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CHAPTER 9
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2024-02-29 04:10:16
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The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 10
I leaned back in my chair, thinking it over as my father watched me patiently. On the one hand, the job sounded like it would keep me busy and allow me to flex my skills. But working so closely with my father also brought up worries. "Won't people think I only got the position because of nepotism?" I asked.My father waved away my worry. "Nonsense. You are more than qualified for the job based on your experience alone. And anyone who knows you and your skills will not question your abilities for a second."I had to admit, the thought of having purpose and independence again was extremely attractive after the chaos of recent weeks. And I knew my father would never coddle or baby me in the role - he would demand nothing but my best."Alright Dad, you've convinced me," I said with a smile. "I accept the job."My father let out a whoop of joy and rushed to hug me tightly. "Wonderful! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist it." He pulled back and looked proudly at me. "You won't regret thi
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-03The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 11
I startled at the voice behind me, quickly turning to see Charles Campbell. He looked neat and composed, despite the day's events."Mr. Campbell, you scared me half to death!" I clutched my chest, momentarily mistaking him for... well, never mind.He smiled "Oops, didn't mean to play peek-a-boo! Just wanted to give my best wishes before heading off.""Thank you, I'm glad it all came together in the end." I sighed, tiredness suddenly catching up to me.Charles viewed me thoughtfully. "You work far too hard, Miss De Rossi. You must allow yourself to relax and recover on occasion as well."I opened my mouth to protest but he held up a hand to stop me. "Which is why I insist you join me for a celebration drink. One drink and then I'll let you be on your way, I promise."Exhausted from the day's chaos, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the man who'd repeatedly helped me out of jams. Charles Campbell, a name etched surpri
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-06The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 12
The taxi filled the air as I stared out the window, lost in thought. The city lights sparkled below, like diamonds scattered across a dark cloth. Each twinkling light seemed to hold a story, and mine was taking a surprising turn.The journey felt long, and my mind raced. Charles had challenged the walls I'd built around myself. He was both charming and mysterious, which made me nervous but excited at the same time. As my defenses weakened, I started to wonder if it was safe to let myself be open to him. Old hurts weren't easy to forget.A few days later, Nathan called again. Honestly, at first I wasn't really interested in Charles, I just wanted Nathan's attention back. But now I don't know what to feel about him. When I saw his name on my phone, I felt a mix of things: annoyed, curious, and a little bit sad about the way things used to be.I hesitated before answering. "Nathan?""Agatha, I'm glad you answered," he said quickly. He didn't sound as arrogan
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-08The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 13
I stormed out of the restaurant, heart pounding. How dare Nathan warn me about Charles while flirting with his fiancee? And the nerve of him digging up old memories! Did he think I'd forgotten his betrayal? No way was I letting him back in. He'd burned that bridge.But on the taxi ride home, doubts emerged. What if Nathan was partially right? I recalled glimpses of darkness in Charles, moments when his charm faltered. Could he be violent and manipulative? A shiver ran down my spine despite the warm taxi air.By the time I reached home, my head throbbed with confusion. I'd tried to hurt Nathan by getting close to Charles, but the situation was a tangled mess. Truth and lies were blurred. Sleep was impossible. My mind replayed every tense conversation with Nathan and Charles, searching for the truth beneath their words. The next few days were a blur of work, as I ignored calls from both men. I needed space to think clearly. Then, one afternoon, rushing back from a meeting, I bumped int
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-11The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 14
I thought carefully about what Charles said. Partnering with Nathan's enemy was the best way to hurt him, if that's what I really wanted. And having Charles on my side instead of against could make NexGen even bigger than Dad ever dreamed."I think," I finally said, looking Charles in the eye, "this could be a very profitable deal for everyone involved." I raised my glass of champagne. "To new beginnings."Charles smiled widely, almost like a wolf. He clinked his glass against mine. "To new beginnings," he repeated.His eyes seemed to sparkle under the candlelight, like they were hungry. Maybe it was the wine, but they felt...intense.I hid a shiver and took a big sip of my drink, trying to hide my cheeks turning red. This was it. There was no going back. Joining forces with Charles meant going against Nathan's warnings, but for some reason, I didn't care anymore.I knew who I was fighting for now, and I would do whatever it took to protect them. Tonight was just the beginning. The g
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-14The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 15
I finally realized that trying to play nice with Nathan wasn't working. He only wanted to be difficult and make things messy. If he wanted to drag things out and scare me, then I wouldn't be nice anymore. It was time to fight back.I remembered something from a few years ago, a rainy spring night. I was cleaning the living room in Richards's mansion. I hated that room, with all the gold decorations and giant paintings of his ancestors staring down at me like they were judging me. While I was dusting some awful statues, I accidentally heard Nathan and his father arguing in the office next door. They were talking loud, and I could hear everything they said."This is ridiculous, Dad!" Nathan was yelling. "I won't let you make secret deals with those criminals!""Watch your tone, son," his father, Nathan Sr. said angrily. "It's just a deal, nothing more. I'm not actually selling them weapons tecnology."I stopped dusting right away. Weapons? What was he talking about?"Don't pretend you d
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-16The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 16
Nathan POV:My day started like any other. I woke up next to Camille, who was glowing and already showing our baby bump. She was happily browsing a wedding magazine, talking excitedly about lace versus satin. While she chattered, I got dressed for boring meetings about expanding our "RetinaBank" system. Just another normal day, full of usual problems.I didn't know then how quickly things would change. It was like a calm moment before a storm.I was drinking coffee and checking the company's finances when my phone went crazy. Texts flew in, emails kept dinging, and unknown numbers kept calling. Before I even understood what was happening, Dad's face appeared on my phone screen, looking stressed."What's going on with RetinaBank?!" he yelled without even saying hello. "The whole system crashed!"I felt a knot form in my stomach. This couldn't be real. "I don't get it," I said carefully. "Everything was working fine when I left yesterday. Did the team overseas upload bad code?""I wish
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-20The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 17
Agatha POV:Charles and I were seated in our usual quiet corner at the restaurant, away from other people. The light from the fancy chandelier cast dancing shadows on his face as he smiled at me across the table."You look beautiful tonight, Agatha," he said softly. He picked up my hand and kissed the back of it gently. "That green dress looks amazing on you." I felt a tingle when he touched me, and I noticed our knees were almost touching under the table. "You too, Mr. Campbell," I said, trying not to sound too eager. I ran my finger around the edge of my wine glass. "Actually, some ladies were staring at you quite a lot when we walked in."He raised one eyebrow playfully. "Oh really? Are you jealous already? We just got the appetizers." He lightly touched the inside of my wrist with his thumb and lowered his voice. "I hope you know you have all my attention tonight."My heart beat faster as he touched me. I gently pulled my hand away and took a sip of wine to hide my blush. "Spea
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-03-24
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The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 123
Charles POV:The sharp click of the phone disconnecting echoed in the sudden silence of my office.Agatha stood frozen, the color drained from her face, her eyes wide with a horror that mirrored the jolt of pure panic shooting through my own system.Lena Moretti. That interfering, sharp-tongued lawyer.What the hell had she just told Agatha? Something about Nathan, clearly. Something devastating, judging by Agatha's reaction.My mind raced, calculating angles, assessing damage, scrambling for control. This was bad. This could undo everything."Agatha, what is it?" I demanded, striding towards her. "What did she say?"I snatched the phone f
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 122
Agatha POV:"Lena," I answered, my voice tight, trying to sound normal, professional, acutely aware of Charles standing rigidly by the window, his back to me, but radiating tension like a high-voltage wire. "What is it? What leak?""Agatha," Lena’s voice was low, urgent, stripped of its usual calm professionalism. It sounded… strained. Scared. "Are you sitting down? Are you alone?"My heart lurched. "No, Charles is here," I whispered, glancing nervously towards his still figure. "Why? Lena, what's happened?""Okay," Lena took a deep breath, the sound crackling slightly over the line. "Okay. Just… listen. Don't react if you can help it. This is… bad, Agatha. Really bad.""Lena, you're scaring me. Tell me." My knuckles wer
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 121
Agatha POV:"...so if we shift the Q4 projections for the micro-optics division slightly, it buys us breathing room with the Tanaka investment without raising immediate red flags for the rest of the board." Charles tapped a pen against the polished surface of my desk â Dadâs desk â his brow furrowed in concentration. Heâd shown up unannounced an hour ago, ostensibly to discuss NexGen strategy, though his presence always felt like more than just business these days. Ever since the hospital, since Dad started recoveringâĶ things between Charles and me wereâĶ complicated. Strained. He acted like everything was fine, like our brief intimacy had sealed something permanent, but I kept pulling back, needing space he seemed unwilling to grant."It's aggressive, Charles," I countered, leaning back in my chair, trying to focus on the figures heâd laid out, not on the way his knee occasionally brushed mine under the desk. "Moving those projections relies heavily on the successful rollout of Pha
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 120
Nathan POV:The chipped Formica tabletop felt gritty beneath my elbows.Outside the grimy window of this third-rate apartment Manuel had dug up, the city skyline was a distant, mocking silhouette.No penthouse views here. Just peeling paint, the lingering smell of stale cigarettes, and the constant drip, drip, drip from a leaky faucet in the kitchenette sink â a fitting soundtrack to the wreckage of my life.After knocking James Wei out cold back in his NYC office, Iâd made that frantic call to Campbell, thinking I could leverage what I knew, maybe force an alliance against Wei. What a joke. Campbell had probably laughed after hanging up.Iâd grabbed Weiâs burner phone â the one he used for his dirtiest dealings â and bolted, getting o
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 119
Agatha POV:The automatic doors of St. Jude's Hospital slid open with a quiet whoosh, admitting us into the familiar chill of conditioned air, tinged with the unavoidable scent of antiseptic and floor cleaner.Beside me, Charles radiated an almost unnerving enthusiasm, a stark contrast to the knot of apprehension tightening in my stomach."Ready, darling?" He placed a hand on the small of my back, a proprietary gesture that had become disturbingly frequent."Aldo's going to be so thrilled to see you looking so well. And to hear our news, of course.""Charles, we talked about this," I started, trying to keep my voice low, even. "I don't think today is the day to…""Nonsense," he inter
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 118
Agatha POV:The spoon felt unnaturally heavy in my hand, the mint chocolate chip ice cream cloyingly sweet on my tongue.Usually, it was my comfort food, my go-to indulgence after a stressful day. Tonight, each spoonful felt like swallowing lead.Across the low coffee table in my living room – Dad’s living room, technically, though I’d started thinking of the mansion as mine these days – Charles beamed, digging into his own bowl with gusto.He’d arrived exactly an hour after my text, a pint of the most expensive artisanal mint chip available clutched in one hand and a bouquet of pale pink roses, my favorites, in the other. The perfect picture of the doting, attentive partner.My skin prickled.
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 117
Agatha POV:"Everything looks perfectly healthy, Ms. De Rossi. Strong fetal development, right on track for ten weeks."Dr. Williams smiled warmly, adjusting the ultrasound wand slightly. On the screen, a tiny, flickering shape pulsed – a small miracle, a terrifying reality. My reality."See, Agatha? Perfect." Charles squeezed my hand, his voice radiating a proud, almost proprietary warmth that made my skin crawl.He leaned closer to the screen, his expression intense, focused."Heartbeat looks strong, wouldn't you say, Doctor? Any potential complications we should be aware of? Given Agatha's… history?"
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 116
Charles POV:Agatha stood before me, pale, defiant, her words a physical blow: My baby. I don't plan to register you as the father.Panic, cold and sharp, pierced through the red haze of my anger. Take my child away? Erase me from their life? Let me walk away and marry some suitable drone my father approved of? The very idea was unthinkable, a violation so profound it shook me to my core.No. Never.The anger, the explosive rage that had surged moments before, receded as quickly as it came, replaced by a desperate, clawing fear. Fear of losing her. Fear of losing thisâĶ this unexpected, terrifying, miraculous connection. Our child.
The Ex-Wife Seeks Revenge   CHAPTER 115
Agatha POV:"Yes, Doctor Williams, thank you for calling back so quickly." I paced the length of my living room, the plush rug doing little to cushion the nervous energy thrumming through me. "Of course, Ms. De Rossi," Dr. Williams' voice came through the phone, calm and professional, yet with an underlying note of somethingâĶ unusual. "I just wanted to follow up on our conversation from yesterday. And alsoâĶ to mention something a bit odd.""Odd?" My grip tightened on the phone. "What is it?""Well, shortly after you left the clinic yesterday, a man came in asking questions. About you."My blood ran cold. "Asking questions? What kind of questions?""He wasâĶ persistent," the doctor continued, her voice hesitant. "Asked about the nature of your visit, your overall health, even tried to inquire about future appointments. Said he was a concerned 'family friend'."Family friend. The phrase hit me like a physical blow. Charles. It had to be Charles. Nathan was gone. James was subtle, a ma
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