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Chapter Twelve: The Countdown Begins
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2026-02-04 18:11:16
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The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Investor Dinner
Isla's POV:The investor dinner was smaller than I'd expected.Only twelve people in a private dining room at a restaurant so exclusive it didn't even have a sign outside.These were Callum's most important business partners, the people who'd helped fund Thorne Industries when it was just starting and still maintained significant stakes in the company.I sat beside Callum at the long table, nervous despite our practice session yesterday. His hand rested casually on my knee beneath the tablecloth where no one could see.The touch was warm and grounding, his thumb occasionally stroking small circles that sent warmth spreading through my entire body.The investors were curious about me but respectful in how they asked questions.They wanted to know about my background, my interests, how Callum and I had met. I responded through my phone's text-to-speech function and they listened attentively without making me feel rushed or awkward.Several of the older investors mentioned knowing my mo
The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty-Seven:Praticing Intimacy
Callum's POV:The investor dinner tomorrow required convincing affection.These weren't just business contacts we could fool with rehearsed smiles and practiced touches.These were people who'd known me for years, who'd watched me navigate my wife's death and single parenthood, who would spot fake intimacy immediately.Thursday evening I found Isla in the library reading and suggested we practice.The same way we'd rehearsed before the charity gala. She looked up from her book, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed me to the living room.But this time the stakes felt different. The air between us was already charged from everything that had happened this week.From late night confessions and morning awareness and interview questions that had revealed more than either of us intended.“Let's start simple,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady and professional. “Basic couple touches. The kind that happen naturally when two people are comfortable together.”I moved to stand b
The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty-Six: Morning After
Isla's POV:I woke up Wednesday morning with swollen eyes from crying and the memory of Callum's touch still burning on my cheeks.I'd shared more with him last night than I'd intended. Vulnerability I usually kept locked away had poured out in typed confessions while he sat across from me and listened without judgment.I'd told him about my mother's death and my father's blame and growing up feeling like a burden no one wanted.And he'd reached across the kitchen island and wiped my tears away so gently it had almost broken me completely.That touch had felt significant.It was different from all our practiced public appearances.It was different from the careful boundaries we'd agreed to in the contract.I got dressed slowly, taking extra time because I wasn't sure how to face him this morning. What did you say to someone who'd seen you fall apart? How did you act around them the next day?When I finally made myself go to the kitchen, he was already there making breakfast.He looked
The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty-Five: Late Night Confessions
Callum's POV:The security issue took hours to resolve.Arthur Brennan had tried to access his office building after hours, apparently attempting to destroy evidence before federal investigators could seize it.The building security had stopped him but not before he'd made it to the twentieth floor and broken into his own office. They'd found him trying to shred documents when security arrived.Now there were additional charges. Obstruction of justice. Evidence tampering. The prosecutors were pleased because it made their case even stronger, but it also created complications that required immediate attention.I spent hours on the phone with Margaret and James, coordinating with authorities and reviewing what Arthur had tried to destroy.Most of it was backed up in cloud storage anyway thanks to Patricia's meticulous documentation, but the attempt itself showed consciousness of guilt.By the time I finished and headed home, it was past midnight.I expected the penthouse to be complete
The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty Four: The Interview
Isla's POV:Rosie took the interview assignment very seriously.She spent fifteen minutes setting everything up in the living room, arranging pillows on the couch in a specific way to create what she called “the special interview spot.”She gathered her stuffed animals and positioned them around us like an audience. She found a hairbrush to use as a microphone and practiced holding it up importantly.Her seriousness about the whole thing was both adorable and terrifying.“Okay, you have to sit here,” she instructed, pointing at the couch. “Together. Like you're on TV.”Callum and I sat down where she indicated. We were not too close but not far apart. The middle ground we'd gotten good at maintaining.Rosie settled into the chair across from us with her notebook decorated with hearts and stars. She had her pencil ready and her worksheet with all the questions printed on it.“First question,” she announced formally, holding up the hairbrush. “Where did my parents meet?”“The hospital,”
The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife Chapter Fifty-Three: Jealousy
Callum's POV:I knew I was being irrational.Duane Ashford had seemed perfectly polite, professional even. The conversation with Isla had appeared completely innocent, just friendly discussion about the literacy program and her mother.Yet something about watching another man make Isla smile like that had triggered an uncomfortable feeling in my chest.Watching her relax and engage so naturally with someone who wasn't me. Seeing how easily they communicated, how comfortable she looked signing with someone who actually understood instead of waiting for typed responses.I told myself it was concern about public perception.We were supposed to be engaged. Having Isla look too friendly with other men could damage the narrative we'd built. People might question whether our relationship was real if she seemed interested in someone else.But that reasoning felt hollow even as I tried to convince myself it made sense.The truth was simpler and more complicated.I didn't like seeing her talk t
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