer did not take offence. Anyone facing the loss of such a fortune would behave no better.
He obediently left.
Only the Zhuo family remained.
The day had been extraordinarily long. In just half a day, Zhuo Yue’s entire world had collapsed.
DNA test, divorce agreement finalised, shares to be donated gratis if Zou Weijun or Xie Qian died… One step, two steps, three steps. Only the first directly affected her, yet all three left her reeling.
Once Zou Weijun and Xie Jinghu divorced, she would take more than half the family fortune.
That money and those shares, while in Xie Jinghu’s hands, might have gone to the Zhuo siblings. In Zou Weijun and Xie Qian’s hands, by any country’s law, they would have nothing to do with the Zhuo siblings ever again.
Of course, they would also have nothing to do with Sara Zhuo. Even if she seduced Xie Jinghu again and became the official wife, property already awarded to the ex-wife could not be divided a second time.
Zhuo Yue felt utterly lost. Should her brother fight for the remaining 26.5 % still in Daddy’s hands?
No, even that 26.5 % might not be Zhuo Chen’s.
If Xie Qian died, his shares would be donated; conversely, if Xie Jinghu died, Xie Qian would inherit.
Unless Xie Jinghu wrote a will disinheriting Xie Qian or transferred everything to Zhuo Chen while still alive.
Seeing neither Mummy nor brother speak, Zhuo Yue’s tears flowed uncontrollably. “Mummy, Daddy won’t really make me repay everything he spent on me these years, will he?”
Sara Zhuo did not answer.
Zhuo Yue cried harder. “How can I not be Daddy’s daughter? We look so alike…”
Sara Zhuo still could not answer that question.
In a single day, not only Zhuo Yue’s world but Sara Zhuo’s entire plan had crumbled.
Discovering Zhuo Yue was not biological, Sara Zhuo could still have handled it.
Zou Weijun wanting divorce was unexpected but within reason.
What truly blindsided Sara Zhuo was Xie Jinghu agreeing to split the company shares, and the fatal fourth clause that followed.
For the first time, Sara Zhuo’s heart was in turmoil.
With that fourth clause in place, for the next thirteen years Sara Zhuo could not wish misfortune on Zou Weijun and Xie Qian. On the contrary, she would have to pray daily for their safety and prosperity.
Unless Sara Zhuo truly cared nothing for Xie Jinghu’s wealth, as her persona claimed, she now had no choice but to hope mother and son lived long and peaceful lives.
If they lived, there might still be ways to recover the shares later.
If they died, the shares would be donated instantly.
Apart from the Zhuo family crisis twenty-odd years ago, Sara Zhuo had not felt this stifled in a very long time.
Stifled to the point she had no mood left to linger at the hospital for news. She said coldly to Zhuo Chen and Zhuo Yue, “Let’s go home.”
The three walked with different heights, different strides, but equally heavy steps.
…
Outside the ICU.
Xie Yuping felt no joy from victory.
Zou Weijun had lost all strength. She covered her face with her hands, tears still slipping through her fingers.
Xie Jinghu dared not approach either Xie Yuping or Zou Weijun.
If Xie Qian did not pull through, Zou Weijun would not want to live.
Property and shares were mere possessions; Zou Weijun would trade them all for her son’s life.
Realising this left Xie Jinghu in sudden panic.
He might lose both his son and his wife.
Emotional rifts can be mended, money lost can be earned again, but the distance between life and death even the world’s richest man cannot bridge.
