APTER037 ADRIANSPOV ThemediahadbeenbuzzingeversincethephotoofOliviaandJulianhugginghadsurfaced.Theywantedanswers,andIwasmorethanreadytogivethemexactly whattheyneededtohear.
Icouldhaveeasilytakenthephotodownandburieditbeforeitcausedanydamage, butIdidnt.Ileftitthereonpurpose.
Thephotowasaweapon,oneIintended tousetomyadvantage.
Ikeptmyfaceneutral,takingamomenttoletthesilencestretchbeforeanswering.
Tobehonest,Ifeltdisappointedthatmywifewouldeventhinkofdoingsomethinglikethis,Isaid,lettingmyvoicedropslightly,justenoughtomakeitsoundlikeIwasdeeplyhurt.Amanbetrayed.
Themurmursamongthereportersgrewlouder.Thecameraszoomedin,capturingeveryflickerofmyexpression.Iwasntjustspeaking tothemIwasspeakingtotheentireworld.
So,areyousayingshemightbehavinganaffairwiththemaninthephoto?anotherreporterpressed.
Isighed,runningahandthroughmyhair asifIwerestrugglingtocometotermswithit myself.
Idontknow,Iadmitted.IthoughtIknewmywife,butitsclearthatIdont.Itmightjustbeahug,butitstillfeelslikeabetrayal.Andnooneknowsifthisisjustthebeginningoriftheresmore.
Awaveofchatterspreadthroughthecrowd.Somereportersnoddedknowingly,theirmindsalreadyspinningnarrativesfarworsethanwhatwasactuallyimplying.Good.ThatwasexactlywhatIwanted.
Yesterday,theWXSIstock(WestwoodIndustries)droppedby20%.Canyouexplainwhy?anotherreporterasked.
Iletoutanothercalculatedsigh.

Well,yousee,itallcomesbacktowhatmywifedid,Isaid.Afterthephotowentpublic,someofmyinvestorsbecameskeptical.Theystartedpullingtheirfundsout,whichcausedtheWXSIto dropmassively.Thisisntjustaboutpersonalmattersanymoreitsaffectingmycompany,myemployees,thepeoplewhorelyonme.Theshiftintonewasimmediate.Successfullyunlocked!tjustlookingatabetrayedhusbandanymoretheywerelooutapocomanwhohadbeenwronged,someonewhowasnowforcedtomakedifficultdecisions.
ப Andwhatdoyouintendto doaboutallofthis?anotherreporterasked.
CHAPTER037 Iexhaledsharply,then straightenedmyshoulders.
Well,Inoticedthatweweregrowingdistant.Therewasacrackinourmarriage,andthatphotoonlyconfirmedmysuspicions,Isaid,pausingjustlongenoughtobuildsuspense.Ihavetodowhatsbestformycompany,myemployees,andmyself.SoIlldotheonlythingIcan.
Anotherpause.Icouldseetheanticipationintheireyes.
Imlettinghergo.Idontthinkwecancarryonwith thismarriageanylonger.
Themomentthewordsleftmymouth,awaveofgaspsrippledthroughthereporters.Thequestionsstartedpouringin,theirvoicesrisingoveroneanother.
Are youfilingfordivorce? DoesOliviaknow? Isthereanychanceofreconciliation? Iignoredthem.Mysecurityteamsteppedin,makingwayformetopassthroughthecrowd.IkeptmyfaceimpassiveasIwalkedintothebuilding,butinside,Iwas smirking.
Theyhadtakenthebait.
BythetimeIreachedtheelevators,Iallowedmyselfasmall,satisfiedsmile.TheentireworldnowbelievedIwasheartbrokenandreadytoendmymarriage.Butinreality,Iwasjustgettingstarted.Oliviawasntgoinganywhere.NotuntilIwasdonewithherandherfamily.
WhenIenteredmyoffice,Jameswasalreadywaitingforme.
Goodmorning,hegreetedmeasIremovedmytrenchcoatandhungitontherack.

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James,Ihopeyousleptwell,I said,pouringmyselfa glassofwhiskey.
Yes,Idid,hereplied.ButAdrian,weneedtotalk.
yes wehavealottotalkabout,hastheproblemwiththeinvestorsbeentakencareof?1askedwhilepouringmyselfaglassofwhiskey.
Yestheirbeinghandled,butthatsnotthemaintopic,Jamessaid.
Iglancedathim,raisingabrow Andwhatis?Iasked, Whatyousaidoutside,hesaid.
Itookasipofmydrinkandleanedagainstmydesk.
YoutoldthemediayouredonewithOlivia.Areyouactuallyplanningtodivorceher? Jamesasked,watching mecarefully.
I rolledmyeyes.Jameswasagoodman,buthedidntknowthefullpicture.HedidntknowwhattheGraysonsdid.Hedidntknowthatthiswaspersonal,andIdidntwant 2/3 CHAPTER037 himtoknowbecauseifhedidhewouldprobablytellmeto Iknowthingslookrough,butthatdoesntmeanyoushouldjustendyourmarriage.Youtwoshouldatleasttrytalkingthingsout,Jamessaid.
1scoffed.
Look,James,Oliviabetrayedme,Isaid,swirlingthewhiskeyinmyglass.AndIcantforgivethat.Theresnofixingourmarriage.
Myphonebuzzed,andwhenIcheckedthescreen,IsawamessagefromMrs.GraysonOliviasmother.
Figures.

Theymusthaveseenthenews.
Iopenedthemessage.
WeneedtocomeoverandspeakwithyouandOlivia.
Ismirked.Theywerealreadypanicking.Good.
Itypedoutaquickreply: Sure.Illbeexpectingyouthisweek,maam.
ThenIputmyphoneaway.
Theywantedaconversation?Fine.Iwasmorethanhappytoentertainthem.Afterall, IwasntjustaimingtobreakOliviaIwasaimingtodestroytheentireGraysonfamilyfromtheinside.
DORASPOV Sittinginfrontofmymakeupmirror,Icarefullyappliedafreshcoatofmascaratomylashes.Myreflection staredbackatme,flawlessasever.
IhadntgoneovertoAdriansplacesinceourspecialnight,butthatdidntmeanIhadntthoughtaboutit.Abouthim.
Itriedreachingoutafewdaysago,buthedidntanswer.AndIunderstoodwhy.
Hewasstilldealingwithhismomsdeath.Butthatwasafewdaysago.Ihadgivenhimenoughspace.
Now, itwastimeformetogooverthereandremindhimexactlywherehisattentionshouldbe.
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