Library
Search
Home / Romance / Once my Wife / Chapter 20: The Unseen Strings

Share

Chapter 20: The Unseen Strings

Author: Frank J.P
last update Last Updated: 2025-06-08 11:29:10

The media firestorm surrounding Reed International had escalated into a full-scale siege. Headlines blared fresh accusations daily; corporate misconduct, internal sabotage, and even whispers of federal investigations. Behind the chaos, George Reed’s hidden network operated with surgical precision, pulling invisible strings and manipulating public perception like a master puppeteer.

Jason had bought a sliver of time with a narrow board vote of confidence barely enough to breathe. His office became a war room, cluttered with documents, transaction maps, and red-eyed associates fighting to trace the poison bleeding into the company’s core. He stood before a digital board, outlining the web of financial manipulation and media leaks.

“They’re shorting the stock, controlling the narrative, and manufacturing panic,” Jason said, his voice low and grim. “This isn’t just an attack, it’s a hostile operation. They’re trying to destroy Reed International from the inside out, force a devaluation, a
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 63: The Aftershocks

    "You think it’s over, Jason? It’s never over."Dean Carter’s voice still echoed in Jason’s mind, even though the man was sitting behind steel bars miles away. It wasn’t just a threat, it was a promise.The world had learned the truth. The smiling pediatric surgeon who had saved hundreds of children was, in reality, "The Architect" a ruthless manipulator who had been pulling strings behind closed doors for years. The revelation hit New York like a bomb. News channels ran endless loops of his smiling face next to grainy security footage of his arrest. Social media exploded. Stock markets trembled before rallying hard behind Reed & Co., and for once, Jason’s name was linked to victory instead of scandal.But victories like this came with aftershocks and those could be deadlier than the quake itself.Jason leaned against the tinted glass of his office window, the city’s lights flickering far below. He didn’t feel victorious. Not yet. Not when the people who had tried to destroy him still

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 62: The Rescue and the Reveal

    “Stay where you are.”Dean’s voice was quiet, but it carried the kind of weight that made the air feel heavy. The gun in his hand was steady, the black metal catching the studio light. His shoes made almost no sound as he edged toward the door, every step measured, like he’d already planned his next ten moves.Bella’s fingers twitched. Her mind was screaming at her to act before he left. Then her gaze fell on the bronze sculpture on the side table. It was heavy, sharp-edged, solid enough to break bone.Her pulse thundered. No time to think. She grabbed it.The cold metal bit into her palms as she swung with everything she had.Dean was quicker than she expected. At the last second, he twisted, the sculpture glancing off his shoulder instead of smashing into the back of his skull.A guttural cry ripped from him as he staggered, his free hand clutching the spot where she’d hit.“Bitch!” he spat, spinning, the rage on his face almost animal. The gun snapped up, aimed squarely at her.Her

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 61: The Golden Cage

    What had once been Dean Carter’s peaceful, art-filled studio now felt like a trap. Bella could barely breathe. Her whole body trembled. Her mind kept flashing back at every warm smile, every reassuring word, every moment Dean had shown her kindness.Now they all felt fake.“You?” she whispered, her voice dry and cracking like old glass. “It was… you all along?”Dean didn’t flinch. His expression had changed completely. The gentle, soft-spoken man she thought she knew was gone. In his place stood someone cold, sharp, and frighteningly calm.“Not George?” she asked again, backing away. “Not even Thorne?”Dean’s lips curled, but there was no real smile. “George Reed? A smart man, I’ll give him that. But ultimately, he was just a hammer in a world that requires a scalpel. He had no vision, only ego. That made him easy to predict. Easy to replace.”He motioned toward the divorce papers still sitting on the table, the ones Bella hadn’t signed yet. Her name, Jason’s, the company transfer...

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 60: A Cruel Trap

    “Jason… he’s not who you think he is. None of this is what you think it is.”Bella froze.Dean’s voice was calm, smooth like a soft hand covering a knife.Jason Reed had faced betrayals, lies, and battles that would have broken most men. But nothing compared to what he now knew: George Reed, his own father, was "The Architect", the man behind years of secrets, pain, and manipulation. It shook him to his core. Still, he refused to crumble.Instead, it sharpened him.He was no longer just a man defending his company. He was a man hunting a ghost in plain sight.Jason and Ryan worked around the clock, digging deep into George’s hidden accounts and offshore shells. There were dozens of them, scattered across the globe. And now, those same assets were being funneled through Arthur Thorne; George’s puppet in a new empire. An empire Jason had to stop from rising.“George is building again,” Jason muttered one night, eyes locked on his laptop screen. “This time through Thorne. But it’s the s

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 59: The Serpent in the Garden

    "You're not going to believe this," Jason said, his voice low and shaking, the files still open on the screen.Bella looked up from the couch, her eyes tired. "What now?"Jason didn’t speak right away. He just stared at her, almost afraid to say the words out loud.Then he said it."It's my father. George. He’s the Architect."Bella blinked, confused. “What?”Jason stepped closer, tapping the tablet with a trembling finger. “He’s behind everything. Every attack. Every manipulation. Every time we thought we were winning or losing... it was all him.”There was a heavy pause as Bella tried to process what she’d just heard. “But... he’s sick. He’s in a hospital bed. How…”“He never stopped pulling strings, Bella. Never. He was using me. And you…” Jason’s voice cracked. “He called you the ultimate sacrifice.”Bella’s breath caught. Her hands began to tremble. “He wants to destroy me,” she whispered, more to herself than him. “He blames me for everything. For you becoming your own man. For

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 58: The Unveiling of the Architect

    “They voted you out?” Bella’s voice cracked like glass, her eyes wide with disbelief.Jason didn’t answer right away. He dropped his blazer onto the couch and stared blankly out the penthouse window, the New York skyline glowing like nothing had happened. Like the world hadn’t just shifted beneath his feet.“Jason,” she said again, this time softer, stepping closer, trying to read his face.He finally turned. His expression was hollow, his voice like gravel. “Not completely out. Just… pushed aside. Temporarily.”“Temporarily?”He nodded. “They passed the no-confidence vote. Barely. I have to step back while some ‘independent committee’ investigates.”“So who’s in charge now?”“Ryan Cole. Interim CEO.”Bella exhaled. Relief and frustration fought inside her. “Well… that’s not the worst option. Ryan’s loyal. That gives us time, right?”Jason didn’t answer. He walked past her, straight into the bedroom, and closed the door behind him.The next few hours passed in silence.Jason didn’t co

More Chapters

You may also like

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status