After He Slapped Me, I Cut His Funding

Chapter 3

The investor on the other end of the line sounded stunned.

"Mrs. Robinson, this project is progressing extremely well. Mr. Robinson says he'll be ready to deliver in just a few days. By then, our company will..."

"We're withdrawing. Immediately."

I broke in with my voice cold and even. "Furthermore, I want you to issue a notice to the entire industry, anyone who dares to continue investing in Ethan's project is making an enemy of me, Sophia. From this moment on, there will be no further business, not of any kind."

Ethan had clearly forgotten who the real boss was. After our son was born, I shifted my focus entirely to our family. Rumors spread that I had handed over all power to Ethan.

Every entrepreneur who had once prospered under my patronage began turning their backs on me, fawning over him instead, calling him "President Robinson" behind closed doors.

Some had even publicly confronted me just to curry favor with him.

It was time to remind them who was in charge.

Less than two seconds later, Ethan burst into the hospital room. "Sophia, have you lost your mind?! Are you trying to kill Amelia? She's a robot, without funding, she'll lose her entire means of survival! How is this any different from murder? You've lived with Amelia for months. Do you really feel nothing for her? She may not be perfect, but do you have to push her into a dead end?"

As he spoke more, his face seemed to redden with anger. "Sophia, I know you're still angry with me about Lucas. I was too harsh. I should have taken more time, been more patient. But isn't Amelia the same? I'm begging you, just give her a fraction of the patience you gave Lucas. She wouldn't be acting so unreasonably..."

Lucas! How dare he mention my son's name? He didn't deserve to speak it anymore.

I drew a deep breath and laid everything bare. "Ethan, stop pretending. I know the truth. Amelia is not a robot, she's your mistress."

For a split second, panic flickered across his face. But the moment he opened his mouth, it was to turn the blame back on me. "Sophia, I know you're upset, but you can't just make jokes like this."

His phone buzzed twice. Amelia's voice came through, syrupy and sweet. "Master, I'm craving Shrimp Tortellini. Can you go buy me some? Love you!"

I let out a hollow laugh. "Isn't Amelia supposed to be a robot? What does she need Shrimp Tortellini for? Shouldn't she be running on batteries?"

A sharp c***k split the air. My ears rang. My body flew sideways before I even registered what had happened.

Ethan had struck me with everything he had.

"Sophia, you're completely out of line! Amelia is just a robot! Stop acting like a lunatic!"

He was already turning away. "I don't have time for your nonsense anymore. You can't stay in this suite. I won't waste it on a diva like you."

He walked out. I hauled myself up and followed, not for him, but for my son.

I was going to the morgue. I was going to bring Lucas home.

But I was too late.

A team of staff was wheeling my son's body toward the cremation furnace.

"Stop! That's my child! You cannot cremate him. Not now!"

I lunged forward without thinking. Two burly staff members slammed me to the ground. "These are Mrs. Robinson's orders. Who the hell do you think you are?"

It was obvious. This was Amelia's doing. But I hadn't imagined that the moment Ethan walked away from me, he would let her take my place so completely, so quickly.

I fumbled for my phone to call the police. Instead, the screen lit up with news.

It was news about Ethan. He was on a broadcast with Amelia, presenting the "Humanoid Robot" he had developed.

"This robot should have been unveiled long ago," Ethan said on the broadcast. "But Sophia Robinson, the head of Campbell Group, wanted to keep it all for herself. She even colluded with other companies to block us. I had no choice but to take a leap and reveal the Humanoid Robot to the public first..."

The host leaned in, scenting scandal. "So, Mr. Robinson, I've heard this robot took you years to develop. During such a long and intimate development process... did you ever develop any unusual feelings towards her?"

Ethan only smiled. He didn't answer. That silence was its own confession.

And right beneath his trending topic, I saw my name.