After His Mistress Left His Bed, He Demanded an Abortion—Nine Months Later, Four Newborn Heirs Changed His Dynasty Forever

Back in Manhattan, five months after Claire’s departure, the corner office of Cross Atlantic Holdings was suffocatingly hot.

Nathaniel stood by the window, staring down at the noon traffic. He looked older. The crisp perfection of his appearance had begun to show subtle cracks. His dark hair had silver streaks at the temples, his dark suits hung slightly looser on his frame, and his eyes were perpetually bloodshot from lack of sleep.

On his desk lay a stack of legal documents.

The divorce proceedings were not going according to his plan.

He had expected Claire to break within thirty days. He had expected her to exhaust her small bank account, realize the harsh reality of living without his millions, and call him weeping for a settlement. Instead, she had ignored every single move his high-priced legal team made.

She didn't want his alimony. She didn't want his penthouse. She didn't want his company stock.

She simply wanted out.

And that quiet, absolute rejection was driving Nathaniel mad.

A sharp knock sounded at the door, and Vanessa Cole stepped into the office. She was impeccably dressed in a tailored red suit, holding a leather folder under her arm. Her golden hair was styled to perfection, her red lipstick flawlessly applied.

“Nathaniel,” Vanessa said, her tone businesslike yet carrying an underlying intimacy. “The board meeting is in twenty minutes. We need to go over the final deck for the Vancouver deal.”

Nathaniel didn't turn around. “Did Arthur return from upstate?”

Vanessa’s smile tightened slightly. Her eyes flashed with annoyance, but she quickly masked it.

For months, she had tried to solidify her position as the future Mrs. Cross. She had moved her things into his penthouse, accompanied him to high-profile charity galas, and taken over the public relations for his major corporate deals. But Nathaniel was distant. Even when she was in his bed, he seemed to be looking past her, searching for something that wasn't there.

“Yes, he came back an hour ago,” Vanessa said coldly. “He delivered the final settlement documents to her lawyer in Rhinebeck.”

Nathaniel turned around quickly. “And? Did she sign?”

“No,” Vanessa said, setting the folder on his desk with a heavy snap. “She refused the five-million-dollar buyout. Her lawyer stated—again—that Claire wants zero financial compensation from Cross Atlantic Holdings.”

Nathaniel’s fist slammed onto the mahogany desk. “Why is she doing this? Is she trying to humiliate me? Every press outlet in the city is speculating about why the CEO’s wife left him without taking a single dime!”

“She’s doing it to control you, Nathaniel!” Vanessa said, stepping closer, her hands resting on his shoulders. “Can’t you see that? She’s playing the victim to ruin your reputation right before the Chairman vote! Stop worrying about her. She’s gone. You have me. We are building an empire together.”

Nathaniel looked at Vanessa’s sharp, glamorous face.

Six months ago, he had found her exciting. She was ambitious, ruthless, and spoke the language of corporate dominance. But now, standing in the middle of his quiet office, her presence felt exhausting. Everything with Vanessa was a transaction, a calculation, a photo opportunity for the business pages.

Claire had never cared about the business pages. When he came home exhausted from a eighteen-hour board negotiation, Claire had brought him tea, listened quietly to his frustrations, and offered him a peace that money could never buy.

He had traded gold for brass, and deep down, he was beginning to realize it.

“Did Arthur see her?” Nathaniel asked quietly, ignoring Vanessa’s words entirely.

Vanessa let out a frustrated sigh, pulling her hands away from his shoulders. “Arthur didn't see her. She wasn't at the lawyer’s office.”

“Where is she living?”

“Why does it matter?” Vanessa snapped, her voice rising in pitch. “She’s carrying some illegitimate child in a broken-down village in the middle of nowhere! The Vancouver board is watching us, Nathaniel! If you lose focus now, your father’s allies on the board will vote against your Chairman appointment!”

Nathaniel’s eyes flared with sudden, dangerous heat. He stepped into Vanessa’s space, his tall frame looming over her.

“Don't ever raise your voice in my office again, Vanessa,” he said in a low, deadly whisper. “And don't ever refer to my child as illegitimate.”

Vanessa paled. She took a step back, her confidence wavering under the cold intensity of his glare.

“I... I was just thinking about the company, Nathaniel,” she stammered.

“The company is my concern,” Nathaniel said, turning back toward his desk and grabbing his jacket. “The board meeting is in twenty minutes. Walk down with me.”

He stepped past her without waiting, leaving Vanessa standing alone in the center of the room, her fingernails digging deep into the palms of her hands.

She hated Claire Cross with every fiber of her being. She had thought that once Claire was gone, Nathaniel would belong to her completely. But Claire’s shadow hung over every floor of Cross Atlantic Holdings, louder in her absence than she had ever been in her presence.