Page 34 of Size Doesn't Matter

Now it just pissed him off.

“Why now?” she asked. “You’ve been dragging this out for years—”

“I’m not the one dragging this out and you know it,” he said, his calm mask in danger of slipping.

Lisa scoffed, all pretence gone from her demeanour. “If you had just given me what I wanted in the first place, then all of this would be over by now. So yes, youarethe one dragging this out.”

He cocked one brow. “Are you saying you won’t sign the papers?”

“Are you giving me the twenty million I asked for?”

“No.”

“Then no, I’m not signing the papers. Not until I get what I deserve.”

Jack’s smile was slow and purely self-indulgent. “Twomillion.”

Lisa jerked back in her seat and stared at him in disbelief. “I beg your pardon?”

“Sign the papers now and you’ll get two million dollars, to be deposited into any bank account of your choosing.”

“But that’s half what you offered me last time.”

“Yes, it is. And if you don’t sign today, I’ll halve it again.”

“You can’t do that,” she spat at him, her manicured talons digging into the armrests of the leather chair.

Jack smoothed his hand down his tie. “I can do whatever the fuck I want. Or maybe you’ve forgotten about the infidelity clause in our prenup? The one stating that if you cheat on me during our marriage, then you walk away with nothing more than a paltry fifty thousand dollars.”

She scoffed. “Fifty thousand per year is nowhere near enough. That wouldn’t even cover my rent.”

“Then I suggest you downsize,” he replied, a vicious smile spreading slowly across his face. “Because that’s not an annual sum. Fifty thousand is the total amount payable.”

Her outraged gasp was music to his ears. “You’re insane if you think I’ll settle for that!”

“Then take the two million,” he said. “I told you, I’m done playing your games. I have proof, Lisa, and I’m not afraid to use it.”

Her smile grew nasty. “By all means, tell the world how bad you are in bed. Because that’s the spin I’ll put on it when it hits the media. Why else would I have strayed from our marital bed? Or maybe I should just tell them about how you used to beat me during sex. I’m sure that would go down well with the board. You’ll be the shortest-serving CEO in the history of Australia.”

“Beat you.” Jack chuckled, undisturbed by her threat. “You realise, of course, that I have photos of you beingbeatenby other men. From memory, there’s a video, too, and judging by your screams formore, I think it’ll be a hard sell to make people believe you were under any duress.”

“You prick.”

“Or maybe I should share why we really split up,” he added, all humour gone from his expression. “I’m sure your father’s competitors would findthatstory fascinating.”

Lisa’s eyes narrowed, and her grip on the chair turned her knuckles white. “You wouldn’t.”

“I wonder what sort ofspinthey’d put on that? ‘Socialite kills baby for money.’ It has a certain ring to it, don’t you think?”

In an instant, his ex was out of the chair and slamming her hand on his desk, her eyes wild and her face red. “It was a foetus, you arsehole.Nota baby.”

“Yes, because the public are so good at making that distinction,” he snapped back, his lip curled in disgust.

Lisa’s face blanched, and she sank heavily back in her seat. “You can’t,” she whispered. “My reputation….”

“Yourreputation?” Of course she only cared about herself. He didn’t know why he was even surprised. “What about Sophie’s reputation? What about mine?” he demanded, holding up a hand to silence her when she opened her mouth. “Don’t deny it. I know it’s you stirring up the rumours in the gossip columns, Lisa. They have your stink all over them.” Her cheeks reddened, and all traces of her fear evaporated in the heat of her glare. He let loose a bitter laugh. “Why should I care aboutyourreputation after all the damage you’ve caused, all the heartache?”

“Jack—”

---