Semua Bab The CEO's Contractual Wife: Bab 301 - Bab 310

VictoriaI sat in my living room, scrolling through business news on my tablet. The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting everything in harsh clarity that matched my mood perfectly. Another article about Alexander Carter's latest triumph. Stock prices are climbing. Board members are practically writing love letters about his strategic vision. I threw the tablet across the room. It hit the wall with a satisfying crack, the screen spidering into a thousand fractures. "Was that really necessary?" Thomas asked from his position at the dining table, laptop open in front of him. "Shut up." He knew better than to push when I got like this. Smart man. That's why I married him, among other reasons. I paced to the bar cart, poured myself three fingers of scotch despite it being barely nine in the morning, and drank half of it in one swallow. "Victoria," Thomas started carefully, "maybe you should—" "I said shut up!" I whirled on him, scotch sloshing over

OliviaI took the box, trembling, and flipped open the lid. Inside lay a delicate bracelet, white gold set with emeralds that matched my dress. It was elegant, understated, and probably expensive. "Alex, this is too much." "It's not nearly enough." He took the bracelet from the box, reaching for my wrist. "May I?" I extended my arm, watching as he fastened the clasp. The emeralds caught the candlelight, sparkling against my skin. "It's beautiful," I whispered. "So are you." His fingers traced the bracelet, then trailed up my arm. "I wanted you to have something that reminded you of tonight." "I'm not going to forget tonight." "Good." He stood, offering his hand. "Dance with me?" I glanced around the empty restaurant. "There's no music." As if on cue, soft jazz began playing from hidden speakers. Of course, he'd arranged that too. I took his hand, letting him pull me to my feet. We moved to an open space near the table, his arm coming around my waist as we began to sway. "Yo

OliviaI shook my head violently, physically trying to dislodge the doubt. That was what they wanted. They wanted me to question myself, to fail, to prove their ugly assumptions correct. Screw that. I grabbed my phone and purse, needing air, needing space to think away from these four walls that suddenly felt suffocating. The Cornerstone files could wait an hour. Outside, the morning sun hit my face, warm and reassuring. I walked for a while, letting my feet carry me without any real destination in mind. The sidewalks were already filling with the morning rush, people clutching coffee cups and staring at their phones. I needed space. Needed air. Needed to think about anything except those comments and the poison they were spreading through my brain. Eventually, I found myself standing outside a café I'd never been to before. Through the windows, I could see people scattered at tables, the warm glow of pendant lights creating pockets of intimacy in the modern space. Perfect. I p

OliviaEmilia was quiet for a beat. When she spoke again, her voice was firm. "You listen to me, Olivia Morgan-Carter. You earned every single thing you have. You worked your ass off for years at that company. You landed Thompson Hotels because you're brilliant, not because of Alexander's last name." "But—" "No buts. Yes, being married to Alexander opened doors. That's how the world works. Connections matter. But you're the one who walked through those doors and delivered results. You're the one impressing clients and building campaigns that actually work." She pulled up to a stoplight, turning to look at me directly. "Don't let anonymous internet trolls make you doubt yourself." "It's hard not to when it feels like everyone's thinking it." "Everyone's not thinking it. A handful of jealous people are thinking it. Big difference." The light changed, and she drove forward. "Besides, what matters more? What strangers think, or what you know to be true?" I didn't have a good answer f

AlexanderThe comment sections were worse. "She's not even that talented. Friend works at Carter and says everyone knows she's only there because she married the boss." "Gold digger vibes. Married rich and suddenly she's some marketing genius? Please." "Alexander Carter must be pussy-whipped. No way he'd promote someone this unqualified otherwise." I felt my jaw clench. This was designed to make Olivia question herself, to make others question her legitimacy. Victoria. This had her fingerprints all over it. I pulled up my phone and dialed Rachel back. "Mr. Carter?" "Don't do anything," I said flatly. "Leave the articles up." Silence on the other end. "Sir? You want us to leave them?" "Yes. Don't contact the sites, don't issue takedown requests, nothing. Let them circulate." "May I ask why?" "Because taking them down makes us look defensive. Like we're trying to hide something." I leaned back in my chair. "Olivia's work speaks for itself. Thompson Hotels was a success beca