All Chapters of THE EX-WIFE MAKES A COMEBACK : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

(Evelyn's POV)I typed "Adrian Cole" into the search bar and hit enter.The results immediately flooded my screen. Page after page of articles, business profiles, Forbes features. CEO of Cole Enterprises, a multinational conglomerate with interests in biotech, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and venture capital. His net worth is estimated at somewhere around three billion dollars.There were articles about his business deals, company acquisitions, and his reputation for turning struggling startups into billion-dollar empires. He was described as brilliant, ruthless, and impossibly private.But what struck me most was how little personal information about him existed. No social media presence. No gossip columns. No scandals or controversies. Just business, business, business.It was even worse with pictures. The most recent photo I could find was from five years ago—a blurry shot from some tech conference where he'd been a keynote speaker. Before that, scattered images from business even

(Adrian's POV)"How did you—""I have eyes everywhere, son. You know that." His father's voice filtered through the phone with an accusatory edge. "You helped her file for divorce, erased her identity, set her up in London, and now you're investing $50 million in a startup with her?"Adrian's grip tightened on the phone until his knuckles hurt. He should have known and anticipated this. His father has a reputation for getting information most people wouldn't have access to, on knowing things before anyone else did, and having sources in places most people didn't even know existed."It's a sound business investment.""Bullshit." The word came out flat, which somehow made it worse. His father wasn't angry, he was disappointed. "You're in love with her."It was more of a statement than an accusation, leaving no room for denial. But Arian could still deny it and lie it's just business.Instead, he walked to the window and stared out at the world below . "What if I am?"The silence on the

(Evelyn's POV)Back at my apartment that night, I didn't sleep.I spent the entire time reading and re-reading the email. The details in the attachment made my stomach churn whenever I thought of it. It contained surveillance logs that were far too detailed and specific to be fake."March 2022: Subject (E.H.) attended book club at Barnes & Noble, 7:15 PM. Husband (J.H.) met with S.V. at Rosewood Hotel, Room 412, 7:42 PM. Subject returned home 9:33 PM. Husband arrived 10:01 PM."That was the night I'd told Julian I was going out with Sarah to discuss the latest thriller we'd been reading. He'd kissed my forehead and said he had work to catch up on, told me to have fun and not worry about him.I'd come home to find him asleep on the couch, laptop open beside him, looking exhausted. I'd covered him with a blanket and gone to bed alone, feeling guilty for staying out so late.He'd been with her, and unknown to him, someone had been watching and documenting. "July 2022: Subject discovered

(Evelyn's POV)The apartment felt too quiet as I sat on the floor business documents spread around me in a mess. My laptop screen was bright with tabs on articles about investor buyouts, startup financing, and business law.Everything in this apartment, the furniture, the original artwork on the walls had all come from Adrian's money. Even the lease was in his company's name. I'd been living in a cage without realizing it.I picked up my phone and dialed the number of a law firm I got after hours of searching online. Three rings, then a professional voice answered."Zander & Associates, how may I direct your call?""I need to speak with someone about business law. Specifically regarding investor buyouts and company ownership.""One moment please."Hold music filtered through and I used the time to pull up BioGen's incorporation documents on my laptop. Adrian owned sixty percent. I owned thirty-five. Elena owned five. "This is Ainsley Zander.""Mr. Zander, my name is Elena Blackwood.

(Evelyn's POV)The loudest promises are the ones we first break…That was how I found myself doing the one thing I vowed I wouldn't.It's 1:55 PM. And I'm standing outside The Savoy Hotel for the third time that afternoon, telling myself this was a mistake. A terrible mistake that I'd regret the moment I stepped inside.I'd walked away twice already—once at the main entrance, and the second at the lobby. Each time, something pulled me back.Julian's email sat like poison in my mind, the words replaying over and over. “He's not who you think he is. The surveillance is just the beginning.”But I still had time. I could go home right now. Delete the email, block his number and pretend this entire noon never happened. And when tomorrow comes, I'd move forward with Elena. We'd check the lab space, and begin the journey of building BioGen. And I'd never look back at either of these men.But I was already here, standing on the pavement at almost two in the afternoon feeling like a total idi