INICIAR SESIÓN"That document from Clarissa's safe was just an old warehouse lease agreement, sir."Marcus's voice on the other end of the line made Alexander let out a long sigh. Alexander rested his back against the headboard, rubbing his exhausted face. The stranger who had called him a few minutes ago was merely one of Clarissa's henchmen, trying to pull off one last bluff before getting tossed into a holding cell."So it's really all over?" Alexander asked, switching off the speakerphone."Cleaned up completely, sir," Marcus answered steadily. "The police have closed this sabotage case. All of Clarissa's evidence has been seized, and our legal team is ensuring she won't be getting out anytime soon.""Good. Turn off your phone and don't contact me until the day after tomorrow, Marcus."Alexander turned off his phone and set it on the nightstand. He turned around, pulling Selena back into his arms. Selena smiled, resting her head against the warmth of Alexander's broad chest."Who was on the phon
"Are you here looking for the truth, or do you just need gossip to boost your circulation?"Selena's voice echoed firmly through the dozens of microphones lined up across the press conference podium. The main hall on the ground floor of the headquarters building fell instantly silent. Hundreds of camera flashes that had been firing relentlessly were now turned fully toward the woman standing gracefully beside Alexander.A male journalist wearing glasses in the front row raised his hand high. "Mrs. Selena, the altered documents stated that your marriage was merely a cover for an acquisition. Do you truly deny those allegations?"Selena stepped forward, looking straight into the main camera lenses. "My marriage is not a trade commodity. Alexander never forced me or seized my family's assets. The documents circulating in the media this morning were the result of Clarissa's manipulation, deliberately sold to the press to damage the company's stock price."A noisy murmur filled the room. S
"Our stock has dropped twelve percent in thirty minutes, sir!"Marcus hurried into Alexander's study, disregarding etiquette. He thrust forward a tablet displaying a sharp red graph plunging downward. At the top of the screen, a bold headline dominated the national business news portal.Asset Fraud Scandal: Utama Group CEO Allegedly Falsified Acquisition Documents and Exploited Marriage for Shares.Alexander stood up from the sofa, quickly adjusting his trousers. His face darkened as he read the headline. "Who leaked this to the public media?""The major news portals received those fake documents early this morning, sir," Marcus answered, his voice trembling under the strain. "Not only that. Rumors regarding an investigation by the authorities have already spread among key investors."Selena, still sitting on the sofa, pulled a thin blanket up to cover her chest. She stared at the tablet screen from a distance, then shifted her gaze to Alexander's expression. The tension that had brie
"Answer me, Alex! Don't just stand there staring at me like that!"Selena screamed, her shrill voice shattering the suffocating silence of the study. Her chest heaved unevenly. The tears she had been holding back finally broke free, streaming down cheeks flushed with anger and heartbreak.Alexander did not budge. His gaze remained locked on Selena’s glistening eyes. "I love you, Selena. God as my witness, not a single piece of paper in those files changes the fact that I've loved you from the very beginning.""Then why did you hide it?" Selena stepped forward, her palm striking Alexander's chest. The slap echoed sharply through the quiet room. "Why did you let me feel like an idiot for years? You bought those shares before proposing to me! You orchestrated everything!"Alexander took the blow without flinching, letting Selena vent her rage. "I hid it because I knew you would react like this. Your father begged me to save the company without letting you know. He didn't want you feeling
"When did you realize you were just a piece in his business expansion plan?"Clarissa placed a thick brown envelope on the glass table. The soft clink of the glass colliding with the tips of her red-manicured fingernails made Selena flinch. The café in the corner of the city was quiet, decorated only with the clinking of spoons and soft instrumental music that failed to soothe the tension between them.Selena stared at the envelope, then turned her gaze to Clarissa’s calm, unruffled face. "What do you mean, Clarissa? Don't start your new games here."Clarissa chuckled softly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just open it. Don't pretend to be blind simply because you enjoy playing the role of a successful businessman's wife."Selena's fingers trembled slightly as she slid the envelope closer. She untied the string and pulled out the stack of papers inside. The contents consisted of stock transaction documents, a draft of a prenuptial agreement she had never seen before, and records o
"Let go of my hand, Alexander. Don't touch me right now," I said softly, pulling my wrist free from his grip the moment the door to our penthouse apartment clicked firmly shut.Alexander held the newly locked door, looking at me with a tense expression. "Selena, listen to me first. The party tonight was purely a business formality.""A formality?" I let out a faint, bitter smile, throwing my handbag onto the sofa with force. "Do you think I'm blind? I saw how Clarissa intentionally touched your arm while discussing the investment clauses. I saw the way she looked at you as if I wasn't standing right beside you."Alexander stepped toward me quickly, closing the distance between us. His hands reached out to catch both of my shoulders, holding me firmly to keep me from turning away."She did that on purpose to provoke you, Selena," Alexander whispered, his voice deep and tight with restrained pressure. "Clarissa is nobody to me anymore. Nothing that woman does can ever change how I feel
"He just wants to control my life, Mom! Why can't you see that?!"My voice shook as I fought back tears, pressing the phone hard against my ear. I paced back and forth across my bedroom, gripping the hem of my shirt with my free hand."Selena, listen to me. Alexander has your best interests at hear
"What the hell did you do to me?!"My voice shrilled, shattering the quiet of his study as I slammed the door hard enough to rattle against the wall.I stood in the doorway, bracing myself against the teak frame. I gripped the wood with everything I had. My head throbbed violently, as if hit by a b
"Where the hell is she?!" Alexander roared, his voice cutting through the study like a block of ice.The clock on the wall already read three in the morning. I had turned off my phone at midnight on purpose, forcing him to deploy his entire security detail to scour the city.Meanwhile, inside the d
"She is absolutely impossible, Alexander. I don't know what else to do about that stubborn attitude of hers,” Mother complained from the living room.I stopped in the hallway after quietly closing the front door behind me. It was already late at night. I had just returned from spending time with so







