Looking at the three big characters "Divorce Certificate," Jeff breathed a long sigh of relief. All the pent-up frustration of the past three years seemed to vanish in an instant.
"I'm finally no longer a live-in son-in-law."
As Jeff walked out of the courthouse, he couldn't help but sigh.
His next challenge would be in the business world, where he would dedicate himself fully to his career.
At that moment, Emily mocked him. "That's right, you're not a live-in son-in-law anymore. You've become an abandoned son-in-law! You're even more shameful than before!"
Abandoned son-in-law?
A divorced man who had once lived in his wife's family home?
Say whatever you want.
Jeff had no desire to exchange another word with this money-obsessed woman. He hailed a taxi and left.
Emily, however, was unwilling to let it go. Even though she was the one at fault, she felt she hadn't scolded her useless ex-husband enough.
She got into Ryan Caldwell's car and said, "Follow him and see if he leaves Riverforge."
Ryan stepped on the gas and caught up with Jeff's taxi, laughing.
"He'll definitely leave by train. His livelihood here is completely cut off, and he has no savings. If he doesn't leave, he'll starve in Riverforge."
Emily also felt Jeff should choose to leave, but something in his calm eyes made her vaguely sense that things weren't so simple.
As Ryan drove, he glanced at the divorce certificate in Emily's hand and chuckled.
"Why is the divorce certificate purple? Wasn't it supposed to be green?"
Emily nodded. "They changed it. Purple is great, isn't it? Divorce can be a happy event too—for us."
Ryan chuckled. "That's right. But Jeff should get a green one. It suits him, haha."
Emily laughed and lightly punched Ryan. "You're so naughty."
A few minutes later, Ryan suddenly frowned. "This isn't the way to the train station."
Emily also asked in surprise, "Is this the way to the airport?"
Ryan shook his head. "No, it's heading toward the West Lake district."
Emily gently twirled her hair. "Doesn't he plan to leave Riverforge?"
Ryan snorted coldly. "This kid is probably trying to book a hotel room. Don't worry—with my family's connections in the hotel industry, I guarantee he won't be able to stay in a single hotel below four stars!"
"Hmm." Emily just wanted this useless ex-husband to disappear from Riverforge as soon as possible.
A few minutes later, Jeff's taxi finally stopped.
But it stopped at the most luxurious five-star hotel in Riverforge: the Four Seasons Hotel West Lake.
Then Ryan and Emily watched as Jeff got out of the car and walked straight into the hotel.
"Damn it! That bastard Jeff came to West Lake to apply for a waiter job!"
Ryan slammed his hand on the BMW's steering wheel in anger.
Emily was also furious. "At the birthday banquet just now, our Harper family clearly blocked his path to waiter jobs, but he still came here to apply. It's obvious he doesn't respect our connections!"
Ryan said angrily, "This bastard doesn't believe in my abilities! Wait here—I'm going to make a phone call."
Ryan took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed.
"Hey, Tyler, still working as a manager at the Four Seasons West Lake? I have something to tell you. A young man named Jeff just walked in. Don't hire him. Okay, that's all."
After hanging up, Ryan patted his chest and assured Emily, "I've taken care of it. That good-for-nothing Jeff will be rolling out of there soon."
Emily happily praised him. "You have such a wide network. You know all sorts of people."
Ryan said proudly, "They're all just underlings, haha. When I tell them to do something, they're even grateful to me."
Five minutes later, seeing that Jeff still hadn't come out, Ryan couldn't help but call the manager again.
"Hey Tyler, how's the thing I told you to do? Why haven't you kicked Jeff out yet? Is he refusing to leave? Call security! Oh, security won't do—just call the police!"
Tyler said on the other end, "Brother Ryan, no one has come to apply for a job at our hotel. I've asked several colleagues, and they all say no one has."
"What?" Ryan was immediately puzzled.
If Jeff wasn't applying for a job at the Four Seasons West Lake, then what was he doing there?
"Jeff wouldn't be... checking into the hotel, would he?!" Ryan's expression immediately changed.
Emily was also shocked. "Impossible! A night at the Four Seasons West Lake costs at least six thousand dollars for the cheapest room. When we divorced just now, I took all his bank cards. He only has a few hundred dollars in cash and a two-thousand-dollar credit limit on his payment app."
Ryan said, "Let's go in and take a look."
The two got out of the car and walked into the hotel lobby.
"Hello sir and madam, are you looking for accommodation?" the receptionist asked with a smile.
Ryan asked, "Was there someone named Jeff who booked a room here just now?"
The receptionist said, "I'm sorry, we can't disclose guests' privacy."
"Damn it!" Ryan yelled angrily in the lobby. "Tyler! Tyler! Get out here!"
Not long after, the hotel lobby manager—called Tyler but actually a middle-aged man—came over.
"Brother Ryan," Tyler said respectfully.
Ryan said impatiently, "Find out immediately whether Jeff is staying here!"
Tyler gave the receptionist a wink, and the receptionist finally relented and said, "Yes."