Semua Bab Goodbye, Mr. Ex, I’ve Married Your Uncle : Bab 41 - Bab 50

Caden’s POV.The shift in the office was subtle at first.Ezra barely nodded at me that morning, and one of the senior analysts—a man who once cornered me in a hallway begging for a promotion, didn’t even bother looking up or greet me when I walked past his desk.Pathetic.I used to demand all the attention around here. I was respected. But now?Now all the praise circled around Scarlett. Suddenly, she was this standout employee—quick to learn, efficient, and apparently irreplaceable.There was also gossip starting to fly around about me—of me supposedly having a record for assault. This started right after that darn woman humiliated me in front of the entire office!I thought back to what she had spoken out loud—with every intention to make me look like a fool in front of everyone. “Mr. Rosenthal, don’t you think being this close to a woman without consent is inappropriate?”Making it appear as if I was sexually harassing her.Gah!It made my blood boil just to think about how it wen

Scarlett’s POV.I didn’t understand it.Why had dinner with Helena bothered him so much?Leon wasn’t the type to be emotional, much less reactive. But the second I mentioned I’d be going out with Caden’s secretary, something shifted in him. His expression didn’t change much, but his tone did.I told myself I was imagining it—at first. Maybe it was stress, or the pressure of back-to-back meetings, or the stack of documents waiting on his desk.But the way he was looking at me at that moment told me otherwise. I stood there a second longer, then said, “Are you just in a mood today, or is there something specific bothering you?”His eyes flicked up from the screen, landing on me without hesitation.“It’s not that,” he replied.I raised a brow. “So what is it, then?”He set his pen down. “I understand why you’re doing it. You want to get back at Caden. You think if you stay close to the people around him, you’ll have more control over him. Leverage, even.”I folded my arms. “So, you’re un

Scarlett’s POV.As soon as Helena and I parted ways outside the station, I called Olivia.It had been a while since I last saw her, but she picked up on the second ring.“I’m in the mood to complain,” I sighed into the receiver. “Are you free right now?”“I’m always free for complaints,” she replied. “Same place as always?”“Same place.”By the time I got to the bar, she was already there waiting— in the same booth we always sat in near the back, her legs crossed and one eyebrow raised like she already knew something was wrong.“You look like hell,” she said flatly. There were two glasses of water waiting on the table. She picked up one and handed it to me, saying, “Start talking.”“Thanks.” I smiled as I took the glass. She always remembered. I hadn’t been a drinker before the pregnancy, and nothing had changed.Taking a sip on my water, I slid into the seat across from her. “I got an invite to the Glenhurst reunion.”“What?” She sat forward, her expression darkening slightly. “Are yo

Scarlett’s POV.“You’re seriously throwing me out because you think this necklace is fake?” I asked, placing a hand on my hip and another defensively over my belly. “Since when is that acceptable?”The two security guards exchanged a quick look, appearing uncomfortable.I didn’t give them the chance to stumble through a weak excuse. Instead, I reached into my handbag, pulled out my phone, and tapped the screen. The digital invitation was already open—I’d expected something like this. I held it up for both guards to see.“Here’s my name. Here’s the university seal. Here’s the RSVP code they sent me two weeks ago. You want me to scroll through the entire email thread as well?”A wave of whispers swept through the room. I didn’t bother turning to the growing crowd behind me. “You were saying?” I asked pointedly, eyes locked on the taller guard.He glanced away. Of course, just like back when I attended Glenhurst—when someone would do something wrongful toward me, it would be deemed accep

Scarlett’s POV.Leon’s hand remained curled around mine, not speaking right away. He just looked at me, gaze assessing. Then he gave the smallest nod.“I should’ve come sooner,” he spoke quietly. “I won’t let you be cornered like that again.”His tone was matter-of-fact, but there was something behind it. It sounded a lot like frustration, regret—and guilt.Taken aback, the smile slipped from my lips. I honestly didn’t know what to say to that, so I just nodded.He added, “From now on, you don’t come to places like this alone. Not since you seem to constantly be the main attraction for bullies. I won’t stand for it anymore.”That stopped me. My chest tightened for a moment, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of what he said, or the way he said it—like it wasn’t up for debate. Like I was someone worth protecting.Across from us, Olivia watched the exchange with a strange softness in her expression. For once, she didn’t crack a joke or roll her eyes. She just gave me a small smile befo