Mr. CEO, Your Wife Has Wanted a Divorce for a Long Time Novel

---- Chapter 433 Franklin's gaze lingered on Maggie for two or three seconds before moving on. He looked as if he were absorbed in conversation, but Rex could see where his attention actually went. When Maggie and Johnny finished speaking with someone and moved away, Franklin's eyes would casually scan the room, as if searching for where she'd gone next. Maggie, meanwhile, was focused on hosting alongside Johnny and never noticed Franklin's attention. Rex felt anger flush hot in his chest. When Franklin's gaze came back and happened to meet his, Franklin offered Rex a polite nod and smile.

Rex's face darkened. The people around him noticed. "Rex, what's wrong?" ---- He forced himself to calm down and tamped the anger down. "Nothing." Franklin, for his part, nodded back lightly. Rex wanted to stand up for Julia-but he had no standing to do so. So even if he felt bad for her, he could only keep silent, just as he had when he'd first suspected something between Franklin and Maggie. But if Franklin really crossed a line- Rex's expression hardened as his gaze slid to Julia. Julia was smiling, as if she hadn't noticed a thing. As if that were possible.

She was more attuned to Franklin and Maggie's every move than he was. She had noticed Franklin's attention-and noticed it more often and more clearly than Rex had. ---- Her fingers tightened around her glass; the mechanical smile on her face was about to crack. Just then, her phone rang. After answering, her expression changed. "Okay, I understand. I'm on my way." That drew Franklin's attention back. "What is it?" "My grandmother was bumped into while walking in the neighborhood and fell. They're taking her to the hospital now. I'm worried.

I want to go check on her." "Tl go with you," Franklin said at once. Julia hesitated for a heartbeat, her nose stinging. She'd thought he would be reluctant to leave the banquet and wouldn't go with her. Then Franklin added, "Let's inform Mr. Gray first." "All right." ---- When they went over, Maggie and Johnny were speaking with Mr. Freeman, Jordan, and several other heavyweights. Julia had attended plenty of events with Franklin and knew what it felt like to stand among such people.

But- In settings like these, beyond the initial greetings, she had never been qualified to join their substantive conversations-much less be one of the focal points. Now, following Franklin, she saw Maggie standing among Mr. Freeman, Jordan, and the others, at ease and quick with a smile. The admiration from the business leaders was obvious, and Jordan-the New York politician-looked at Maggie with genuine warmth for a promising junior. Watching this, Julia suddenly felt that Maggie and men like Mr. Freeman and Jordan were... on equal footing.

Not like Julia had always been-just a decorative figure at ---- Franklin's side. Half of Cole belonged to Maggie. Even if she wasn't yet fully their peer in status, she already had the capital to sit with them and talk business as an equal.